Whether you’re a committed anti-carnivore, hosting lunch for guests with a variety of dietary requirements, or simply looking for a gift idea for your plant-based BFF, these four tips will help you celebrate a vegan Christmas, that everyone will, well, go ham about….
A vegan Christmas feast? It’s s’now joke!
Vegan Christmas? Cast aside your misconceptions … there is so much more to vegan food than tofu. Especially at Christmas.
As plant-based and flexitarian diets continue to rise in popularity (some reports suggest that over 12% of Australians are now vegetarian), so do the number of delicious meat-free alternatives on offer.
And a little pre-planning can make sure everyone in attendance is able to eat, drink and be Merry. To start, consider:
- Providing naturally vegan entrees like, hummus and beetroot dips, as well as plenty of crudités and plain crackers (check the ingredients!) for those who have ditched dairy and meat
- Experimenting with a number of mock-meat alternatives that make it easy to trade your traditional Christmas hams and prawns for vegan versions
- Veganising typical sides with simple swaps – such as using non-creamy dressings on your salads, cooking in oil instead of butter, or topping your veggies with roasted nuts instead of cheese for the crunch factor
Or opt for a dessert that everyone will agree on!
Like this recipe for Xmas Chocolate Bark from nutritionist and exercise physiologist Veronika Larisova.
“I love a good chocolate bark, it’s fun to make it and you can be really creative. And it’s super simple. All you need is your favourite vegan chocolate and whatever goodness you want to put in the bark plus edible flowers to make it look special
I like to use the following ingredients:
- crushed mixed nuts
- mixed dried berries mix
- finely chopped figs
- edible flowers
Break the chocolate into squares, place in a bowl and melt in the microwave. Do 30 seconds at the time and keep checking and stirring to prevent burning. Once melted into a liquid, spread evenly on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil. Decorate with all your ingredients and let it cool. It’s q
uicker if you place it in the fridge or freezer. Break into pieces and enjoy”
Vegan Christmas hampers that sleigh
Whether for your own health, the sake of animals, or simply an increased awareness of the environmental impacts of the intensive animal agriculture industry, opting for a vegan Christmas shouldn’t remove you from the joy of participating in some time-honoured traditions … including the traditional hamper exchange.
One company is making it easier than ever to experience the excitement usually associated with cheese heavy grazing platters and antipasto boards by delivering completely meat and dairy-free options.
Whole Organic Hampers (WOH) provides awesome care packs that are vegan, as well as Australian-made, ethical, organic and eco-friendly.
With a focus on providing personalised gifts based on preference, as well as promoting local Australian brands (like Archie Rose, Tasetology and Yusei) this gift well-and-truly proves that sometimes giving can be just as good as receiving!
Let’s Mistle-Toast with Vegan Wines
Filed under the same category as “Santa Claus is not real” is the mind-blowing revelation that not all wine is automatically vegan!
This is because of a process known as “fining” – essentially filtering your fermented grapes to ensure your drink doesn’t contain any floating particles which can be detrimental to the flavour, colour and texture.
While fining agents are traditionally animal-derived substances (bone marrow, gelatin, egg whites, fish oil or shell fibres) more modern methods now rely on alternatives such as bentonite clay, activated charcoal, limestone, and silica gel.
To work out whether you need to stop your drops, opt for wines that are not fined and left to stabilise on their own, or look for labels marked “natural wines”.
Treat Yo (s)elf!
Kris Kringle, but make it vegan. Gifting options for plant-based friends have extended beyond raffia bags and paisley maxi skirts. In fact, a number of beauty brands are offering vegan present ideas that are cruelty-free and seriously chic.
Whether you’re looking for a gift idea for a special someone, or yourself, we love:
- All of the fragrances (especially At Night We Dance!) from Recreation Beauty – a fine natural perfume house based in Sydney’s Bondi Beach which provides 100 per cent natural, vegan and cruelty-free scents;
- Retreatment Botanics certified vegan, cruelty-free and palm oil-free skincare;
- The kits from Sabbia Co (eco-friendly, minimalistic, ethical, low-waste and doing a whole lot of good for your face and planet earth) and
- South Australian owned brand Megan Porter’s mineral cosmetics.
Bonus: All are proudly founded by Australian women!
Recipe credit: veronikalarisova.com.au
