There are many ethical and logistical reasons that a person may decide to be vegan. Yet, the transition may not seem easy—especially around the holidays when turkeys fill the aisles of the supermarket and butter is somehow mixed into every sweet dish. But don’t get discouraged, there are plenty of recipes that are both tasty and cruelty-free. Here are three quick, easy and delicious recipes to get all plant-based Collegiettes through the holidays.
1. Banana Bread
In my pre-vegan days, nothing felt better than a warm slice of banana bread on a cool fall afternoon. The sweet aroma, the dense form that moistens with the touch of the tongue, the fall time delicacy that I couldn’t wait to savor every year was now checked off my newfound cruelty-free menu. That is, until it was rewritten. The best thing about it is that it’s just as easy to make as before, and in my opinion tastes even better.
What you’ll need:
Wet Ingredients:
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four medium ripe bananas
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2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed
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⅓ cup of plant-based milk
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⅓ cup coconut oil
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2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
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2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
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¼ cup and 2 tablespoons of natural cane sugar (or coconut sugar)
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½ cup of rolled oats
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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½ teaspoon baking powder
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½ teaspoon fine sea salt
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1 ½ all-purpose white flour
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sliced banana, chocolate chips, or walnuts for toppings (optional)
Directions:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with oil and set aside.
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In a bowl, mash the banana until almost smooth
3. Stir the wet ingredients (ground flax, milk, melted oil, maple syrup, and vanilla) into the banana until combined.
4. Stir the dry ingredients (sugar, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour) into the wet mixture, one by one, in the order listed.
(sometimes you will underestimate the size of your bowl)
(But you can fix that!)
5. Spoon the dough into the loaf pan and spread out evenly. Add your desired toppings and gently press them into the dough to adhere.
6. Bake the loaf, uncovered, for 45 to 55 minutes until lightly golden and firm on top. The top of the loaf should slowly spring back when touched.
7. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Then, slide a knife around the loaf to loosen it and gently remove it from the pan, placing it directly onto the cooling rack until completely cooled.
8. Enjoy the delicious treat, greatly paired with a cup of almond milk, tea or coffee.
2. Cumin Apple Chips
During the holidays, chips and dip, cheese and bread platters and Chex Mix are easy pre-dinner snacks in many households. A favorite, easy and inexpensive vegan snack will not only surprise you, but surprise the other snackers in the house. The cumin apple chips gives a sweet crunch to enjoy before or after a large dinner.
What you’ll need:
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2 tablespoons of powdered sugar
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1 teaspoon of ground cumin
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½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
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Pinch of salt
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1-2 granny smith apples
Directions:
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Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper
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In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, cumin, cinnamon, and salt until combined
3. Using a fork, sprinkle half the mixture across the baking sheet.
4. Cut apple into 4 large pieces around the core. Cut apple into quarters and into 1/16-inch thick slices.
5. Arrange slices on baking sheet in even layers and sprinkle the rest of the mixture over the slices.
6. Bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until slices have shrunk and become golden.
7. Serve as an appetizer, can pair with a vegan caramel dipping sauce.
3. Vegan Stuffing
The true key of Thanksgiving isn’t the turkey, but rather the stuffing. It’s the delicacy we wait all year for, and thankfully it can easily be made vegan. The quickest and most simple is often the way to go, as demonstrated by the minimalistbaker’s holiday stuffing.
What you’ll need:
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1 large loaf wholegrain bread or 2 small baguettes, cubed & set out to dry overnight (9 cups loosely packed)
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3 Tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
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1/2 cup white onions, diced
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3/4 cup celery, diced
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salt & pepper
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3- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
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1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 2.5 Tbsp water)
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3/4 tsp dried sage, or 1 1/4 tsp fresh sage, chopped
Directions:
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The night before, cube your bread and set it in a large bowl to dry out – noticeably dry but not rock hard.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a pan) with foil or spray with nonstick spray.
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Prepare flax egg and set aside.
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Cook onion and celery in olive oil or vegan butter and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.
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To the bowl of bread, pour most of the broth then add the remaining ingredients (sage, cooked veggies, flax egg) and mix with a wooden spoon. The key is to make sure it is about the consistency of a meatloaf. If it’s too dry, add more broth and mix again. If it’s gotten too wet, add more bread.
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Transfer to the prepared pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, then remove the top layer of foil so the top can brown. Increase heat to 400 degrees and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the top is well browned and crisp.
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Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Recommended Vegan Recipe Websites
To get more great fall vegan recipes, check out the following websites:
Oh She Glows is a recipe blog that follows around Angela as she finds inspiration for different plant-based meals.
Minimalist Baker follows Dana’s philosophy to creating simple, delicious recipes that require less than ten ingredients. Not all of the recipes on the site are vegan, yet there are plenty to choose from.
Allyson Kramer shares an assortment of vegan recipes, focused on different delicious and renewed desserts.
All other images courtesy of the author.