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Christmas

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Original poster

Christmas dinner option for health conscious vegan guest

101 replies

Coffeehouse22 · 22/12/2021 09:11

Hi, hope u can help. My brother is bringing his girlfriend over on Christmas day for the first time. She's vegan and initially I was going to buy a Quorn roast or ready made nut roast from m&s but brother says that she's also very very health conscious and doesn't eat any processed food. So I'm stuck for ideas now. Is Quorn roast processed? What else could I serve? A pie or Wellington might be out of the question because of the pastry. Could I make anything with tofu? Any ideas would be so helpful.
P.s. I'm not a great cook and have small DC including a 10 month old so need something as simple as poss to make. x

OP posts:
Missey85 · 23/12/2021 02:59

Buy the one from the shop throw the box away and say you made it yourself 😊

Innocenta · 23/12/2021 07:02

@Clymene As a fussy, allergic vegan, I agree with you 100%! Just not fair to put the burden of really complex dietary needs on the host.

Clymene · 23/12/2021 07:22

[quote Innocenta]@Clymene As a fussy, allergic vegan, I agree with you 100%! Just not fair to put the burden of really complex dietary needs on the host. [/quote]
Smile Thank you

I have an extremely fussy autistic child and I know people get stressed about feeding him so I always bring him something and then no one else has to worry

catwomandoo · 23/12/2021 07:34

Vegan bourginon is amazing. Stuffed with mushrooms and root veggies, red wine unctuous gravy. Stick in a pot and let it cook. Goes well with the trad veggies everyone else will,have. Easy. Delicious. My vegan DD loves it.

Lots of recipes. Online. www.thevegspace.co.uk/recipe-chestnut-mushroom-bourguignon/

Original poster
Coffeehouse22 · 23/12/2021 11:39

More yummy options thanks so much. Spoke to DB about these options and he's checked with her. She's saying these options are too heavy and a soup or salad would be best. So that makes things really easy for me, won't take me long to prepare a salad. So relieved! These options are still great as I have some vegetarian (not fussy) friends and now I have loads of options to cook for them when they visit :)

Dessert I'll do a simple fruit salad because she doesn't want anything rich with chocolate or cream or pastry so also quick and no stress.

Thanks for your help anyone, was very stressed yesterday but all good now x

OP posts:
oftenbaffled · 23/12/2021 11:47

Is she very underweight?

Original poster
Coffeehouse22 · 23/12/2021 11:49

No, she's slim but definitely a healthy weight. I wouldn't even call her skinny. She's just very into fitness and healthy eating. I need some of her willpower!

OP posts:
celiamary · 23/12/2021 12:02

We use the Richmond Non Meat Sausages (for everyone, tasty), and have been recommended coconut oil for roast potatoes.

oftenbaffled · 23/12/2021 12:04

@Coffeehouse22

No, she's slim but definitely a healthy weight. I wouldn't even call her skinny. She's just very into fitness and healthy eating. I need some of her willpower!
I wouldn’t be surprised if secret eating And control issues
PlanktonsComputerWife · 23/12/2021 12:10

As someone with an ED, I think she sounds very definitely in that territory. But that's her business.

I would go Tesco vegan Christmas option, and be prepared for her to bin in or claim fullness after a bite. The main thing is the fam are all together.

Queeen · 23/12/2021 12:10

I'm vegan, and I don't buy Quorn, so can the people saying "oh she won't mind", please stop that. Maybe she will, maybe she won't. The brother has said no processed stuff. I'd check direct with her if you can. I'd be happy with a ready-made nut roast – just add water.

That said, I don't expect anyone to cook for me and I have hosted Xmas since going vegan 22 years ago. Much much easier.

deadlanguage · 23/12/2021 12:29

I doubt she has an eating disorder - it sounds like she is following a whole foods plant based diet which is a perfectly reasonable diet. But at this stage she needs to either bring her own stuff or give some suggestions as to what she would be happy with.

TheQuernsSperch · 23/12/2021 12:39

@MarleneDietrichsSmile

People giving you complex recipes for you to cook on top of the normal coming you are already doing are feeding into the narrative that women must slave over Christmas to please everyone

Let your brother cook and bring a vegan dish that passes muster, that you can just reheat

I agree!
NowEvenBetter · 23/12/2021 13:19

It’s really rude of your brother to spring that on you, it’s his issue to sort out.

AffIt · 23/12/2021 13:42

I would probably ask her to bring her own food - waaaaay too late in the day to start faffing about.

I'm the only vegetarian in my extended family of 16 people, so I take my own food (trying out Sainsbury's faux 'gammon' joint this year!) and just bang it in the oven - I'm not going to inconvenience other people over my dietary preferences, particularly not when they've been kind enough to host in the first place.

oftenbaffled · 23/12/2021 13:48

@deadlanguage

I doubt she has an eating disorder - it sounds like she is following a whole foods plant based diet which is a perfectly reasonable diet. But at this stage she needs to either bring her own stuff or give some suggestions as to what she would be happy with.
The point at which results in the rigidness and inflexibility that the OP has described in her posts…I would say orthorexia
JuergenSchwarzwald · 23/12/2021 13:53

There was an article in the Times at the weekend about good vegan options. Do you have a Coop near you as it apparently has the best.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/taste-test-christmas-2021-the-best-and-worst-vegetarian-and-vegan-festive-food-hwkrmfrtk

I'd ignore the comment about processed. You get what you are given and she can eat non processed when she invites you over and cooks for you.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 23/12/2021 13:54

@Missey85

Buy the one from the shop throw the box away and say you made it yourself 😊
Yes I'd do this too :)
Nomoreusernames1244 · 23/12/2021 13:59

I doubt she has an eating disorder - it sounds like she is following a whole foods plant based diet which is a perfectly reasonable diet

Describing anything other than soup or a salad as “too heavy” for Christmas dinner, and only managing half a bowl of soup at a meal out would be massive red flags for me.

It’s fucking christmas dinner. Vegan or not, how many people would be happy if they went somewhere for christmas dinner and were presented with a bowl of soup? That is not reasonable, and it’s not even partaking in the meal.

A whole foods plant based diet is perfectly reasonable. A salad and a fruit salad while everyone else tucks into a full christmas dinner is not.

If she’d have said don’t fuss or put yourself out, i’m happy to eat the salad if it’s a hassle arranging a vegan meal, that would worry me less. But “too heavy”? Really?

JuergenSchwarzwald · 23/12/2021 14:01

@Coffeehouse22

No, she's slim but definitely a healthy weight. I wouldn't even call her skinny. She's just very into fitness and healthy eating. I need some of her willpower!
Sounds a bit extreme to me. Half a bowl of soup and a fruit salad? That's nothing. Maybe not an eating disorder but maybe she needs to do some exercise and then she could enjoy food. You can be slim and unfit.

But anyway it sounds like you've decided what to give her - have a great Christmas.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 23/12/2021 14:03

If she's really into fitness she would eat more - you have to fuel your exercise!

ChristmasRobins · 23/12/2021 14:15

I would do a cauliflower “steak”- very easy and quick and obviously vegan and non-processed. It’s very short notice for a complex request.

oftenbaffled · 23/12/2021 14:17

@JuergenSchwarzwald

If she's really into fitness she would eat more - you have to fuel your exercise!
Yes

But if you have an eating disorder… you know this but you can’t help it

rookiemere · 23/12/2021 14:28

A reminder to some again about the handy funnel to read at least the OPs updates.
I'm glad it's sorted OP, but man she sounds like hard work. The correct answer to the questions - particularly the dessert one - was let me bring something along so I'm not a bother.

AgentDavid · 23/12/2021 14:46

@Coffeehouse22

Do you honey roast your veg for Christmas? If so, make sure there's no honey on hers, it isn't vegan.