December 13th: A Vegan Christmas Dinner
If you’re vegan, Christmas might very well be one of the toughest times of the year. It’s often hard if not impossible to convince non-vegan family members and friends to celebrate Christmas with a meat-free meal and you might very well end up eating side dishes only while everyone else enjoys a feast. With the following Christmas dinner recipes you might have a chance to convince your relatives and prove that a vegan Christmas dinner can be as delicious if not even more so.
Appetizer (4 servings): Red beet carpaccio
Ingredients:
500g red beets (precooked)
2 Oranges/Grapefruit
15g fresh mint
6 tablespoons almond splinters
Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons agave syrup
0.5-1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt
Pepper
Peel the oranges or grapefruits and slice them thinly. Do the same with the red beets. Roast the almond splinters in a medium to high heat pan for a couple of minutes until they have a lightly brown color. Wash the fresh mint, remove the leaves from the stems and chop finely.
For the dressing simply combine all ingredients and whisk them until your dressing has a slightly thickened consistency.
Now arrange the beets and citrus slices to your liking and sprinkle them with the roasted almonds and the fresh mint. Lastly drizzle the dressing on top.
Main (3-4 servings): Homemade pumpkin ravioli with sage butter
Ingredients:
Dough:
100g flower
100g hard wheat semolina
100ml water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Filling:
250g Hokkaido pumpkin
1 white onion
1 clove of garlic
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg
Salt
Pepper
Butter:
150g vegan butter
15-20g fresh sage
80g hazelnuts
For the dough combine flour, semolina and salt in a bowl. Create a well in the middle and gradually add the oil as well as the water while adding more and more flour from the sides. Knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes until you get a bouncy ball of dough. Wrap it in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for at least half an hour.
In the meanwhile, cut the pumpkin and onions into rough cubes and preheat the oven to 200° C. Toss the cubes and the peeled garlic in olive oil and salt and bake for 20-25 minutes until the pumpkin is tender. Puree the cooked vegetables, add nutmeg as well as salt and let the mixture cool down.
Next, roll the dough into paper-thin strips. Use additional flour if the dough gets too sticky. Place small drops of the filling on one strip and lay another one on top. Press around the filling to seal your ravioli and cut them into squares or circles. Repeat until there is no filling and dough left.
Bring a big pot with salted water to a boil and cook your ravioli for 4-5 minutes. Save some of the starchy cooking water in a cup for the sauce. In a sperate pan melt the vegan butter, add crushed hazelnuts and fry them for 3-4 minutes. Add the sage and fry it for a minute, then add your freshly cooked ravioli and some of the cooking water. Stir carefully until your ravioli are covered in butter and serve immediately.
Dessert (3-4 servings): Vegan chocolate mousse
Ingredients:
100-120g dark chocolate
350g silken tofu
2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 pinches of sea salt
Optional Toppings:
Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries etc.)
Mint
Almond splinters
Melt the chocolate over low heat in a pot or in your microwave. Blend the tofu with the maple syrup in a food processor until silky smooth. Add the chocolate and blend until well combined. Scoop the mousse into glasses and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve with fresh berries, mint or almond splinters. Lastly sprinkle some sea salt on top of the mousse.
Have fun cooking and convincing your family of a slightly different Christmas meal! Are you hungry for more, then come back tomorrow and check out what we have in stock for you!
written by Florian
