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FFAC's Holiday Recipes

We asked our staff for their tried-and-true holiday recipes that have graced their table over the years and won-over skeptical parents and siblings by showing them how delicious the holidays can be with animals in our hearts instead of on our plates.

Appetizers

Vegan Deviled Eggs

Staff member: Meghan Jones

“Growing up, my Nonna and I made deviled eggs every holiday of the year. Always together, always the same recipe, it was our thing. In college I decided to stop eating eggs to avoid supporting an unethical industry, but I didn’t want to lose that connection with my Nonna, or our holiday tradition. After playing around with a few recipes online that didn’t quite fit the bill, I decided to test out using tofu in place of egg yolk, potatoes in place of egg white, and using her traditional recipe to make sure the flavors were spot-on. What resulted was something even more delicious than the original eggs we had been making, and something my entire family now requests from me (and looks forward to) every holiday season.”

Ingredients: 

  • 4-8 small yellow potatoes (or more or less depending on how many people you are serving)
  • One package firm or extra-firm tofu
  • Vegan ayo
  • Yellow mustard
  • Pickle juice (from jar of dill pickles)
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Sugar
  • Paprika 
  • Salt and pepper to taste 

Recipe: 

  1. Boil small yellow potatoes (skin on) in salted water until fork tender.
  2. While the potatoes boil, squeeze as much water as possible out of the tofu. It is ok if it crumbles, as we will be crumbling and mashing it later!
  3. In a small bowl, combine a few tablespoons of vegan mayo with a splash of apple cider vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and a dash of paprika.*
  4. Crumble your pressed tofu into a bowl and mash with a fork. 
  5. Add mayo mixture, yellow mustard to taste, a few spoonfuls of dill pickle juice, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. 
  6. Once potatoes are fork tender, remove from water, and allow to cool or toss into ice water to cool. 
  7. Cut potatoes in half. 
  8. Use a spoon or melon baller to scoop out a small circle of potato. This will mimic the shape of a traditional devilled egg, and create a space in your potato to fill with your “egg” yolk.
  9. Fill divet in your potato with your yolk mixture.
  10. Optional: garnish with a sprinkle of pepper, paprika, or chive.s

*When I made these before eating plant-based, we always used Miracle Whip. Adding apple cider vinegar, sugar, and paprika to your favorite vegan mayo should mimic the taste of miracle whip, but feel free to just use vegan mayo itself for a simpler recipe. 

Sides

Monica’s Favorite Vegan Stuffing

Staff member: Monica Chen

“We make stuffing sort of following the steps in a basic recipe (like the one posted on Arrowhead Mills website that uses their organic savory herb stuffing) and change up the ingredients, like adding pecans, though in our case only on half of the stuffing,  as some family members do not like nuts and others love them! 

If there's a local bakery nearby, ask if they offer "stuffing mix," or you can make your own out of day-old bread by chopping into cubes, sprinkling with thyme and a little olive oil and baking in the oven at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.”

stuffing

Ingredients

  • 1 pack of stuffing mix from bakery or grocery store
  • ¾ stick unsalted vegan butter, melted
  • 10 ounces of hot plant-based Italian sausage, chopped (will try using Beyond Meat brand this year!)
  • 2 cups onion, diced
  • 1½ cups diced celery
  • ¼ cup of packed fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
  • ¹⁄3 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1½ cups vegetable broth

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Butter an 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and sage cover and cook until tender.
  4. Stir in the sausage and cook until the sausage has browned.
  5. Transfer sausage mixture to a bowl and add parsley, salt and pepper. Stir in stuffing mix with vegetable broth; add a little more broth if stuffing is too dry. Stir in remaining butter.
  6. Transfer stuffing to a prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 more minutes, or until the top is crispy and golden.

Best Waldorf Salad

Staff member: Chris Shapard

“My family makes this super simple recipe every year around Christmas time, and it’s one of the dishes I most look forward to. After going vegan I veganized it with a few easy swaps. The best thing is since it’s just a salad you can customize it to your liking by adding or subtracting different things!”

Ingredients

Salad

  • 4 apples, cubed
  • 4 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 bunch red grapes, halved
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (candied or plain)
  • 1/2 cup craisins (or raisins)
  • 1/2 vegan marshmallows (optional but recommended)

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup plain vegan yogurt
  • Grenadine or water from jar of Maraschino Cherries (until dressing is light pink or to taste)
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice (or to taste)

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together all salad ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together dressing ingredients and pour contents over apple mix. Toss salad until evenly coated. Serve immediately or let salad marinate in fridge overnight or during the day for best flavor.

Potato Bread

Staff member: Vidisha Rai

“The Korean Vegan has a super special way of story-telling and we share a love for carbs/potatoes. This potato bread recipe is pretty time intensive, you are incorporating cooled mashed potatoes, herbs, lots of garlic and the dough needs to proof twice. But it is SO worth it and will wow your holiday guests!”

Link: The Korean Vegan

potato bread

This Ain’t Grandma’s Sweet Potato Casserole

Staff member: Chris Shapard

“Sweet potato casserole is probably my favorite holiday dish (probably because it’s basically pie!). This version from Oh She Glows is one of those rare recipes that is so good as it’s written I don’t make any changes. It’s definitely not the healthiest version of the dish you will find, but it will certainly satisfy all sweet potato casserole lovers!”

Link: Oh She Glows

person slicing root crop

Mains

Our Family Meatloaf Recipe

Staff member: Carolyn Keen

“This is our son Alexander’s recipe that he often makes for us. Everyone always loves it, including non-vegans, who usually don’t ask or notice that it’s vegan. In this photo it's paired with polenta and broccolini, but it's delicious with mashed potatoes and any veg side.”

meatloaf 1

Ingredients:

For the Meatloaf:

  • 1 lb. Beyond Beef
  • 1 cup dried bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 1/2 cup plant milk
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seed
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp. ketchup
  • Half cup finely chopped parsley
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

For the Topping:

  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

  1. In a small bowl, mix the ground flax seed and water together, set aside*
  2. In a large bowl, add the Beyond Beef, bread crumbs, onion, plant milk, flax egg, 2 tablespoons ketchup, parsley, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Use your hands to mush and mix these ingredients together until well combined. **
  3. Add the “meat” mixture to a loaf pan. Pat the “meat” down into an even layer.
  4. In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup ketchup, the brown sugar, and vinegar. Stir to combine. Pour the sauce on top of the meatloaf and spread it into an even layer.
  5. Bake uncovered for 55 minutes.
  6. Let the meatloaf rest for 8-10 minutes before serving (or it may fall apart).

Notes

* You can make the flax egg however you like to, this is just our preferred flax to water ratio

** Make sure this is very well mixed, not enough mixing can result in a squishy meatloaf

If you don’t have breadcrumbs on hand you can dry out some bread in the oven or toaster and 

blend them into breadcrumbs.

Also, the onion is interchangeable with onion powder, the garlic is interchangeable with garlic powder, the fresh parsley is interchangeable with dried parsley. We recommend using the whole ingredients but these aren’t required.

Holiday Seitan Roast

Staff member: Vidisha Rai

“This recipe also is a bit time intensive, but it is so much better than the store bought stuff! You combine pinto beans and flavors in a food processor, then make your seitan in a separate bowl. Add the bean mixture until combined, pour in some veggie broth and knead. Bake it in some aluminum foil, and you have your very own holiday roast!”

Link: Tasty.co

Savory Pumpkin Pie

Staff member: Alexis Miller

“This savory pumpkin pie is easy to make and will have everybody asking for the recipe. It is great with a generous sprinkle of nutritional yeast”

Link: Loving Living Foods

Desserts

Pumpkin Bread

Staff member: Matthew Cooper

"This pumpkin bread recipe is simple and delicious, and a great way to celebrate fall. I eat it with plant-based butter or sunflower seed butter and tea."

Link: Sweet Simple Veganista

Lyxiga Lussebullar: Swedish Saffron Buns

Staff member: Rowdy Keelor

“They are a nostalgic Nordic holiday tradition (say that five times fast) - veganized!”

Link: One Green Planet

buns

Vegan Chocolate, Passion Fruit, and Olive Oil Cake

Staff member: Carolyn Keen

“I have yet to make a recipe of Meera’s from her Guardian 'New Vegan' column that isn’t easy and delicious. This is no exception, and is perfect if you prefer chocolate-y offerings around the holidays.” 

Link: Meera Sodha / Guardian

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