Does the thought of Christmas dinner bring back childhood memories of a roast and all the trimmings? Maybe it’s turkey, chicken, fish or goose, followed by a pudding, Christmas cake and mulled wine. Whatever your favorite Christmas menu may be or used to be, there are plenty of ways to make a delicious and animal-friendly meal too. By this we mean a menu for which no animals were exploited or slaughtered. By making conscious dietary choices, you can extend the joy of Christmas to all living things.
Here are some popular Christmas dishes made animal-friendly:
The centerpiece of many Christmas dinners is a hearty roast. But now, with so many delicious vegan options, there’s no need to make turkey, pig, chicken, cow or fish suffer for it. Try a plant-based alternative available in selected supermarkets or create a new plant-based dish yourself!
Or try a multi-national menu with, for example, an Italian starter, an Asian main course and a German dessert. In this way you give guests the opportunity to get to know plant-based foods and dishes cooked in different ways. The secret often lies in the spices and herbs used. By simply adding exotic spices or, for example, truffle oil, your side dishes will tell a whole new story. Another option would be a vegetable fondue made with white wine, yeast, vegetable broth, almond milk, miso paste, and tahini, and various vegetables or tofu can be dipped in it. We recommend rice for this.
There are many side dishes that are easy to prepare and taste good too. A colorful salad with raisins, grapes or sliced mangoes can be just as interesting as potato dumplings, a lentil dish with roasted nuts and seeds, fried onions and zucchini with mixed salsas and dips or homemade pretzels.
These dishes are among the Christmas menu favourites. And the good news is that they can all be made vegan by leaving out dairy, eggs and meat. Thanks to the little preparation time, these dishes not only delight the host, but also almost every taste of the guests. Soups and stews are generally appreciated by everyone. Any leftover soup can be used as a base for a pasta dish or risotto, and if you have leftover cooked vegetables you can use them in a plant-based scrambled egg, tart or curry.