Best Vegetarian Christmas Recipes

Thursday, Aug 20, 2020, 4:01 pm

By:Tony Williams

1.No Bake Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients Ingredients: 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking) 1 cup dry roasted peanuts Directions In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the brown sugar, cream, and cocoa, then boil for 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from heat, add the peanut butter and vanilla, and stir until smooth. Stir in the oats and peanuts. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the batter onto wax paper-lined baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart, and let cool until set, about 20 minutes. Storage suggestion: Keep the cookies at room temperature, between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Photo and Recipe Courtesy of realsimple.com

2.Stuffed Shells With Arrabbiata Sauce

Ingredients 12 ounces (1 box) jumbo pasta shells (approximately 36 shells) 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing baking sheet 6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, diced 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes 2 garlic cloves, minced 5 cups marinara sauce 2 (15-ounce) containers whole milk ricotta cheese 1 1/3 cups grated Parmesan 4 large egg yolks 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves 3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint leaves 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Directions; Lightly oil a 12 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish and set aside. Lightly oil the baking sheet and set aside. Partially cook the pasta shells in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly tender but still quite firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. You will continue cooking the shells in the oven after they have been stuffed. Using a slotted spoon, drain pasta shells and place on oiled baking sheet, spreading them out so that they don't stick together and allow to cool. Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring often. In a medium bowl, stir the ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolks, basil, parsley, mint, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon 1 1/4 cups of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Fill the cooked shells with the cheese mixture, about 2 tablespoons per shell. Arrange the shells in the prepared dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with the mozzarella. Bake in the lower third of your oven until the filling is heated through and the top is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Photo and Recipe Courtesy of foodnetwork.com

3.Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients: Spicy Tomato Sauce: 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup black olives, pitted and roughly chopped 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes 3 tablespoons capers, drained 2 (28-ounce) cans tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano), crushed by hand 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, hand torn Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 cups dried bread crumbs 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon dried oregano Salt and freshly ground black pepper 5 eggs 1 cup all-purpose flour Extra-virgin olive oil 4 pounds medium eggplants, trimmed and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices 2 pounds whole milk ricotta cheese 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Romano 2 pounds shredded mozzarella cheese Directions: First make the sauce: Put a large saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the olives, red pepper flakes, and capers, and let that cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Toss in the tomatoes with their juices and bring to a low simmer. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. Combine the bread crumbs, garlic powder, and oregano in a shallow bowl; season generously with salt and pepper and mix well. Crack 3 of the eggs into another shallow bowl; season with salt and pepper and beat with a fork to mix. Put the flour in another shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the eggplant, flour, beaten eggs, and bread crumbs on a work surface near the stove. Heat about 1/4-inch olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, dredge several eggplant slices first in the flour, then dip them in the egg, and finally coat them in the bread crumbs. Put as many eggplant in the skillet as will fit comfortably in a single layer and cook until tender and well browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Cook all of the eggplant slices this way, adding more olive oil to the pan as needed. Stir together the ricotta and 1/2 cup of the Parmigiano cheese. Stir in the basil and remaining 2 eggs, and season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To assemble the dish, first get yourself set up with a large, buttered baking dish. Have ready the eggplant, the ricotta mixture, the tomato sauce, the shredded mozzarella cheese and the remaining 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano. To start, spoon some of the tomato sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Now add a layer of eggplant. Spread with half of the ricotta mixture. Spoon another layer of tomato sauce over and sprinkle with about one-third of the mozzarella. Repeat with a layer of eggplant, the rest of the ricotta, tomato sauce, and another third of the mozzarella. Finish with the rest of the eggplant, the rest of the tomato sauce, and the rest of the mozzarella. Sprinkle with the 3/4 cup Parmigiano. Put the dish in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, until golden and bubbling. Let stand for about 20 minutes before cutting.

4.Roasted Stuffed Squash

Ingredients: 1 winter squash, such as acorn, onion or baby pumpkin, around 300 to 400g (10 to 14oz) in weight 15g (1/2oz) butter 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 1tsp thyme leaves 150g (5oz) cherry tomatoes 1dsp crame fraAche 75g (3oz) GruyAre, finely grated Directions: Slice the top off the squash, just a little as this will be your "lid". Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and set aside. Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes on a low heat. Add the thyme and cherry tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the crAme fraAche and most of the GruyAre - apart from a tablespoon. Season to taste. Pile the filling into the squash, top with the remaining cheese and the lid. Loosely wrap in foil, place on an ovenproof dish or small baking sheet and put in to roast 30 minutes before the turkey is due to come out. It will need 1 hour in total. Unwrap and serve. Photo and Recipe Courtesy of womanandhome.com

5.Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick (about 2 medium) 1/4 cup onion, chopped 2 small Tomatoes, cut up 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 cup water 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 egg 3/4 cup low fat cottage cheese (or low fat or fat free ricotta) 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (I use 8 oz. divided) 1 teaspoon flour Directions: Cook zucchini until tender, drain and set aside. Fry onions until meat is brown and onions are tender; drain fat. Add next 8 ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered 10 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups. In small bowl slightly beat egg. Add cottage cheese, half of shredded cheese and flour. In (1 1/2-qt.) baking-roasting pan arrange half of the meat mixture. Top with half of the zucchini and all the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining meat and zucchini. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Photo and Recipe Courtesy of food.com

6.Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients: A dash of olive oil 2 leeks, washed, dark green section trimmed, sliced 6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut up Sea salt and pepper, to taste 2 cups plain soy, hemp, or creamy non-dairy milk of choice Instructions: In slow cooker, pour a small amount of olive oil into the crock. Add the leeks and stir, adding potatoes. Season with sea salt and pepper, to taste. Cover with just enough fresh water to reach the top of the potatoes. Cover and cook on High for several hours until the spuds are fork tender. Maybe 5 hours or so. When the potatoes are fall apart tender, blend the soup with an immersion blender till smooth. (Or puree in batches in a blender or Vita-Mix- be careful to cover tightly!) Stir in the non-dairy milk and return to heat, gently heating and stirring. Taste test for seasoning adjustments. Serve with chopped chives, scallions, parsley on top, if desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Photo and Recipe Courtesy of accomplishedwoman.blogspot.com

7.Christmas Candles Appetizer

Ingredients: 1 large courgette (approx 200g), straight if possible 45g vegan cream cheese (eg Swedish Soft or Tofutti) 2 artichoke hearts (in brine) drained & chopped 2 sun dried tomatoes, drained of oil and chopped 1 tsp lemon juice 2 tsp chives, finely chopped Directions: Peel 12 or 14 vertical strips of courgette using a potato peeler (preferably a swivel type one). Bring a large pan of water to the boil, blanch the courgette for 30 seconds and then refresh under cold water. Put the cream cheese, artichokes, tomatoes and lemon juice into a food processor and blend until smooth, then add the chives. Lay the courgette strips flat and spread a tsp of the pate on top. Then roll up gently and stand upright. Garnish with extra chives and thin strips of sun dried tomatoes. Photo and Recipe Courtesy of recipes.vegsoc.org

8.Vegan Herbed Cream Cheese with Gluten Free Hazelnut Cream Cheese

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill hazelnut meal/flour 1 cup sorghum flour 1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 teaspoon organic light brown sugar 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup non-dairy milk 1/4 cup water 2 organic free-range egg whites, beaten, or Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed for 2 eggs (equals 1/4 cup liquid) 1 tablespoon gluten-free brown rice syrup or raw agave nectar. Directions: Set aside a large baking sheet. Place an Exopat or Silpat non-stick liner next to it. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the hazelnut flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, sea salt, brown sugar. Add in the oil, non-dairy milk, water, egg whites and brown rice syrup; beat to combine: When the dough begins to form beat it until it becomes smooth. It will be slightly sticky. If it is very sticky and unmanageable, add some extra hazelnut flour. Divide the dough in half. Place half the dough on the Silpat. Slightly flatten out the dough with the palm of your hand. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Using a non-stick rolling pin, roll out the dough into a thin a layer. Remove the piece of plastic wrap. Use the edge of a rubber spatula to help smooth and straighten outside edges, if you like. Note: The thinner the cracker is, the crisper it will be. The thinner it is, the faster it will brown as well- so if you like your crackers thin- keep a close eye on them as they bake to make sure you don't over-brown them. Move the Silpat over to the baking sheet. Score the flattened dough into cracker sized squares or rectangles (I like to use pizza cutter to do this). Sprinkle the top with sea salt. Bake in batches, in the center of a preheated oven for around 13 to 14 minutes or so, until the crackers are firm and slightly crisp (they will crisp up a bit as they cool, but they should be fairly crisp at this point- do remember to keep an eye on them so they don't brown too much). Remove from the oven and allow the crackers to cool on a rack. Store in an air-tight container when cool, if eating the same day. To store longer, I like to freeze gluten-free crackers and thaw at room temperature before serving. And if the crackers happen to soften from humidity, don't fret; reheat them briefly- on a wire rack topped baking sheet- to restore crispness. Makes four dozen thin crackers. Photo and Recipe Courtesy of glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

9.Gluten Free Skill Cornbread with Green Chiles and Cinnamon

Dry ingredients: 1 cup stone ground gluten-free cornmeal 3/4 cup sorghum flour 1/2 cup tapioca starch or potato starch (not potato flour!) 1 teaspoon xanthan gum 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 teaspoon chili powder or cinnamon- or my fave: both 1/2 cup organic light brown sugar Wet Ingredients: 1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer whisked with 1/4 cup warm water* 1/2 cup plus two tablespoons light olive oil, or grapeseed oil 1 cup very warm water or rice milk 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 2 extra tablespoons water, if needed- the batter should be like cake batter, and not too thick Add: 1/2 cup chopped roasted green chiles- mild or spicy, as you prefer A sprinkle of chili powder and cinnamon, for topping Directions: Preheat your oven to 375 degree F. Lightly oil a 10-inch iron skillet. Combine the dry ingredients (cornmeal through brown sugar) in a bowl and whisk. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Egg Replacer with the olive oil and beat for one minute. Add in the dry ingredients and beat by hand just until a smooth batter is formed, about one minute. Add in the chopped roasted green chiles. (If your batter seems a little dry, add a tablespoon more liquid at a time until you achieve a smooth consistency.) Heat the prepared skillet over medium-high heat. Pour the batter into the heated skillet and sprinkle a little chili powder and/or cinnamon over the top of the batter. Bake the cornbread in the center of a pre-heated oven for 25 to 35 minutes (depending upon your altitude), until firm to the touch in the center, and slightly golden around the edges. A wooden pick inserted into the center should emerge dry. Place the skillet on a wire rack and allow the cornbread to rest 15 minutes before cutting. This helps keep the slices from crumbling apart. Serve warm. Photo and Recipe Courtesy of glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

10.Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients: 1 butternut squash, halved, deseeded and roughly chopped 2tbsp olive oil 1tbsp chilli flakes (optional) 3 sprigs thyme, leaves picked 40g (1 1/2 oz) butter 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic 300g (10oz) Arborio risotto rice 150ml (1/4pt) white wine 1 litre hot free-range chicken stock 2tbsp milk 50g (2oz) Parmesan cheese, plus shavings to top Directions: Cook the risotto base until half the stock has been absorbed and the rice is only half cooked then spread the rice out on a plate to cool down quickly and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for a day. When needed, heat the remaining stock and your rice together, stirring all the time until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked then continue with step 4 Heat the oven to 220 C, 200 C fan, 425 F, gas 7. Toss the butternut squash with the olive, chilli flakes and thyme in a large roasting tray and season, then roast for 35 minutes until golden and crispy. In a large pan melt the butter on a low heat and add the onion cooking gently until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic for a further minute and then pour in the rice stirring continuously for 2 minutes to coat. Pour the wine into the pan and stir for about 2 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Start adding the hot stock a ladle full at a time only allowing the rice to absorb the stock after each addition before pouring in the next ladle full. When all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is just cooked through but still has some bite, remove from the heat. Mash half the roast squash with the milk. Stir through the mashed squash and cheese then spoon into shallow bowls and scatter with the remaining, roasted squash pieces and Parmesan shavings. Photo and Recipe Courtesy of womanandhome.com

11.Pumpkin Seed Ravioli

Ingredients: 1 cup pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted 1 cup firmly packed fresh parsley leaves 2 cloves garlic 2 teaspoons miso 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 8 ounces firm tofu 1/4 cup olive oil 1 package egg-free round or square wonton/dumpling wrappers Directions: Combine pumpkin seeds, parsley and garlic in a food processor until minced. Blend in miso, salt and tofu and mix until combined. With motor running, slowly drizzle in oil. Lay wonton wrappers on a flat, lightly-floured surface. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold wrapper over to make a triangle. Dip your fingers in water and use to seal edges. Continue filling remaining wrappers with filling. Cook ravioli in boiling water for 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and toss with a pinch of salt, pepper and a healthy drizzle of olive oil. Serves 8 Photo and Recipe Courtesy of foodily.com

12.Stuffed Mushrooms With Tofu and Herbs

Ingredients: 16 large mushrooms of your choice, washed well 3 T. olive oil, divided 8 oz. tofu, frozen, firm and thawed 1/4 cup onion, diced (fine) 1/4 cup celery, diced (fine) 1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced 1 T. garlic, minced 1/2 t. dried thyme 1/3 cup breadcrumbs 2 T. yeast flakes 2 T. freshly chopped parsley salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Directions: Spray or oil a large baking dish with vegetable oil and set it aside Remove then roughly dice stems of mushrooms and set aside In a non-stick skillet, place 1 T. olive oil and mushroom caps, and saute for 2 minutes After saute, transfer mushroom caps to a large plate After tofu is thawed, crumble tofu into a small bowl and set aside In the same non-stick skillet, saute the reserved mushroom stems, onion, celery and green onion in remaining olive oil for 5 minutes to soften Add the crumbled tofu, garlic and thyme, and saute an additional 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender Remove the skillet from heat, add the remaining ingredients, stir well to combine and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper Fill the mushroom caps with warm filling, slightly mounding the tops, and place them in the prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until the mushroom caps are heated through and slightly browned on to. Transfer to a decorative platter for service and serve immediately Serves: 6-8

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