Vegan Holiday Dishes, Sides & Pie

Hi friends!

I am sharing our favorite holiday dishes that are of course, VEGAN!

Thanksgiving was a little more stressful this year because we had extra people with us.  We have my nana that just moved here from California, who isn’t vegan, and our best friend who moved in with us last year also from California, also not vegan.  I felt  more pressure because I was doing all the cooking, to make sure no one felt like they were missing out on any yummy foods or deserts because we were eating plant based! This was our third vegan thanksgiving and by far the best.  And everyone was so happy with all the dinner options, so I was proud!

SOOOO with Christmas and New years coming up, I thought id share some winners from our Thanksgiving!

I hope you love them and feel free to share any of your favorite plant based sides or dishes in the comments!

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Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 3 russet potatoes
• 1/3c vegan butter (Earth Balance, soy free)
• 1/3c nutritional yeast
• pinch of pink salt & pepper
• 1/3 t. of each or 1 T mixed blend dried italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1/2 t onion powder

1. Boil potatoes and cauliflower in pot of water for 20-25 until both are soft// drain water, squish the cauliflower to get excess water out
2. mashed up the potatoes and cauliflower with big fork or smasher
3. add butter and spices while hot and let stand

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Gravy

• 2c vegan protein broth
• 1/4c whole wheat flour
• 1/2t black pepper
• 1t onion powder
• 1/2t spicy mustard
• 2T coconut aminos
• 2T nutritional yeast

1. add all dry ingredients to sauce pan and toast dry for 3-5 minutes in med. heat
2. slowly add broth, whisking away clumps of flour
3. add coconut aminos & mustard
4. simmer on med-low until bubbly & thick

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Siracha Maple Brussels

• Oven at 375
• 3-4 cups fresh Brussels chopped in half
• 1-2 T Siracha Spicy Sauce
• 3 T Pure Maple syrup
• 2 T balsamic vinegar

1. Chop Brussels and mix with all ingredients
2. Place mixture on aluminum lined bake sheet
3. bake for 30-45 minutes (toss half way through or every 15 minutes)

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Meatless Lentil Loaf

• 1/2c cooked lentils
• 2 stalks celery
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 10oz firm tofu drained
• 1/4c walnuts ground
• 1 1/4c oats
• 3T coconut aminos
• 2T Vegan BBQ sauce
• 2T Ketchup
• 1T spicy mustard
• 2t Parsley
• 1/2t thyme
• 1/2t sage
• 1/2t rosemary

1. Oven at 375 & parchment lined loaf pan
2. sauce chopped celery, onion and garlic on high for 5 minutes
3. drain tofu, press extra liquid out with towel, mash tofu in bowl
4. add saute mixture in with tofu
5. add spices and sauces besides bbq sauce
6. put mixture in loaf pan, spread BBQ sauce on top
7. bake for 1 hr

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Orange & Agave Cranberry Sauce

• 12oz fresh cranberries
• 2/3c agave or farm fresh local honey
• 1/4c water
• 1/4c orange juice
• 1/2t cinnamon

1. in sauce pan, add everything except cranberries, bring to simmer to dissolve agave or honey
2. add cranberries, bring to boil, keep boiling at low heat, cook for 10 minutes
3. stir occasionally, you will hear cranberries popping 🙂

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Tofurky

• I do a mixture of coconut aminos, rosemary, thyme, basil, garlic and a cup of vegan protein broth, cover and cook as directed!
• We have one every holiday and it never disappoints!

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Acorn Squash Rings

• 2 Acorn Squashs (cut into slices and middles spooned out)
• 1/4c dried cranberries
• 1T garlic powder
• 2T pure maple syrup
• 1C cooked quinoa
• 1T curry powder
• 2C spinach
• 1/2t pink salt
• 3T olive oil
• 1/4c pecans chopped
• 4 T vegan butter (earth balance)
• 1/4c pecans chopped

1. oven at 350, lined bake sheet with foil
2. mix 2T syrup & 2T oil together and set aside
3. slice and clean out squash rings, place on bake sheet
4. saute 1T oil, butter, garlic, quinoa, curry, salt & spinach for 5 minutes
5. add cooked quinoa and chopped pecan cook for additional 1-2 minutes, keep stirring
6. spoon mixture into rings
7. brush oil & syrup mixture onto squash ring flesh
8. add whole pecans to tops, brush with oil &syrup
9. bake for 40 minutes

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Pumpkin Cheesecake & Crust

Filling

• 2, 12oz tofu (silken)
• 1, 15oz pumpkin puree
• 1/3c maple syrup
• 1/4c sugar
• 1/4c oat flour (make yourself, oats blended fine)
• 1T cornstarch
• 2t pie spice pumpkin
• 1/2t Cinnamon
• 1 1/2t vanilla extract
• 1/4t pink salt

1. blend all ingredients together in blender! SO EASY!

Crust

• oven at 350
• 1 3/4c Graham Cracker crumbles
• 6T vegan butter
• 1/3c Brown sugar
• 1/2 t cocoa

1. crush grahams (blender)
2. mix blended grahams with sugar
3. add melted butter to mixture
4. press mixture into glass pie baker, bake for 10 minutes and let cool

Toppings!

• Chocolate syrup get my favorite here
• coconut whipped cream
• vegan chocolate chips Get some here

Spoon the pie mixture into the cooled pie crust and bake for 55 minutes

when you remove pie from oven it should have a firm-dish top but still jiggle!

Cool in fridge for 4 hours or overnight!

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