This my post for the plant based challenge where the theme is Christmas delights.
The first thing that comes to mind are sweets. I don't really make sweets for just my partner and I. I prefer to have a taste of other peoples.
Marc and I don't really do the Christmas dinner thing. We are usually working the eve before and boxing day. In the past we would go to his parents house where his mother would make a big dinner. Now that we are vegan and they are almost crippled with old age health issues, Christmas is just a visit with us eating peanuts and drinking wine. When I was in other relationships I would spend Christmas with their families whom went all out during the Christmas holiday. It's not my thing but the food was abundant.
I do love a good old fashion spread with potatoes, veggies and gravy. We haven't consumed turkey in seventeen years. That doesn't mean we can't have a substitute along with the things I like that are animal product free.
This challenge inspired me to make a holiday dinner for Marc and I. We are working Christmas eve and the day after Christmas. Christmas day will be relaxing day.
Last night we had a veggie loaf made with added wheat gluten. I make seitan with this and each time it's different. This time I added cooked carrots, onions, garlic and beet root.
Veggie loaf
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 cooked carrot
1/4 cooked beet
1 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten plus more if needed
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup vegetable broth
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon ground mushroom powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
1 teaspoon pepper
1/8 cup soy sauce
3 or 4 drops liquid smoke
salt to taste
Blend the onions, garlic, carrots and beet together adding the liquids.
Mix in dry ingredients and add additional wheat gluten flour enough to form a dough.
Wrap it in parchment paper and steam.
I steamed this for 45 minutes or so. It gets nice and plump and firms up. Sometimes I skip this step and simmer it in broth right away but I decided to steam it first. I don't know why I did it this way. After I put it in a vegetable stock and simmered until the other items were ready.
For the gravy I just browned onions, garlic, carrot and added around 5 cups vegetable broth, a teaspoon mushroom powder and a tablespoon miso paste. It was simmered with a bay leaf and a sprig of dried rosemary.
After around a half hour I removed the bay leaf, the rosemary sprig and blended the rest to a liquid. I didn't bother thickening it like I do sometimes. I kept it like a jus instead.
For the mashed potatoes I cooked potatoes in vegetable broth, then mashed with a little vegan butter.
When everything was done, I carved the loaf.
Along side were peas and Brussel sprouts which were frozen. I don't recommend frozen Brussel sprouts. Nothing gravy couldn't fix.
I also made a Mexican inspired Christmas salad which traditionally has beets and fruit. It varies but almost always included Jicama. I couldn't find any near by so I substituted with chayote squash which is much like an apple with no sweetness or tang.
Mexican Christmas salad
1 cooked beet
1 chayote squash
1 apple
1 orange
1 grapefruit
1/2 cup sultana raisins
1 cup peanuts
1 pomegranate
Chopped romaine lettuce
Lime vinaigrette
1 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon agave or other sweetener (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
It looks like a lot of food for two people but the loaf is much lighter then turkey so there were only four slices left. I only had three so someone had a midnight snack when I was not looking.
Yes there were leftovers but they were eaten for breakfast today. We always eat dinner for breakfast.
Thanks for dropping by!
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