Festive vegetarian food

DeniG2

Hi All,

For someone who always spent the year looking forward to Christmas dinner (not just Christmas Day but food associated with the whole season), this year is proving 'trying' since I gave up meat about 6 months ago (pescatarian not vegetarian)

So, are there any non-meat eaters on here that can suggest some seasonal recipes to replace the traditional staples?

Will probably try a salmon-en-croute instead of turkey crown this year but would like to make it seasonal in some way. I don't know what I'll cook on Christmas Eve instead of cooking the ham joint!

Apologies to all those traditional festive meat eaters if this sounds sacrilegious!

Thanks in advance

baby and crumble

You should look up Nordic Christmas recipes, there's a really strong fishing tradition so they'll have lots of festive ideas.

I'd also say something like crab or lobster could be quite "special" for Christmas Eve?

You could also check out the M&S Christmas catalogue for inspiration. They do some quite nice veggie alternatives if memory serves. I'm not saying buy them there I'm just saying inspiration might strike!

Feel free to share any you find too, you can only eat so much turkey and ham over the festive period before you go totally bonkers!!!

seamus

I know "nut roast" sounds like a joke that a non-vegetarian would make, but it's actually a really good food to serve with your traditional Xmas dinner.

Depends on how you make it - I'm not a fan of nut roasts with huge chunky bits of nut in them - using finely chopped nuts instead gives it a much smoother texture. Stuffed with vegetables and spices, it's way tastier than any turkey or ham. Even goes great with stuffing and gravy.

L1011

Have had this before, as an alternative to the nut roast as I don't eat most types of nuts. Works well with gravy and the normal trimmings

https://www.moodleymanor.com/moodley-roast-1

ace_irl

I like to go for a prawn cocktail for starter or fruit.

Hake can be lovely pan fried and goes well with mash and stuffing.

Another option is garlic and rosemary oven baked salmon.

I am starving now!

Day Lewin

I have one vegetarian member of family and when I'm roasting traditional joints on Christmas day, I put in for him some big breakfast mushrooms - the saucer-sized ones - buttered and seasoned with goats cheese on top.
Bake on dish or tin until mushrooms running with juice and cheese all melty. [Less than half an hour]
May be a bit of a vegetarian cliché but he absolutely loves it!

milli milli

Hi OP

Thank you so much for calling yourself pescatarian. 'Vegetarians' who eat fish (&sometimes chicken :eek:) really make it harder for the rest of us veggies!

I've been veggie for 27 years so have tried lots of different meals over the years. One thing I keep coming back to, is this delicious meal I found in Paul McCartney's Meat Free Monday cookbook.
Spelt Risotto with Butternut Squash, Spinach, Chestnuts & Goats Cheese.

http://www.meatfreemonday.org.nz/recipe/spelt-risotto-with-butternut-squash-spinach-chestnuts-and-goats-cheese

Yum, yum, yummy.
As another poster said M&S do delicious veggie treats too - so worth checking out.