Vegan Plans For Christmas

[kikisparks]

Anyone both vegan and love Christmas?

I don’t drink any more but M&S do a lovely chocolate and coconut milk liqueur that’s like vegan baileys, it’s down to £6.

I’m planning to do a vegan cheese board as it went down surprisingly well last year. Plan is some cream sheese and Wensleydale and cranberry sheese, some vegusto, some artisan nut cheese and maybe some violife.

Anyone got any vegan Christmas tips, ideas or traditions?

[Cleo2628]

Look up the happy pear on YouTube. They did a Christmas series of videos last year 😍

[toolazytothinkofausername]

Signing in :) I definitely need ideas for Christmas dinner!

[kikisparks]

@Cleo2628 will do, thanks! What are you having for christmss dinner?

@toolazytothinkofausername is this your first Christmas as a vegan?

[hendricksy]

I'm vegetarian ( me and dd have been since last January ) and we are having quorn roast Instead of Turkey with vegetable gravy and the rest of the veg . We both like it although I'm not sure it's vegan .. I did see loads of nice vegan things in Cook the other day . Maybe look on their website ?

[toolazytothinkofausername]

No, I'm just looking for something so epic I can show my meat eating family meat isn't needed.

[LoniceraJaponica]

IMO Violife "cheese" is revolting. DD and I went to a vegan festival in Wakefield last weekend and bought the best vegan cheese I have ever tasted. It was cashew based. We also like cheese from the Tyne Chease company. That is also cashew based. Coconut based cheeses leave a nasty taste in the mouth and are a bit plasticky.

I am going to have a go at making cashew cheese myself.

[kikisparks]

I like violife! But I’m also having nutcrafter which is similar to Tyne, and vegusto which is really good too. Also might get some daiya from sainsburys this year.

[kikisparks]

@hendricksy the quorn roast isn’t vegan but there are tofurkey and vbites turkey roasts which are. I’ll probably have some of those plus nut roast.

Last year a lot of the vegan community I know were making this for Christmas: www.bosh.tv/recipes/portobello-mushroom-wellington

[kikisparks]

Linda McCartney also does a Vegetarian Beef Roast with Red Wine & Shallot Glaze but reviews I’ve heard have been mixed.

My favourite things are the veg (roasted carrots and potatoes!) and dessert, I always make a trifle and DH makes chocolate cake.

[LoniceraJaponica]

Bosh are brilliant aren't they

[BobbyBanana]

I always make our own nut roast with cranberries and chestnuts. I wouldn't trust my Xmas dinner to a factory produced product.

That liqueur from M&S sounds amazing. I'm going to get some today!

[hendricksy]

@kikisparks I did say I didn't think it was vegan .

[WrongSideOfHistory]

The Linda McCartney roast isn't great, IMO. Aldi had a decent veggie option last year (but may not be vegan)

[JanetLovesJason]

Going to make a vegan rum based Baileys-style liqueur

300ml coconut condensed milk
300ml rum
Vanilla paste and cocoa powder to taste
Add cashew milk til desired thickness achieved.
Might use Rude Health Chocolate hazelnut milk instead. Or maybe split into two batches. I have 1/2 litre swing top bottles so it’s likely to be two bottles worth anyway.

Also making this Xmas cake. It doesn’t mature so it needs to be done closer to Xmas.

I made big batch of vegan salted caramel to keep in fridge and add to stuff, so will make salted caramel mince pies with puff pastry. Jus Roll do a vegan gf one I’m going to try. Might do marzipan lids.

And Nutcrafter cheeseboard.

Plus coconut vanilla vegan fudge from Fudge Kitchen. I might make some white chocolate fudge using Sainsburys Free from white buttons and some coconut condensed milk.

Not sure re main. Did a lemon and black pepper cashew roast with Thai spiced butternut squash and red onion stuffing previously, but fancy more traditional flavors this year. Kind of hoping might find a ready made one, as I’d rather do loads of baking.

[kikisparks]

@hendricksy yeah you said I’m not sure it’s vegan so just was letting you know it’s not and for anyone else on the thread :)

@LoniceraJaponica I love bosh! I haven’t actually made any of their recipes yet though but I love watching them! Would like to try my hand at making camembosh, maybe this year!

[kikisparks]

@hendricksy also I don’t think there’s a Cook near me but nice tip for others.

Waitrose should have some good stuff in this year, they’ve just massively expanded their festive range.

[LoniceraJaponica]

Besos de Oro is an excellent vegan "Baileys"

[kikisparks]

@Bobbybanana I hope you get the liqueur ok! I’m hearing reports it’s selling out around here. If so the recipe from @JanetLovesJason sounds good!

[Onemorefireball]

For our mains I'm making a mushroom, chestnut and cranberry tart and a stuffed seitan roast. I almost went with stuffed butternut squash, but I think we'll have that a few times before Christmas, whereas the other two are a bit more of a faff/expensive to make so will save them for the big day

[kikisparks]

For dessert ideas if people want to buy in rather than make it- tesco wicked kitchen’s pineapple dream cake seems to be popular (think I’m the only one in the world who doesn’t like it) or Asda extra special chocolate torte is really good.

[kikisparks]

@Onemorefireball Those mains sound great!! Do you have recipes?

[Onemorefireball]

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/vegan-mushroom-chestnut-cranberry-tart

I slightly adapted this. For the roast. I'm making it some time this week as a test, but kind of making it up, so I'll update after.

[VanillaSugary]

Placemarking as DD is near vegan so looking for ideas!

[kikisparks]

@Onemorefireball thanks!

What does everyone have for Christmas breakfast? I always have a jus rol pain au chocolat.

[FoofFighter]

Not vegan but eat a lot of the stuff as dd is dairy allergic. Didn't know about the Asda torte!

Was looking in the Tesco food to order book and there is a fabulous looking wellington with a whole cauli head in it and mushroom duxelle surroundingwhich should be easy to make, looked v majestic