Vegan Holiday meal

I cooked something different this time. Just browsing Oh She Glows website, I found these interesting recipes that adapted a little bit.

Tri-color salad with cranberries

Ingredients:

1 bunch Lacinato/dinosaur kale
1 radicchio
1 Napa Cabbage

For the dressing:

2 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 handful dried cranberries for garnish

Directions:

Wash well all three veggies and discard the stems. Cut them finely. Set in a salad container mixing all them well.

Finely chop garlic and mix with the rest of the ingredients and pour over the salad.

Tri-color salad

Dressing

Lentil walnut mushroom balls with cranberry-orange sauce

Ingredients:

For the lentils balls:

1/2 cup uncooked green lentils
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping cups finely chopped cremini mushrooms
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats, ground into a coarse flour
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Add 2 tablespoons ground flax + 3 tablespoons water for better binding

For the cranberry sauce:

1 package frozen cranberries (10 oz)
1/3 cup coconut sugar
juice of one orange
orange zest for garnish

Directions:

Wash lentils well and cook in water simmering for about 20 minutes, uncovered, adding more water if the lentils dry out.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 325 F. Toast the chopped walnuts for 9-12 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. After toasting, increase oven temp to 350 F.

Once the lentils are tender, remove from heat and mash with a potato masher until it's a coarse paste with some lentil pieces still intact. Set aside.

In a very large skillet or wok, add the oil along with the finely chopped mushrooms and garlic.

Saute over medium-high heat for about 7-9 minutes, until most of the water cooks off. Remove from heat and stir in the mashed lentils when ready.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flax and water. Stir for 10 seconds and then immediately pour into the skillet mixture. Stir to combine.

Now stir in the 1/2 cup oat flour until combined. Season with pepper to taste. The mixture should be fairly moist and sticky. If it's way too sticky, add a bit more oat flour. If it's dry, add another tbsp of water.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape lentil mixture into balls and pack tightly with your hands so they hold together. Place on baking sheet an inch or so apart. Repeat for the rest. If the mixture is too hot to handle, let it cool for a bit first and then proceed.

Bake the lentil balls at 350 F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, gently flip over, and bake for another 11-13 minutes, until golden and firm on the exterior.

For the cranberry sauce:

In a saucepan, add water and sugar and heat in medium until sugar dissolves. Add frozen cranberries and bring to a low-boil. Stir frequently. Add orange juice keeping in low-boil for about 10 minutes or wait until the sauce thickens after most cranberries burst.

Garnish with orange zest.

Lentil balls

Cranberry-orange sauce

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Avocado Garlic Aioli

For the potatoes:

4 Russet potatoes

2 TB extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced (optional)

For the avocado garlic aioli:

1 large avocado, halved and pitted

4-5 large garlic cloves (depending on your taste)

1/2 TB fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup homemade vegan mayonnaise (or store bought)

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add potatoes without peeling them into a large pot and cover with water. Place on stove top and turn heat to high. When the water starts to boil, reduce heat slightly, and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until tender.

Meanwhile, prepare the avocado aioli. Add garlic into food processor and process until minced. Now add the rest of the aioli ingredients and process until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add pepper to taste.

When potatoes are fork tender, drain in a colander and cool for 10 minutes or so. Preheat oven to 450 F.

Place potatoes on a large lightly greased baking sheet. With the base of a mug or measuring cup, smash or press down on each potato until it's mostly flattened. Some potatoes might break apart a little, but this is totally fine.

Drizzle each potato with about 1 teaspoon of oil and sprinkle on a generous amount of pepper.

Roast potatoes in the oven for 25-30 minutes until crispy, golden, and browned on the bottom keeping an eye on them as cook time will vary.

If using parsley, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and pepper. Serve immediately with avocado aioli.

They will be delicious!