Have a Very Veggie Christmas
"So, you're a vegetarian? What on earth do you eat at Christmas?!?" If I had a pound for every time someone had asked me this, I'd currently be lying by a pool somewhere hot (don't care where just give me sun!!) and considering that I have been a vegetarian my whole life, the question has now gotten a bit boring. Therefore, I have decided to stamp on the myth that all we eat are non animal products (that's vegans ) that we still eat fish (that's a pescatarian )and that basically we are starving hippies (have you seen my waistline... I am definitely do not go hungry! ) I look forward to Christmas food every year, so here are my top 10 veggie Christmas foods that I just can't live without.
1. Vegetable Nut Roast - my mum has had to make this every year for as long as I can remember, because Christmas wouldn't be the same without it (I'll pop the recipe In the Kitchen!)
2. Redwood - if you are a vegetarian and you don't know what redwood is shame on you. Most amazing vegetarian and vegan soya products there are. Available online or at Holland and Barrett.
3. Mushroom Gravy - Another permanent fixture at our Christmas table and goes amazingly with the nut roast! (See In the Kitchen for recipe and ingredient list)
4. Mince Pies - we buy some and we make some. Most supermarkets stock vegetarian ones and then we use Mary Berry's recipe for our own... delish!
5.Pigs in Blankets - thanks to Quorn (and now a lot of supermarkets following suit) vegetarians can enjoy this too. We have soya or vegetable sausages and soya bacon strips. Add a cocktail stick and an oven and these are gone in seconds!! (Everyone always looks at me for this!!)
6. Roast potatoes - okay I know that everyone eats potatoes but I bet most of you cook them in duck or goose fat?? Well, the veggie alternative is to fluff them up and coat with melted butter or olive oil and some salt and pepper. For some extra flavour sprinkle over a crushed vegetable stock cube.
7. Fajitas / Burritos / Enchiladas - yes I know that it's Christmas, but on Christmas Eve, my family and I all enjoy a big Mexican dinner. A main element of this is soya mince and chicken pieces or strips with a load of veggies. Quorn is your main brand but for a cheaper but equally tasty alternative go for the supermarket own brand and chuck in an Old Al Paso season mix... you'll never know the difference.
8. Breakfast - After Mexican the night before and Xmas lunch to come, there is no way we'd manage a fry up, even a veggie one (entirely possible! ) So for our veggie Christmas breakfast we indulge in croissants with loads of jams and spreads. Have to say that Tesco Finest are my faves (mouth currently watering... damn you Christmas hurry up! )
9. Mushroom Pate - yup we can have pate without any meat! Mushroom is my favorite and they do an absolutely gorgeous one in Holland and Barrett (this shop is my Mecca!!) or you can go all Nigella and make a delicious one yourself (for which you will find the recipe In the Kitchen).
10. Cheese - This may not be a biggie for some but I adore cheese, like seriously love it (almost as much as Christmas )and it used to be really hard to find vegetarian cheese (still quite tough to find Parmesan) and that's because they use rennet (some kind of stomach lining yuck!) Luckily, there are now a lot more little green 'V's appearing on a whole lot of cheeses. My absolute faves are baked Camembert (soooooo ooey gooey ) and a good Stilton though you can't beat an extremely mature cheddar.
So, despite popular beliefs, us veggies aren't sat snacking on celery or fighting the rabbit for our share of the carrots... we are actually actively changing into our stretchy pants ready for our own amazing feast. What's on your table?
