Kylie Dubrich's Vegan Christmas

All recipes by Kylie Dubrich Sep. 2005

CHRISTMAS EVE: Entrée:  Sweet Potato & Smoked Tofu Patties with Sweet Chili Sauce. Main: Warm Mock Chicken Salad served with Warm Olive & Rosemary Bread. Dessert: Cointreau Pears with Maple Cream followed by No Egg, EggNog with Shortbreads.

Kylie Dubrich

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Sweet Potato & Smoked Tofu Patties

500gms Sweet Potato

2 cups smoked tofu – mashed

2 Tblsp parsley – finely chopped

½ onion – grated

1 Tblsp Nuttelex

¼ cup soy milk

1 tsp. tamari

1tsp sweet chilli sauce

2 Tblsp Nutritional yeast

Plain flour – as required

oil for frying

Sauce : ½ cup vegan mayo & sweet chilli sauce mixed to taste.

Method: Peel the sweet potato & cook until tender, then mash with the Nuttelex & soymilk. Mash the tofu & mix in with all the ingredients except the flour & oil. Make into patties & flour each side & fry in oil until brown on both sides. Serve with the sauce.

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Warm Mock Chicken Salad                       

1-2 pkts of mock chicken nuggets                 

1punnet cherry tomatoes

1 avocado thinly sliced

1 small carrot – grated

100gms lettuce mix

½ cucumber – thinly sliced

10 button mushrooms

3 pieces of multigrain bread

oil for frying

ground pepper & sea salt to taste

½ cup mayo (either Kingland or Praise 97% fat free)

1 tsp. tamari

1 tsp. tahini

2tsp Cajun spices

1 tblsp olive oil (or rice bran oil)

¼ cup soy milk

Method: Wash the lettuce mix & spinach & drain.  Arrange the leaves into individual bowls & add the tomatoes, avocado, cucumber  & carrot & toss. Slice the bread into little cubes and in a small saucepan deep-fry them until they become croutons. Drain on paper towel & put aside. Next make the dressing, in a bottle or jar with a lid that seals well put in the mayo, Cajun spices, tamari, soy milk, tahini & 1tsp of oil & shake. Put this aside to add last. About 5-10mins before you are ready to serve, cut the nuggets into strips and fry with the button mushrooms in a little oil & pepper to taste. Lower the heat &  cover with a lid, cooking till the mushrooms are cooked but still firm. Place this on top of the salad then add some croutons & pour on the dressing.    

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Rosemary & Olive Bread

Either a French stick, cob loaf or Turkish loaf (whatever your heart desires)

1 jar of olive tapenade

dried rosemary for sprinkling

oil for brushing the top

Method : Slice the bread like you would for making garlic bread, spread each side with a little olive tapenade & sprinkle rosemary over. Brush the top of loaf with a little oil before wrapping in foil & place in the oven for about 10 minutes & serve hot.

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Cointreau Pears with Maple Cream

1 pear per person (this recipe is for 4 pears so adjust accordingly)

1 cup Cointreau

1 packet silken tofu

¼ cup oil

¼ cup icing sugar

½ tsp lemon juice

pinch sea salt

1 tsp. vanilla essence

½ cup maple syrup

mint leaves for garnish.

Method: Blend the tofu, oil, icing sugar, lemon juice, sea salt, vanilla essence & maple syrup to make the whip & set aside. Peel the pears & boil with ½ cup Cointreau till cooked but still firm. Drain & cool. Just before serving warm the other ½ cup Cointreau & pour over the pears & serve with the Maple Cream. Garnish with Mint Leaves.

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Shortbreads

250gms Nuttelex

1/3 cup castor sugar

2 cups Plain flour

½ cup Rice flour

Method : Beat the Nuttelex & sugar until creamy, then add the flours & mix. Tip the ingredients onto a flat surface & knead gently. Grease a baking tray or a round pan. You can either press all of the mix onto a round pan & mark into slices with a knife, pricking each piece with a fork or just roll it out & cut into festive shapes. Bake in a moderate oven for about 15-20 minutes then pull out of the oven & leave for 10 minutes on the tray before putting on a cooling rack. These will keep for up to a month in an airtight container.

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No Egg, Egg Nog

1 packet custard mix or 1 carton of soy custard

6 cups soy milk

¼ cup rum (or 2 Tblsp rum essence)

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

ground cinnamon & cinnamon sticks to garnish

Method: In a large bowl combine the custard mix with 2 cups soymilk & allow to chill. (skip this part obviously if using pre made custard). When chilled, stir in the rum (or essence) with the nutmeg, then slowly add the rest of the soy milk & blend. You can either serve this chilled or warm it up – either way serve with a little sprinkle of cinnamon on top & cinnamon sticks poking out of it.

CHRISTMAS DAY :

Entrée:  Avocado & Pistachio Pate served with Berry Salad

Main: Cranberry Cashew Pie, served with Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, Candied Carrot & Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli & Cauliflower with Cheesy Sauce, Red Wine Gravy & Macadamia & Apricot Stuffing

Dessert: Christmas Pudding with Brandy Custard. Followed by Liquor Coffee with White Christmas.

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Avocado & Pistachio Pate

2 avocados – mashed

1 packet of Tofutti cream cheese (plain)

500gms pistachio – chopped finely

the juice of ½ a lemon

2 Tblsp sweet chilli sauce

2 tsp. Cajun spices

Italian parsley – to garnish

Method: In a blender mix the cream cheese & mashed avocados with the sweet chilli sauce, lemon juice & Cajun spices. Once blended, pour into a mould & place in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Then remove from mould, cover the top with the pistachios & garnish with the parsley. Serve with crackers or toasted pita.

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Berry Salad with Cranberry Dressing

½ x 250gm jar cranberry sauce

¼ cup chopped raisins

1 Tblsp finely shredded orange rind

1 Tblsp lemon juice

1 Tblsp finely grated lemon rind

1 Tblsp apple cider vinegar

a splash White Wine (Robinvale)

1 tsp. Chinese 5 spice

250gms lettuce mix

200gms baby spinach

½ punnet red currants

½ punnet blueberries

1 punnet cherry tomatoes

1 small Spanish onion

1 avocado

Method: Firstly, mix the first 8 ingredients in a blender, then put aside. Wash & drain the lettuce mix & baby spinach, tomatoes & berries. Slice the onion into thin circles & the avocado into thin slices. Throw them all into a bowl & toss. Then liberally pour on the dressing & refrigerate until you serve.

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Cranberry & Cashew Nut Pie

2 sheets of puff pastry (Borg’s)

1 tin of Sanitarium tender pieces

½ x 250gm jar cranberry sauce

½ onion – finely diced

4 mushrooms – sliced

½ cup cashew nuts

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 cup Red Wine (Robinvale)

a splash of soy milk

a splash of soy sauce

Method : Fry the onions, garlic & mushrooms until the onion is transparent, then add the splash of soy sauce & the cashew nuts, tender pieces, wine, soy milk & the cranberry sauce & bring to the boil then turn down the heat & simmer until the sauce starts to thicken. Then take off the heat & leave to cool.

Once cooled, place one sheet of the puff pastry on a greased baking dish & place the mixture into the centre of the pastry in a rectangle form. Then place the other sheet of pastry over the top & meet the ends of the pastry up to form a rectangle shaped pie. Prick the top with a fork & put in a moderate oven for 30-40 minutes, turning after 20 minutes. Cut into slices & serve warm with veggies, stuffing, etc.

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Red Wine Gravy

Method: Make up gravy according to the pack (Organ is a good one) & add ½ cup of Red wine (Robinvale) & 2 tsp. mixed herbs & some fresh rosemary. Once cooked & combined, simply pour into a gravy boat & serve at the table to be enjoyed over your Cranberry Cashew Nut Pie, etc.

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Rosemary Potatoes

8 small potatoes (or however many people are coming)

oil for frying

2 Tblsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. raw or brown sugar

1 Tblsp dried rosemary

sprigs of fresh rosemary

Method: Simply peel & boil the potatoes lightly (keep them firm) & the drain & place in a baking dish, pour over the oil, balsamic & herbs, then sprinkle the sugar over the top & place in the oven until crispy.

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Candied Carrot & Sweet Potatoes

2-4 medium sweet potatoes

4 medium carrots

¾ cup rice syrup

¼ cup Nuttelex

¼ cup brown sugar

1 Tblsp tamari

¼ cup pear juice concentrate

herb salt to taste

Method: Peel & cube the sweet potato & carrots then boil until cooked but still firm. Place in an oven proof dish. Place the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan & melt together, then pour over the sweet potato & carrots & bake in a moderate oven till the top browns.

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Broccoli & Cauliflower with Cheesy Vegan Sauce

1-2 heads of broccoli

1-2 heads cauliflower (depending on the numbers)

3 cups soy milk

2 Tblsp Plain flour

3 Tblsp oil

½ tub Tofutti cream cheese (plain)

¼ cup nutritional yeast (& a bit to sprinkle on top)

Method: Wash & gently steam the broccoli & cauliflower till it is cooked but not soft. Mix the flour & oil together to make a paste (you may need a little more oil, it needs to be a slightly runny paste but not too runny) then put that aside. Place the milk in a saucepan & bring to the boil. When boiling, add the paste & quickly whisk the mix by hand, gradually reducing the heat until the sauce thickens. Then add the soy sauce, cream cheese & nutritional yeast & mix in until dissolved. Put the broccoli & cauliflower in an oven proof dish & pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle with more nutritional yeast & put in a moderate oven for about 15 minutes.

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Apricot & Macadamia Stuffing

Either ¾ ‘s of a loaf of day old bread made into breadcrumbs/

or a 1-kg packet of rice or bread crumbs

1 cup dried apricots – diced

1 cup macadamias – chopped

½ red onion - diced

1 – 1 ½ cups hot water

2 Tblsp oil

2 tsp rosemary

2 tsp mixed herbs

½ cup red wine (Robinvale)

Method: Add the breadcrumbs, oil & 1 cup of hot water into a microwave safe bowl & cook for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Then add all other ingredients & mix well. (You may need more breadcrumbs or more water – depending on the mix…it needs to be moist but firm enough to form a loaf).

Then grease a loaf oven dish & spoon the mixture in. Bake in a moderate oven for about 20-30 minutes.

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Christmas Pudding with Brandy Custard

120gms Nuttelex

375gms mixed dried fruit

½ cup dates

½ cup glaze cherries

½ cup mixed peel

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup water

2 cups Plain wholemeal flour

½ cup Amaranth flour

1 tsp. bi-carb soda

2 tsp. All spice

2 Tblsp Rum

Custard powder – or pre made custard

½ cup Brandy

Nutmeg & Cinnamon

Method: Place the first 7 ingredients into a saucepan & boil together for 5-10 minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients & mix well. Wrap the mix in cloth & steam for about 3 ½ hours on a low steamer.

To make the custard, simply follow the instructions on the pack or cheat & use a pre made custard, warm the custard & add ½ cup brandy & some nutmeg & cinnamon & mix. Pour over the pudding & serve warm.

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Liquor Coffee

Method : Make up a pot of your favourite fresh (plunger) coffee & add some Tia Maria & stir (you can add sugar if you still need to). Warm up some soymilk & place into a frother (House sells them quite cheap), then simply froth up the milk & pour into the coffees & sprinkle the tops with cocoa.

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White Christmas

250gms copha

1 cup rice bubbles

1 cup soy milk powder

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup icing sugar

½ cup sultanas

½ cup currants

½ cup glaze apricots

¼ cup glaze cherries

Method: Melt the copha, add all the ingredients & mix well. Grease a baking tray or lamington tray & press the mixture into it. Cover with cling wrap & place in the fridge to set. When set, cut into bars or pieces. Alternatively, you can place the mix into patty pans & set in these.

BOXING DAY :

Entrée:  Creamy Basil Stack

Main: Stuffed Seasoned Seitan Roasts served with Mashed Tarragon Sweet Potatoes & Leeks Braised in Wine.             

Dessert: Chocolate Rice Bubble Cookies followed by Mega Choc Hot Chocolate.

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Creamy Basil Stack.

1 large eggplant

1 zucchini – sliced lengthways

6 field mushrooms

½ pumpkin – sliced thinly

1 large red capsicum

1 large yellow capsicum

4 cups baby spinach

2 tblsp of shallots

oil for grilling

fresh basil to garnish

Creamy Sauce :

1 cup of mixed capsicum – chopped finely

1 packet of Tofutti herb flavoured cream cheese

2 Tblsp lemon juice

1 tin crushed tomatoes

a small handful of basil leaves – finely chopped

sea salt & pepper to taste

Method: Slice the eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin, capsicum & mushrooms. Brush each side with oil & grill on each side until lightly browned. Steam the spinach while you are doing the grilling. Once everything is ready get your serving plates and put some spinach on the base of the plates then start stacking, i.e. a piece of eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin, etc. Then put all the ingredients for the sauce in a blender & blend until smooth. Pour sauce over stack & garnish with fresh basil. The sauce can also be slightly warmed if you prefer that too!!!

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Stuffed Seasoned Seitan.

2-3 packets of Seitan

5 slices of bread – no crusts

½ cup water

1 tsp. dill

1 tsp. rosemary

1 tsp. nuttelex

2 tsp. Tofutti plain (or French onion) cream cheese

½ cup rice syrup mixed with fresh rosemary

Method: Slice the seitan in half, lengthways but not completely the whole way through. Make the bread into breadcrumbs & add the herbs & water & mix. Put mixture in the microwave for about 3minutes, then add the nuttelex & cream cheese & mix well. Place some of this mixture into the middle of the seitan steaks & close them, then brush the top with the rice syrup mixture & bake in a moderate oven until the seitan crisps a little on the top.

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Mashed Tarragon Sweet Potatoes.

3-4 large sweet potatoes

1 tblsp nuttelex

½ - 1 cup soy milk

1-2 tblsp fresh or dried tarragon

¼ cup rice syrup

3 tsp. of seeded mustard

ground pepper & sea salt to taste

Method: Peel & cut up the sweet potatoes & boil until soft. Drain & add the nuttelex & milk & mash. Add the salt, pepper & mustard & mix well, then add the tarragon & gently mix in. Add the rice syrup on top & microwave for 2 minutes on high, stirring after 1 minute. Then stir again when finished & serve hot.

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Leeks Braised in Wine.

2 bunches leeks or 4-5 single leeks

3 tblsp oil

½ cup White Wine (Robinvale)

1 tblsp fresh mixed herbs (like thyme & marjoram)

2 tblsp veg stock

2 tblsp fresh parsley – chopped

Method: Trim the leeks & make a slit down the length of one side, not right through, stopping before the roots & wash thoroughly & drain. Heat the oil & lightly fry the leeks on each side then pour over the wine. Let the wine bubble a little then add the herbs & stock & cover & leave on a low heat, turning the leeks every few minutes. The leeks will be ready when a skewer easily pierces the root end. Serve hot with the mashed Tarragon Sweet Potatoes.

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Chocolate Chip Rice Bubble Cookies.

125gms Nuttelex

½ cup castor sugar

1 cup SR flour

2 tsp. egglike

½ cup dark chocolate – broken up (or if you can find choc chips)

2 cups rice bubbles

Method: Beat the castor sugar & nuttelex until smooth then add the egglike & flour & mix well. Finally add the choc & mix in. Scoop up a tsp. full of the mixture & roll into a ball then roll in the rice bubbles & place on a baking tray, flattening with a fork slightly. Bake in a moderate oven for about 15 minutes. If they don’t look quite done, don’t panic, they will firm up more when cool.

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Mega Hot Choc.

1 litre soy milk (Vitasoy)

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup cocoa powder

1 block dark chocolate

1 tsp. ground chilli powder

Method: Boil ¾ ‘s of the milk & then simmer it, add the sugar & cocoa & dissolve thoroughly. Add the chilli & stir well. Break up the chocolate  & throw in, but don’t melt it completely. Pour into mugs but only ¾ ‘s of the way, then add the remaining soy milk to a microwave proof jug & heat, then froth this (either in a regular plunger will work or with a frother) & top up the mugs……for extra indulgence throw in a few vegan marshmallows….mmmmmmmm!!!!!

All recipes by Kylie Dubrich Sep. 2005