The season of festivities, joy and lots of indulgences is here! Amidst all those parties and commitments, we know you’re pushing all the healthy eats to next year (we’re doing it too, we understand)
And so, we’re here with much needed holiday season recipes that are vegan, gluten free and most importantly – DELICIOUS! You can enjoy these by yourself or prepare them for friends and family as well. We love them all and hope you do too!
THE SNACK
Candied Nuts
Sweet, savoury, crunchy and oh-so-satisfying these Candied Nuts can be made days in advance. Not only do they make a great snack for guests to munch on during your Christmas part, they also make an incredible edible gift.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 300 grams mixed nuts of your choice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch ground black pepper to taste
Method:
- Heat water, oil and agave syrup in a large frying pan until it starts to bubble (should take around 30 seconds)
- Add the nuts and stir until they’re coated with the oil and syrup mixture – do this for around a minute until they’re slightly brown and crispy.
- Mix together the sugar, salt and black pepper in a small bowl, then add to the pan and stir into the nuts.
- Keep the pan on a medium heat and stir continuously for a few minutes – the nuts should become nicely caramelised quite quickly.
- Remove the pan from the heat as soon as you think the caramel coating turns a nice golden-brown colour – be careful to not heat for too long as the sugar will burn very quickly.
- Spread the nuts out over a plate or a sheet of baking paper, separating out any clumps, and leave them to dry out for a while until completely cooled – they may be quite soft at this stage, but ready to eat once they’ve cooled down.
- Keeps in an airtight container for up to a week.
THE APPETIZER
Carrot and Seed Loaf
Gluten-free and vegan, this Carrot and Seed Loaf is as perfect for the festive season as it is all year round. Easy to make, it pairs well with a side salad or along with your favourite dairy-free yoghurt dip.
Ingredients:
- Carrots 3 large sized (or 400g approx.)
- 150g ground sunflower seeds (1 cup)
- 150g ground pumpkin seeds (1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 heaped tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 heaped tablespoon fresh or dried parsley
- ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt
Method:
- Chop the peeled carrots into small pieces. Boil or steam until soft. Drain and then mash.
- Grind seeds into a coarse powder
- Crush garlic and finely chop herbs (if using fresh)
- Mix seed meal, carrots and all other ingredients together.
- Firmly press mixture into a loaf tin (lined with parchment paper). A 1kg loaf tin works well (approx. 20x10x6cm). Make sure that you press really firmly to encourage the binding process – if you are too timid, it tends to fall apart. If you get it just right, then it magically forms into a perfectly sliceable loaf.
- Bake in a preheated oven at gas mark 6 (200˚C/400˚F) for approximately 45 minutes.
- Gently lift from the loaf tin by pulling out the loaf along with the parchment paper. Turn over onto a bread board and slice with a bread knife.
THE MAIN COURSE
Vegan Mushroom & Walnut Balls
All good things come together to create this firecracker of a main course. Filling and delicious as is, better served over gluten-free spaghetti tossed in a simple marinara sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 caramelized onion
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 300 grams mushrooms, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup oats
Method:
- Prepare brown rice ahead of time and keep aside.
- Prepare the caramelized onions in advance and let it cool down.
- Add oil, mushrooms and all seasonings to a non-stick pan or pot, cook over medium heat until the mushrooms have released their juices and softened. Set cooked mushrooms aside.
- In a food processor add walnuts and oats and process for 20 seconds until crumbly. Add cooked brown rice, caramelized onions and cooked mushrooms. Pulse until everything is well combined and no large chunks of anything remain. However, do not over-process the mixture – you don’t want it to turn into mush. A little texture is good.
- Use a table spoon to scoop out the mixture and form it into balls with your hands. You should have about 18 balls. Preheat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and coat the bottom of the pan in olive oil. Once the oil is hot, place the balls in the pan. The balls should not be touching each other, so do it in batches. Cook the balls about 5 minutes per side or until all sides are seared, crispy and golden brown.
- Serve over your gluten-free spaghetti with a generous garnish of grated gluten free cheese.
THE SIDE DISH
Herb Roasted Potatoes
Crispy outside and melt in your mouth inside, these herb roasted potatoes are what dreams are made of. This side dish definitely packs a punch and all you need are 4 ingredients to get it done.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg potatoes
- 2 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 3 tsp mixed dried herbs
- Salt
Method:
- Pre-heat your oven to 200C (390F) and then peel and chop your potatoes
- Now place the potatoes into a large pot of water and a few pinches of salt and bring to a boil
- Par boil the potatoes for 12 minutes
- Now pour 2-3 tbsp of olive oil into a large baking dish/tray and place in the oven to get very hot ready for the potatoes
- Drain the potatoes and place the potatoes back into the pot you boiled them in, place the lid on and give them a couple firm shakes. This helps to break them up and to get nice and crunchy
- Remove the baking dish from the oven, place the potatoes inside (you should hear them sizzling from the hot oil)
- Drizzle over a good few glugs of olive oil across the potatoes making sure each is covered evenly, along with a few pinches of salt and your herbs. Give it a toss.
- Place in the oven for 45 minutes
- Remove from the oven, turn the potatoes so they cook evenly and place back in the oven for 45 minutes or until they’re golden and crispy
The Dessert
Vegan Rum Balls
We didn’t think vegan and gluten free desserts could taste heavenly, but we changed our minds with this recipe. Perfectly chewy, fudgy and flavourful, this one is our new favourite Christmas dessert.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups almonds
- 1 cup dried figs (pre-soaked and strained)
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- juice of ¼ lemon
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp rum (OR 2 tsp rum essence)
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- pinch of salt
- Optional: more cocoa powder for dusting (or can use icing sugar or shredded coconut)
Method:
- Place the almonds into a food processor and process until they are finely crumbled (just a bit less fine than almond flour).
- Add in all remaining ingredients and process until everything is combined and the mixture begins to form into a ball.
- Take small bits of the mixture and roll into balls using your hands.
- Optional: Roll in some extra cocoa powder for a dusted finish.
- Enjoy right away or refrigerate for an hour or more for a firmer consistency.
We hope these recipes add in some merriment to your holly jolly Christmas celebrations.
