It’s a picturesque South African Christmas. The whole family is about to get together for some quality time under the Christmas tree with gifts and that perfect roast, only for your son to inform you that he is bringing home his new girlfriend and she’s a vegetarian! You run through the house in a state of panic. What do you feed this child? Is bacon vegetarian? Is Christmas ruined?
The answer is no. The vegetarian did not ruin Christmas. The truth is that there is a wide range of plant-based dishes you can serve during the holiday season that are so delicious that even the carnivores would want a second helping. This is your comprehensive guide to a plant-based Christmas.
What is the difference between vegan and vegetarian?
Vegetarians don’t consume any products that contain meat, fish, or shellfish. This includes animal by-products like gelatine. Vegetarians do however eat products that come from animals, such as eggs, honey and dairy.
Vegans don’t consume any products made from or by animals. This includes meat, seafood, shellfish, seafood, eggs, dairy, gelatine and honey.
Gift ideas for the veggie in your family:
- Eat Art Tea Botanics — Available on Yuppiechef
With several collections to choose from, Eat Art has a series of incredible teas to choose from. - Nut Milk and Cheez-Making Kit — Available on Faithful to Nature.
This quaint kit gives vegan connoisseurs the opportunity to make their own plant-based cheese and milk alternatives. - Sow Delicious Slab of Seed — Available on Yuppiechef.
A lovely gift for gardeners. It looks like a slab of chocolate, but it is actually a seed slab. Sow Delicious has everything from spinach to gooseberries that are easy to grow. - Pina Colada Mousse & Scrub Gift Set — Available on Hey Gorgeous.
A wonderful local cruelty-free brand with a wide range of beauty products to choose from.
Plant-based recipes to try this December
Vegetarian Strawberry & Almond Salad with Honey Dressing (Serves 4)
This delicious summer salad is incredibly easy to prepare and a colourful addition to any Christmas table.
Ingredients:
- 12 strawberries, sliced in half
- 3 cups fresh rocket leaves
- 1 block of feta cheese
- 1 cup sliced raw almonds
For the dressing:
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions:
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a cup and mix well.
In a salad bowl, combine the rocket and strawberries.
Crumble the feta into small pieces and add it to the salad.
Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the salad.
Pour the dressing over the salad a few minutes before serving.
Vegan Hasselback Potatoes (Serves 4)
These garlic and rosemary potatoes are good enough for the entire family!
Ingredients:
- 1,5kg medium-sized potatoes (washed)
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp rosemary
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Put a skewer inside a potato and use a knife to slice into the potato without slicing all the way through it (just cut ¾ into it). Make several slices a few millimeters apart. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.
Place the potatoes with the cut-side up on a shallow baking tray.
Coat each potato with vegetable oil, ensuring that some of the oil gets in between the sliced bits.
Crush the garlic cloves and toss it over the potatoes.
Sprinkle the rosemary and salt over the dish.
Place in the oven for 60 minutes until the potatoes are crisp and golden.
Add an extra bit of oil halfway through baking to ensure that the potatoes are extra crisp.
Vegan Millet and Peanut Butter Bites (Makes 24 single portions)
This tasty Midwestern treat is basically a variation of a peanut butter cup.
Ingredients:
- ½ tsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup uncooked millet
- ¼ cup powdered sugar or sugar alternative
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla essence
- 1 cup semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips
- 24 toothpicks
- 1 tsp coconut oil (optional)
Instructions:
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the millet. Stir the millet for 3 minutes until it smells toasted and looks a little golden. Set it aside to cool down.
Line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter, powdered sugar, flour and vanilla until a thick batter forms. Mix the millet into the batter.
Roll into 24 small balls and place each one on the baking sheet. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Melt the chocolate chips until smooth.
Remove the peanut butter balls from the refrigerator a stick a toothpick into each one.
Using the toothpick, gently lower each ball of dough into the melted chocolate and cover the entire ball with it using a spoon. If the melted chocolate seems too thick, you can add a teaspoon of coconut oil for a smoother consistency.
Drip off the excess chocolate and place the peanut butter balls on the baking sheet. Repeat with all 24 balls.
Freeze them on the tray for 3 hours before serving.
Raw Vegan Watermelon “Cake” (Serves 8)
This healthy dessert gets creative with watermelon and fresh fruit.
Ingredients:
- 1 large watermelon
- 2 cans of coconut cream
- ¼ tsp vanilla essence
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup fresh strawberries
- 1 cup chopped almonds
Instructions:
Cut one end of the watermelon and turn the open side so that it is standing on the flat surface.
Use a sharp knife to cut away the entire watermelon’s rind.
Slice the watermelon in half and cut both sides into round shapes to resemble layers of cake.
Wrap the two sides of watermelon in a paper towel to absorb excess moisture and set it aside.
Mix the coconut cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla essence together in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Place a piece of watermelon on a cake stand and evenly spread a quarter of the coconut frosting over the top of it.
Place the second piece of watermelon on top of it and distribute the remaining coconut frosting over the entire “cake”.
Firmly place the chopped almonds on the side of the cake.
Decorate the top of the cake with fresh blueberries and strawberries.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!
