Getting more veg into your celebration meal
Do you groan a little thinking of that heavy feeling that lasts for days around Christmas time from sheer quantity of stodgy, fatty and heavy food? Do you wish for a have a lighter and more sustainable Christmas spread? Do you want to make the vegetarian /vegan of the family feel more included and welcome in the celebrations?
We believe Christmas can be inclusive, delicious and more sustainable.
Here are a few ideas to get you started!
STARTING OFF RIGHT
Why not try some starters that celebrate the deliciousness of vegetables, and that don’t leave you full before you’ve even sat down?
Check out a fabulous list of options here: https://theclevermeal.com/easy-vegan-appetizers/
I dare you to come away and tell me that you’re not inspired!
Shifting the balance
Meat is often the main food served at Xmas, with veg on the side. It’s time we shifted the balance. Given protein of any kind should only take up a quarter of your plate - we need to re-look at our menus and shift it up so 3/4 of your plate is VEG.
What about adding a few tried and tested dishes to the standard roast veg sides, like these:
Hellenic Republic’s Cypriot Grain salad: This is a showstopper peeps. You’ve got to try it. Switch up the dairy yoghurt for Coconut yoghurt for a complete plant based meal. https://www.goodfood.com.au/recipes/hellenic-republics-cypriot-grain-salad-20130321-2gh6d
Ottelenghi’s Cauliflower salad: https://www.recipetineats.com/cauliflower-salad/
Grilled courgette and broad bean salad: https://thedevilwearssalad.com/broad-bean-salad/
Fennel and courgette salad with roast pine nuts: https://thedevilwearssalad.com/courgette-salad/
Choose a veg “hero” dish
Instead of making meat the hero, let’s make it a side dish. Plant based food is pretty delicious - it just doesn’t get the airtime because we are so used to celebrating meat, meat, meat. Why not choose a veg “hero” dish this year that everyone will be asking to eat for years to come.
Check out these ideas:
Mushroom Wellington: Woah, this looks good. And it has been tried and tested by members of the Eat More Veg facebook page. It is also pretty straight forward - WIN: https://www.deliciouseveryday.com/mushroom-wellington/
Giant vegan wellington: An impressive vegan wellington packed with roasted red peppers, cooked beetroot and kale. Plus, it has a vegan stuffing and the pastry is glazed in marmite to take this wellington to the next level https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegetarian/giant-vegan-wellington/
VEGGIE Pithivier: Thanks to Jamie we have yet another delicious looking main for the Xmas table. This looks pretty good; celeriac is the main ingredient. He shows you how in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5weWCLnHH9M&ab_channel=JamieOliver
Squash, Mushroom and Spinach Wellington, care of Riverford Farm: This is a clever use of a butternut pumpkin to give body to the wellington. Delicious! https://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/squash-mushroom-spinach-wellington?
Chargrilled eggplant and capsicum terrine: https://quitegoodfood.co.nz/grilled-vegetable-terrine/
Sound a bit foodie and complicated? Well then, give Olivia’s Pantry a call in Kyneton. They are selling delicious vegan Christmas roasts (gf option available) which looks AMAZING!
GO SEASONAL
Forget all the baked veg classics and do a seasonal Christmas.
Try and buy from a local producer so you know the veg is seasonal. Check out our list of local veg box providers here for inspiration:
Or check out this list of summer veg from the Spruce Eats: https://www.thespruceeats.com/great-summer-vegetables-2217205
PICK YOUR FAVOURITE
On the Christmas table we often have chicken, duck, turkey AND ham! With a few potatoes, peas and carrots on the side of course. It is a heart specialists’ and nutritionists nightmare! We know only 14% of Macedon Ranges residents eat sufficient vegetables in their diet -on Christmas I reckon that drops to about 1%. What about just choosing one or two types of meat this year or limiting your consumption to one dish?
Last year a Eat More Veg facebook group member negotiated with family members to reduce their meat as follows:
“We compromised with an ‘Eat less MEAT’ dictum. We achieved this by satisfying the entire extended family with one free range chicken and slices of free range prosciutto... a terrine. It is a very successful way of limiting the meat consumption and adding more veg.”
What a genius!
ONLY SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE AND ETHICAL MEAT PRODUCERS
If meat is going to be in your Christmas, think about where it comes from. Only choose local producers that focus on animal welfare, use regenerative farming techniques and minimal chemical inputs. If you can’t guarantee that, perhaps consider a totally veg Christmas!
WAnt to go all veg?
Checkout Edgar’s missions’ Kindness Pledge for Xmas here. If you sign up to the pledge they will send you a plant-based Xmas recipe book!
Happy Festive Season and we hope it is filled with delicious dishes like these ones. Let us know what you are cooking in the comments below!