Well, it’s about that time again. That’s right, it’s beginning to look a lot like… the holidays. That means plenty of festive sights and sounds, thoughts of thankfulness, gatherings with family and friends, and delicious food.
If you care about your health but also want good holiday food, we’ve got you covered here. Why not skip the fat-laden, cholesterol-promoting meals this year, and start your new year off right by finishing this year with healthier choices? Below are 10 recipes for incredibly delicious, plant-based holiday meals. Enjoy, and healthy holidays!
Walnut Roast1
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp. sage
- 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 Tbs. Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp. salt
Steps
- Sauté chopped vegetables with sage, salt, and Braggs Liquid Aminos in 1/4 cup water.
- Blend flour and sunflower seeds with 2 cups water.
- Add to sautéed vegetables and simmer for a few minutes.
- Place bread crumbs, walnuts, and brown rice in a bowl. Add sautéed vegetables and sunflower mixture.
- Mix well. Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 350º 45 to 60 minutes, until well browned.
- Serve with Chicken-like or Cashew Gravy.
Serves 8-10.
Cashew Gravy2
Ingredients
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup cashew meal
- 1/3 cup dextrinized flour
- 1 1/2 Tbs. Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Steps
- Heat 2 cups of water to boiling. Blend the remaining ingredients.
- Pour blended ingredients into boiling water, stirring as you pour.
- Boil for 1 minute.
Makes about 2 cups.
Chicken-like Gravy3
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup cashew meal
- 1/4 cup dextrinized yeast unbleached flour
- 2 Tbs. McKay’s Chicken Style Seasoning
- 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 Tbs. garlic powder
Steps
- Boil 2 cups of water.
- Blend remaining ingredients and add to boiling water while stirring vigorously. Simmer until thickened.
- Add 2 Tbs. parsley flakes.
Makes about 4 cups.
Lentil Loaf4
Ingredients
- 2 cups lentils, cooked
- 1 cup brown rice, cooked
- 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. sweet basil
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. celery seed, ground
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds, ground
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
Steps
- Mix all ingredients and pour into 1 1/2 quart oiled casserole dish.
- Bake at 350º for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Serve with salsa or tomato sauce.
Serves 6-8.
Burger Dumplings5
Ingredients
Dumpling Dough:
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 Tbs. yeast
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
Filling:
- 2 cups cabbage, diced fine
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 3/4 cup unflavored textured vegetable protein (TVP)
- 3/4 tsp. onion powder
- 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 3/4 cup hot water
Steps
- Mix yeast, warm water, and honey in a large mixing bowl. When the mixture bubbles, stir in flours and salt, then knead for about 10 minutes.
- Filling preparation: Sauté cabbage and onion in a small amount of water.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and cover with hot water to rehydrate vegetable protein. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add to sautéed vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes until all the liquid is gone.
- Roll dough onto a floured surface until 1/8” thick. Cut into 3-inch squares.
- Place 1 heaping tablespoon of sautéed mixture in the center of each square.
- Pull opposite corners together, pinching closed along openings.
- Placed on oiled baking sheets. Let rise for about 15 minutes.
- Bake at 375º 15 to 20 minutes.
Makes 5 dozen dumplings.
Baked Tofu6
Ingredients
- 14 ounces fresh, firm tofu
- 1 Tbs. chicken-style seasoning
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 Tbs. Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
Steps
- Cut tofu into slices 1/4-inch thick (10).
- Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl and sprinkle over tofu.
- Bake uncovered at 350ºF for 30 to 40 minutes or until beginning to dry out a bit.
Makes 10 slices.
Millet Loaf7
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup wheat germ or bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 cups cooked millet
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 Tbs. chicken-style seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 Tbs. Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 1/2 tsp. sage
Steps
- Blend cashews and water until smooth.
- Combine well with the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Pack into an oil-sprayed loaf pan or casserole dish. Bake at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.
Sweet Potato Soufflé8
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. honey
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- 1/4 cup soy or nut milk
- 1 Tbs. molasses
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Steps
- Wash sweet potatoes and pierce them with a fork.
- Bake at 350ºF for about an hour, until soft and juices are appearing.
- Cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes and add remaining ingredients. A food processor works well.
- Pour into a casserole dish and top with chopped walnuts.
- Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes.
Makes 6 servings.
Carob Pudding9
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup dates
- 2 Tbs. carob powder
- 1 Tbs. peanut butter
- 2 tsp. powdered coffee substitute (Roma)
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup hot cooked millet
- 1 Tbs. coconut
Steps
- Soften dates by heating them together with water.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend smoothly.
- Serve warm or chilled.
Makes 4 servings.
Roasted Butternut Squash & Sage10
Ingredients
- 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
- 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 5-7 leaves fresh sage, chopped (or 2 Tbs. Dried sage)
Steps
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Combine squash, olive oil, and salt in a large bowl, until evenly coated. Stir in the sage.
- Transfer the squash to a nonstick roasting pan and bake in the oven until the squash is tender and lightly browned about 20 minutes.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Curried Peas & Almonds11
- 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen peas
- 3 ounces Smokehouse Almonds, chopped
- 1/3 cup red onions, chopped
- 1/3 cup reduced-fat Vegenaise (or regular Vegenaise)
- 1 tsp. curry powder
Steps
- Steam peas until barely done, about 3-5 minutes.
- Drain in a colander and stop the cooking process by running cold water over them.
- Combine the cooled peas with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Serve chilled.
Servers 6-8.
Coconut Layer Cake12
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Frosting:
- 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, room temperature
- 1/4 cup coconut, soy, or almond milk
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. pure almond extract (optional_
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Steps
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease two 9-inch round pans and dust with flour.
Make the cake:
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl mix together oil, coconut milk, vanilla, almond extract, and sugar.
- Pour into the dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the shredded coconut. Pour into prepared cake pans.
- Bake until the cake is slightly golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
- Let the cakes sit for 10 minutes then remove from pans and place on a cooling rack.
Make the frosting:
- Cream together margarine, coconut milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and sugar with a handheld mixer until smooth. Add the unsweetened coconut and mix.
- Frost the two-layer cake when completely cool. Sprinkle additional coconut flakes on top with a few berries for color, then cut into and serve.
Serves 16.
Source:
- Lavonne Hoover, A Taste of Nature Cookbook and Nutritional Guide, 1992, pg. 64.
- Ibid., pg. 85.
- Ibid. pg. 85.
- Ibid. pg. 68.
- Ibid. pg. 60.
- Barbara Watson, Amazing Health Cookbook, Review and Herald Publishing Assoc., 2012, pg. 87.
- Ibid. pg. 87.
- Ibid. pg. 100.
- Ibid. pg. 114.
- Tami Bivens, From Plant to Plate, Life and Health Network, 2013, pg. 206.
- Ibid. pg. 209.
- Ibid. pgs. 248-249.
- Photo by: Gankgo Group.