Need Help!! Vegan Holiday dish wanted

I'm a new vegan, 2 1/2 months now.  My entire family thinks I'm crazy because of my new vegan lifestyle. 

I want to bring something to Christmas that is completely vegan that will knock their socks off.  I've been searching all the vegan sites but I'm just not sure what to make...Please Please help me. Looking for something thats normal to them...nothing w/ tofu or strange veggies.  I was thinking green bean casserole but I'm just not sure anymore. 

Any ideas would be great!

Thank you

Original Post by kristpin:

I'm a new vegan, 2 1/2 months now.  My entire family thinks I'm crazy because of my new vegan lifestyle. 

I want to bring something to Christmas that is completely vegan that will knock their socks off.  I've been searching all the vegan sites but I'm just not sure what to make...Please Please help me. Looking for something thats normal to them...nothing w/ tofu or strange veggies.  I was thinking green bean casserole but I'm just not sure anymore. 

Any ideas would be great!

Thank you

 I suggest bringing stuffed dates.  Everyone loves sweets, and these are a huge crowd-pleaser which are easy to make.  Just get some medjool dates, and slit them open to remove the seed.  Then stuff each one with raw unsalted almond butter, and decorate with a single almond on top.  Almond butter and dates go outrageously well together.  This is always a big hit.  Try to get some really good fresh almond butter.  Sometimes it can be kind of runny, which is messy.  I always order mine online from Dr. Fuhrman's website, but anywhere you can find really good fresh stuff is just fine.  I put about 1 tsp of almond butter inside each date (the medjool dates are the large ones, btw).

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/11/best-veg an-green-bean-casserole.html

that recipe looks pretty good for green bean casserole! 

I recently made a vegan shepherd's pie for a party and everyone raved about it. It was basically a tomato-y stew of mushrooms topped with mashed potatoes. There are endless variations, so look for a recipe that sounds good to you.

Or you could try a steamed salad. Steam a bunch of vegetables that you like (broccoli, new potatoes, carrots, beans, cabbage, etc) and serve them at room temperature topped with an herb-based dressing. Or make a gado-gado sauce (Indonesian coconut-peanut sauce) for dipping.

Every time I serve Mujadhara, a middle eastern rice and lentils dish topped with crispy or carmelised onions, I am surprised at how much meat eaters like it. I shouldn't be shocked: I love it, too, and it is comfort food to millions of families.

Anyway, there are three ideas, none of them too difficult to make and all of them inthe range of familiar for your family. Whatever you cook, enjoy your holiday!

www.vegan-food.net has some really good ideas, and stacks at that!!!

Hum.. how about this-- it's very easy and I've had a lot of success with it and non-vegans! Can't go wrong with casseroles (you can hid a lot of stuff in there!)

MOCK CHICKEN CORDON BLEU CASSEROLE

1 pound baby red potatos, cut into 1 inch chunks & pre-cooked to fork tender

1 pound vegan chicken (I use a package Morningstar Meal Starters "chicken" strips) cut into chunks

1 bag (12 oz) broccoli florets

1 1/2 cups plain soy milk mixed together with  1 cup soy sour cream &  a tablespoon of veggie bouillon (to mimic a condensed soup)

1 cup vegan ham (I use either the "lunchmeat" kind & cut it up or I've even used soy hot dogs cut up!), cut into chunks

1 cup vegan cheese, your preference (& actually I like it a bit cheesier - so sometimes I use 2 cups!)

1 clove garlic finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Mix all ingredients together in a casserole dish - bake at 350 for about 1 hour.

 

 

good luck!

 

 

I thought this was a lot more interesting than green bean casserole, plus it can be served at room temperature, so it travels well.

Lentils with Oranges

 Ingredients to serve 4-6: 

• 2/3 pound (300 g) dried lentils
• 2 oranges
• 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
• A small sweet red onion (or a small Vidalia)
• The heart of a head of celery, with leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure Soak the lentils in cold water for 3 hours, rinse them, and boil them until soft but not mushy (30 minutes or so), seasoning them with salt when just before they're done. Drain them and let them cool. While they're cooking rinse the celery and cut the stalks crosswise into rounds, peel and thinly slice the onion, separating the rings, and peel one of the oranges, trimming away the membranes of the sections and then cutting them up crosswise. Squeeze the other and filter the juice. Combine the juice with the olive oil and season the mixture with a dash of freshly ground pepper. Combine the onions, celery, orange pieces and lentils in a bowl and season the salad with the orange juice and oil. Serve at once, or chill everything lightly.
 

almost any recipe can be veganized, using soymilk, earth balance (a non-hydrogenated margarine) and  egg substitute, unless the recipe relies completely on the eggs (like a souffle).

 

take your favorite recipe and veganize it! if you need help, send me a PM and i will help. 

Two words:  Vegan cupcakes.  Google for a good recipe and prepare to amaze your family.