This week on CKUT 90.3FM radio I presented a Christmas dinner menu and some holiday hosting ideas catering to those who don’t eat gluten, dairy, or meat. Or for considerate holiday party hosts who want something to feed the dangerous Christmas party guest – the vegan. I don’t really understand why so many people think it’s such a stress to find something for these “non-normal” people to eat. Some fruit? Some raw vegetables? How do they survive? No butter? Perish the thought. Well, listen up. We can make shortbread cookies too. We just make them with earth balance or Fleischman’s vegan margarine. But it’s not all about substitutions. Most vegans probably don’t want to drink something that tastes like eggnog. Flax eggs just wouldn’t cut it there. And vegetarians who crave fake turkey can have my share of the tempeh, thanks. Other gluten intolerant people will most likely agree…
So with that in mind, I gave a much less sarcastic radio report of what you can make for Christmas dinner (keep the stuffing out of the turkey and the veggies out of the roasting pan), while keeping the meal gourmet and elegant. And I throw in a few hosting ideas like roasted vegetable antipasti, blended tahini or nut-based dips, and for dessert the ultimate no-bake treat – peanut butter cups. Take that Reese’s.
The text is below, but if you want to hear how serious my tone of voice is when I talk about this kind of thing on the radio, download the segment here.
Otherwise, keep on reading…
(Recipes are in bold.)
You’ve got 8 people coming for dinner – two siblings, their 4 children, and two family friends. One’s lactose intolerant. One’s gluten intolerant. One doesn’t eat anything they wouldn’t kill with their own hands, and they don’t like the idea of a headless chicken running around the yard. So what do you make for Christmas dinner?
There are a few strategies. Because you’re hosting, you could just make what you know how to make and what you want to make. Or you cut the turkey completely and make everyone go bird-less this holiday season. Or you could strap on an apron and settle in for a long day of cooking too many dishes. Is there no middle ground?
First of all, a turkey doesn’t have to be a giant undertaking. 6 or 7 meat eaters can easily be served by just one turkey. Rub it with olive oil, salt and pepper, not butter. If you really want it creamier try Earth Balance vegan, a butter-like substitute, or even coconut oil. Don’t worry, it won’t taste like a tropical Christmas unless you serve it with peas and beans.
For stuffing, keep it on the side to please the vegetarians. Don’t fuss with trying to make one stuffing in the bird and one on the side if it’s too much trouble. My family’s traditional stuffing with ½ cup of butter and ½ a loaf of white bread just isn’t going to cut it. Use organic vegetable broth, tapioca or cornbread (definitely not multigrain or whole wheat, though I do recommend sourdough), and if you’re scared it will be bland without butter, try adding whole spices or extra flavours – fresh thyme or rosemary, dried cranberries, pieces of dried apricots, figs or cherries, or even small chunks of dark chocolate can turn stuffing into a allergen-friendly treat.
For the rest of the side dishes, you’re going to have to keep the potatoes and carrots out of the roasting pan for the sake of the vegetarians, but remember that you’re doing this for your friends, and they’ll appreciate the fact that they can eat some vegetables that aren’t covered in animal fat. And for the lactose intolerant, make sure you use oil, not butter. Instead of just steaming or boiling vegetables, try braising them for extra flavour – 2 lbs of chopped carrots in 2 cups of vegetable broth with a ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar. Once the vinegar reduces down and becomes syrupy sweet, it coats the vegetables perfectly.
Boring green beans? Add toasted hazelnuts, sesame seeds, or almonds. Just a few minutes in a skillet on medium heat and the nuts start smelling wonderful. Toss them with blanched beans, salt, and either olive oil or toasted sesame oil.
You’re going to need a vegetarian main dish. Lentils are a little classier than beans, so a warm lentil salad with roasted sweet potatoes, and broiled eggplant would hit the spot. Or try a squash casserole – chunks of acorn squash with fried onions and garlic roasted with broth or coconut milk to make it creamy, topped with gluten-free bread crumbs mixed with nutritional yeast to replace the cheese flavour.
Dessert’s tough, I know. But a small investment in Earth Balance, almond milk, or coconut oil goes a long way. For pie crust, for example, both the oil or Earth balance can be substituted one-for-one for the traditional butter or margarine. Gluten-free pie crust can be a nightmare, but buying a pre-mixed gluten-free flour blend can be a life saver. It won’t roll out as well, so stick to pies that don’t need a topping or a artfully fluted rim. Think open-topped pumpkin or apple pie.
For fruit crisps try quinoa or buckwheat flakes. Regular oats can be found labeled “gluten-free” but not all celiacs can handle them. Mixed with that handy gluten-free flour blend, and earth balance, you’ll never believe it’s not gluten.
And just to end off, here are some simple appetizer ideas that are both gluten, dairy, and animal-free:
Go Italian with roasted vegetable antipasti – Roasted fennel, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and even chunks of squash, and serve with a small bowl of thick balsamic vinegar and another of olive oil. Only have thin, watery balsamic? Put 1 cup of it in a small saucepan and boil until it’s reduced by half. Then taste and add ¼ tsp of salt.
Soak raw cashews or hazelnuts for 6 hours and then blend together with lemon juice, salt, peppers, and raw or roasted red pepper or spinach for a versatile dip. Make sure you have rice crackers on hand. The classic spinach dip or sour cream-based dips are difficult to replace, but this blended nut dip is a pretty good replacement.
Or take 2 cups of cooked kidney beans and add ¼ cup of tahini, the juice of half a lemon, salt, pepper, garlic, and green onions or shallots, and blend to make a smooth, savoury dip.
Optionally throw in Dijon mustard, dill, basil, parsley or chives, and feel free to dilute with vegetable broth, orange juice, or almond milk.
Peanut butter chocolate balls for dessert – combine 1 cup of natural smooth peanut butter with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 cup of sugar, honey, maple syrup, or other sugar substitute. Melt your favourite dark chocolate bar and pour 1 tbsp into the bottom of mini cupcake liners. Then add 1 tbsp of the peanut butter mixture, followed by another tablespoon of the chocolate. Place in the fridge to harden.
And brownies just aren’t the same without butter, but I’ve seen vegan brownie recipes with dark chocolate, sweet potato, and even black beans. So a quick google search can offer some help.
If you have a specific food intolerance or allergy-related menu question, contact me at amie@midnightpoutine.ca and I’d be happy to help. The least amount of stress you add to the holiday season, the better.
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