Vegan family lunch

[Pegase]

A family member has decided to start eating vegan and is coming for lunch tomorrow. Any recommendations for a quick but celebratory lunch that we can all share? Don't have loads of time to cook due to appts in morning but I am a proficient cook so would like to make something homemade. Was thinking mezze or veggie chilli but seems a bit everyday- haven't seen this family member for an age so would like to make it special.

Both sound fine - all very nice to pop down on the table with lots of lovely salad, bread and olives.

There’s always risotto (anyone who wants cheese can grate it on the top).

What about desert?

Or have a look here: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/vegan-dinner

I’m a big pasta eater and often the sauces are vegan anyway.

We’ve got nine people today and I’m the only vegan, my mum is very sweetly doing bean and violife quesadilla, jacket potatoes, olive bread and a big salad with avocado, roasted beet, etc amongst a sausage onion plait, gammon joint, Camembert, etc.

Eek hasn't thought of dessert. Is chia pudding a good dessert? Never made it myself though only had it from the supermarket.

Annoying really as I am really good at making a variety of curries that are incidentally vegan but family member hates curry!

Jus rol puff pastry is vegan. Use that with some roasted root veg and vegan cheese to make a vegan Wellington. Really simple but looks great and tastes very good as well.

How good does this cake look? www.taste.com.au/recipes/vegan-chocolate-cake/5c8514e1-246c-4a3a-9854-75ccd3252764?r=recipes/vegandesserts&c=adNqxEOv/Vegan%20desserts

Waitrose own vegan cream cheese is amazingly good too to use in place of philadephia so would be very useful in adapting other recipes.

I recently had a roast squash for a main at a dinner. I really wasn’t looking forward to it. It it was lovely.

This site has some nice things:

itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/stuffed-roasted-butternut-squash/

Ooh quesadillas a good shout. Bit like veg chilli but more exciting.

@Lordfrontpaw that cake looks divine!

Questadillas need loads and loads of cheese! Mmmmmm. Vegan ‘cheese’ is not very nice.

I like the quesadillas idea. You could do (or buy!) spicy rice, corn on the cob, nachos, oatley creme fraiche, salsa, guacamole, nachos, retried beans and a salad to make it a bit more fancy.

Ask the family member. Tell them you don't know how to cater for a vegan, and do they have any suggestions for what they would like to eat. They might even offer to bring something.

I like @ DartmoorChef suggestion. I’d happily eat anything in pastry. Or you could add fruit and glaze with apricot jam for a nice desert. Or Christmas pudding!

I do like alpro soya cream and the soya custard. We only use that here instead of the ‘real’ things.

I'm not sure how much he knows either as has only just started. I thought I'd make something nice to give him a recipe idea to help him out!!!

What sort of thing would you cook if he weren’t vegan?

For pudding: Jusrol puff pastry, brush with apricot jam, slice apricots all over it and sprinkle ground cardamom and sugar over the top. Serve with whipped coconut milk (get the thick layer of coconut out of the tin and whip it) with sugar and ground cardamom thought it. Yum and v simple.

Main: root veg casserole, add vac packed chestnuts for luxury and top with horseradish dumplings made from veg suet.

Side: roasted brussel sprouts/endive or fennel.

Starter: bread and olive oil with balsamic vinegar to dip.

Ta dah!

What about enchiladas, we don’t eat slot of meat and they always go down well and you could serve with all the sides, Mexican rice, guac, salsa, tortilla crisps, roasted corn, etc

Most vegans would have chia pudding as a breakfast or a snack? You can make most things and veganise them. Apple crumble, just use dairy free butter and Would be simple enough. Dairy free ice cream is readily available in every supermarket too or dairy free custard and even cream.