Vegans and Vegetarians at Christmas
Christmas brings together disparate families with their own tastes, routines and opinions. It’s hard enough to fit everyone into the spare rooms and sofa beds before you have to cater for one vegetarian out of a table full of carnivores or, conversely, hope that the family won’t mind foregoing their traditional meat feast while they are guests at your house. What is needed is compromise – and it’s not as hard as you think. There are loads of fantastic vegan and vegetarian recipes out there which are not only tasty but also easy-to-make and/or healthier than the alternatives. Vegans go a bit further by cutting out milk, dairy products, eggs and honey so it’s always best to check. Please note, recipes are only vegan where specified.
Buffets
In the place of pork pies, cocktails sausages and bacon quiche, try from this wonderful selection of vegetarian and vegan pick-me-ups:
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Vegetable Spring Rolls
Falafel- a baked lentil mixture – a Middle Eastern recipe.
- Stuffed Vine Leaves – Greek recipe, can be served with minted yoghurt or lemon juice.
- Vodka Cherry Tomatoes.
- Houmous & Pita – an old favourite, now very cheap in the supermarkets but always tastiest home made. Pitas can be easily warmed up in the toaster.
- Mediterranean Vegetables (vegan) – just roast any from the following in olive oil at a high heat: peppers, courgettes, aubergines, red onion, pumpkin or squash, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.
- Vegetable Kebabs (vegan) – pick from any of the med veg, cover in oil and cajun spice, BBQ or roast.
- Onion Bhajis – make your own or buy cheap from the supermarket freezer.
- Vegetable Spring Rolls (vegan) – make your own or buy cheap from the supermarket freezer.
- Vegetable Samosas (vegan) – make your own or buy cheap from the supermarket freezer.
- Deep fried camembert and cranberry sauce – from the supermarket freezer, done in 15 minutes in the oven.
- Breaded Garlic Mushrooms – deep fried, sauteed or baked and also available from the supermarket.
- All sorts of Indian curries are vegetarian and can be easily made in large batches. Most people, vegetarian or not, have had a vegetarian curry at some point. They are easily ladled out from large pots and can be served with rice, pita, naan or even toast!
- Olives – buy in most shops or grow your own.
- Couscous – make from packets available at the supermarket.
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Vegetarian Chilli
Vegetarian Chilli – can be served with rice, tacos, tortilla (add cheese, lettuce and salsa) or on its own. For finger food, try spooning a small amount of the chilli onto doritos (or similar) then covering with salsa, cheese and grilling for two minutes until cheese has melted. A great hot snack. Recipe: make as normal chilli con carne but substitute the meat for any beans, pulses or other veg such as peppers, celery, mushrooms etc…
- Cheeses
- Fruit (such as strawberries, pineapple and grapes on a cocktail stick).
- Sushi
Christmas Dinner
Starters
Most starters are, in fact, vegetarian so it shouldn’t be difficult to find a veggie starter which suits you all.
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Mushroom Pate
- Mushroom pate – available in all large supermarkets and a personal favourite of Santa’s Little Helper.
- Stuffed Mushrooms -Â cut out the stalks, chop them, mix them with garlic, breadcrumbs, salt & pepper then cover in oil and bake for 20 minutes
- Potato wedges – roughly chop potatoes with skins on, cover in oil and season, place on baking tray and leave until golden brown.
- Melon – scoop out in balls and serve with a berry or two for garnish. Also good for clearing the palate between courses.
- Soup – there are a million vegetarian soups out there both hot and cold.
- Poached pear salad (add duck for the meat eaters)
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Insalate Tricoloure
- Sun-dried tomato pate – available in big supermarkets and specialist delis.
- Spinach and ricotta pate – available in big supermarkets and specialist delis.
- Tapenade with olive oil and bread – available in big supermarkets and specialist delis.
- Tomato, mozzarella and avocado – drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle fresh basil over and voila! Insalate Tricolore
- Melted blue cheese over avocado (plus smoked salmon for the meat-eaters).
Mains
This is where things can get awkward. If the vegetarian or vegan is averse to eating vegetables or gravy that have been cooked in meat juices, then is it probably best to just go with a completely separate meal (M&S do some great vegetarian ready meals). Ones cooked all at once, or all in advance are best. Think casseroles, pot roasts and lasagnes. Otherwise, just serve up the usual but with a substitute for the meat. Have a look at these options:
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Nut Roast
- Cottage Pie – Delia Smith’s recipe but using quorn and olive oil in the mash For the vegan version cut out the cheese. For a gluten and lactose free version, use normal mince and ewe or goat’s cheese on top. Olive oil in the mash and leeks fried in olive oil (instead of butter).
- Nut roast (check whether it is vegan) – most vegetarians will be used to have this as a substitute. There’s also a tomato version and most meat-eaters enjoy it too. Serves as an expensive stuffing.
- Stuffed red pepper (vegan)
- Vegetarian lasagne
- Moussaka without the lamb (can be substituted with Quorn)
- Stuffed Aubergine (vegan).
- Falafel (vegan)
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Cheese and Parsnip Roulade
- Vegetarian haggis
- Squash & Pepper stacks (can be vegan).
- Smoked Bean Curd Medallions with Shiitake & Walnut Stuffing (vegan)
- Recipes from the Good Housekeeping Forum.
- Spinach Filo Tarte. Often available in the freezer department of most supermarkets.
- Cheese and parsnip roulade with sage and onion stuffing (Delia Smith).
- Mushroom Stroganoff with Mustard and Chive Mash.
Dessert
Most vegetarians won’t eat gelatine (found in the jelly in the trifle) or animal suet (found in mince pies and Christmas pudding). There are plenty of substitutes for these annual desserts.
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Chocolate Roulade
- Chocolate roulade
- Exotic Christmas Pud
- Orange liqueur pudding (vegan option)
- Straight-forward Vegetarian Christmas Pudding.
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