Vegetarians and vegans Lifescape mag wants to know: What are you going to be eating for Christmas lunch?

Question

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Answer 1

Tofu Loaf

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1 medium onion
1 cup rolled oats (or whole grain bread crumbs or crushe'd cornflakes)
1 1/2 pounds tofu, mashed
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit

2) Mix all ingredients together.

3) Press the mixture into a teflon loaf pan (you can spray a bit of PAM)

4) Bake for one hour.

5) Let cool about 15-20 minutes before trying to remove from pan.

6) Slice and enjoy!

This loaf also freezes well - I slice it up then wrap the sliced loaf in wax paper and plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer. I calculated the calories per slice if you were to slice the loaf into 9 one-inch slices (and using the rolled oats): 150 cal/slice.



Chestnut Stuffing with Puff Pastry

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1 can pureed chestnuts
2 cups sliced mushrooms (not to thin)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh taragone
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
dash of shoyu or tamari
1 package of puff pastry
1 sheet baking paper to line the pan (parchment)

Directions:

Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil till soft and starting to brown. Add the mushrooms, and when they are almost cooked, add the taragone, salt, pepper and a dash of tamari. When the mushrooms have finishe'd cooking, stir in the can of chestnuts and set aside. At this point preheat the oven to 400F. Roll out the puff pastry in to a 12 inch square, and place on the paper on the baking sheet. Spoon the chestnut mixture into the center of the pastry square. Then bring all four corners to the center of the pastry square thus covering the chestnut mixture. With your thumb and first finger pinch together the eight open edges, and it should now look like a pyramid.

Place in the preheated oven and cook until browning and cripy on top, and a metal skewer when inserted in the center comes out piping hot.



Vegan Eggnog

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

2 10-oz packages silken regular or low-fat tofu
16 oz. vanilla vegan soymilk
1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegan sugar
2 tablespoon brown vegan sugar
1/4 tablespoon ground tumeric
1/2 to 1 cup rum or brandy
nutmeg to taste

Directions:

In a blender, combine all ingredients except nutmeg; blend thoroughly, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides. Serve well-chilled and dusted with nutmeg.


Christmas Meat Loaf

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

substitute for 2 eggs
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 box med. firm silken tofu (350 g)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 packet vegan dried onion soup mix (1.5 oz)
1tsp oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2/4 cup chopped celery
2 cups chopped mushrooms
oregano, bazil & ground
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

Directions:

Mix egg substitute, soy sauce, tofu & onion soup mix together in blender. Add walnuts & blend until smooth.

Saute vegetables until onions are transparen't (add other diced veggies if you wish - ie peppers, carrotsetc). Add herbs/spices while vegetables are frying.

Mix blender ingredients, cooked vegetables & vegan bread crumbs together in a large bowl.

Press into a greased loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degress F. for 45 minutes. Let cool slightly. Turn loaf out and slice.


Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

8 oz / 225g macaroni pasta
1 onion, minced finely
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup / 240ml vegan cheddar cheese
2 cups / 500ml soymilk
1 teaspoon mustard
olive oil
salt

Directions:

1. Cook the macaroni pasta for about 10 minutes in boiling salted water. When ready. the pasta should be firm to the bite or Al Dente

2. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl with a tablespoon of olive oil to prevent the pasta sticking together.

3. Preheat the oven to 375F/190C

4. Fry the onion in a little olive oil until clear, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook for an additional minute. 5. Reduce the heat to low and add in the soy milk while stirring. Let the mixture thicken for two minutes.

6. Add the mustard to the sauce along with a pinch of salt and pepper.

7. Pour the sauce over the pasta in the bowl and add half of the vegan cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted.

8. Pour the macaroni into an oiled casserole dish and top with the remaining vegan cheese. Bake for approx. 25.

Answer 2

Go to Culinary Chef at http://www.culinarychef.com for recipes and special occasions menus. To answer your question, look at the Christmas menus on Culinary Chef. You will find a traditional, French-style, and EVEN vegetarian full menus!

I wouldn't worry too much about vegetarians and vegans. They have plenty of delicious food to eat any time of the year.

Answer 3

Last year I made chili in a crock pot with fresh cilantro and had fried polenta squares to go with it. We had peirogies (I don't think I am Polish enough to spell that correctly) that I had made the night before. We also had pumpkin pie squares and lots of cookies. I had decided not to make a huge meal and enjoy Christmas day doing something besides cooking and cleaning the kitchen.