DECEMBER 2017
TWIX THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY: The Most Awaited Recipe of One of Your Most Favorite Chocolate Bars
JOY TO THE WORLD!
Vegan Holiday Hacks are Here! (intro)
You’re Not You When You’re Hungry, So Have a Vegan Snickers Bar
A Christmas Centerpiece: Impress with This Almost-Beef Wellington Recipe That’s TDF!
Gimme Gravy:
Super Savory and Satisfying Gravy Recipe Perfect for the Holidays
A SENSATIONALLY SWEET BLACK FOREST CAKE RECIPE
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Joy to the World! Vegan Holiday Hacks are Here! (intro)
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Twix the Season to Be Jolly: The Most Awaited Recipe of One of Your Most Favorite Chocolate Bars
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A Very Cheesy Christmas: Deliciously Creamy Boursin “Cheese” Dip
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Festive Snacks: An Easy-to-Follow, Fail-Proof Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
12 Be the Hostess with the Mostest in Every Party with This Rich and Creamy Artichoke Dip Recipe 14 A Christmas Centerpiece: Impress with This Almost-Beef Wellington Recipe That’s TDF! 17 You’re Not You When You’re Hungry, So Have a Vegan Snickers Bar 20 Dangerously Cheesy: Drool and Devour These Baked Vegan Cheetos! 22 Homemade Holidays: Hearty and Healthy Biscuits For Every Ocassion 24 Gimme Gravy: Super Savory and Satisfying Gravy Recipe Perfect for the Holidays 26 Desserts Come First: A Sensationally Sweet Black Forest Cake Recipe
Vegan Holiday Hacks are Here!
(intro) 1
IF YOU’RE DREAMING OF A VEGAN CHRISTMAS, THEN YOU CAME TO THE RIGHT PLACE!
O
ne of the few struggles of a vegan is celebrating the holidays - not because there’s nothing to eat, but because we are often surrounded by omnivores within our friends and families. However, all that can be changed if you’re willing to put in the time and hardwork!
In this special issue, we will provide you with ten delicious but really simple vegan recipes of the most favorite holiday snacks you’ve come to know. From the most elegant Christmas dinner centerpiece such as the Beef Wellington to after-dinner snacks such as Cheetos as Twix bars!
Imagine a dinner spread that’s completely vegan where you don’t have to think twice for a heaping serving, what a dream it would be, right? Believe it or not, you can take control of the kitchen and make it happen.
This magazine issue will once again prove to you and your meat-eating loved ones that being vegan is a great thing and that it’s never about deprivation. It’s a great way to show everyone that you can have a delicious spread during the holidays even as a vegan.
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So, what are you waiting for? Start unearthing those kitchen tools and equipment, strap on that apron and get cooking!
Happy Holidays!
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Twix the Season to Be Jolly The Most Awaited Recipe of One of Your Most Favorite Chocolate Bars YES! YOU READ THAT RIGHT! YOUR MOST BELOVED CHOCOLATE BAR CAN NOW BE ENJOYED AS A VEGAN TREAT! Homemade Twix bars are guiltfree, cruelty free and they’re oh-so delicious too. The caramel center that is signature Twix is seriously super easy. It can be made in the microwave or on the stove, but you don’t even need to cook it; all of the ingredients just need to be melted together and fully combined before
being poured over the cooled crust and left to set. You can’t really go wrong with this recipe and you can even make them in big batches so you’re good to go until 2018! Don’t forget to share - it is Christmas after all!
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Ingredients For the shortbread crust ⅔ cup coconut flour ¼ tsp kosher salt 3 tbsp pure maple syrup ⅓ cup coconut oil, solid For the caramel filling ½ cup creamy almond butter ⅓ cup pure maple syrup ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp kosher salt For the chocolate topping ¼ cup coconut oil, melted ¼ cup cocoa powder 2 tbsp maple syrup ½ tsp flaky sea salt
Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 14x5” tart pan or 8x8” square pan with coconut oil. 2. Combine coconut flour and salt in a bowl. Add the maple syrup and stir until fully combined and crumbly. Add the room temperature coconut oil and mix until a large dough ball forms, pressing out any clumps of coconut oil. 3. Press the dough into the prepared pan. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Let cool completely. 4. For the filling, combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat until all of the ingredients are melted and thoroughly combined. Pour over the crust and let cool in the refrigerator until set before topping with chocolate layer. 5. For the chocolate topping, whisk together all of the ingredients and pour over the cooled caramel layer. Smooth evenly and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool until set. Slice into 1-inch slices, or 16 squares. Keep stored in the refrigerator.
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S
o here you are, hosting your first vegan holiday party and everything is set. The cutleries are shined, the drinks are overflowing and even your main course is good to go any minute.
But, what happens when your guests arrive? They can’t just sit there and wait until the food comes out right? What’s a host to do? Whip up a Boursin cheese dip and serve it as guests arrive, of course!
A Very Cheesy Christmas Deliciously Creamy Boursin "Cheese" Dip
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Boursin is a delicious French cheese that’s filled with flavor and has a delightful creamy texture as well. However, it is originally made from cow’s milk. But no need to fret because we have the perfect vegan Boursin recipe for you to surely impress those hungry party guests.
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Ingredients 1 small head garlic 4 tbsp fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, chives, and/or oregano 1 cup raw cashew pieces, soaked in water 8-10 hours, rinsed and drained ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes, soaked in water 15 minutes, rinsed and drained ¼ tsp sea salt 1 tsp garlic powder 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Directions 1. Preheat toaster oven (or oven) to 450-degrees. Cut off the top ⅓ or so of the garlic and wrap the head in foil. Place the garlic in the oven and roast for 3045 minutes, or until fragrant and very soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before unwrapping. 2. Line two ¾ cup ramekins with cheesecloth. Sprinkle the bottoms of the ramekins with one tablespoon each of the herbs, reserving the remaining herbs. 3. Meanwhile, in a food processor, process the cashew pieces, coconut butter or coconut flakes, and salt until fairly smooth. (It will not get completely smooth.) 4. Squeeze the cloves from the roasted garlic and drop into the bowl of the food processor. Add the garlic powder and the lemon juice and process until thoroughly combined. 5. Divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins, pressing the cheese down into the herbs and cheesecloth. Tap the ramekins on the counter a few times and level the top. Divide the remaining herbs between the two ramekins, gently press them into the cheese and cover with the ends of the cheesecloth. Put one ramekin on top of the other and fill a third ramekin with water and place it on top of both ramekins (you’ll have a “tower” of 3 ramekins). Place them in the refrigerator and let set overnight. 6. The next day, remove the water-filled ramekin. Gently tug the cheesecloth to remove the cream cheese from the other ramekins and serve with bread or crackers or place them in an airtight container for up to one week. 8
Festive Snacks
An Easy-toFollow, Fail-Proof Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
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he holidays is all about keeping tradition. Hanging Christmas lights, decorating the tree, singing carols and getting together with the whole family is really what makes this holiday so meaningful and fun. That’s why we wouldn’t want you to miss out on any tradition just because you’ve become a vegan! Gingerbread cookies have been a staple in many homes that celebrate this joyous holiday. Thankfully, we’ve come up with a vegan gingerbread cookie recipe complete with icing on top! Now everyone in your family (nieces and nephews included) will be happy that not much has changed - except your newfound love and respect for animals across the globe. 9
Ingredients 1/8 cup softened refined coconut oil ½ cup dark brown sugar 3 tbsp reduced aquafaba ½ cup maple syrup or molasses 2 ½ + 1/8 cup all purpose flour ¾ tsp baking soda 3 tsp ground ginger 3 tsp ground cinnamon ¾ tsp ground allspice ¾ tsp ground cloves ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Icing 1-2 cups icing sugar matcha powder, for green colour beetroot juice, for pink colour very finely chopped pistachios
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Directions 1.
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3.
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Place coconut oil in a small pot and melt it on the lowest setting. Let it cool down a little bit. Sift the flour into a medium size bowl. Add baking soda, all the spices and salt. Mix really well. Place melted coconut oil, dark brown sugar and reduced aquafaba in a large bowl. Cream them together with an electric whisk until well combined and slightly thickened. Add maple syrup and whisk some more until you get a homogeneous mixture. Fold 1/3 of the flour mix into the wet ingredients and, once combined, add the remaining two thirds, one by one. Make sure there are no flour pockets and everything is well combined but do not knead. The dough will be quite loose and sticky, that’s fine, it’s the way it should be. Divide the dough roughly into 2 portions and wrap each in a piece of cling film. Place them in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
You can safely keep it in the fridge overnight too. 5.
same time. Bake small cookies for about 7-9 minutes and larger for 10-12 minutes. The longer you bake them for the crispier (and less soft and chewy) they will turn out so adjust baking time to your preference.
Before you are about to take the dough out of the fridge, set the oven to 175° C / 350° F and line two baking trays with a piece of baking paper. 8.
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After resting, take the first portion of the dough out of the fridge. Give it a few minutes to bring it to room temperature. Roll it out (gently pressing with a rolling pin) on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out quite thick (about 5 mm / 0.2 inch) and cut the cookies out of it with cookie cutters. If you want the cookies to be crunchy, roll them out a bit thinner and bake them for longer. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking trays. You don’t need to leave a lot of space between them as they don’t expand much. Group similar size cookies together so that they cook in the
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To make the icing, mix icing sugar with a very small amount of water (added very gradually) until you obtain a thick sugar paste. I used beetroot juice instead of water to make pink icing and a touch of matcha powder (and water) to make green icing. If you want to do that divide the icing sugar between 3 bowls and treat each portion accordingly. Place your icing into a small plastic or pastry bag. Push it all into one corner and cut a tiny bit off that corner with a pair of scissors. Start with a small hole and make it bigger if necessary. Apply the icing by squeezing the icing through the hole.
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BE THE HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTEST IN EVERY PARTY WITH THIS RICH AND CREAMY ARTICHOKE DIP RECIPE
If you want to convince your friends and family to go vegan, then there’s no better way to do it than by cooking for them.
Start with something familiar and see if they don’t go looking for more vegan recipes from you! This vegan artichoke spinach dip is exceptionally creamy with a fullbodied taste and texture, and yet has no commercial dairy substitute and also no added oil. It will be a hit at any party this holiday season.
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Ingredients 3/4 cup raw cashews (unsoaked) 3/4 cup plain unsweetened non-dairy milk 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 medium-large cloves garlic 3/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp dry (ground) mustard freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 cups frozen artichoke hearts, partially thawed 2 cups (loosely packed) spinach leaves
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 425. 2. In a blender, first add cashews, milk, lemon juice, garlic, salt, dry mustard, and pepper. 3. Blend until very smooth. Add artichokes and spinach and just pulse through. Do not fully blend, keep some chunky texture. 4. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish, and bake for 1720 minutes. Remove, let cool for about 4-5 minutes, and serve.
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What’s a holiday feast without a superstar main course? Although most people are used to the usual roast and meat table centerpiece, it doesn’t always have to be the case.
Just because you’re vegan, doesn’t mean you need to be deprived of a real, well-deserved feast! This faux Beef Wellington is utterly satisfying and the recipe is easy to follow as well. A nicely crusted and well-carved Beef
Wellington is the perfect centerpiece for your next holiday party. Make sure to get all vegan ingredients as they can be easily acquired from any local grocery store.
A CHRISTMAS CENTERPIECE: IMPRESS WITH THIS ALMOST-BEEF WELLINGTON RECIPE THAT'S TDF!
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For the Mushroom Mixture 2 shallots, finely chopped 2 tbsp nonhydrogenated vegan margarine (such as Earth Balance brand) 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 2 cups finely chopped button mushrooms 1/4 cup Madeira wine 2 tsp finely chopped parsley 1 tsp minced fresh thyme Salt and pepper, to taste For the ‘Beef’ Wellington 1 vegan puff pastry sheet 1 cup prepared mushroom mixture 1 pack faux-steak strips (such as Morningstar brand) For the Madeira Sauce 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp finely chopped shallots 1 cup Madeira wine 1 sprig thyme 2 bay leaves 3 cups beef-flavored vegan broth 1 tsp crushed black peppercorns 1 tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch 1/4 cup cold water 2 tbsp nonhydrogenated vegan margarine Salt and pepper, to taste
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For the Mushroom Mixture: 1. In a medium sauté pan, cook the shallots in the vegan margarine for 2 minutes. 2. Add the garlic and the button mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes. 3. Add the wine and cook until almost evaporated. 4. Stir in the parsley and the thyme and adjust the flavor with the salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the ‘Beef’ Wellington: 1. Thaw the puff pastry sheet and fill with the mushroom mixture and faux-steak strips. Fold over and crimp. 2. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 3. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until brown and crisp. 4. Serve with the Madeira Sauce (see below).
For the Madeira Sauce: 1. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes. 2. Add the wine, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook until reduced by half. 3. Add the broth and the peppercorns and cook for 20 minutes. 4. Mix the arrowroot or cornstarch with the water and add to the pan. Let thicken and then add the vegan margarine. Season with the salt and pepper and serve.
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You're Not You When You're Hungry, So Have a Vegan Snickers Bar If you’re not a Twix fan, then you probably love the good ‘ol Snickers bar - because who doesn’t? This nougat, caramel filled chocolate bar is rich, decadent and really delicious. The best part is, the recipe is easy to make and follow. Serve this in all your parties and you don’t even have to tell anyone it’s vegan. It’s so good and much like the original one that no one will even notice!
The real stars of this bar are the vegan caramel, peanuts and chocolate anyway – this simply adds a healthier, not-toosweet base for all of the goods to cling to. It just happens to only require 2 ingredients - define simple please! 17
Ingredients
Directions
18-20 pitted dates 1 cup raw walnuts (or sub cashews or almonds) 1/4 cup vegan caramel sauce, (see recipe below) 1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts 8 oz (1 cup) bittersweet chocolate, chopped (non-dairy)
1. Pulse dates in a food processor until only small bits remain. 2. Add walnuts and pulse until thoroughly mixed and a “dough� is formed. 3. Transfer dough to a small loaf pan lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap and press into a square about 1/4 inch thick. Once sliced, the dough should yield 8 small snickers bars. 4. Pop dough in the freezer to set for 5 minutes. 5. Remove from freezer and transfer to a cookie sheet. Carefully slice into 8 even rectangles. 6. Top with caramel sauce and add peanuts. Pop back in freezer for 15 minutes to harden. 7. Ten minutes into freezing, melt the chocolate in a shallow bowl. When set, remove bars from freezer and carefully dip each one into the chocolate and scrape off excess with a rubber spatula. Then using a spoon, drizzle a generous amount of chocolate on top of each bar and use your finger or a small pastry brush to coat the bars with chocolate. 8. Place bars on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap or parchment and place back in freezer to set for at least 10 minutes. Store in the freezer or fridge to keep fresh until serving. 18
Ingredients
Directions
1 cup sugar (+ 1/4 cup water) 1/2 cup coconut cream 1 tbsp bourbon pinch of salt
1. Simmer sugar and 1/4 cup water on medium heat, swirling pan NOT stirring for about 15 minutes or until a deep amber color is reached. Watch closely as not to let it burn. 2. Turn off burner and remove from heat and slowly add cream while stirring. 3. Add pinch of salt and bourbon and place back on still-warm burner for another minute while stirring. 4. Transfer to a heat-safe dish or bottle and let cool. Store covered in the refrigerator and bring to room temp or heat in a warm water bath before serving. You can also just simply microwave the jar for 30 seconds before each use without affecting the texture or flavor.
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Dangerously Cheesy: Drool and Devour These Baked Vegan Cheetos!
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raving for some downtime, holiday snacking? Don’t let veganism stop you! These crunchy Cheetos snacks will drive you mad knowing you could’ve made them vegan all along! Do they have the same texture and bite as the original version. Well…no. Are they crunchy? They sure are!
They’re cheesy, delightful and super delicious at every bite! 20
Ingredients Dry Ingredients: ¼ cup superfine brown rice flour ¼ cup sorghum flour ¼ cup potato starch ¾ cup cornmeal 3 tbsp nutritional yeast ¾ tsp xanthan gum ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp salt Wet Ingredients: 3 tbsp vegan butter ½ cup ice cold water (please note you will not be using all of it) Cheesy Coating: 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, blended to small granules ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp onion powder ¼ tsp sea salt
Directions 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Cut the vegan butter in with the back of a fork until crumbly in the flour mix. Add the ice water by the tablespoon just until a nice dough ball is formed. 2. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 3. Pipe the dough into 2” strings on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Repeat with the remainder of the dough. 4. Pour 2 tbsp olive oil into a shallow bowl and coat each Cheetos piece. Throw into a large plastic baggie and dump the cheesy coating. Seal and shake until completely coated. 5. Place back onto the baking sheet and cook for an additional 5 minutes. 21
Homemade Holidays: Hearty and Healthy Biscuits For Every Ocassion
LADIES AND GENTS, WE NOW PRESENT TO YOU THE MOST FASCINATING WE-CANNOT-BELIEVE-IT’SVEGAN BISCUIT RECIPE AND IT’S PRETTY DAMN GOOD TOO! Waking up early morning at Christmas time can be sweeter if you can smell these babies baking from the kitchen. Impress your family on your next holiday reunion with these amazingly light, crisp and super fluffy biscuits and they’ll never give you a hard time again about skipping on the meat and dairy. A few things to remember when making biscuits: Do not over-handle the dough. Make sure the butter is cold. Brush the tops with butter to achieve that crusty, buttery top. 22
Ingredients 2 cups unsweetened, unflavored almond milk 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp sea salt 8 tbsp non-dairy, unsalted butter (such as Earth Balance)
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C), and add lemon juice to almond milk to make “vegan buttermilk.” Set aside. 2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. 3. Add cold butter and use fingers or a pastry cutter to combine the two until only small pieces remain and it looks like sand. Work quickly so the butter doesn’t get too warm. 4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, stir gently while pouring in the almond milk mixture 1/4 cup at a time. You may not need all of it. Stir until just slightly combined – it will be sticky. 5. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, dust the top with a bit of flour and then very gently turn the dough over on itself 5-6 times – hardly kneading. 6. Form into a 1-inch thick disc, handling as little as possible. 7. Use a 1-inch thick dough cutter or a similarshape object with sharp edges (such as a cocktail shaker) and push straight down through the dough, then slightly twist. Repeat and place biscuits on a baking sheet in two rows, making sure they just touch – this will help them rise uniformly. Gently reform the dough and cut out one or two more biscuits – you should have 7-8. 8. Next brush the tops with a bit more of melted non-dairy butter and gently press a small divot in the center using two fingers. This will also help them rise evenly, so the middle won’t form a dome. 9. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until fluffy and slightly golden brown. Serve immediately. Let remaining biscuits cool completely before storing them in an airtight container or bag.
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SUPER SAVORY AND SATISFYING GRAVY RECIPE PERFECT FOR THE HOLIDAYS
What’s a centerpiece roast without the gravy? In fact, you can forget everything else, but never, EVER forget to make gravy, even if you have to make a vegan gravy, then so be it. This recipe is not your traditional gravy. But in spite of being 100% vegan and glutenfree, it’s delightfully flavorful thanks to the magic of nutritional yeast, a little gluten-free flour, and some good vegetable broth. It’s also surprisingly easy to prepare, and will hold its own in any Christmas spread.
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Ingredients 1/4 cup chickpea or brown rice flour 3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes 1 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth 2 tbsp reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed 1/2 tsp garlic powder black pepper, to taste
Directions 1. Heat
the brown rice flour or chickpea flour, along with the nutritional yeast flakes, in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir them frequently, until fragrant.
2. Remove
from heat and whisk in the vegetable broth, tamari, olive oil, thyme, and garlic powder.
3. Return
to heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the gravy is thick and bubbly. Season to taste with black pepper. Serve.
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HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES ARE NEVER COMPLETE WITHOUT AN IMPRESSIVE CAKE!
A SENSATIONALLY SWEET BLACK FOREST CAKE RECIPE
Make a christmasy, vegan Black Forest cake and leave everyone ooh-ing and ahh-ing from your awesome vegan-themed party. Black Forest cake has a lot of layers and components but waiting to put them all together makes it all worth making. The delicious chocolate cake and the sweet cherry filling always hits the spot no matter the occasion!
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For the Cake 4 1/2 cup whole grain spelt flour (or whole wheat) 2 cups xylitol, erythritol or unrefined sugar (or a combination) 3/4 cup cocoa powder 1 tbsp baking soda 3/4 tsp salt 1/3 cup applesauce 2/3 cup canola or melted coconut oil 1 tbsp vanilla 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 3 cups filtered water
For the Filling 2 cups sour cherries (fresh, frozen, or canned) 1/4 cup chia seeds 1/4 cup cherry juice or the canning liquid if using canned sour cherries 1/2 cup date syrup or other sweetener (adjust to taste)
For the Frosting 1 avocado 3 tbsp coconut oil 3 tbsp cocoa powder 5 tbsp date syrup (or other liquid sweetener) 1 tsp vanilla
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1. Mix the dry ingredients for the cake in a large bowl. 2. Add wet and mix until combined. 3. Pour in two 8-inch pans lined with parchment paper. 4. Bake at 350 (180 Celsius) for about 45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. 5. Let cool completely. 6. In the meantime, combine all the ingredient for the filling in a medium bowl and let sit until thickened (about 10 minutes). 7. Add all ingredients for the frosting in a food processor and pulse until super smooth. Make sure the coconut oil is warm enough so that it blends in well with the other ingredients. 8. Layer the cake with the filling and cover with frosting. 9. Refrigerate until the frosting hardens a bit. 10. Decorate with dried cherries and cacao nibs if you like. 11. Let the cake cool completely, preferably overnight, before tasting. It will become much sweeter as it cools and the flavors will combine nicely. 28