Vegan Dishes for Christmas

Mushroom & Walnut Pate

Ingredients: Serve with crackers or bread

• 250g chestnut mushrooms
• 1 clove of crushed garlic
• 250g puy lentils
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 40g cooked beetroot
• 80g walnuts
• ½ tbsp miso paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• Salt/pepper

To top:

• 100g butter
• Peppercorns
• Fresh thyme

Method:

1. Slice your mushrooms and fry in a pan with olive oil, after a few minutes, add the garlic and saute until cooked.
2. Once cool enough, add to your blender along with the rest of the ingredients and blend – you can leave a handful of walnuts aside and add towards the end, if you’d like a slightly more chunky texture.
3. Season to taste.
4. Place the pate into ramekins, and then top with melted butter, a few peppercorns and sprigs of thyme.
5. Leave in the fridge to set.
6. Serve with crackers / bread / toast.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Honey, Thyme and Cinnamon

Ingredients:

• 500g butternut squash (or pumpkin)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6-10 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Salt/pepper

Method:

1. Dice your butternut squash or pumpkin into even chunks, then add to a roasting pan with the honey, olive oil, cinnamon, thyme and salt and pepper.
2. Roast for 25 minutes at 180 degrees or until cooked with a slightly sticky glaze.
3. If serving as a side dish, finish with a little dusting of cinnamon, honey and fresh thyme.

Nut Roast

Ingredients:

• 240g red kidney beans
• 250g puy lentils
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots (roughly 80g), grated
• 80g dried cranberries
• 100g chestnuts, cooked
• 30g pumpkin seeds
• 50g pecans
• 50g walnuts
• 1  tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp oats
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• Salt/pepper

Method:

1. In a pan, saute your onion and garlic.
2. Either chop your carrots into small chunks or place in a blender and pulse then remove.
3. Now, to the blender, place half of the nuts, half of the lentils, and half of the kidney beans, along with the spices, oats, soy sauce, and tomato puree.
4. Once a paste has formed (not too smooth), add in the rest of the nuts, pulses, and onion and garlic mixture and pulse until you have a good consistency, but still with some chunks.
5. Fold through the carrots and cranberries.
6. Taste your mixture, adjust the seasoning.
7. If too wet, add more oats, too dry, add a touch of water.
8. Bake for 40 minutes or until a crust has formed on top.
9. Serve in slices, with a rich gravy.

Polenta Parsnips

Ingredients:

• 500g parsnips
• 1 tbsp oil
• Salt/pepper
• 4 tbsp polenta

Method:

1. Peel your parsnips and cut into equal chunks.
2. Place into a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until just soft then drain and set aside.
3. In a bowl, place the polenta.
4. In a separate bowl, cover your parsnips in olive oil and salt and pepper, coat well.
5. One by one, add them to the polenta, coating generously.
6. Place the coated parsnips on an oiled tray and roast 25-30 mins on 180 degrees or until lightly brown and crunchy.

Chocolate Orange and Avocado Mousse

Ingredients: Makes 3-4, portions can be small as it’s quite rich

• 2 ripe avocados
• 80g of 85% dark chocolate (you could use 70% but adjust the honey to taste).
• 2 tbsp honey / agave etc.
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ juice of an orange
• ½ zest of an orange
• Pinch of salt

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate.
2. Add the avocado to a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Now add the melted chocolate, juice of half an orange, pinch of salt, ginger and honey (start with 1 tbsp first and adjust to taste). Blend.
4. Now add in the zest of half an orange and pulse.
5. Once happy with the texture and flavour, keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
6. When serving, top with orange zest and something crunchy like raw cocoa nibs or even toasted flaked almonds, alternatively whip up some vegan shortbreads to serve alongside it.