Vegetarian Holiday Recipes: On Turkey, Sausage Stuffing and other Holiday Perils by Suz deMello

 

Photo © tinaxduzgen

Need vegetarian Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year recipes? Award-winning novelist and meatless maven, Suz deMello, aka Sue Swift, is here with an encore holiday guest post to help your family enjoy the season. Be sure to connect with Suz and check out her latest projects. - Belinda

Everyone feels the temptation of overeating rich foods during the holiday season. From Halloween, with its plethora of sugar-laden sweets (Snickers, yum) to Thanksgiving, which to many means pumpkin pie, mushroom soup casseroles and candied yams with marshmallows; through Christmas, with candy canes galore—to say nothing of even less-healthy foods—this season seems to offer nothing but platters of diabetes, tureens of heart disease, and bowls full of jelly—or maybe one of those awful Jello salads your great-auntie brought to every holiday gathering.

And then comes New Years’ Eve.

Photo © madle-fotowelt.de

But there’s a better, tastier way.

If you’re omnivorous, stick with the plain turkey and sauce-free side dishes and you’re fine. But what if you’re a vegetarian? What do you eat, given that the centerpiece of just about every holiday gathering is a dead bird or pig?

Fear not! This vegetarian has attended many a holiday feast and come away full, satisfied and still entirely ethical. So what do I eat?

First and foremost in my mind is the concept of balance—balancing protein and carbs, primarily. This takes some fancy footwork given that often I can’t find much protein among the carbs. So what’s my solution?

I don my “Sweet Suzie” hat and offer to bring food that I want to eat, enough to share. I might bring a loaf of excellent crusty bread, studded with nuts and seeds. Maybe a pilaf with nuts and quinoa, so I get my protein. Maybe a sautéed or roasted vegetable dish garnished with cheese so I again get some protein along with veggies. And a dessert that won’t be too ruinous to my waistline.

Here’s a couple of recipes for you to try:

Photo © net_efekt

Holiday Pilaf—serves 6

RE: quinoa: the basic recipe is a 1:2 proportion of grain to water.

1 chopped onion

1 chopped carrot

1 chopped celery spear

1 Tbsp olive oil

1C quinoa

2C hot water

½ C toasted, slivered almonds or other nut of your choice

¼ C dried cranberries

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan large enough to hold the ingredients. Saute the vegetables in the oil until soft. Add the quinoa and stir to toast the grains and coat them in the oil. Add the hot water, bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat for twenty minutes or until the quinoa is cooked. Fluff with fork.

Add most of the cranberries and almonds, reserving some to sprinkle on top. Fluff again. Correct the seasonings to your taste.

Remove to a serving dish, sprinkle with the rest of the nuts and berries, and serve.

Photo © Kate Ter Haar

Berries and Cake—serves 4-6.

1 carton of raspberries

1 carton of blueberries

1 carton of blackberries

2-3 C frozen mixed berries

Sugar to taste

Store-bought pound cake or any other pastry of your choice

Put the frozen berries into a saucepan large enough to hold them and heat gently. When they’ve melted down into a mush, use a serving fork or a potato masher to squash them into a puree. You may use a food processor if you wish. Add sugar to taste.

Gently mix the fresh berries with the warm berry sauce you’ve created. Slice the cake and arrange on individual serving plates. Spoon the berries over the top. A sprinkling of confectioner’s or powdered sugar elegantly finishes this dessert.

You may also serve the berries in small bowls with a sugar cookie or a piece of shortbread tucked on the side. This mixture is also a tasty topping for French toast or oatmeal. It can also be used as the filling for a pie or tart.

Enjoy!

Guest Blogger: Suz deMello

 Photo © Suz deMello

Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written over sixteen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s worked for Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books and Ai Press, where she is currently Managing Editor. She also takes private clients.

Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.

A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.

--Find her books at http://www.suzdemello.com

--For editing services, email her at suzswift@yahoo.com

--Befriend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sueswift, and visit her group at

   http://www.facebook.com/HotWriters

--She tweets her reading picks @ReadThis4fun

--Her current blog is http://www.fearlessfastpacedfiction.com

What are some of your favorite holiday food memories: as a child, as an adult, cooking, eating? Please share them in the comments below.

May you and your loved ones enjoy an abundant Thanksgiving! - Belinda

Meatless Monday: Green Bean Casserole Recipe by Nicole Cibellis Andrews

Guest Blogger: Nicole Cibellis Andrews

Photo © Nicole Cibellis Andrews

Happy Meatless Monday! Our guest blogger today is Nicole Cibellis Andrews, a passionate foodie mom blogger based in San Francisco, CA. Her blog, a family that eats together, is the result of her quest for delicious, nutritious, quick and easy, kid-friendly recipes for her own family of three. A family that eats together has won Blog of the Month on Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, Chef of the Week on Recipe.com and has been featured on BlogHer. Nicole is a huge fan of farmer’s markets and an ardent Slow Food USA supporter.

Below she shares a healthy Meatless Monday alternative to the traditional Green Bean Casserole recipe. Nicole’s lighter version is perfect for busy parents with taste and picky kid chefs. It also complements the potato recipes in the last two posts (simply scroll down) and meets the needs of many special diets: dairy free (IBS), gluten free (celiac), sugar free (diabetic), Kosher, vegan and vegetarian. Let your kid chefs help with the holiday cooking this year and watch the magic happen! - BYH

Green Bean Casserole Recipe,
aka Haricots Verts with Shallot Vinaigrette

Photo © Claude Fabry

When I meet people who don’t like green beans, I suggest that they try this recipe. If your kids are squeamish about green beans it is because they haven’t tried these. They are always a favorite around our table.  Encourage your kids to get in the kitchen with you and help with washing beans or tossing them with the vinaigrette. This recipe takes the average green bean casserole recipe and elevates it into something really special. It is my go-to recipe for holiday dinners or dinner parties that need a fabulous green veggie.

Note: I recommend that this be the last thing you prepare. It doesn’t take long to cook and you don’t want to chance over-cooking the beans. No one likes mushy green beans.

Photo © rameshng

Servings: 12+

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

•   2 pounds of Haricots Verts (green beans), ends trimmed

•   1 large clove of garlic, minced

•   2 large shallots, finely chopped

•   the juice of 1 lemon (ideally Meyer Lemon)

•   4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

•   Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS

1.    In large skillet, pour ½ cup of water to the bottom of the pan and add the Haricots Verts. Cook on high until all the water evaporates. Drain but do not rinse the beans.

2.    In another skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots. Cook until softened. About 3-5 minutes more. Toss the beans with the garlic and shallots. Pour in the oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Mix thoroughly.

3.    Serve immediately.

Connect with Nicole:

Blog: a family that eats together

Twitter: @afmlyeats2gthr

Facebook: a family that eats together

Meatless Monday: Vegan Vegetarian Chanukah Thanksgiving Recipes by Suz deMello

Guest Blogger: Suz deMello

  Photo courtesy Suz deMello

Happy Meatless Monday! Café Belinda is proud as punch to welcome back an old friend, best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift. I asked Suz to discuss an incredibly rare event this holiday season: the coinciding of Chanukah and Thanksgiving. She’s also got a couple quick and easy Kosher vegetarian recipes to share for Thanksmukah. Check out her previous Meatless Monday guest posts here.

Note: Egg replacer, vegan cheese, vegan margarine and vegan sour cream would make these vegan Chanukah Thanksgiving recipes. - BYH

Thanksmukah and Other Culinary Dilemmas

Photo © tedeytan

This year, both the American holiday of Thanksgiving and the Jewish celebration of Chanukah fall on the same day. I’m told that this has not happened for 70,000 years and will not reoccur for another 70,000. That is to say, it has never happened before because the Jewish religion is less than 6,000 years old. And, though the first fabled Thanksgiving took place in 1621, it wasn’t declared a holiday until 1789, when President Washington declared the day to be one of “thanksgiving and prayer.”

For vegetarians, this time of year presents dilemmas, but until 2013, Chanukah was delightfully non-controversial. The favored foods were either potato latkes if your family’s Ashkenazi, and doughnuts if you’re Sephardic.  The celebratory foods are fried because the miracle of Chanukah was that a small amount of oil allowed the “eternal light” in the main temple of Jerusalem to remain aglow for eight days. This all took place in about 165 BCE.

So what foods should a “Thanksmukah” celebration feature?

In an omnivorous household, the roast turkey would take pride of place alongside side dishes that would include all the traditional favorites including potato latkes, and perhaps feature doughnuts as a non-traditional dessert.

As a vegetarian, I often take creative approaches to holidays and shape them to my needs and to the needs of my large extended family. Because we are a large group, with multiple important relationships, time on Thanksgiving Day is often scarce. One of my nieces, for example, is a child of divorced parents and was engaged to a man who was in the same situation. They therefore had four Thanksgiving celebrations they felt obligated to attend. Needless to say, they became truly sick of turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie!

Here’s a creative approach--Instead of enduring the stress of a giant sit-down dinner for a gazillion people, how about a casual buffet brunch?

Chanukah Thanksgiving Menu

Fried tofu sausages

Potato latkes served with applesauce and sour cream

Pumpkin frittata

Fruit salad

Coffee and tea

And here’s a couple of recipes:

Potato Latkes

Photo © Megan Chromik

1-2 bags frozen hash browns

Grated onions or dried chives

One egg, beaten

Matzoh meal

Salt

Pepper

Safflower oil

Applesauce

Sour cream

You can grate the potatoes yourself but it’s far easier to buy a bag or two of frozen hash browns. Defrost them in a colander to allow the moisture to drip out, then add some grated onions (also available ready-to-use) or dried chives. Throw enough in so that the chives will add pleasant green flecks to the mixture. Add a beaten egg and enough matzoh meal to hold everything together, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Use a frying pan large enough to hold a number of latkes without crowding. Pour in enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan, about a quarter of an inch deep, and use an oil that can tolerate high heat, such as safflower oil.

Heat the oil. Wet your hands and shape the latkes into patties about the same size as an average burger patty, making sure that they are thin enough to cook through without burning but thick enough to hold together. After cooking on both sides to a golden-brown, drain the excess oil from each latke using paper towels. Serve while hot with dollops or dishes of applesauce and sour cream.

Pumpkin Frittata—serves  6

Photo © ukhviid

A frittata is a baked egg dish sort of like quiche without the crust. Use a cast iron pan that can go from stovetop to oven.

6 eggs

1 ounce of grated cheese

Half cup of grated fresh pumpkin

Half cup of grated fresh zucchini

2 teaspoons butter

Salt, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Beat together the eggs, cheese and seasonings. Melt the butter in the bottom of the pan on the stovetop and add the vegetables, cooking until they’re soft. Add the egg mixture, stirring everything together. Cook for a few minutes then transfer the pan to the preheated oven, allowing it to cook through. Cut into pieces and serve promptly.

About Suz

Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written over sixteen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s worked for Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books and Ai Press, where she is currently Managing Editor. She also takes private clients.

Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.

A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.

--Find her books at http://www.suzdemello.com

--For editing services, email her at suzswift@yahoo.com

--Befriend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sueswift, and visit her group at

   http://www.facebook.com/HotWriters

--She tweets her reading picks @ReadThis4fun

--Her current blog is http://www.fearlessfastpacedfiction.com

Kosher Pumpkin Recipes

Image credit t2camping

From soup to cupcakes, get your kosher veggie pumpkin on with this complete menu of recipes from kosher bloggers around the web.  But first, do your foodie duty and...

GO VOTE!  Pick a kosher pumpkin recipe winner at Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller.  The two nominees are South African Pumpkin Fritters and Grilled Pumpkin Pizza with Caramelized Onion and Ricotta.  More details at Joy of Kosher.  You need not be Jewish to vote. 

Note from Jamie G.:
"In order to vote for your favorite recipe, please click through to South African Pumpkin Fritters OR Roasted Pumpkin Pizza with Caramelized Onion and Ricotta and click on the thumbs up sign. The winner will be the recipe with the most thumbs up. You have until November 30th 2011 at 9 am EST to vote."

For family-friendly vegetarian recipes 

that please the most ardent meat lover, 

check out my vegan vegetarian cookbook, 

Confessions of a Red Hot Veggie Lover 2:

Pumpkin Challah Centerpiece with Honey Butter (The Shiksa in the Kitchen)

This family favorite recipe makes a centerpiece and 10 mini rolls or 30 bite-size rolls outright.  Fantastic photos detail exactly how to carry out the instructions for perfect results.  A new tradition for your kosher kitchen.  Parve with margarine.

Simple Pumpkin Soup (About Kosher Food, Parve, Kid Friendly) 

When freezing temps have you thinking hot soup, this easy recipe is made to order for kid chefs.  Grab a child or two, some pumpkin, carrots, garlic and onions, and an immersion/stick blender, and enjoy some quality time while making a delicious, healthy dinner together. You’ll be bursting to brag on the kids at dinnertime!

Roasted Pumpkin Seed Salad (Recipe.com) 

Tired of heavy holiday food?  Here’s a savory salad course to keep your dietary act in balance.  Substitute a non-dairy vinaigrette if needed.

Did you know that Jamberry Nails are 

safe for pregnant moms, children and pets to wear

 - and vegan beauty?

Browse my Jamberry nontoxic nail wraps, nail lacquers, nail care and hand care products:

Let It Snow

Snow & Ice

Iced

Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Butter and Shitake Béchamel (Clabber Girl) 

Shake up your holiday flavors with pumpkin pasta.  Filled with a blend of pumpkin, and parmesan, ricotta and chevre cheeses, your family won’t be able to keep their hands off it.  Don’t plan on having leftovers.

Pumpkin Coconut Curry (Spicy Kosher)

Butternut squash, sweet potato and carrots accompany pumpkin into spicy, creamy coconut bliss.  Onions, garlic and ginger set the stage for cumin, mustard, curry, chili and cilantro to take you to the moon and back in a single dish.  Friends will swear you started culinary school and didn’t tell them.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Chai Spice Frosting (Kosher Like Me) 

Professional category winner of a recent pumpkin recipe contest in New England.  The frosting owes its decadence to a homemade chai spice blend. An awesome choice for holiday parties of all kinds. 

Our Recipe Index features easy special diet codes to make your life easier and more delicious.

Sugar Free Pumpkin Recipes

Image credit Pete Codella

Are you like me, full as a pumpkin but still in the pumpkin spirit?  Here are a few sugar free pumpkin recipes, some with companion flavor blends, others in not-so-traditional forms, some a little of both.

Apple Butter Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie (Low Carb Friends)

Topped with Splenda-cinnamon pecans and whipped cream, this is a pumpkin pie like none you’ve ever tasted before.  Baked in a water bath, like cheesecake.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola (Spoonful of Sugar Free)

This fabulous recipe is a coffeecake substitute.  It even contains Godiva ground coffee and whole coffee beans.  Make an extra batch in decaf for nighttime munching bliss.

Pumpkin Vanilla Smoothie (Sugar Free Mom)

For a high protein snack that will truly hold you without hunger pangs, this smoothie’s a real go-to.  Surprise ingredient: cottage cheese.

Three 5* reviews on my vegetarian cookbook:

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cookies (Family Fresh Cooking)

These delightful cookies feature quinoa and oat flours and natural peanut butter, but no fork prints.  The pictures are as sweet as the vanilla stevia.  Cookies for Kids Cancer: Best Bake Sale Cookbook is also mentioned in this post, but the giveaway is closed.

Instant Pumpkin Pudding (About Low Carb Diets)

For a quick and easy, creamy treat, use butterscotch or vanilla sugar free instant pudding, and top with toasted pecans.  Be ready to lick the bowl.

Bon appétit!

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Lady Lace

White Romance

Black  Lace

Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes

Image credit meddygarnet

Need gluten free pumpkin recipes for the holiday season?  The vegan world may have some tasty ideas for you.  While vegans sometimes use wheat products, they are also known for their skill with substitutions, and taking back control over their ingredient content.  For instance, the Pumpkin Bread mentioned in Lactose Free Pumpkin Recipes uses garbanzo bean (aka chickpea), white rice and tapioca flours.  It also substitutes pumpkin puree for the usual can of ready-made pumpkin pie filling, which, although convenient, has more than just plain pumpkin in it.  Another pumpkin puree dessert is this Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe, which opts for a simple, homemade nut cheese, instead of tofu or vegan cream cheese.  Its hazelnut crust brings on the flavor, while keeping it gluten free.  This Pumpkin Spice Cake suggests spelt, quinoa or rice flours as gluten free options.

"Full of the Yum-Factor!" 

- review of my vegetarian cookbook

Here’s a selection of not necessarily vegan, but definitely gluten free pumpkin recipes for your holiday menus. I tried for vegan, but these were the best I could find when I looked.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (Elizabeth at Serious Eats)

Pumpkin Roll with Nutella Filling (Paula at bell-alimento)

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies (Meagan at She Knows)

Pumpkin Banana Pecan Oat Bread (Natalie at Natalie’s Food 911)

(more recipes below)

Pep up your nails with holiday polka dots!

Icy Boysenberry Polka

Poppy & White Polka

Pomegranate Pop

Pumpkin Bread Pudding (Consuela at Gluten Free Living L.A.)

Pumpkin Quinoa Cookies (Vianessa at Sound Bites)

Pumpkin Corn Muffins (Shirley at gluten free easily)

English Toffee Pumpkin Pie (Angela at Home Cooked Healthy)

Pumpkin Risotto (at Sure Talent® Books)

Bon appétit!

Lactose Free Vegan Pumpkin Recipes

The easiest way by far to go lactose free or dairy free is to go vegan.  Vegans do not consume any animal products, therefore they don’t eat dairy.  Instead they use substitutes, such as tofu, nut milks and nut cheeses, or do without the dairy-like element altogether.  The most common substitution regarding pumpkin content seems to be simply using pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin pie filling.  Try these flavorful vegan pumpkin recipes to go lactose free and dairy free with ease and grace this holiday season.
 

Pumpkin Bisque (by Susan at Fat Free Vegan) – uses home-cooked pumpkin and Ethiopian spices: “sultry, spicy, and a little sweet” - Susan

Grilled Pumpkin Pizza (by Betsy at The Blooming Platter) – features pumpkin-pepito-sage pesto spread and pumpkin puree

Pumpkin Cheesecake (at Savvy Vegetarian) - features a hazelnut crust and almond milk

Pumpkin Bread (by Mary at Well on Wheels) – uses garbanzo bean, white rice and tapioca flours and substitutes pumpkin puree

Pumpkin Spice Cake (by Maria at Running Cupcake) – gluten free options, uses pumpkin puree

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies (by bunnypony at Group Recipes) – uses pumpkin puree instead of pie filling

Easy 15 Minute Pumpkin Pie (by Deborah at Bliss Tree) – uses solid pack canned pumpkin

Shop our Dairy Free and Lactose Free aisle: baby formula, cheese, cheesecake, chocolate, coffee and whipping creams, milks, pudding, guidebooks, cookbooks and magazines.
(NOTE: Each item is a link, somehow the underscore isn't showing.)

Soup du Jour: Vegetarian Chili with Beans

Cookbook of the Day: Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy Delicious Meals

Bon appétit!