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Please help me serve something other than soup for Christmas

18 replies

Rattysparklebum · 18/11/2021 21:40

I love my DIL but… she is coming to stay for 5 days at Christmas, she is not only vegan but gluten free and also garlic free and I can’t find anything ready made that meets all these requirements.

Please someone give me some ideas of things that can preferably be made in advance and frozen so she doesn’t have to live off soup for 5 days!

OP posts:
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 18/11/2021 21:44

Could you message her and ask what her usual go to dinners are so you can factor it in when cooking for her?

DoThePropeller · 18/11/2021 21:44

Vegan nut roast? With lots of veggies. You can easily make all your Christmas Day sides vegan.

DoThePropeller · 18/11/2021 21:47

Oh and beyond meat sausages (maybe burgers too, but sausages for sure) are vegan and gluten free, you could do sausage and mash?

DoThePropeller · 18/11/2021 21:48

Curry and rice is an easy one too, leave garlic out.

Gluten free pasta with sauce - you can get vegan pesto, stick in courgettes, green beans, spinach etc.

Rattysparklebum · 18/11/2021 21:51

Nut roast sounds a good option, will that freeze if I make it the week before?

I think she mainly eats Asian style veggies, broth and rice noodles, I was hoping to have a few main dishes she can eat alongside the rest of the sides everyone else is having.

OP posts:
Verbena87 · 18/11/2021 21:52

The other two I can manage, but honestly I’m chopping garlic before I’ve even decided what to cook! 🤣

Tagine works with quinoa instead of cous cous and is easy to make vegan.

Jacket potato with bean chilli (can be batch cooked and frozen)

This dal is gorgeous and freezes well but you’d have to skip the garlic www.easypeasyfoodie.com/yellow-split-pea-dhal/ - nice with rice as I’m not sure gluten free naan/chapattis are a thing?

Soontobe60 · 18/11/2021 21:56

@Rattysparklebum

Nut roast sounds a good option, will that freeze if I make it the week before?

I think she mainly eats Asian style veggies, broth and rice noodles, I was hoping to have a few main dishes she can eat alongside the rest of the sides everyone else is having.

I make a vegan lasagne using quorn mince, Sacla vegan cheese sauce www.sacla.co.uk/products/sacla-vegan-ch-se-sauce?currency=GBP&variant=20093281140832&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google+Shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkNiMBhCxARIsAIDDKNVXtvq8tN4s1oOUrPko2saJ9lx8-FkyHBP08opNi93cBHeth_PfM1saAvWUEALw_wcB Spinach, mushrooms, tomato sauce. It’s delicious.
Icantremembermyusername · 18/11/2021 21:59

Ask her for ideas. Tell her what you're cooking and ask her to tell you what she would like and what she can bring. I grew up gluten free, and sometimes veggie, not vegan. I could do it as a one off but not for 5 days!

Yourstupidityexhaustsme · 18/11/2021 22:02

Ooft that’s quite the combination!

You need to look at what staples you can get in - rice/pasta/potatoes/noodles etc are all really easily made gluten free and vegan when you get the specialist options!

Is she there over Christmas? If so for her roast she can have potatoes cooked in olive/vegetable oil, roasted veg, maybe a nut roast? There’s a lovely walnut and cashew roast on vegan recipe club that is adaptable for gluten free if you use gluten free pastry! Just roll have a gluten free ready made pastry that I’m nearly positive is vegan. Lots of supermarkets have vegan alternatives that are gluten free - gravies, potatoes, puddings etc.

For normal teas it’s probably really easy to adapt what you’re having.

Sausage and mash with free from gravy granules and veg - I don’t know where you shop but lots of vegan sausages are gluten free, I know Linda McCartneys are!

Lasagne/Spag Bol would be easy too using gluten free pasta sheets, vegan mince and jarred sauces. Double check whether they contain garlic but a lot will be gluten free. If not a really simple gluten free roux is easy to make!

A few easier teas would be a jacket potato - beans and vegan cheese with vegan coleslaw and salad?
A nice five bean chilli? Heinz do one!
Leftover bolognese!
There is also vegan tuna which is a bit like marmite, you love or hate it! If she likes it you could make a tuna Mayo.
Another easy one may be a burger/hot dog. You can get gluten free rolls by promise and they’re really good.

If you’re looking for a more traditional winter selection there’s also the option of beef casserole/steak pie. You can get a dried meat replacer called TVP (textured vegetable protein) and you soak them in water to rehydrate them. You then add them to stock/gravy and they take on flavour and are really tasty you can get them in most supermarkets. My favourite is a fava bean one from Ocado but any would do - you could even use veggie mince! Fry off an onion, add vegan stock cubes - oxo do beef ones, I don’t know if they’re gluten free sorry! Fry the ‘meat’, if a stew add lots of veg and seasoning, wine and water and let it bubble you can thicken it with cornflour. If a pie top it with the pastry I mentioned before?

Easy aisle options are great nowadays - you can get gluten free pizza bases and lots of veggie toppings, even vegan pepperoni!
Old El Paso do a gluten free fajita kit that comes with wraps and seasoning you could add lots of veg or alternative chicken piece?

A nice mushroom risotto and salad would be lovely.
A proper vegan chilli with rice, cheese, salsa, guacamole etc. You could also do nachos with corn chips!

onepieceoflollipop · 18/11/2021 22:05

My dh is gluten free and previously my dds were veggie so I’ve got a few ideas. There’s loads of ready made vegan/gf options in the supermarket but much of them will have garlic in them.
Jacket potatoes or sweet potatoes can be frozen but best fresh assuming you’ve got the oven on already? Buy some dairy free spread such as vitalite. Most bread is gluten free. Get some good nut butter for sandwiches and baked beans for on toast/potatoes. Make some potato wedges as a snack (or frozen chips - most would be suitable but check for gluten coatings)
I have a vegan shepherds pie recipe that could be made in advance and frozen. It can be topped with mash (instant if vegan). Basically the recipe is chopped onion, chopped carrot (small) tinned green lentils, Henderson’s relish and tinned tomatoes. Make extra and use it as jacket potato topping or pasta sauce.
Make a stir fry and serve with rice noodles (minimal cooking needed) or micro rice. Check labels on sauce for allergens.
Lots of dark chocolate is vegan and gf.
Perhaps dip fruit and nuts in melted chocolate for a pudding although puddings are probably easier to buy ready made?

Yourstupidityexhaustsme · 18/11/2021 22:07

If you need lunches then lots of gluten free bread is vegan. I would contact her to see what she usually gets and you could get in a vegan spread (naturli is the best hands down but any would do!)
You could get in some vegan meats - squeaky bean and quorn I think are gluten free!
I also like a smashed avocado and sundried tomato or a tofu mayo but you can see what she likes!
Or a nice stuffing and cranberry sauce! The popular stuffing brand (paxo?) do a gluten free one or you could get sosmix powder and make your own.

For breakfasts either bacon/sausage sandwiches, toast and cereal would be your best options. This isn’t bacon is definitely gluten free and is lovely - just check ketchup is gluten free!

You sound like a lovely MIL and hopefully she will bring some of her own food to ease the pressure! Have a fab Christmas!

Yourstupidityexhaustsme · 18/11/2021 22:10

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/vegan-gluten-free-recipes
www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/collection/gluten-free-vegan-recipes/
Both here do great gf vegan recipes.

My favourite ever recipe websites for vegan meals are
Veganrecipeclub
Thatdoesnttastelikechicken
Avantegardevegan
Hotforfood
Schoolnightvegan
They have really easily adaptable recipes too!

Rattysparklebum · 18/11/2021 22:40

Thanks everyone, I am hearing ‘don’t try to overthink it’, jacket potatoes, chilli etc will be fine, I was panicking I think Shock and trying to envision how our usual Christmas indulgence of cheeses, meats and protieroles could possibly be adapted.

Thanks for the website suggestions @Yourstupidityexhaustsme, I will have a look.

OP posts:
onepieceoflollipop · 18/11/2021 22:41

* @Rattysparklebum*
Sorry I made a typo above and said most bread is gluten free.
Sorry what I meant to type was that lots of gluten free bread is also vegan

Crazycatlady202020 · 18/11/2021 22:53

How about this?
groceries.morrisons.com/products/clive-s-vegan-nut-roast-497185011

Rattysparklebum · 18/11/2021 23:06

Top marks to @Crazycatlady202020, I think you have found the only thing ever that meets all the requirements.
Now do you you want to help with my 3 yr old granddaughter who refused to eat orange jelly last time she visited as it wasn’t pink, “you know my favourite colour is pink nanny”, she also offered to paint my car as that wasn’t pink either Grin

OP posts:
Crazycatlady202020 · 19/11/2021 20:05

Haha she sounds cute, does she like raspberry jelly instead?

MmmakkaPakka · 17/12/2021 10:54

Dark Matters sell vegan brownies - and some of them are also gluten free!

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