Here are some great Christmas recipes you can try at home:

 

Table of Contents

Holiday Roast | Plant-based, Vegan

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip in Wanton Cups

Vegan Holiday Meatballs in Gravy

Apple Hand Pies

Roast Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells | Plant-based, Vegan

 

 

Holiday Roast | Plant-based, Vegan

 

 

Author: Chef Ani

 

Yield: Serves 6

 

Ingredients

 

Dry:

  • 1 cup vital wheat gluten 
  • 1/4 cup tapioca starch
  • 1/4 cup rice or chickpea flour
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup dried mushrooms powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • pinch of cayenne (optional)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 

 

Wet:

  • 1 pound extra-firm tofu (one package)
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
  • 1 tablespoon Better-Than-Bouillon (vegetable)

 

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F
  • Prepare the stuffing according to the recipe:  Click Here for a link to my Stuffing Recipe!
  • In a food processor, add all the wet ingredients and blend until smooth.  
  • In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and stir well to combine.  
  • Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture and pour in the wet mixture.  Stir to combine.  Use your hands if needed to form into a nice dough.  
  • On a large parchment paper sheet, flatten the dough into a rectangle (1/2 inch thick).  Place the stuffing in the middle, make sure you leave about 3-4 inches free of the stuffing on all sides.  
  • Holding on to the parchment paper, gently fold over the two side pieces, pull back the parchment paper from the sides, and make sure the dough stays in place.  A little bit of patience here will go a long way. 
  • Next, hold on to the parchment paper on both sides of the roast.  Gently bring them together until the dough touches.  Fold-down the parchment paper until it is tight against the top of the roast, twist the ends, and shape the dough as you go. 
  • Place the roast with the fold down on a piece of aluminum foil, wrap the roast to ensure it is secure.  (I use one piece of aluminum foil for the roast’s body and then wrap the whole roast in another piece of aluminum foil.)  
  • Place the roast on a baking sheet (fold down) and bake for 90 minutes.  Let cool slightly before serving.  
  • If made ahead, reheat by covering roast in foil and bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

 

Puff Pastry Crust:

If you want to make the roast extra special, cover it in a puff pastry sheet.  

  • 1 package vegan puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm Frozen Pastry Sheet)
  • 2 Phyllo Dough Pastry Sheets

Make sure the roast is completely cool before adding the pastry Sheets.  Wrap the roast in two sheets of Phyllo Dough Pastry Sheets before wrapping it in puff pastry.  Phyllo Dough is designed to be a moisture barrier, and this allows the puff pastry to do what it’s meant to do.  It took us several tries and much research to finally figure out a solution to the soggy puff pastry shell.

 

 

 

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip in Wonton Cups

 

 

 

 

Author: Chef Ani

 

Ingredients

  • Vegan Wonton Wrappers (refrigerator section of the grocery store)
  • olive oil for brushing

 

Spinach Artichoke Dip

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 cup onion diced really fine
  • 2 large garlic cloves minced
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup cashews
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 3 tablespoons tapioca flour
  • 1/8–1/4 crushed red pepper
  • 1 10 oz jar of artichoke hearts
  • 1 cup chopped spinach packed

 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brush one side (the inside) of each wonton square.  Gently place in a cupcake or muffin tin.  Bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.  

In a saucepan sauté the finely chopped onion and garlic in some olive oil. 

In a blender add the water, cashews, fresh lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, nutritional yeast, tapioca flour, crushed red pepper, and 1/3 of the artichoke jar.  Blend till smooth.

Once the onion is translucent, chop and add the rest of the artichoke, and spinach.  Pour in the blended mixture and stir until you have reached your desired consistency of dip.

 

 

Vegan Holiday Meatballs in Gravy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Chef Ani

 

 

Ingredients

 

Dry:

  • 1 cup vital wheat gluten (135g)
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons ground dried mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup walnuts (60 g)
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs (55g)
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sage
  • 1/16 teaspoon cayenne
  • (1/2 teaspoon Herb de Provence, optional)

 

Wet:

  • 1/2 cup tofu, firm (110g)
  • 1/2 cup cold vegetable stock (or water)
  • 3 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos (soy sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions (70 g)

 

Broth Ingredients:

  • 8 cups water
  • 1/3 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos

 

Gravy Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup Cashews
  • 1 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos
  • 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

 

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients together.
  2. In a food processor or blender, blend all the wet ingredients together.
  3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until combined.
  4. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes by hand to make sure everything is incorporated
  5. Prepare the broth
  6. When the broth comes to a rolling boil, do a consistency test (see note below)
  7. Shape the dough into little meatballs
  8. Add the meatballs, cover with lid, reduce heat to medium until the meatballs float, then reduce the heat to low.
  9. On low, gently boil the meatballs for 60 minutes
  10. Turn off the heat.
  11. Drain the cooking liquid into a blender
  12. Add the gravy ingredients and blend until smooth.
  13. Pour over meatballs, and let simmer for 10 minutes on low to medium heat (see note)

 

Note:

Test: Boil one meatball for about 15 min. on medium heat. If it stays together, it is safe to put the other meatballs in the broth. If it falls apart, knead in another tablespoon of vital gluten flour to the dough, and repeat test. This is an extra step, but it is well worth the effort.

It is important that the broth is boiling when adding the meatballs, but as soon as they have been added, lower temperature to medium, and when they float, lower the temperature to low.

Option:  I usually add about 1 tablespoon of vegan margarine to the gravy when it is nearly finished, it is definitely not necessary, but it adds some to the flavor of the gravy.

Sometimes when I want the meatballs to look a little browner, I will lightly brown them in a skillet before I put them in the sauce.  It adds a nice color.

Be careful not to simmer the meatballs in the gravy for too long, the meatballs may fall apart.  Just simmer in the gravy for 10 min. and serve.

 

 

 

Apple Hand Pies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Chef Ani

 

Ingredients

 

Pie Crust:

  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4–1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons vegan margarine, Earth Balance
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1–2 tablespoons of ice water (use sparingly)

 

Filling:

  • 2 Cortland Apples, peeled and chopped (or an apple that holds its shape while baking)
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup & 1 teaspoon cornstarch (or 3 tablespoons brown sugar)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 

Instructions

 

Pie Crust:

  • In a food processor, mix the flour and salt to combine.
  • Add the vegan margarine and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles crumbs.
  • Next add 1 tablespoon ice water.
  • Test dough by squeezing it to see if it holds together.
  • If it is still crumbly, add another tablespoons of water. Pulse again.
  • When it holds together, form into a dough.
  • Let sit in fridge while you make the filling. (20 minutes)

 

Filling:

  • In a saucepan, add all the ingredients and bring to a simmer.
  • Let simmer for a minute or two. The mixture should not be runny, but gooey.
  • Set aside and let cool.

 

Putting it Together:

  • On a clean work area or a silicone mat, roll out the dough until about 1/8 in. thickness. If easier, cut the dough in half, and work with half at a time.
  • Use a round cookie cutter or a canning jar ring to cut as many circle as you can.
  • In the middle of half of the dough circle add about a tablespoon of filling.
  • Then place the other half dough circles on top of those with filling.
  • Use a fork and gently squeeze the two dough edges together around the circle.
  • Next cut a slit in the top.
  • Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.

 

Notes:

When working with the dough, make sure to use as little water as possible, and handle the dough as little as possible.

 

 

 

Roasted Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells | Plant-based, Vegan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Chef Ani

 

Ingredients

  • 1 box of Jumbo Pasta Shells, (for a gluten-free option: Brown Rice Pasta Shells)

 

Butternut Squash Sauce:

  • 3 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into small chunks
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2–1 teaspoon fresh sage (2–3 sage leaves)
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/4 cup cashews
  • 1 teaspoons salt or salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon margarine (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon better-than-bouillon (vegetable base)

 

Vegan Ricotta Filling:

  • 1 cup presoaked cashews, drained
  • 1 cup (8 oz) firm tofu, drained
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2–3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1 medium onion, small dice
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
  • 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped

 

Instructions

 

Pasta:

  • Precook the pasta shells.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and sprinkle generously with salt.
  • Add pasta shells.  Cook according to box instructions (usually about 10 minutes)
  • Remove from boiling water, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking.
  • Drain. Set aside to cool.
  • Optional: Add a small amount of oil to the pasta shells to prevent them from sticking together. 

 

Butternut Squash Sauce:

  • Preheat oven to 375 F
  • Peel the squash with a potato peeler, cut it in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into even bite-size pieces, place it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • Next, spray with a little oil and sprinkle with a little salt.
  • Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes, until the butternut squash is fork-tender.
  • In a pan sauté onion, garlic, fresh sage, and red pepper flakes over medium heat.  Cook until onions are translucent.
  • Transfer the onion mixture to a blender.  Add the roasted butternut squash and the rest of the sauce ingredients.  Blend until smooth.

 

Vegan Ricotta Filling:

  • In a food processor, add cashews, tofu, lemon juice, olive oil, and blend. Add salt, Bragg Liquid Aminos, nutritional yeast, and blend until smooth.
  • In a small saucepan, sauté the onion in oil until translucent, add the crushed garlic, and fresh spinach. Sauté until the spinach has wilted. Set aside to cool.
  • Gently mix the cashew/tofu mixture with the onion/spinach mixture. The filling is now ready.

 

Assembling the Dish:

  • Preheat oven to 350F
  • In an 9X9 inch pan, add a layer of butternut squash sauce.
  • Next, fill the pasta shell with 1-2 tablespoons of ricotta filling.
  • Place in the pan.
  • Continue this process with all the shells.
  • Cover each shell with a layer of pasta sauce.  (Use leftover sauce to pour over shells when serving)
  • Sprinkle with vegan parmesan if desired (Click Here for My Recipe).
  • Bake for about 30 minutes.
  • Garnish with fresh sage leaves.

 

 

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