Merry Christmas! Hard to believe it’s here already! But I’m ready with recipe planning and all my shopping and wrapping done. I think. What I’m not sure I’m ready for is a long, pre-Christmas run this morning with everything covered in frost outside and temps in the low 20s! The poor kale in our garden.
But it is beautiful covered in frost.
Meanwhile our pets are perfectly happy to stay parked in front of the fireplace, the backyard is especially unappealing to the pups.
All the pet beds in front of the fireplace are occupied, good thing I recently added a new one!
The last few days have been crazy and boring food-wise for me, I’ve been eating lots of huge salads, smoothies, and raw pates while things have been chaos at work trying to wrap everything up before the long Christmas weekend. Meal planning for the holiday festivities this year has been especially tough with so much else going on. I did finally decide on some raw recipes for tonight and tomorrow, details later. I’m grateful that my family is also preparing vegan side dishes for our gatherings and I’m only bringing a single raw dish for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – nice!
But in case you’re still drawing blanks of what to prepare, here are some raw and cooked recipe ideas that are pretty simple to throw together and pack well to take to parties while providing a hearty servings of veggies and protein to be a vegan main dish if needed.
It’s fast, simple, and easy to re-heat at a party. Plus it makes great leftovers re-heated or cold topping a salad.
Another fast quinoa dish that will bring unique tangy and savory flavors to a holiday meal.
Great appetizer or even a vegan main dish packing hemp protein.
Great raw vegan alternative to traditional spinach dip that comes together fast in a blender.
Easy stew to throw together in a big soup pot for a vegan main dish and keep warm in a slow cooker at any holiday party until you’re ready to enjoy.
A recipe to impress any non-vegan as a raw, veggie-based version of mac and cheese.
Simple quinoa dish packing festive holiday colors and flavor.
Another festive and fast quinoa dish that can easily be a vegan main dish with the addition of textured vegetable protein.
Obviously I’ve been loving quinoa recipes this year, they’re simple and fast as well as filling and nutritious. And can make great leftovers to freeze.
Of course lentil stews are also great winter treats in frigid temps. This one packs potatoes, carrots, and red wine – perfect for the holidays. :-)
This stew is also a festive, seasonal treat packing fresh orange, butternut quash, and chickpeas.
I highly doubt any of your food would count as ‘boring’…it all looks fabulous to me.
I love the roundup and the ideas. And the last pic…the orange butternut stew…so vibrant and pretty! If it wasnt 85 here, I’d be all over that.
Love the pet beds. Too CUTE!!!
Merry Xmas!
great recipes christine! hope you and your family have a merry xmas :)
Great ideas, and good for general consumption for me running around to and from works this week! Will definitely be keeping these handy.