‘Tis the season for holiday celebrations, parties, and family gatherings. If you’re in need of some new plant-based holiday recipe ideas that will impress friends and family we’ve got some delicious vegan holiday recipes for you.
A few of our talented cooking class hosts have contributed their favorite holiday recipes. They’re delicious, easy to make, and might just convert a few of your meat-loving friends to plant-based eating. Check them out below.
Simmered Japanese Kabocha squash from Yuko Nakamoto
Ingredients:
>>1 Kabocha squash (cut & trimmed)
>>Hot Water (about 12 oz)
>>Brown sugar 1 tbsp (You can use: Maple syrup or any of your favorite sweeteners)
>>Soy sauce 1 tbsp (Tamari soy sauce, liquid aminos)
>>Salt 1 pinch
Cooking Instructions
1 : Use microwave for 1 min for easy cutting if the Kabocha is too hard.
2: Remove the pulp and seeds from the Kabocha squash. Use a sharp knife to slice the Kabocha squash into 1-inch thick width pieces and then cut into bite-size pieces.
3: Trim all the corner edges from the Kabocha pieces using ※Mentori cutting (see pictures)
※ 面取りMentori: If the pieces have a sharp edge, then they are likely to break into pieces during the cooking process.
5: Put the Kabocha skin down in a single layer in a pan and Boil in high heat with the Kabocha pieces covered with enough hot water for about 8-10min with a lid.
When kabocha gets soft, drain the hot water.
6: Turn the heat off and add brown sugar, mix quickly and add soy sauce to absorb.
If you want to make the Kabocha squash powdery and fluffy, turn off the heat and you can put the lid on for a while.
Find out more about Yuko on here.
Roasted Veggies with Banza Chickpea Pasta in Garlic & Oil with Fresh Basil from Kevin Duffy
Ingredients
>>chickpea pasta
>>2 heads broccoli
>>2 bundles asparagus
>>2 zucchini
>>Extra Virgin Olive Oil
>>3 to 4 cloves garlic
>>Italian seasoning (or your favorite seasoning mix)
>>1 bag fresh spinach
>>1 bundle fresh basil
>>salt and pepper to taste
Method
• preheat oven to 400-415
• chop up 2 heads of broccoli, 2 bundles of asparagus, 2 zucchini
• mix veggies in a bowl with EVOO, fresh chopped garlic (3-4 cloves), and Italian seasoning, whatever you like.
• roast veggies in the oven for 15-20 mins or until the broccoli chars.
• cook pasta 2-3 mins less than the directions. Trust me, It always falls apart… and then you will think you hated it! You didn’t hate it, it just fell apart, it tastes great minus the usual white flour bloat and brain fog!
It cooks different than “regular pasta” = different ingredients. Better ones aka it’s better for you.
• pour a big bag of spinach in a giant serving bowl
• heat up some more EVOO and garlic in a pan. Medium heat 3-4 mins.
• drain the Pasta when cooked and mix it with the spinach. This will help steam and wilt the spinach just perfectly.
⚠️ We all knows spinach disappears when you cook it in a pan. Let’s make spinach great and stop cooking it in a pan and then the drama continues that it “disappears into nothing.”
• add in the heated oil and garlic to the bowl and mix
• add the roasted veggies and mix it all 🥦
• chop up a bundle of fresh basil and add that too. 🌿
Can you say professional Presentation!
• salt and pepper to taste
⚠️ More or less oil as needed. Aim for less. Don’t cook with more oil than you are comfortable drinking straight out of a glass!! It is all going in your body. Whether you drink it or hide it on your veggies.
😢 If this takes you more than 20 mins it’s ok, Keep practicing!
Check out Kevin’s website here.
Cook with Kevin on Omstars here and here.
Pumpkin Pie from Natalie Prigoone
If you like a toffee-tasting pumpkin pie, then you will love this healthy version.
This is a perfect recipe for using left over almond pulp after making your own almond milk. Tip: When you make your almond milk throw in the vanilla bean when blending with water, then once the nuts are strained and squeezed, the ground vanilla pod will be left behind with the nuts.
INGREDIENTS
Base
» 1 1/2 cups almond pulp
» 1 whole vanilla bean (blitzed in a spice grinder) or 1 tsp of vanilla paste or 1 tbs vanilla essence
» 1 packed cup of dates
» 1/4 cup coconut oil
» crackle of pink salt
Pumpkin Filling
» 2 1/2 cups cooked and mashed pumpkin (roasted is best)
» 1 cup of almonds or 1 cup of almond butter (only use whole almonds if you have a powerful food processer that can turn them into paste)
» * 3/4 cup lacuma powder (You can omit the lacuma powered in this recipe if you don’t have it. No big deal really. It’s really for nutritional benefit and a little sweetness.)
» 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
» 1/2 cup coconut paste (melted)
» 2 tsp cinnamon powder
» 2 tsp nutmeg powder
» 1/4 cup maple syrup
» salt on top
METHOD
Base
Process all ingredients in a high-powered food processor until it sticks together in a ball of dough when pressed. Line a fan pan with baking paper. (I like to trace out a circle and cut it to fit the base exactly.) Press the dough down uniformly and line the sides to form a pie crust. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
Pumpkin Filling
Blend almonds first until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and process for a few minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides. Spoon filling on top of pie crust and allow to set in the refrigerator for several hours until firm. Top with pistachio nuts.
Find out more about Natalie on her website.
Take Natalie’s class on Omstars here.
Do you want more holiday recipes? Check out our holiday recipes posts from previous years.
Plant-Based Holiday Feasts (Recipes from the Omstars Staff)
Plant-Based Recipes for the Holiday Season (Recipes from Lee Holmes)
Plant-Based Appetizers (Recipes from Naomi Seifter)
By Omstars
Photo by Mel Maldonado-Turner on Unsplash
