How to Plan a Vegetarian Christmas Feast

Whether you're a vegetarian, you've got vegetarian friends coming to dinner, or you just want to try something different, here's how to create a memorable vegetarian Christmas menu.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Holiday Cookbooks
• Vegetarian Cookbooks
• Cooking Magazines

1. Determine whether any of your guests are vegan. Vegans do not eat any animal products, including dairy.

2. Focus on the seasonality of fruits and vegetables. You'll want to use the freshest ingredients.

3. Research popular vegetarian cookbooks, magazines and Web sites for ideas and inspiration.

4. Locate a few traditional, favorite recipes. Substitute vegetables for any animal products. Use substantial vegetables, such as mushrooms and winter squash, as substitutes.

5. Choose one or two vegetarian main courses. You'll use these as the focus of your menu. Branch out from there.

6. Choose two or three side dishes and a few appetizers to complement your main dishes. Try to make your dishes balance well: Don't begin with yam soup and follow with fried pumpkin slices. Perhaps try a nice endive salad instead.

7. Choose one or two dessert options. It's advisable to prepare one nondairy dessert, if possible, just in case vegans arrive.

8. Make a shopping list that includes all necessary ingredients and equipment for your menu.

9. Prepare all you can in advance. Prepare the remainder the day of your feast.

Tips & Warnings

• Some seasonal winter produce includes: kale, watercress, cabbage, Belgian endive, sprouts, root vegetables (turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, celery root), potatoes, oranges, tangerines and grapefruits.
• Dried beans and dried fruits are wonderful to use in holiday vegetarian cooking as well.

on 11/22/2005 Plenty of recipes can be "veganized" by using vegan substitutes of ingredients, like soy milk for milk, vegetable margarine for butter, vegetable shortening for lard, or soy cheese for cheese. Please remember that animal products include honey, gelatin, marshmallows, some soy cheeses, some meat imitations, and some white sugar.

on 11/22/2005 If you are going to be cooking for a vegetarian, make sure you ask them if they have any allergies. Lots of vegetarian substitute recipes use nuts, tomatoes or mushrooms and allergies to these foods are very common! Also, speaking as a vegetarian, although we always appreciate any extra effort our carnivorous friends may go to for us, we get sooo sick of cheese! The average vegetarian is likely to know more about food than the average carnivore, simply because we have to spend more time thinking about it (no offense intended), so just talk to your intended vegetarian guest. And don't be frightened, it's really not that difficult!