Looking for vegan recipes to use this holiday season? We have you covered! Check out a selection of delicious recipes from our two vegan cookbooks below that are sure to impress family and friends this winter. Looking for more? Visit our online store to purchase our Friends of Animals’ cookbooks or check out our Pinterest account for some of our favorite holiday recipes. 

 

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Cranberry Nut Bread

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup Florida Crystals natural sugar

Rind of ½ orange, grated

Juice of one orange mixed with ¾ cup water

Ener-G Egg Replacer (mix according to instructions to make equivalent to 1 egg)

1 tablespoon Coconut Oil

1 cup halved cranberries, frozen or fresh

½ cup pecans or walnuts

 

Preparation:

Sift the first ingredients together into a bowl. Add rind, juice and water mixture and egg replacer blend. Stir until partially mixed. Then stir in the Coconut Oil, cranberries and nuts; mix thoroughly. Place the mixture in a greased 9 by 5 by 2 ½ – inch loaf pan. Let stand until it begins to rise (20-30 minutes). Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cool before slicing.

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FRESH GINGER CAKE 

(Serves 10)

Priscilla Feral, author of Dining With Friends: The Art of North American Vegan Cuisine

 

Ingredients:

1 cup molasses (mild)

1 cup organic sugar

1 cup peanut oil

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 ounces fresh ginger, peeled, sliced and finely chopped

Ener-G Egg Replacer (mix according to box

instructions to make equivalent of 2 eggs)

Fine parchment paper for baking

 

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in the central position. Using a circle of fine parchment paper, line a 9-inch round cake pan with 3-inch sides, or a 9 1/2 -inch springform pan.

Mix together the molasses, sugar and oil.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper.

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil.  Stir in baking soda, and then mix hot water into molasses mixture.  Stir in ginger.

 

Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into batter.  Add the egg replacer blend and continue mixing until everything is thoroughly combined.  Pour the batter into prepared cake pan, and bake for about one hour, until the top of the cake springs back lightly when pressed or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. If the top of the cake browns too quickly before the cake is done, drape a piece of foil over it and continue baking.

 

Cool cake for at least 30 minutes.  Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen it from pan.  Invert cake onto a coolng rack, and peel off parchment paper.

 

Tip:  Serve dusted with Organic Powdered Sugar.

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Raspberry Apple Crumble

Serves 4

When it’s cold outside, there’s something therapeutic and invigorating about a fresh fruit crumble.

2 cups fresh raspberries

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, seeded and sliced

1 cup flour

½ cup Florida Crystals natural sugar

½ cup coconut oil (it’s a solid)

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Peel and core apples and slice each into 8-10 pieces. Arrange in baking dish, sprayed with vegetable oil. Squeeze lemon juice over them.

Drain the raspberries and sprinkle them over the apples.

Mix flour and sugar in a bowl. Cut in the coconut oil with a knife until the mixture is crumbly. Add nutmeg and cover fruit with this mixture.

Bake for about 25 minutes until the top is golden brown.

 

Serve accompanied with vanilla non-dairy ice cream.

 

 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

“Green” is a mother-and-son restaurant located in San Antonio, Texas that opened in January 2006. In 2007, the restaurant was named Best New Restaurant by the San Antonio Express-News Critics’ Choice Awards. This delicious, fragrant gnocchi, by Chef and co-owner Mike Behrend, will tell you why.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet potatoes

About 11 ounces all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups crushed canned tomatoes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic minced

4 tablespoons fresh basil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon oregano

Preparation:

For gnocchi: Cut sweet potatoes in half and boil in salted water.

Peel potatoes, mash and add nutmeg, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Add flour and knead until dough is smooth (but don’t overwork the dough). On a floured table, roll dough out to a thickness of 1-inch.

With a knife cut into 1-inch squares, and drop into boiling water.

Remove the gnocchi with a strainer when they begin to float. Add sauce and serve.

For the sauce: Place a large saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, then garlic, then tomatoes, then herbs. Bring to a simmer.

 

Cauliflower Steak with Quinoa

Thanks to Chef Dan Barber whose recipe appears in Great Chefs Cook Vegan by Linda Long. This creative and delicious recipe brings together flavorful cauliflower and nutty quinoa. The fresh herbs and apple make this dish sensational.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 large heads cauliflower, cut into

1-inch-thick steaks

Olive oil for coating and sautéing

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup quinoa

1 ½ cups vegetable stock, divided

2 shallots, sliced

1 leek, rinsed and sliced (white part only)

1 small apple, peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

½ cup zucchini (courgettes) in ¼-inch dice

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

Basil oil

2 cups well-washed basil leaves

1 cup grapeseed oil, chilled

Preparation:

At the largest part of each cauliflower head, cut two cross-sections to create two 1-inch-thick steaks. In a large sauté pan coated with oil, brown the cauliflower steaks until golden brown on each side.

Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Over medium-low heat, sweat quinoa in 1 tablespoon oil until a nutty aroma is achieved. Turn off heat and add 1 cup stock; simmer until almost dry. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Cut remaining cauliflower into small florets and blanch in salted water until tender. Drain and spread florets on a baking sheet and place in a 300 degree F oven for about 15 minutes, or until florets have dried.

In a sauté pan, gently sweat the shallots, leek, apple, and garlic. Add the cauliflower florets and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, place in food processor, and puree. (You will only need a few teaspoons for this recipe. The remaining puree can be frozen or thinned with stock for a cauliflower soup.)

In a large sauté pan coated with oil, sauté zucchini until slightly golden brown. Add quinoa and remaining vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 2 teaspoons cauliflower puree to thicken, add thyme and chives, and drizzle with oil.

To make the Basil Oil: Blanch basil and then shock in ice water; dry leaves well. In a blender, puree basil and grapeseed oil; strain.

How to plate: Place cauliflower steak on bed of quinoa and zucchini mixture and drizzle Basil Oil around the plate.

 

 

 

Side Dishes

Baby Artichokes Provençal Style 

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled, then crushed

Fresh thyme or rosemary, optional

½ cup flavorful black olives, pitted

Salt

12 little (or baby) artichokes

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved or left whole, or about 1 ½ cups any other tomatoes, chopped

Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish.

Preparation:

Combine oil and garlic in a large skillet (cast iron is good), over medium-low heat. When garlic sizzles, add herb, olives and a pinch of salt.

Meanwhile, prepare artichokes: remove hard leaves, then cut off spiky end, about 1-inch down from top; trim bottoms, cut artichokes in half. Immediately put the cleaned artichokes into a large ceramic or glass bowl of cold water to which you have added the juice of 1 lemon. Leave them in the water until you are ready to fry them.

Next drain the artichokes and dry them thoroughly. Add them to pan as they are ready, cut side down. When about half of them are in pan, raise heat so they brown a bit; move them around as you add remaining artichokes so that they brown evenly.

When artichokes brown, add tomatoes and a splash of water. Cover until artichokes are tender, 10 to 20 minutes. Add water if needed.

Adjust seasoning, garnish and serve hot or at room temperature.

 

Mashed Potatoes with Celery Root

Serves 4 – 6

Thanks again to Trish Sebben-Krupka. Sometimes the tried and true is in need of reinvention—a little something new. Celery root brings this ever-popular and ever-versatile side dish to new heights. Luscious.

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

1 celery root, about 1 pound, peeled

½ – ¾ cup hot vegetable broth

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper

Garnish with snipped fresh chives

Preparation:

Cut the potatoes and celery root into large pieces. If more than a few minutes will pass between peeling the celery root and cooking it, cover it in a bath of cold water and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to keep it from discoloring.

Put potatoes and celery root in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return the vegetables to the pan. Over low heat, mash the vegetables and beat with a hand-held mixer, adding vegetable broth, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Stir in snipped fresh chives or chopped parsley before serving.

 

Miso Gravy

2 teaspoons white miso

¼ cup vegetable broth

2 tablespoons minced Vidalia or other onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 ½ tablespoons flour

½ cup soymilk, unflavored

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon tamari

Sea salt

Ground pepper

Preparation:

Place the miso and half cup of vegetable broth in a small bowl and whisk until blended. Set aside.

Over medium heat, sauté minced onion and garlic in olive oil for four or more minutes, until onion is slightly browned. Add flour and stir. Then add the remaining ¼ cup vegetable broth and soy milk; whisk into pot, stirring as mixture thickens. Bring to a boil. Add thyme, tamari, and miso mixture, cooking for an additional four minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Succotash

Serves 6 or more

4 cups fresh corn (about 6 to 8 ears) [Or use organic, fresh-frozen]

2 cups small, shelled fresh lima beans

2 cups fresh string beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 tablespoons olive oil

4 scallions, trimmed

2 to 3 tablespoons non-dairy creamer

Preparation:

Husk the corn and remove all the silk. With a sharp knife, remove the kernels from the cob, slicing from the top of the ear downward and not too close to the cob. With a small spoon, scrape the pulp from the cobs into a mixing bowl. Add the kernels and reserve.

In a medium-sized pot of lightly salted boiling water, blanch the lima beans until they are almost tender, then cool under cold water. Reserve and repeat the process with the string beans.

In a large heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the corn and its juice, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Slice the scallions into ½-inch pieces, including some of the green, and set aside. Add both types of beans to the corn and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often. After five minutes, add the scallions and fold in the creamer to loosen the mixture. Spoon the succotash into a warm serving bowl. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

Cauliflower and Potato-Leek Soup 

Serves 4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound leeks (white and pale

   green parts), well rinsed and chopped

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled,

   cut into ½-inch dice

½ head chopped cauliflower florets

4+ cups vegetable broth

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

4 thin lemon slices, seeded

1 tablespoon very thinly sliced green onion tops

This creamy soup surprises with hints of ginger and lemon. Amazing all by itself or serve with some fresh-baked bread 

Preparation:

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Add leeks, potatoes, cauliflower and 3 cups broth and ginger. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender,

about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let mixture cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, transfer all solids in saucepan to food processor. Process until very smooth, stopping to scrape down side of work bowl as necessary. With machine running, gradually add liquid in pan to processor. Return soup to saucepan. Bring to simmer, adding remaining broth for desired consistency. Season with salt and stir in lemon juice. Ladle into bowls. Garnish each with lemon slices and green onions if desired.

 

The Best of Vegan Cooking, Priscilla Feral, Friends of Animals

 

 

Butternut Squash Soup 

Serves 8

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium carrots, peeled anddiced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into half inch cubes

One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

2 cups cooked cannellini beans (one 15-ounce can)

8 cups light-colored vegetable stock

1 small head Savoy cabbage, core removed and leaves thinly shredded (8 cups)

1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and discarded, and leaves coarsely chopped (6 cups)

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Grated vegan parmesan for serving

 

This soup is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food. With greens and beans, it also happens to be a nutritious, one-pot meal. Serve with crusty bread.

Preparation:

In a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery and onions, and salt the vegetables lightly. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly softened and the onion is translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the butternut squash, tomatoes, cannellini beans, broth, cabbage, chard, and bay leaf. Stir to combine the ingredients.

Bring to a boil, cover and cook over medium heat for approximately 45 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.

Remove bay leaf.

Using a stick blender, puree the soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grated vegan parmesan.