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Christmas does not require the consumption of meat. You may make great appetizers with cauliflower, pumpkin, or mushrooms, and your tummy will be fuller this Christmas. If you wish to eat a lighter and healthier diet, becoming a vegetarian or vegan is an excellent alternative. We tell you that the feasts will be a lot easier to stomach.
People are increasingly choosing not to consume protein derived from animals. So, if you’ve opted to have a vegetarian or vegan diet this Christmas, we’ve chosen appetizers that are appropriate for your diet. In some cases, cheese is required, but you may always substitute vegetable-based cheeses for the cheeses we recommend in the recipes.
Vegetables and legumes are excellent sources of minerals and proteins in your diet. As a result, you can round out your Christmas meal with dishes produced using these items. Nuts are also high in minerals and healthy fats, and they add a delightful crunch to your foods.
You pick what ingredients to use for the preparation, so don’t stop enjoying a nice Christmas Eve supper or Christmas lunch with rich and healthy meals. However, give your dishes a unique twist, such as the Christmas tree-shaped spinach puff pastry as seen below. It is a way of feeling as if you have a special dish in front of you that is excellent for celebrating the Christmas holidays.
Stuffed mushrooms, baked potatoes with butter, the original spinach puffs, and Ukrainian bread are just a few examples of appetizers that can also be served as a side dish or as a first course. That example, if you want to end your dinner or lunch with some traditional Christmas sweets, such as shortbread, marzipan, and nougat, there are vegan versions available that are quite delectable. If that doesn’t persuade you, try baking a 20-minute chocolate cake or vegan-friendly Oreo cookies. Begin preparing since there is nothing left for the big Christmas Eve family meal; it is a really special occasion, and everyone should have foods that they enjoy.
1. Cranberry Brie Bites
Ingredients:
- Crescent dough
- Cooking spray, for pan
- Flour, for surface
- 1 wheel (8 oz) brie cheese
- 1/2 cup cranberry sauce and whole berries
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 6 sprigs rosemary, cut into 1″ pieces.
Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 190°C and oil a tiny muffin pan. Roll out the dough and cut it into 24 squares on a lightly floured surface. Fill the muffin pans with the squares.
- Cut the brie into small pieces and insert them into the dough. Top with a tablespoon of cranberry sauce, chopped walnuts, and a rosemary sprig.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
2. Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
- Cooking spray
- 1.5k mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, and more for topping
- 115g cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 tbsp chopped thyme
Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Grease a baking sheet. Remove the mushroom stems and cut them into big pieces. Place the mushroom caps on a baking pan and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes, after adding the chopped mushroom stems. After a minute, add the garlic and breadcrumbs. Allow 3 minutes to toast. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool somewhat.
- Mix the mushroom stems, Parmesan, cream cheese, parsley, and thyme in a large mixing basin. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fill the mushroom caps with the mixture and top with additional Parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and the tops are golden brown. To serve, garnish with parsley.
3. Spinach Puffs
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon. vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
- Salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 115 g cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- Ground black pepper
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator
Recipe
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring constantly, until poached. Cook for another 30 seconds after adding the garlic. Booking.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and 1 egg. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the garlic-onion mixture, spinach, feta cheese, dill, and lemon zest.
- Grease a muffin pan. Roll out the puff pastry to a 12-inch (30-cm) square on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into squares. Insert each square into the molds, allowing the corners to hang down. Fill each with the filling. Pinch the dough corners together so they meet in the center of the filling. Set aside for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Spread an egg with 1 teaspoon of water over the cold dough. Bake for 25 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Allow cooling for a few minutes before removing from the molds. Warm or at room temperature, serve.
4. Cauliflower with Parmesan
Ingredients:
- 1 thickly sliced cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 and 1/2 cup marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 /4 cup basil leaves
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet in a single layer and brush both sides with oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Grill, turning once, for 35 minutes, or until cauliflower is soft and golden brown. Remove from the oven and spoon marinara sauce over each cauliflower slice. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Return to the oven for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and brown. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan, basil leaves, and red pepper flakes if desired.
5. Christmas Tree with Spinach and Cheese Sauce
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup finely chopped artichoke hearts
- 1/4 cup spinach, thawed and drained
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon sour cream (optional)
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 2 Puff pastry sheets
- 3/4 cup grated mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine cream cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, Parmesan, sour cream, garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Unroll the puff pastry sheets onto the baking sheet and cut the dough into the shape of a Christmas tree with a pizza cutter or knife; set aside the leftover dough. Remove the top tree cutting and distribute the cream cheese mixture on the bottom layer. Cover with the other sheet and sprinkle with mozzarella.
- Cut a star from the remaining puff pastry and lay it on top of the tree. Cut branches on each side of the tree with a pizza cutter or knife. Lift and twist each “branch” gently. Combine the butter and garlic powder in a small bowl. Brush the tree and star with the egg wash and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Hanukkah: Potato Pancakes
Ingredients:
- 500 g potatoes
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- Canola oil, for frying
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives
- Applesauce, for serving
- Sour cream, to serve
Recipe
- Peel and grate the potatoes. Place in a bowl of icy water. Squeeze out as much water as possible using a clean kitchen towel, or place them in the refrigerator overnight to drain.
- Combine the potatoes, eggs, flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large mixing basin.
- In a large skillet with hot oil over medium heat, spread the potato paste into sections and flatten with a spoon. Fry for 3 minutes per side, or until crisp and golden. Allow the oil to drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt. Serve with chives, applesauce, and sour cream on the side.
7. Roasted Pumpkin
Ingredients:
- 2 medium pumpkins
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of curry
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Cut the pumpkins in half lengthwise after cutting off the ends. Remove the seeds with a spoon. Make half-moons out of the pumpkin.
- Place the butternut squash, oil, and curry powder in a large baking dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Grill for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown and tender on the inside.
8. Pretzel Rolls
Ingredients:
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 squares of yeast
- 3/4 cup of melted butter
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 4 cups of flour
- 1/4 cup of baking soda
Recipe
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and yeast and set aside for 5 minutes, or until somewhat frothy. Stir in the butter, sugar, eggs, and salt. 1 cup at a time, add the flour until smooth. Refrigerate for 3 hours, covered with plastic wrap.
- Cut the dough into 20 pieces and place it on a floured surface. Place each in a prepared baking dish and roll into a round ball. Cover securely with plastic wrap and let aside for 1 to 2 hours to double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and place it over medium heat. Mix in the baking soda. Once the water has started to boil, add the rolls in batches for 1 minute, then move to a baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake the rolls for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
9. Peas and Mint Tarts
Ingredients:
- 1 package of dough for dumplings
- 200 g of peas
- Fresh mint
- 2 dl of vegetable broth
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Edible flowers
Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Brush some olive oil into a muffin tray. Fill each hole with empanadilla dough and lightly press it into the shape of the mold. Bake for 8 minutes, or until they begin to brown. Remove and unmold; set aside.
- Warm the veggie broth and 4 mint leaves in a saucepan. When it begins to boil, add the peas and cook for no more than 2 minutes. Turn off the heat in the pot. Season with pepper to taste. Reserve a tiny amount of peas and mix the remainder.
- Fill each tartlet with peas cream. Garnish with peas and edible flowers.
10. Buttered Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 500 g of new or small potatoes
- 1/4 cup of melted butter
- 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 cup of grated mozzarella
- 1/ 2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make accordion-style slices in each potato, but don’t cut all the way through. In a large skillet, cook the potatoes.
- Melted butter, olive oil, and garlic should be combined in a small bowl. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper after spreading the mixture over them. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the slits separate and the potatoes color.
- Brush the potatoes with additional melted butter, then top with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake for a further 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
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