This holiday season, give turkeys something to celebrate—by keeping them off your dinner plate! Vegan Tofurky (Tofurky.com) and UnTurkey (NowAndZen.net)—soy- and wheat-based roasts complete with stuffing and gravy—have become so popular that they’ve been flying off store shelves. But mock meats don’t need to be on the menu for your feast to take flight. Surprisingly simple yet delicious dishes like our shepherd’s pie and mixed-fruit crumble will delight all your guests.
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Veggie Holidays Are as Easy as Pie
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There’s no need to ruffle anyone’s feathers to have a bird-friendly holiday feast. Try these tips and watch your guests dig in:
• Savory stuffed squash, vegetable pot pies and classic casseroles are delicious entrée options.
• Side dishes are easy to veganize. Make mashed potatoes with soy milk and margarine, not dairy milk and butter. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth in soups, sauces and stuffings; mushroom broth beats beef broth in any recipe.
• Commercial egg replacer, mashed tofu, bananas and applesauce are all excellent stand-ins for eggs in cakes and other baked goods.
• Look out for lard in ready-made pie crusts and pastries; choose products made with vegetable shortening instead.
For more ideas, check out cyberspace. PETA’s GoVeg.com and other vegetarian Web sites have tons of tips, recipes and resources.
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Shepherd’s Pie
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4 medium potatoes, diced
2 Tbsp. margarine
1/4 cup soy milk or liquid nondairy creamer
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
12 oz. faux ground beef-style crumbles (try Yves® Veggie Ground Round)
10.5-oz. can Franco-American mushroom gravy (or 1 1/4 cups prepared vegetarian gravy of your choice)
6-oz. can mixed peas and carrots, drained
Salt, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne, to taste
• Boil potatoes for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash with margarine and soy milk or nondairy creamer. Add salt and pepper, to taste. In a medium pan, sauté the onion in the oil until translucent.
• In a medium bowl, mix the cooked onions, crumbles, mushroom gravy, peas, carrots, and spices. Pour into a pie pan.
• Top the crumble mixture with the potatoes, spreading potatoes to the edges. Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are browned and the crumble mixture bubbles out the edges.
Makes 4 servings
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Orchard Crumble
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3 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, quartered, and thinly sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, quartered, and thinly sliced 1-1-2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
For the Topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine, cut into small pieces
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix the ingredients for the fruit mixture together in a large bowl and toss well. Spread evenly into a 9-inch baking dish or pie pan.
• Mix the dry ingredients for the topping together in a medium bowl, then cut in the margarine pieces and mix with a fork or your fingers until the mixture resembles small peas. Spread this topping evenly over the fruit mixture and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until browned and bubbly.
• Serve warm with a scoop of nondairy vanilla “ice cream.”
Makes 6 servings
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Bean & Mushroom Amandine
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2-33 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups white mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1/3 cup pearl onions
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable or faux chicken broth
2-1/2 cups fresh French-cut green beans 1/3 cup white wine
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• In a skillet, sauté the garlic, mushrooms, parsley, and onions in the olive oil over medium-low heat for several minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the broth, green beans, and wine, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove cover, season with salt and pepper, and continue simmering until the beans are tender and the liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat, then add a dash of fresh olive oil and the toasted almonds and toss with the beans to coat. Serve warm.
Makes 4 servings
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Meal Photos: © Steve lee, Home Economist: Sian Davies
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