Food Archives - For the Sake of Good Taste

April 11, 2019

Vegan Easter Recipes

Easter dinner is one of those meals that, in my experience, tends to be one that a family has its own special version of. A few more common dishes pop up time and again, but you can always personalise the meal to include your favourites. Vegan Easter recipes are no different!

Whether’s you’re whipping up a full vegan feast or are bringing a vegan dish to your family potluck, we’ve compiled some of our favourite vegan Easter recipes from across the web.

Be sure to check out our vegan Thanksgiving and Christmas round-ups, too–many of these meals would work for Easter dinner, too!

Simple Raw Zucchini Roll-Ups, Green Evi

This looks like such a fantastic appetizer for Easter dinner! You could even make these to enjoy while waiting for the main meal to be ready–get your veggies in without spoiling your appetite!

Lemon Pepper Cauliflower Steaks, My Darling Vegan

Cauliflower steaks are one of my all-time favourite vegan foods, and this recipe sounds especially delicious!

1-Hour Vegan Pot Pies, Minimalist Baker

Growing up in Pennsylvania Dutch country, I ate a lot of pot pie, both this sort, which is in pie form, and the type that’s more of a soup. Both were long-time favourites and, luckily, both can be easily made vegan!

Fresh Tomato Risotto with Grilled Greens, Lauren Caris Cooks

More veggies? Yes, please! This tomato veggie is super customizable and sounds like the perfect option for an Easter dinner.

Asparagus and Cashew Cream Tart, My Darling Vegan

I really enjoy asparagus, and this is such a unique way to use it!

Herb-Roasted Tri-Colored Carrots, Averie Cooks

When it comes to potatoes and carrots, I’ve always particularly loved recipes that utilise an assortment of colours and varieties. These carrots do so beautifully!

Vegan Egg Salad, VegAnnie

Looking for a simple addition to your Easter meal? Ths vegan egg salad is bound to be a hit!

Super Spring Salad, Gathering Dreams

Like its name suggests, this salad absolutely encompasses springtime!

The Incredible Vegan Frittata, An Ode to Mung Beans

Who needs eggs?

Gluten-Free Bunny Soft Pretzels, Fork and Beans

I love a good soft pretzel and you can’t get more Easter-themed than a bunny!

Lemon Olive Oil Cake, Culinary Hill

A lot of the recipes on this list are new to me, but this one is a long-time favourite! This cake is the perfect balance of the refreshing acid of lemon and the sweetness of the glaze. It’s relatively simple to make and absolutely delicious!

Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake, Gimme Some Oven

I can hardly believe it, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually tried carrot cake! I’m on a mission to do so now. I love that this recipe is gluten-free, too!

Vegan Elderflower Cake with Lemon Curd & White Chocolate Frosting, Wallflower Kitchen

This cake looks absolutely beautiful, and it most definitely has an Easter sort of feeling to it.

Vegan Carrot Cake Truffles, Cinnamon & Coriander

More carrot cake, but this time in the form of a delicious truffle!

“Egg Yolk” Peach Custard Tarts, Nerdy Mamma

No egg here! But how cute are these tarts? So festive!

Dark Chocolate Beetroot Cake With Chocolate Ganache Frosting, Quite Good Food

Bunnies. Beets. Baskets. Easter’s as good an excuse as any for Office references, right? Beetroot cake might not be the sort of wording that will slip in undetected when your less accepting family members ask about it, but we’d bet a taste could change their mind!

Vegan Easter Lemon Cupcakes, Wallflower Kitchen

These cupcakes set out to be specifically Easter-y and they certainly succeed!

Fruity Egg Baskets, Elephantastic Vegan

How adorable are these? They’re similar to the tarts above, but use apricots instead of peaches, and have only three ingredients–quick, easy, and oh-so-cute!

Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Nest Cookies, JoyFoodSunshine

I recently developed a peanut allergy (and I’m devastated!), but I’m sure I could substitute an alternative nut better to try out these adorable cookies!

What vegan Easter recipes will you be testing out for this year’s dinner?

April 4, 2019

Vegan Easter Candy

Easter’s always held a strangely special place in my heart, and I’m lucky enough that my wonderful Mom will still throw together a basket for her grown adult daughter. Of course, it’s a bit more difficult to find candy to add to this basket (there’s got to be some sort of candy in an Easter basket!) when the recipient is vegan, especially if you want to go beyond the “normal” vegan candy options. With that in mind, I’ve thrown together some of the best options for vegan Easter candy–go forth and fill some eggs!

Some of these are Easter-y versions of treats you can enjoy year-round and a few are only offered seasonally. And, in addition to some favourite products, I’ve included a few brands in the lineup with an array of vegan Easter candy offerings!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure for more information!

Mini Easter Airheads Bars*

Airheads are a favourite of mind year-round and have been since childhood. You don’t need to be vegan to enjoy these, of course, and it doesn’t need to be Easter. But who doesn’t love an extra excuse to enjoy them?

Moo Free Chocolates

This brand was my go-to while I was living in the UK and I only recently learnt that it’s also available in select spots here in the States. I haven’t been able to pick any up for myself just yet, but I couldn’t be happier to have the possibility on the horizon!

Moo Free makes some Easter-themed chocolates, plus they have some “normal” goodies you can enjoy year-round. I’m especially fond of the Mini Moos (particularly the bunnycomb–yum!!). While I haven’t tried the Easter treats myself, the new sea salt & caramel egg sounds amazing!

Sea Salt & Caramel Egg

Rosie Rabbit Bar

Mini Moos Bunnycomb

Lindt Gold Bunny*

The dark chocolate version of this classic gilded Easter goodie is vegan-friendly!

Enjoy Life Foods

This brand is fantastic when it comes to being inclusive of various dietary concerns, and their vegan selections are no different! Their rice milk chocolate bar is a personal favourite, but be sure to check out their cookies, chips, and other delicious snacks for some great Easter basket additions.

Jolly Rancher Easter Jelly Beans*

Jelly beans are an Easter must-have! Gelatin sneaks into most brands, I’ve found, but not Jolly Ranchers’s.

Alexander Chocolate

I haven’t gotten to try these specialty chocolates by Alexander Seaton for myself as of this writing, but I’ve gotten to know his company pretty well as of late–we have an interview with him coming soon here on the blog! His business is relatively new, but his mission and product ideas are amazing. I’m so excited to have the chance to help spread the word!

His rose chocolate bar is the perfect springtime complement to an Easter basket, and the white chocolate option is uniquely perfect for any vegan!

Rose Chocolate Bar

Odelia White Chocolate Bar

Vegan Collection

Galerie Candy Speckled Eggs

I’m not sure if these are available this season, but they appeared on several lists of vegan Easter candy I came across, so I’ve included them for good measure! I’ll leave an update if I come across anything more.

Surf Sweets

Can you believe I’ve been vegan for more than half a decade now and still haven’t tried Surf Sweets? These candies get rave reviews, and they even have adorable bunny lollipops!

Sour Patch Bunnies*

Sure, regular everyday sour patch kids are vegan-friendly too, but the bunnies are extra cute and Easter-y!

Annie’s Organic Fruit Snacks*

I have a love-hate relationship with Annie’s brand, mostly because my brain falsely assumes far more of their products are vegan than actually are. But what’s more seasonal than some vegan fruit-flavoured bunnies?

What are your favourite vegan Easter candies? Will any of these make it into your basket this year? Or do you have a go-to that we missed? Let us know in the comments!

March 28, 2019

Vegan Treats: A Vegan Bakery Review

A few months ago, I found out that there’s a vegan bakery not too incredibly far from my parents’ house. In fact, it’s just a few blocks from one of the branches my mom visits fairly regularly as part of her job as a banking executive! Vegan Treats is a small shop, and easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, but it’s definitely worth the effort!

I’ve had the opportunity to try a few different vegan treats from Vegan Treats, but my favourite is definitely the donuts. I missed eating donuts that I haven’t haphazardly fried up with some accidentally vegan dough. I’ve got many fond memories of visiting Dunkin’ with my family growing up and I’ve longed for that sort of nostalgic goodie.

The first time we stepped inside, I was blown away. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit a few all-vegan spots now, but this was the first time that there was this much variety front-and-center, and not just on a menu. I’ve been to many regular bakeries and for the first time, I didn’t have to examine everything hoping to find the one (typically disappointing) vegan option.

I’d been particularly reminiscing over Boston cream donuts in the weeks prior to that first visit, so naturally I had to try their version. It wasn’t exactly like the version I remembered, but it was absolutely delicious nevertheless, and satisfied that craving perfectly.

I got to try a cannoli, too, another treat that I’d been dying to try veganised. Neither the cannoli itself nor the powder sugar it was coated in disappointed!

My mom and sister came along on this trip and each got a goodie of their own: a filled pumpkin donut and a personal chocolate cake!

It was right around Halloween, too, so the festive, spooky decorations were a great bonus!

I got to finish off Mom’s donut (she says they’re too rich for her, even on a cheat day–I suspect she might just know they make me happy) and try a few bites of Rachel’s cake. I’m happy to report that they were both absolutely delicious!

Now, these are rather rich, and very sweet, especially if you don’t indulge in these sorts of goodies very often. Personally, I don’t find either of these qualities to be a detriment–it just helps me to savour them even more!

As I said, the bakery isn’t far from one of Mom’s branches, so I’ve had the chance to try a few more goodies. Mom brought home an assortment of donuts on another trip!

She picked out the sprinkled donut especially for me as I’d said a few times that that was the next one I needed to try–I missed the rainbow sprinkles of childhood donuts! She ate the coconut one herself (I’m not much of a coconut fan myself), but I got to try the chocolate, too (and a few bites of the pumpkin again–she’d liked it so much the first time that she got it again!). As expected, all three were absolutely delicious.

Most recently, she surprised me with a whole spread of vegan treats. Not only did she bring another box of donuts, but she brought this adorable Easter-y cake, too! His wing got a bit knocked off in travel, but he was delicious (and adorable) nevertheless. He was gluten-free, too, which made it even better!

The donuts included another sprinkled and chocolate, a jelly-filled, and a s’mores. For me, the highlight was hands-down the jelly! I didn’t realise just how much I’d missed jelly donuts, nor just how long it had been since I’d had one. The jelly was smoother than those I remember, but so good–the raspberry and powdered sugar combination was as wonderful as I remembered!

I can’t wait to try even more of these delicious Vegan Treats! They have some gorgeous soft-serve that’s high on my list, plus a “chicken” and waffles concoction that looks absolutely mouth-watering.

Of course, I’ll keep you updated as I try more goodies from Vegan Treats! If you’re ever in the Bethlehem area, be sure to stop by and check it out for yourself.

December 21, 2018

Holiday Cocktails (and Mocktails!) Roundup (Blogmas 2018, Day Twenty-One)

Admittedly, I’ll take just about any excuse to try some new cocktails. But, Christmas and the rest of the holiday season is a pretty great excuse! While I haven’t tried most of these just yet, I’ve done enough digging to know that these holiday cocktails sound absolutely amazing! Plus, they’re all either vegan or easily substituted to be. And there are a few mocktails thrown in, too, or you could always make some substitutions to make them alcohol-free!

With lots of cranberries, peppermint, and other Christmas-y flavours, these holiday cocktails are perfect for a party, dinner, or other festive gatherings!

Jingle Juice Holiday Punch, Inspired by Charm

Despite only using a few ingredients, this Jingle Juice recipe looks delicious!

The Poinsettia, WeddingWire

Another super simple drink with just a few ingredients!

Mistletoe Cocktail, This Lil Piglet

Just substitute the honey with agave (or similar sweetener of choice) to make it vegan!

Berry Merry Christmas Cocktail, I’m Bored, Let’s Go

Berries, generally, might not be the first flavour to come to mind when I think “Christmas,” but this Berry Merry cocktail seems perfect!

Apple Pie on the Rocks, Vegan Yack Attack

It’s hard to go wrong with apple pie, but making it into a cocktail might just be the best idea yet.

Santa’s Hat Christmas Cocktail, The Kitchen is My Playground

I’ve never been a huge fan of coconut, but the adorable rim on Santa’s hat may be able to change this!

The Grinch, BoozeHouse

This proves it: Mr. Grinch is anything but a mean one. Or, he certainly fits well with Christmas when this cocktail is concerned.

Happy Elf, MyRecipes

The description for this post puts it perfectly:

“Why should Santa be the only one who gets a treat on Christmas Eve? He can have the milk and cookies; we want to share this colorful cocktails with his favorite toy makers.”

Those elves work hard all year round to make toys–they deserve a drink!

Spicy Gingerman, Single Minded Women

Ginger beer is a personal favourite of mine, so this drink sounds especially yummy.

The Red Queen, Supergolden Bakes

This is based on Alice in Wonderland, but my brain immediately went to the Tudors and Phillippa Gregory’s series. Either way, this seems oh-so-festive!

Pomegranate Rosemary Spritzer, A House in the Hills

Prosecco is one of my all-time favourite things, and while I haven’t had pomegranate in ages, I love the flavour. Rosemary sounds like the perfect complement!

Santa Claus-mopolitan, Blue Ribbon Kitchen

This one gets bonus points for that fantastic pun!

Winter Bourbon Smash, Minimalist Baker

I’m not sure that I’ve ever tried bourbon, but this seems like an excellent recipe to test it out.

Mulled Wine, Gimme Some Oven

You can’t get much more festive than mulled wine!

Holiday Mule, Home Sweet Jones

This festive mule is garnished with a gorgeous sugared cranberry to make it both delicious and beautiful!

Winter Sangria (currently unavailable as of 3/3/19), Baked New England

Sangria is always a good idea, whatever the occasion (or lack thereof).

Mulled Pomegranate Cider, The View from Great Island

Another delicious pomegranate concoction and this one is alcohol-free by default! The recipe comes with some great tips for going alcohol-free, too.

Will you be trying any holiday cocktails or mocktails this season?

December 15, 2018

Vegan Christmas Cookies Roundup (Blogmas 2018, Day Fifteen)

It wouldn’t be Christmas without the cookies! Luckily, there are countless recipes for vegan Christmas cookies out there.

Every year, my mom, sister, and I host a baking day with our grandmother. With two relatively normal eaters (though, I’d hesitate to attach “normal” to anyone in my family!), a keto person, and a vegan, it’s definitely a challenge to find cookies that everyone (or most, at the very least!) will love. With this list on hand, though, I’m confident I’ll be able to impress everyone with some vegan Christmas cookies at this year’s baking day!

Be sure to check out our vegan Christmas recipes from earlier this Blogmas, too!

Vegan Snowball Cookies, The Pretty Bee

These look so good! The powdered sugar “snow” is the perfect touch.

Perfect Vegan Sugar Cookies, It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken

Is it even Christmas without some holiday-shaped sugar cookies? It’s not an issue with this recipe on hand!

Vegan Eggnog Thumbprint Cookies, My Darling Vegan

These look and sound amazing. Vegan “cheesecake” anything is really the way to my heart.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies, Fork and Beans

I sometimes explain veganism to my family by saying simply, “If it came from something that had a face, I can’t eat it.” This is one of the rare exceptions! To quote Cara, ” I placed those pretzel antlers, allergen friendly candy noses, and googly eyes on these cuties and as they looked back at me with happiness, I melted with love and pride. ” I’m not sure my heart can handle this level of cute!

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies, Pickles & Honey

Another classic Christmas cookie made vegan!

Chocolate Candy Cane Sandwich Cookies, Hot for Food

I happen to love both candy canes and chocolate, so this is most definitely a win!

Nutcracker Cookies, Oh She Glows

These unique vegan Christmas cookies sound delicious, and Angela’s story about her grandfather–another “tough cookie” absolutely warmed my heart.

Vegan Hot Cocoa Crinkle Cookies, Le Petit Chef

There are few things more perfect for this time of year than hot chocolate! These cookies look like the perfect way to amp it up–maybe even dipping the cookies into your cocoa? Go for it, it’s Christmas.

Snowman Cookie Pops, Petite Allergy Treats

These adorable snowmen are not just gluten-free and vegan, but they’re free of the top eight food allergens, too! Plus . . . just look at them! They’re too cute to not make and then almost regret eating.

Vegan Danish Butter Cookies, Wallflower Kitchen

I grew up loving Danish butter cookies (my mom probably still has the little blue tins lying around somewhere!), but haven’t had them since going vegan, for obvious reasons. These look like they’ll be an excellent substitute!

Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies, My Darling Vegan

Chocolate and peppermint is one of my favourite Christmas-y flavours and these cookies look like a delicious rendition of that combination!

Vegan Lemon Cookies with Chia, Vegan Richa

Little-known fact about me: there’s a bakery in Frederick, MD, Cakes to Die For, which makes the absolute best lemon cookies I’ve ever tasted. They’re probably my favourite cookies of all-time (or, at least a very close second to the cinnamon-pumpkin cookies one of my best friends makes!). These lemon cookies are very different, but the idea of another delicious lemon cookie is enough to convince me!

Cinnamon Roll Cookies, Go Dairy Free

Cinnamon rolls are my go-to breakfast on Christmas mornings. These cookies will make them even more festive!

Vegan Double-Chocolate Cookies, The Spruce Eats

Chocolate might be a great idea any time of year, but something tells me Santa wouldn’t mind these being left out for him on Christmas Eve!

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies, My Darling Vegan

Red velvet has always seemed like the ultimate Christmas flavour to me, mostly due to its colour. So, these red velvet crinkle cookies are perfect! They even look like they could be dusted with snow.

Zesty Coconut Macaroons with Cranberries and Pistachios, Vegan Richa

I’m not much of a coconut fan, but this combination sounds amazing!

Chocolate Biscoff Pinwheel Cookies, Vegan Yack Attack

To take inspiration from Joey Tribbiani . . . Chocolate? Good. Biscoff? Good. Pinwheel Cookies? Good.

Amaretto Snowballs, Pure Ella

Amaretto is such a wonderful flavour and I have no doubt these snowball cookies are fantastic!

Vegan Gingerbread Biscotti, Vegan Richa

When I was significantly younger, I fell in love with storebought biscotti. Of course, it’s a lot harder to find vegan-friendly sorts when you happen to be at the local grocery store. These look delicious and totally something you can make at home!

Do you have a favourite kind of vegan Christmas cookies? Have you tried any of these? Let us know in the comments!

December 11, 2018

Vegan Christmas Recipe Roundup (Blogmas 2018, Day Eleven)

In my experience, Christmas dinner is a lot less set-in-stone in terms of the menu than its Thanksgiving equivalent. Still, there are quite a few foods that just scream “Christmas!” With that in mind, I’ve compiled some of the best vegan Christmas recipes I could find.

Some of our vegan Thanksgiving recipes could work for Christmas, too!

I haven’t tried them all for myself (yet!), but I’ve included recipes from reputable sources and with great reviews.

Cranberry & Thyme Vegan Cheese Ball, It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken

I’ve had the worst luck, personally, with using cashews in “cheesy” recipes, but this cheese ball sounds absolutely amazing! I’ve yet to find one of Sam’s recipes that I didn’t love, though, so I’ll have to give this one a try one of these days.

Vegan Candy Cane Meringue Kisses, Wallflower Kitchen

Not only do these sound delicious, but they’re adorable, too!

Holiday Stuffed Squash, My Goodness Kitchen

This looks so incredibly festive! I’ve eaten remarkably few squash dishes over the years, but this one seems ideal for Christmastime.

The Ultimate Vegan Yorkshire Puddings, HuffPost UK

Kala namak is frighteningly accurate when it comes to egg dishes, so I have no doubt that these Yorkshire puddings would be impressively close to the original–without the guilt!

Gingerbread Spice Vegan Pancakes, Wonky Wonderful

How amazing would these be for breakfast on Christmas morning?

Homemade Ferrero Rocher, Lazy Cat Kitchen

I used to love Ferrero Rocher! These sound like an excellent vegan alternative. They’d make a lovely gift, too!

Vegan Christmas Wreath, BBC Good Food

I’m really picky with tofu recipes, but this sounds delicious! Really, wrapping anything in dough will make it good, right?

Christmas Tofu Roast with Cornbread Crumble & Roasted “Punched” Potatoes; Cocoon Cooks

Again, I’m painfully picky when it comes to tofu. But this roast looks so good that it’s another one I think I’ll need to try!

Simple Vegan Rose-Flavoured Turkish Delight, Yumsome

Turkish delight is delicious in general, but rose-flavoured Turkish delight? Yes, please! If you’ve been around the blog a while, you’ll know–I love all things rose.

Mushroom, Lentil, and Nut Wellington, Tinned Tomatoes

Another case of dough approving everything? I’m not always a fan of mushrooms, but lentils and nuts are go-tos.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Fudge, Simple Vegan Blog

I’m a fan of all things pumpkin, but especially from about October to January. This pumpkin pie fudge sounds amazing!

Stuffed Seitan Roast with Quinoa Stuffing, Vegan Yack Attack

Needless to say, you won’t be stumped for main dishes for your vegan holiday dinner!

Vegan Gluten-Free Black Forest Trifle, The Foodie Dietitian Blog

Avocado is yet another thing that can make anything and everything better! I’ve only had it in dessert form a few times, but this trifle looks like another wonderful example.

Homemade Candied Citrus Peels, The Cookie Writer

I’ve actually never had a candied citrus peel, but these sound so Christmas-y!

Chocolate Cranberry Christmas Mini Cakes, Nirvana Cakery

How beautiful are these mini cakes? They’d add a beautiful touch to any Christmas spread.

Christmas Wreath Rolls, Holy Cow!

These are festive and adorably festive. Plus, it’s rare I say no to some delicious-looking carbs!

Vegan Peppermint Bark, Food Faith Fitness

Peppermint bark was another childhood favourite, so this vegan version sounds wonderful!

Vegan Banana Eggnog Pancakes, Hello Veggie

I’ve never thought to combine banana and eggnog flavours, but now that it’s in my head? This sounds amazing!

Vegan Christmas Tempeh Ham, The Pea Basket

This one I’ve actually tried! This tempeh “ham” is my favourite recipe for Easter, so it would certainly be just as good for Christmas.

The Easiest Gluten Free & Vegan Fruit Cake, Southern in Law

Can you believe that in 23 years of life, I’ve never had fruitcake? This looks like a great recipe to try for my first time, and it also has no added sugar!

Vegan Holiday Burger, I Love Vegan

I have never before heard the adjective holiday used with a burger, but I’m absolutely intrigued by the concept! The recipe itself sounds amazing, too.

Vegan Cranberry Orange Scones, The Mostly Vegan

Cranberry just screams the holiday season to me, and orange is the perfect complement. These scones sound perfect for Christmas morning!

Vegan Gingerbread Bundt Cake, My Darling Vegan

This cake is made with a “spiced eggnog glaze” which might just be the single most delicious-sounding ingredient to ever exist.

Vegan Christmas Salad, Simple Vegan Blog

When I saw the title of this recipe, I said, out loud, “Yum!” When I saw the photos, I said it again, but louder! The combination of ingredients in this salad is absolutely spot-on.

The Ultimate Vegan Christmas Pudding, A Virtual Vegan

Well, if it’s the ultimate pudding, it must be good! Looking at this recipe, it really does sound fantastic!

Spiced and Sugared Cranberries, Olives for Dinner

I’ve said it previously–cranberries are the perfect holiday ingredient! These look like a delicious way to include them in your celebrations.

Have you tried any of these vegan Christmas recipes? Let us know your favourites in the comments!

November 15, 2018

Vegan Thanksgiving

Being on my fifth year of veganism, I’ve had quite a few vegan Thanksgivings. I’ve tried an assortment of “turkeys,” sides, and desserts to find what have become some of my favourite pieces for a vegan Thanksgiving!

“It’s a vegan Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown!”

Disclaimer: I haven’t actually tried all of these myself (yet!), but any I haven’t made come from either a source I know and love or from one with fantastic reviews.

Main dishes

Tofurky Roast

Tofurky is probably the most easily recognised (and most frequently laughed at) of the vegan Thanksgiving options out there. That being said, you can’t beat the convenience it offers! Check out their original roast, roast and gravy, or their holiday feast!

Check out How to Cook a Tofurky Roast from I Love Vegan to try Brittany and William’s take on this classic vegan Thanksgiving dish.

Cauliflower Roast

If you’re avoiding fake meats or don’t like Tofurky, a cauliflower roast can be an amazing alternative! I make this regularly myself using my Dijon-roasted Cauliflower recipe.

Want something even more natural? Try this Whole Roasted Cauliflower from Kara Carrero – just substitute your favourite vegan butter!

Side dishes

Glazed carrots

Carrots have always been one of my favourite veggies, so they’re a must-have at the Thanksgiving table for me! A tasty glaze just makes them all the better, especially when it includes yummy autumnal spices like cinnamon!

Check out my roasted cinnamon spice carrots, inspired by McCormick’s Slow Cooker Cinnamon Sugar Glazed Carrots.

Vegan green bean casserole

Is it even Thanksgiving if someone doesn’t make a green bean casserole? Well, yes, but I’m a fan nevertheless! My aunt brought one to a family dinner years ago, so this was a top choice to make vegan.

I’ve pushed it off making a version of my own for far too long (hopefully this year!), but PETA’s version looks wonderful. I also came across these unique variations from Campbell’s and I’d definitely like to test out some of these flavours, too!

Cranberry sauce

It took me much longer to become a cranberry sauce fan than it should have. Not the canned, gelatinous sort, but fresh, homemade cranberry sauce? Yum! Try our easy family recipe.

Mashed potatoes

You just can’t go wrong with mashed potatoes! You can add all sorts of mix-ins if you’d like, or even sub in some cauliflower for an extra dose of vegetables! I’ve found countless instant potatoes that are accidentally vegan, too, if you’re not up to making your own.

This one is common enough that it’s probably already in your arsenal. But, if not, try this recipe from Forks Over Knives!

Stuffing (Dressing)

Another must-have at the Thanksgiving table! My mom veganized her personal stuffing recipe for me when I first made the switch and it’s one of my favourite holiday foods now.

Technically, this is a dressing, as it’s cooked outside of a turkey, for obvious reasons (read more about the technical difference here!). But, the terms also seem to be used interchangeably based on geographic location, so I’m making the executive decision to use them as such here.

Want in on the family secret? Check out our vegan stuffing/dressing recipe!

Gravy

This is another Thanksgiving staple that my mom was kind enough to veganize for me. Try her recipe or this one from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

Candied sweet potatoes

It’s nearly impossible to find vegan marshmallows in our area, but they’re delicious without them, too! And when I splurge and order some? Yum! Here’s how we make ours.

Dinner rolls

Believe it or not, plenty of the refrigerated biscuit (the US version, of course!) and rolls you’ve known and loved are accidentally vegan. Check the labels at your local grocery store or make your own with this simple dinner roll recipe from Minimalist Baker.

Crescent rolls

Like dinner rolls, you’ll likely find pre-made crescent rolls that are accidentally vegan! Want to make your own? Check out this recipe from Go Dairy Free.

Cornbread

Another personal favourite! Cornbread recipe? Of course! Sam’s is the “Easiest (and most delicious) vegan cornbread” and I have no doubt she’s correct!

Desserts

Pumpkin pie

Possibly the most festive of the Thanksgiving desserts!

Sam from It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken has a fantastic pumpkin pie recipe.

Apple pie

They say you can’t get more American than an apple pie. I might only claim to be a part-time American, but I can still appreciate the pie! I lived in apple country for long enough to be a fan.

Try this Healthy Apple Pie from Chocolate Covered Katie.

Pecan pie

Believe it or not, I’ve never actually tried pecan pie! But, I’ve heard great things, so I may have to sometime soon.

I’m thinking of trying this recipe from That’s So Vegan, which has stellar reviews!

A la mode

Want your pie a la mode? You’ll need some vanilla nice cream!

Try this vegan (and paleo!) vanilla ice cream from Prepare + Nourish.

Pumpkin nice cream

Want to use your nice cream to squeeze in some more festivity? Pumpkin nice cream fits the bill!

Try this vegan pumpkin ice cream from Loving It Vegan!

Pumpkin roll

Pie’s not your thing? Pumpkin roll is a classic for good reason!

Try this recipe from the Spoon + Shovel.

Are you celebrating a vegan Thanksgiving this year? What dishes are you most looking forward to?

November 15, 2018

Vegan Stuffing (Dressing)

From stovetop stuffing to the holiday classic, stuffing, or dressing, is a Thanksgiving must-have. Of course, a vegan stuffing/dressing is equally critical to a vegan Thanksgiving table.

Click here to go straight to the recipe!

This dish goes by many names, but, whatever you call it, you’re bound to recognise it. From what I’ve found, this would technically be a dressing because it’s not stuffed in anything. But, as I’ve grown up calling it stuffing, I’m keeping the term in general.

My mom veganized her personal stuffing recipe for me for the first time a few years back. Since then, it’s quickly become one of the highlights of my Thanksgiving each year! Drizzled with vegan gravy, spread on a post-Thanksgiving leftover sandwich, or standing on its own, vegan stuffing is an easy, delicious addition to any holiday spread!

We use this almost exclusively for Thanksgiving, and occasionally for Christmas or Easter, too. That being said, there’s no reason you couldn’t use this any other time of the year!

This vegan stuffing/dressing is filled with lots of bread, spices, and general happiness. Yum? Yum.

Stuffing, dressing, filling, or whatever else you may call it, you’re bound to enjoy this one.

Vegan Stuffing/Dressing

Ingredients

1 bag Stuffing Bread Cubes
2 stalks Celery chopped
1 Onion medium, chopped
2 cups Vegetable Broth
2 tsp Poultry Seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 Potatoes Large

Instructions

Saute Onion and Celery until lightly brown.
Peel and dice potato and boil until softened - mash (you can add vegan-friendly butter and almond milk as well if desired)
In a large bowl, combine stuffing cubes, mashed potatoes, onions, celery, broth and seasoning. Mix until well combined.
Add to a large casserole dish and bake - covered a 350 degrees for one hour

Will our vegan stuffing make an appearance at your Thanksgiving table this year? Let us know what you think of the finished product!

November 15, 2018

Easy Vegan Gravy

No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without some sort of gravy. All those carbs need to soak up something! That being said, gravy was one of the things I most wanted to veganize when I first became vegan. So, mom and I worked together to create this easy vegan gravy.

Click here to go straight to the recipe!

Beyond a vegan Thanksgiving, this gravy is definitely versatile. Gravy bread and gravy fries were both favourite treats growing up, so this has made the list for vegan versions of both. You can use it for your favourite “fake meats” or over some mashed potatoes. Find another creative use for it? Let us know in the comments!

At Thanksgiving, through the holidays, or any other time of year, this gravy is a great touch to whatever meal. You can mix it up by adding in different spices or types of broth, too! I found some accidentally vegan “chicken” and “beef” broth bases at the grocery store a few months back and they made for even more fantastic variations. You could even cook it with some vegetables (mushrooms come to mind) for an even heartier take.

However you make it, we’d love to hear how you’ve made our vegan gravy your own!

Easy Vegan Gravy

Ingredients

2 cups Vegetable Broth
Vegan Poultry Seasoning to taste
tbsp Soy Sauce
salt to taste
pepper to taste
cornstarch as needed, to thicken

Instructions

Combine all (except cornstarch) in a saucepan and heat just until bubbling.
Add cornstarch/water to gravy to thicken to desired consistency

Are you trying out our easy vegan gravy this holiday season? Make sure you let us know what you thought!

November 15, 2018

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

I was never really a fan of cranberry sauce when growing up. Besides just being a picky kid, I always pictured the gelatinous canned kind. That was hardly appealing! But, when I discovered homemade cranberry sauce, I was hooked.

Click here to go straight to the recipe!

Ever since then, I’ve demanded (okay, maybe I asked rather nicely) we have homemade cranberry sauce alongside the jelly kind, if not as the main event (well, the main event in terms of cranberry sauce).

This yummy cranberry sauce is a billion times better than the canned version (in my clearly unbiased opinion). And, with a bit of care in choosing your ingredients, it’s accidentally vegan, too!

Orange is a perfect flavour complement to the tangy cranberries. Together, they’re the perfect accent to a heavy Thanksgiving dinner! And, though I associate this with Thanksgiving and the holiday season at large, you could make this any time of year, really.

Try it and let us know what you think!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

24 oz Whole Cranberries Fresh
16 oz Orange Marmalade
1 cup water
3/4 cup Sugar or Sugar Substitute
2 tsp Cinnamon

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a saucepan and heat on high - stirring frequently for 15 minutes
Once cranberries start to pop, reduce heat and cook for another 15 minutes
Remove from heat, let cool and refrigerate until time to serve