The holidays are upon us — a time for family, friends, delicious food and counting your blessings. The holidays of 2020 will, however, undoubtedly be different from any you may remember. While the coronavirus may put a damper on travel plans and holiday gatherings, you can still enjoy delicious food and find creative ways to stay connected. Here are a few recipes that will be sure to add enjoyment to your holidays.
Holiday Nut Loaf1
- 1 cup tofu and ½ cup water (or 1 cup soaked soybeans with 1 cup water)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
- 1 tbs. Braggs Liquid Aminos or 2 tsp. soy sauce
- ¼ cup gluten flour or cornstarch
- 1 ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tbs. onion powder
- 1 tsp. ground sage or Italian seasoning
- 3-4 cups soft whole grain bread crumbs
- 2 cups pecan (may use walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, or cashews)
- 2 cups finely chopped onions
- Blend tofu (or soybeans) with water, garlic, and seasonings.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add blended tofu (or s0ybeans) and mix well.
- Place mix in lightly oiled or nonstick loaf pan. Cover with foil (you may cover with parchment paper first) and bake at 350ºF for 1 hour. Remove foil (and parchment paper) and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes to give it a chance to set up before removing from the pan. Turn upside down onto a serving dish. Garnish with fresh parsley or kale and serve with Simple Gravy, or Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce.
One loaf makes 10 servings.
Sweet Tomato Topping2
- 8-ounce can crushed pineapple
- 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 tbs. molasses
- ½ tsp. basil
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
Combine in a small bowl and serve over Holiday Nut Loaf.
Makes 2 cups.
Simple Gravy3
- 1 cup raw cashews
- ½ tsp. salt (or more to taste)
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbs. Chicken-Like or Beef-Life Seasoning
- 1 tbs. Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 1 tbs. nutritional yeast flakes
- 3 tbs. flour or 2 tbs. cornstarch
- 4-ounce can mushrooms after blending (optional)
- water to make 4 cups mixture
- Place all ingredients in blender and blend on high for about 2 minutes until smooth.
- When the mixture is so smooth no graininess is felt in a drop it between your thumb and finger, pour into a saucepan. Add the 1 ½ cups more water to the blender, swish it around, and add to the mixture in the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly as it thickens to keep it from lumping. As soon as it thickens, remove from heat.
- If a thicker sauce is needed, return to heat and slowly stir in more starch that has been dissolved in cold water, letting it come to a gentle boil as it thickens.
Pumpkin Turnovers4
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 tbs. arrowroot powder or unbleached flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. vanilla
- ¼ tsp. coriander, ground
- 1 cup date pieces
- ½ cup water
Blend dates with water. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well.
Crust:
- 3 ¼ cups oat flour
- 1 1/3 cups cashew or almond meal
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup water
Blend nut meal, salt and water. Mix into oat flour. Roll piecrust into ball and roll 1/8-inch thick making a 5-inch circle. Place 2, 3 tbs. pumpkin mix on ½ circle. Flip the other half over and crimp edges with a fork. Prick top with a fork. Place on a ‘pammed” baking sheet. Bake at 350º for 15 minutes. Makes 30 turnovers.
Stuffed Peppers5
Core 4 peppers by just cutting around the stem and removing stem and seeds. Stuff with about 1 cup of Spanish Rice (amount depends on size of peppers). Bake at 350º about 45 minutes or until peppers are tender. Serve with brown gravy or tomato sauce.
Spanish Rice6
- 3 ½ cups crushed tomatoes (28 oz. can)
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- ½ cup bell pepper, finely diced
- 2-3 tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped (0ptional)
- ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 to 1 ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup brown rice, dextrinized
- 1 clove garlic, pressed
Boil celery, onions, peppers, garlic, salt and cilantro with tomatoes. Mix into 1 cup dextrinized rice. Simmer about 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup water, if needed. Place in casserole dish and brown in oven, at 400º for just few minutes before serving. Serves 4-6.
Note: to dextrinize rice, place in dry skillet and heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned.
This has indeed been a challenging year for most, but you may renew your hope for a brighter day by reflecting on the many ways in which God has blessed you. As scripture admonishes us, “O give thanks!”
Sources:
1. 7 Secrets Cookbook, Neva & Jim Brackett, p. 40, Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2006
2. Ibid., p. 40
3. Ibid., p. 26
4. A Taste of Nature Cookbook, LaVonne Hoover, p. 141, Hoover, LaVonne 1992
5. Ibid., p. 95
6. Ibid., p. 72
Photo by: Anna Tukhfatullina