Let’s face it, Christmas dinner isn’t always accommodating to the non-meat eaters. Turkey, pigs in blankets, stuffing all contain meat, leaving the vegetarians potatoes and vegetables. If you have adopted a vegetarian or vegan diet this year, it can be difficult to find things to eat over the Christmas period. Those who have adopted this diet for reasons other than ethics can find it difficult not to slip back into meat-eating ways. However, this week’s Monday Motivation is all about the perfect vegan Christmas roast to make sure that you keep up your healthy eating without compromising on a lovely Christmas dinner.
- 230g/8oz mixed nuts, chopped
- 110g/4oz red lentils
- l large carrot
- 2 celery sticks
- 1 large onion
- ½ large courgette
- 1 aubergine
- 100g/3 1/2 oz mushrooms
- 25g/1oz porcini mushrooms
- 4 tbsp vegan margarine, eg Pure, Biona, Suma
- 2 tbsp mild curry powder
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp Vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 4 tbsp chopped parsley
- 10g/2 tsp chopped dried apricots
- 2 tbsp soya flour, sieved
- ¼ pint water
- Vegan pesto, eg Meridian
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
1. Gently boil the lentils for around 20 mins. Soak the porcini mushrooms in a jug, just covered with boiled water at the same time. About halfway through the lentils’ cooking time, pre-heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.
2. Meanwhile, cut the aubergine in half, then chop into small chunks, along with the courgette.
3. Chop the carrot, celery, onion and mushrooms into small chunks then blend or food process until they are quite finely chopped.
4. Melt the margarine in a wok and fry the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring in the curry powder.
5. Drain the porcini mushrooms and chop with scissors. Add them to a bowl along with the mixed nuts, cooked lentils, ketchup, Worcesteshire sauce, parsley, apricots, soya flour and water. Mix well.
6. Add in the mixture from the wok and combine well together. Grease a large bread tin with vegan margarine or oil spray and line with greaseproof paper.
7. Press 4 tbsp of the mixture into the tin then spread a layer of pesto over the top. Spoon in the rests of the mixture and smooth over. Place in the tin and bake for about an hour or just firm, covering the top with a piece of greaseproof paper if it starts to catch.
8. Sprinkle with pinenuts to finish, then holding the sides of the grease-proof paper, gently pull the loaf out onto a plate or serving tray. Trim down the paper along the edges, allow to cool for 15 mins, then cut into slices and serve with meat-free gravy.
Recipe is from www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk
Holly Martin