Below are some of the many tips I’ve accumulated over the years for keeping the peace with family during the holidays. The first three deal with family interactions and relationships, and the last two cover inclusion and emotional wellness.

Find your voice. When the questions come rolling in, we need to know where to begin. Finding an effective voice is a process that is continually being refined. The intense empathy we feel can be interpreted by others as melodrama. In reality, we are acutely aware of and rightly sensitive about animal suffering. If you lose your cool, or feel as though you weren’t the best advocate for animals, don’t beat yourself up. Learn from the experience, and do better next time. As we grow, we learn how to better represent what we stand for.

Engage with discretion. Are the questions out of genuine interest, or do they hope to trip you up and prove you wrong. If you think the person is truly curious, answer their questions as best as you can in a style that’s authentic to you. Are you’re a bookworm? Have statistics handy to back you up. You’re the comedian? Respond with witty jokes to lighten the mood. When you don’t know something say, “I’m not sure about that. I’ll look into it and get back to you.” Don’t forget to follow up! If they don’t actually have an interest in the topic or if their pestering becomes unbearable, disengage. Simple as that. There’s nothing good that would come from that kind of interaction.

Listen. For a successful discourse, there must be a willingness on both sides to listen. Stay open to what they’re saying, and take a moment to let it sink in before you respond. Then, answer in a loving way. Ideally, you both listen to each other, and the conversation leads to new levels of understanding and respect for one another. Of course, doing your part doesn’t guarantee that the other person will reciprocate. We can influence, offer information, practice love and acceptance, and listen from a place of nonjudgment, but we cannot force others into an exchange if they’re not willing. At the very least, you gain a better understanding of why they are the way they are.

Find an ally. Look for ways to minimize any discomfort, and reach out to people who care about how you’re feeling. If the sight of the turkey being stuffed and carved bothers you, leave the room (quietly) or switch seats with someone who is farther from where the meat is displayed. If the smell of roasting pig flesh turns your stomach, put a few dabs of essential oils under your nostrils. As a kid, I used to excuse myself to an empty bedroom in my grandma’s house and take a nap while the Thanksgiving turkey was being prepared. My dad, who is not vegan but is sympathetic to what I was feeling, would come get me when we were ready to eat.

Include yourself. The best thing to do when you feel distanced is to find ways to include yourself and your compassion. Bring vegan food to share with everyone. Put your Adopt-a-Turkey card on display, or gift someone a sponsorship for a sanctuary animal. These all represent veganism (and you!) in a friendly way.

With all of these thoughts, ideas, and actions in mind, holiday tensions can be minimized. Every little bit helps. And remember that, above all, holidays are a time of celebration, togetherness, and love.

The post Vegan Lifestyle Troubleshooting: Keeping the Peace with Family during the Holidays appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Just as he did with his first book Vegan Tacos, Jason spent a lot of time researching Vegan Mexico. He begins the book with a bit about the history of Mexican food, explaining the basic foods that can found in each region of the country, and what their influences are. Did you know that most of the cuisine in the Veracruz area of Mexico has a Spanish influence, whereas dishes in Baja are designed to cater to American and Japanese tourists? I found it pretty interesting to learn that most of the food in Mexico was plant-based until the Spanish brought animal foods with them in the early 1500s. They also spices, citrus fruits, onions, and garlic with them.

Jason also spends some time explaining the different ingredients that are used in Mexican cooking, so if you don’t know the difference between a poblano chile and a Serrano chile, you’ll learn. He also has a list of kitchen equipment that’s handy to have when cooking Mexican food. I can vouch for my tortilla press – it’s inexpensive and I’ve made the most amazing homemade tortillas with it, using Jason’s recipe, of course!

The recipes in Vegan Mexico start with Corn, Beans, Rice, and Chiles, where you’ll learn the basics of cooking with these integral ingredients. Jason explains how to dry chiles, as well as how to roast and fry them. The next chapter is full of salsas and dips, which accompany many of the book’s dishes.

The food in Vegan Mexico includes street food, tacos (of course!), sandwiches, enchiladas, tamales, salads, soups, main dishes, grilled fare, snacks, breads, drinks, and sweets. If you don’t know the difference between a chalupa, a gordita, and a chimichanga, don’t worry – Jason will explain what they are. There’s also a glossary that includes some of the Spanish terms that are used throughout the book.

When Vegan Mexico arrived, I sat down with it and marked off what I wanted to make. I found myself marking off most of the recipes in the book! I decided to start with Green Rice, since green is my favorite color. This dish was extremely flavorful, and it was the perfect accompaniment to many of the other dishes I made. The recipe makes a big batch, but it kept well in the fridge, and we ate it with our meals throughout the week.

Next up were the Tostadas with Hearts of Palm Ceviche, which came together in a flash. These were a refreshing change from the usual tacos on a Tuesday. (I think #TostadaTuesday should be a thing!) Served with Mexican Street Corn, it was the perfect meal. I don’t know how I’m ever going to be able to go back to eating plain corn on the cob after slathering it with the easy-to-make dressing in Jason’s recipe!

Before Vegan Mexico, I didn’t know that chimichangas are basically deep-fried burritos. I made Northern Mexican Chimichangas using mushrooms and zucchini and I dry fried them, rather than frying them in oil, so I guess they were somewhere between a chimichanga and a burrito. I also didn’t know that a torta is a sandwich – for some reason I thought it was a dessert. The Fried Shredded Seitan Sandwich was incredibly delicious. I opted to bake the bread rather than fry it for this dish, but I don’t the flavor was compromised at all.

There are several breakfast recipes in Vegan Mexico, and I was anxious to try some of them. I have no idea how to pronounce chilaquiles, but I do know that the breakfast version is delicious! It consists of tortilla chips smothered in salsa, and topped with tofu scramble and beans. Tofu and Tortillas in Red Salsa, or tofu rancheras, is a similar dish, and equally as tasty.

The recipes in Vegan Mexico are versatile. You can make your own tortillas, or you can use store-bought. You can make one of Jason’s salsas, or you can use your favorite jarred salsa. If you’re into DIY, you can even make your own chili powder, or you use your favorite store-bought variety. I went the lazy person’s route, and I used store-bought for most things, so all of the dishes that I made came together very quickly. Jason also includes options, so if you can’t find cactus paddles, you can use zucchini. If you’re gluten-intolerant, you can use portobellos instead of seitan. Some of the fried recipes I made also had options for baking, for those worried about oil.

Vegan Mexico is the perfect book for anyone who wants to cook authentic Mexican food at home!

Review reprinted with permission from Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen.

We have a copy of Vegan Mexico for one lucky winner. Follow the instructions below to enter. U.S. residents only, please. Contest ends at midnight on December 4th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Tostadas with Hearts of Palm Ceviche from Vegan Mexico appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Guys, I am so excited to be today’s stop on the blog tour for Jason Wyrick’s new book: Vegan Mexico! The book is packed with deliciousness based on Jason’s family’s traditional Mexican recipes. This tomato black bean soup from the book was super easy to make, and I’ll walk you through the process and share the recipe below.

More hearty soup recipes: Dairy Free Cream of Broccoli Soup, Sunny Split Pea Soup

This recipe is a pureed black bean soup, so it’s thick and hearty. It took me less than 30 minutes to make. I topped mine with air fried poblano chile rings and chopped avocado, but you can also throw on some tortilla chips and vegan sour cream, if that’s your jam. The recipe for the air fried chiles are below too, don’t worry!

Jason’s book is seriously gorgeous. If you’ve been wanting to try out authentic, Mexican cooking, I can’t recommend it enough. His instructions are clear and easy-to-follow, and most of the recipes in the book don’t have an overwhelmingly long list of ingredients.

If you want to try out some other recipes from Vegan Mexico, check out these other blog tour stops (some are coming up later this week, and I’ll add the links to the recipe posts as they go up):

• Tostadas with Hearts of Palm Ceviche at Fried Dandelions
• Black Bean and Poblano Chile Torta at VNutrition
• Plantain Chips with Orange Aioli at Robin Robertson’s Global Vegan Kitchen
• Green Rice at Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen
• Caldo of Sweet Potato and Chard at Zsu’s Vegan Pantry

But back to this tomato black bean soup. Seriously, this recipe couldn’t be easier. Here are my tips on how to make this soup with as little waiting as possible:

• If you’re using the fried chile strips, get those coated and into the air fryer before you start everything else. Don’t turn on the air fryer yet.
• Chop the tomato and chile, and set it on the stove to boil. Start the air fryer, if you couldn’t fit all of the chile rings in at once.
• While they cook, get the onion and garlic into the blender, so it will be ready when the tomato mixture is done. Also drain your black beans.
• Instead of pureeing the beans in advance, puree them with the vegetable broth and salt while you saute the tomato-chile-onion-garlic mixture. If you need to do a second batch of air fried poblano rings, get them breaded and cooking now.

Ready to get cooking? Let’s make some quick-and-delicious soup!

Tomato Black Bean Soup

 

Save Print

This soup, named after the Tarascos people of Michoacán, is a soulful blend of black beans, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and chiles. Like many of the best Mexican soups, it’s comfort food that can easily be upgraded with a variety of garnishes. If you want to kick up the heat, add a small handful of chiles de árbol to the mix.

Author: Jason Wyrick

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
• 1½ cups water
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ medium white onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 to 2 tablespoons corn oil
• 4 cups cooked black beans, puréed
• 2½ cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon salt

Garnishes

• Fried ancho chile strips
• Tortilla chips or strips
• Chopped ripe Hass avocado
• Vegan sour cream, whipped vigorously

Instructions

1. In a 3-quart pot, combine the tomatoes, ancho, and water and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Transfer the tomatoes, ancho, and water to a blender and wipe out the pot. Add the garlic and onion the blender and purée until smooth. (Press the purée through a strainer if you want it completely smooth.)
2. Add the oil to the pot and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the purée and cook for about 5 minutes, slowly stirring. Reduce the heat to medium and add the puréed beans, vegetable broth, and salt. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes. Add liquid if necessary to ensure the soup is creamy but not incredibly thick. Serve with any or all of the garnishes.

Notes

From Vegan Mexico, copyright © 2016 by Jason Wyrick. Used by permission Vegan Heritage Press.

3.5.3226

Crispy Air Fried Poblano Pepper Rings

 

Save Print

Author: Becky Striepe

Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

• ½ cup panko, divided
• ½ teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 poblano chile, cut into ½″ rings
• ½ cup white or garbanzo bean aquafaba (I haven’t tried with other bean liquids, but it should work just fine.)

Instructions

1. Toss together the ¼ cup of the panko and ¼ teaspoon of the salt in a shallow bowl. Do the same with the rest of the panko and salt in another bowl, and set this one aside.
2. Pour the aquafaba into its own shallow bowl.
3. Dredge the chile slices in the aquafaba and then in the panko, getting a nice, even coating.The panko sticks really well to the rings at first, but after you’ve dredged about half of the chile, it starts to clump and not be great at sticking. When this happens, just swap in that second bowl of panko mixture. Arrange the slices in a single layer in your air fryer basket. The single layer is important. No overlapping, please! I had to do two batches for one large poblano.
4. Air fry for 8-10 minutes (Do not preheat.) at 390F, shaking well after 5 minutes. You want the panko browned and the chiles softened. If you do this in two rounds, round two will cook more quickly, since your air fryer is already hot. Cook round 2 and any subsequent rounds for 6-8 minutes.
5. Serve immediately.

Notes

The time variations depend on the size of your chiles, how thick your panko coating is, and (for rounds 2+) on how much the air fryer cools while you’re breading the next batch.

3.5.3226

The post Black Bean Soup with Crispy Air Fried Poblano Pepper Rings appeared first on Chic Vegan.

The results of our presidential election have had me thinking a lot about speaking up for what you believe. There have been protests against Trump’s election. Some say these protests are pointless; that “nothing will change.” But what choice does anyone have, when faced with being silenced?

As vegans, we all are faced with the task of speaking up for what we believe. Ethical vegans believe that animals are not here for the purpose of being exploited. And, while we believe it with all that we are, there is a large group of people that don’t share that belief. They may simply go about lives very similar to the ones we lived before we went vegan: eating meat, eggs, and dairy, wearing leather, wool, and fur, going to zoos and circuses. Or they may be a vocal opposition: claiming you’re a preachy vegan while posting memes about bacon, trying to sneak animal products into your meals, or rolling their eyes whenever you are the vegan in the room.

Activists are often on the front lines when they are fighting for their cause; no matter what it is, it can be taxing. It’s so important for all of us to remember self-care during times like these. Find community, be it on- or offline. Disconnect from people or social media feeds that make you feel anxious, angry, or overwhelmed. Look to those relationships that aren’t toxic. Disengage when it gets to be too much: watch a movie, take a walk, meditate, or participate in some retail therapy – anything that puts you in a good place, even for a moment.

Perhaps most importantly, we must remember compassion: for our adversaries, for those who are negatively affected by that which we speak out against, and for ourselves. Forgetting it is a path down the “things will never change” path, and we all deserve better.

When the fight seems hard, when a positive future seems too far away, and when fear of the unknown finds us on our knees, I hope we will all find what we need to draw strength and persist.

Feature photo by Matt Gibson

The post Compassion for Everyone: Finding Strength in Hard Times appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Vegan Cuisine

Vegan Cuisine by Jean-Christian Jury is a gorgeous hardcover cookbook full of incredibly creative plant-based recipes and mouthwateringly gorgeous photographs taken by Joerg Lehmann. Weighing close to 6½ pounds (yes, you read that right) and measuring over 13-inches high, Vegan Cuisine is the largest cookbook I’ve ever seen. It’s far to large for my bookcase, but that’s okay, because it would be a shame to keep this book cooped up on a shelf – it needs to be on the coffee table in the living room for everyone to see.

Vegan Cuisine is packed with over 800 recipes that have been collected and curated by top vegan chef Jean-Christian Jury. These creative recipes squash all misconceptions that vegan food is just salads and tofu, and they elevate plant-based cooking to an art form.

From Soup to Desserts

The recipes in Vegan Cuisine range from tasty appetizers and scrumptious soups to deliciously filling main dishes and luscious desserts. You’ll also find plenty of recipes for salads, sauces and dressings, breads, and snacks. There’s even an entire chapter devoted to cheese and crackers. These dishes will please vegans and omnivores alike. Who can say no to a plate of Walnut and Pear Crackers paired with Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Cheese? Or Wild Mushroom and Artichoke Strudel? Make sure you save room for Strawberry and Chocolate Cheesecake!

Simple Ingredients

While the recipes sound like dishes you’d find on the menu of five-star restaurant, they’re all made with simple, plant-based ingredients, and they come with easy-to-follow instructions that demystify fine cuisine. Those who think they don’t know how to cook will be amazed at how easy it is to make flavorful meals, while seasoned cooks will be pleased to have a new cache of recipes in their vegan arsenals.

Vegan Cuisine is the perfect gift for anyone who loves to cook this holiday season!

Stuffed Butternut Squash with White Grapes

 

Save Print

Author: Jean-Christian Jury.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients for the squash

• 2 small butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed and discarded
• ¼ cup/60 g vegan margarine
• Salt and pepper

Ingredients for the stuffing

• 2 tbsp vegan margarine
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• ⅓ cup/50 g seedless white grapes
• 3 tbsp/20 g grated ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 4 oz/120 g silken tofu
• 7 tbsp/50 g dried breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp grated orange zest
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. For?the squash, using a sharp knife, score?the flesh of the squash. Place the squash halves, cut sides up, in an ovenproof dish or rimmed baking sheet. Brush them with the margarine and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour and let cool.
2. For the stuffing, while the squash roasts, heat the margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, cover, and cook gently for 8 minutes, until softened. Add the grapes, ginger, cinnamon, cumin seeds, and paprika and continue to cook until the onions are golden brown. Add the tofu and breadcrumbs and cook for 2–3 minutes.
3. Spoon out 2 halves of the butternut squash, cut the flesh into small cubes and mix with the rest of the stuffing mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the stuffing mixture on top of the remaining roasted squash halves and transfer back to the oven for 10–12 minutes. Sprinkle with the orange zest and serve immediately.

Notes

Recipe reprinted from Vegan Cuisine by Jean-Christian Jury with permission. Photos by Joerg Lehmann.

3.5.3226

The post Cook to Impress with Vegan Cuisine appeared first on Chic Vegan.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Vegan Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

 

Save Print

Author: Dianne Wenz

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
• 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 medium-sized shallots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 ½ cups cooked cannellini beans
• ¼ cup vegetable or mushroom broth
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaved parsley, chopped
• 2 tightly packed cups spinach, chopped
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• ½ teaspoon sea salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the mushroom caps on it, upside down.
3. Whisk together 3 teaspoons olive oil with the balsamic vinegar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
4. Brush in the mushrooms with the mixture and bake for 10 – 15 minutes, until tender.
5. In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the shallots in the remaining olive oil for 5 – 10 minutes, until slightly brown and fragrant. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the spinach and broth. Remove from heat as soon as the spinach begins to wilt.
6. In a large bowl, mix together the shallot-spinach mixture, beans, parsley, breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast and the remaining sea salt and pepper.
7. Stuff the mushrooms with the mixture. Sprinkle the tops with a little extra breadcrumbs and nooch if you’d like a little extra crunch. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until heated throughout.
8. Serve hot. Enjoy!

3.5.3226

The post Vegan Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms appeared first on Chic Vegan.

So when I saw a few Japanese cooking videos showing people microwaving pumpkins whole with their skin and all, I was intrigued. No laborious chopping involved. Huzzah! Some of you might be against microwaving food but for me, it is really the convenience to having yummy soup fast!

Many pumpkin soup recipes call for cream, coconut milk, or dairy milk to thicken the soup. I decided to omit these thickeners as I wanted the pumpkin to be the focal point and to taste the full flavor of it. The trick is to use a smaller liquid to pumpkin ratio. The soup turns out quite thick, almost like a congee consistency. If you prefer your soup more watery, feel free to add more water or even vegetable broth.

Turmeric lends a wonderfully warm and comforting taste to this dish. It is part of the ginger family but has a milder taste to it. I love to use turmeric as it is a powerful antioxidant and helps to counter inflammation in our bodies. In some research, turmeric has even been shown to have the same effects as prescribed inflammatory drugs but without the side-effects. You can read more about the benefits of turmeric here. Some ways I use this spice is in my homemade oat milk for a soothing drink before I sleep, mixed in salad dressings and sprinkled on avocado toast.

I also added apple cider vinegar to this pumpkin soup. It adds such a brightening touch to the dish and elevates it from plain pumpkin mush to an elegant savory dish with a subtle acidity. I ended up adding more apple cider for my individual servings.

This soup only requires a few other ingredients, mostly pantry staples and takes about 20 minutes to make. The recipe makes 3 medium sized servings or 2 generous servings. I freeze the remaining soup in plastic containers, they will store well for up to a month.

Healing Miso Pumpkin Soup

I finished them all in a week though as it’s been raining so much in Singapore. Not that I am complaining since I absolutely adore the rainy season! Nothing beats having warm, thick pumpkin soup and watching Korean dramas on a rainy night!

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 1 kg pumpkin, cut into 2 portions
• 1-litre water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon miso
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Wrap pumpkin portions individually with cling wrap and microwave on high for 6 minutes.

2. Let pumpkin cool for 5 minutes before scraping the flesh off. Place pumpkin flesh into a bowl.

3. Heat oil in a pot and stir-fry onions and garlic till fragrant.

4. Add turmeric and pumpkin and stir-fry for 1 minute, mixing evenly.

5. Add water and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Dissolve miso and apple cider in a little water and mix into soup. Stir well and cook for another 2-3 minute. Season with salt and black pepper.

7. Let cool and blend either in a powerful blender or with an immersion blender.

The post Healing Miso Pumpkin Soup appeared first on Chic Vegan.

10 TIPS FOR HANDLING HOLIDAY STRESS

Have a Plan – Do as Santa does and make a list. Write down everything that you’d like to accomplish by the end of the year. Prioritize what you want to do and get rid anything you don’t really want to participate in. Organize your schedule by carefully and then stick with your plan. Make sure you give yourself enough time each day to relax, unwind, exercise, and sleep.

Get Enough Sleep – Even though there’s less daylight, many people tend to sleep less during the cold months. Sleep is essential for health and wellbeing. While we sleep, our bodies are hard at work, detoxifying, repairing and rebuilding. When we don’t get enough sleep, we’re denying our bodies the time it needs for these functions and we’re compromising our immune systems. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation causes increased levels in cortisol in the body, which means we’re all walking around feeling stressed out.

Don’t be Afraid to Say No – It’s common to take on too much at once, especially at this time of year. A lot of people, especially women, have a fear of letting others down, and end up juggling far too many projects and activities, and self care tends to get pushed to the back burner. Saying no isn’t always easy, but it gets more natural with practice. You’ll be able to enjoy the holidays more if you aren’t stressed from taking on too much at once.

Don’t try to Be Perfect – The seasonal stress we feel is often self-imposed as we strive for perfection by trying to give others what they want, draining us of the energy we require to make it through the season. Give yourself permission to scale back on shopping, baking, sending out cards, and decorating.

Exercise – Regular aerobic exercise lowers levels of stress hormones. For many people, exercise can help relieve depression as effectively as antidepressant medication. Regular exercise will keep your energy up during busy days.

Set Aside Some “Me Time” – Self care is just as important as eating healthily, as we need to nourish our souls just as much as we nourish our bodies. Make sure you make time for yourself and the things you love.

Watch What You Eat – Sweets and fatty foods tend to be everywhere during the holidays, and many people overeat “because it’s there.” Certain foods, such as sugar and fat can adversely affect mood. They can also zap your energy, which can make you feel more stressed and run down.

Use Essential Oils – Essential oils are excellent for alleviating stress and improving mood. Citrus oils can boost feelings of well-being and alleviate stress, while lavender can calm and relax an anxious mind. Place oils in a diffuser or even wear them as perfume.

Remember What’s Important – It’s easy to get caught up in the commercialization of the season. If you find it happening to you, stop and think about what you really hope to get out of the holidays. Spending time with family and friends is far more important that expensive store-bought gifts and elaborately planned meals.

Have Fun – Tis the season to be jolly, and laughter is good for the soul, so don’t forget to have fun!

How to do you handle stress during the holidays?

Reprinted with permission from Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen.

The post How to Handle Holiday Stress appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Homestyle Vegan is packed with easy that are easy-to-make delicious recipes that are sure to please the whole family. Many of the dishes are vegan remakes of old favorites, such as French Onion Soup, Chickpea Noodle Soup, Pile O’ Poutine, and Vegetable Potpie. The recipes will take you from breakfast right through to dessert, and there are even holiday favorites, such as Green Bean Casserole with Crunchy Onions. There’s a chapter dedicated to comfort food, and another full of crowd-pleasers. There’s also section of diy kitchen basics, such as pizza dough and dairy-free mayonnaise.

New vegans often tell me that learning to cook without meat can be challenging, and they have a difficult time finding ingredients that recipes call for. They often complain that ingredients can be too expensive, as well. The recipes in Homestyle Vegan use simple ingredients that are probably already in your pantry, and if they’re not, they’re pretty easy to find. Many of the recipes use simple vegan swaps, such as almond milk instead of cows’s milk. I was pretty amazed to find that there isn’t a single recipe that uses tofu, tempeh, or seitan in Homestyle Vegan, which is a pretty amazing feat for a meatfree cookbook!

If you’re new to vegan cooking and are looking for easy recipes, if you’re cooking for a family who thinks vegan food is “weird,” or if you’re hoping to make vegan versions of your childhood favorites, Homestyle Vegan is the book for you!

Apple Fennel Stuffing with Caramelized Onions

For years, the only stuffing I’d ever eaten was the weird, kinda mushy from-a-box version that only came out at our place on Thanksgiving and Easter. And it was okay, but I had no idea what I was missing. I don’t remember the first time I had a crusty, moist homemade stuffing, but it changed my mind forever. Once you’ve had the real thing, you just can’t go back—and with this easy recipe, you’ll never have to!

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 8 cups (350 g) cubed stale sourdough bread (½ ” [1.3 cm] cubes)
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp plus 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 medium bulb fennel, cored and chopped
• 2 medium red apples, cored and chopped
• 8 sprigs thyme, stems removed
• 6 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Place the stale, cubed bread in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a small cast-iron or frying pan, combine the onion and 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over low heat. Saut. until caramelized and browned, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed if the onions begin to stick, 20 to 25 minutes.

While the onions caramelize, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil in a large cast-iron or frying pan over medium heat. Add in the garlic, celery and fennel and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the apples, thyme, sage, salt and pepper and cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and pour in the caramelized onions.

Pour the contents of the pan into the bowl with the cubed bread and stir to combine. Add the vegetable broth and mix until the bread is evenly moist. Pour the entire mixture into a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) baking dish or medium-size Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the stuffing becomes golden brown on top and fragrant. Serve immediately, garnished with sage leaves.

To reheat, you can place the entire baking dish back into the oven covered in foil, removing the foil about halfway through cooking. Or if you have a microwave, feel free to use that. Leftovers will keep for 1 week in the fridge.

Recipe reprinted from Homestyle Vegan by Amber St. Peter with the permission of Page Street Publishing Co.

We have a copy of Homestyle Vegan for one lucky winner. Follow the instructions below to enter. U.S. residents only, please. Contest ends at midnight on November 22nd. Good luck!

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Apple Fennel Stuffing with Caramelized Onions from Homestyle Vegan appeared first on Chic Vegan.

The simplicity of a routine haircut always held the elusive promise of ‘a new me, an improved me, a more beautiful me’.

This month, at the age of 46, I’ve taken my shoulder length hair to a shaven buzz cut. This is a first for me – would it be for you?

Extreme behavior? I recon, just like with veganism, ‘extreme’ is an adverb commonly used by those who perceive a big change as being incomprehensible.

‘Extreme,’ to me, is simply a place ventured by those who are brave enough to challenge their long-held perceptions.

It’s taken me over 40 years to truly believe that while a great haircut can accentuate one’s outer beauty, it ends there. As now I place a higher value on beauty that comes from within.

My intention behind this bold shave was the intuitive feeling of opportunity.

As with veganism being outside of society’s norms, I’ve found extreme personal growth in standing up for someone or something else.

Owning my power in individuality of choice and lifestyle, I’ve learnt to embrace change and found freedom in questioning society’s ‘normal’ and ‘acceptable’.

As far as I’m concerned one need only look to our earth’s environmental degradation, appalling treatment of animals and our widespread lifestyle disease fatalities, to know that society’s norms are failing us.

Perhaps I might even touch someone else, by showing them that conventional beauty isn’t mandatory, not even at middle age!

Either way nothing is lost as I donated my hair to The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA).

That’s good enough for me, and that’s all the counts!

The post A shaven head and veganism – how they’re linked appeared first on Chic Vegan.