How Do Vegans Make it Through the Holidays?

This is a wonderful article written by Meikmeika, she has a really awesome blog were amongst her other interests she blogs about food, specifically vegan cooking. Eventhough I am not Vegan, I love the creative dishes she comes up with. They are healthy and simply yummy to look at. So this posting is for Vegans and non-vegans to enjoy. There are quite a few things on Meikmeikas list that we can incorporate into our Christamas Feast!

To find out more about Meikkmeika and Vegan cooking you can contact her via email or visit her blog

I'm sure there are many vegans out there who breeze through the holiday season without any issues, of which I am not one.  I can still remember my first year as a vegan, Halloween came around and all the leftover sweets were in the office.  All I could do was stare in awe at the mound of Snickers, Almond Joys, Kit Kats, Three Musketeers, Twix and various other candy bars strategically placed near my desk tempting me.  One of my co-workers wives is an excellent baker and prepares something for the office every holiday.  I can laugh at the situations today, but back then it was a true test.  Since then I've discovered many of my childhood favorite candies are vegan, like Swedish Fish, Sour Jacks, Dots, Chico Sticks and Now and Laters.  Company pot-lucks are another story, fortunately my office rarely has them.

What about desserts?  I have mastered many types of cookies, such as chocolate chip, ginger, oatmeal, molasses, and peanut butter.  Apple pie, peach cobbler, coffee cake, pumpkin muffins, cupcakes and many other desserts are easily veganized, not to mention cholesterol free. You can't have Thanksgiving or Christmas without Turkey, Stuffing/Dressing, Green Bean Casserole, Biscuits, Gravy, Macaroni and Cheese, Collard Greens, etc!  Everything listed can be easily veganized.

A quick search on the net can get you plenty of vegan recipes for a mock turkey loaf or a Tofurky Roast can be purchased from your Local Health Food Store.  In my opinion the hardest to substitute on the list is the Macaroni and Cheese.  I have yet to find a vegan cheese that comes close to the real deal, there are recipes that can get you the creamy texture but the cheese-like taste can take a bit of getting used to.

Eating vegan during the Holiday Season can be a breeze with a little preparation.  For instance, I now bring in my own stash of candy after Halloween.  I also bake cookies, muffins and cupcakes and bring them to work so I know, at the very least, I can eat what I've brought in.  Preparation is key.......

Thanks to the World Wide Web vegan recipes can be easily attained.  Below are a couple of sites that offer vegan recipes and/or forums that can aid in veganizing recipes:

vegweb.com
theppk.com
veganchef.com
vegcooking.com
veganforum.com
fatfree.com
fatfreevegan.com
chooseveg.com
recipezaar.com (do a search using the word "vegan" and hundreds of recipes will appear)

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meikmeika

Comments

[Geralyn]

I'm vegan, too! Over the years I've come up with some wonderful holiday recipes. I'm the only vegan in my family, so I'm in charge of cooking for the holidays. While I enjoy it, I really wish someone would cook for ME for a change!!

If you haven't been here, I recommend you check it out: www.vegsource.com