My New Vegan Holiday e-Cookbook Plus 3 FREE Recipes! — Carol's Vegan Kitchen (2024)

Festive Nut Roast

Nut roast is meatloaf’s vegan cousin. The fun one that you always invited to your birthday party. It works very well as a turkey alternative being umami-loaded, rich, and very satisfying. Served with all the trimmings it holds its own as a holiday centerpiece. This is a great dish to make ahead of time as the flavors intensify overnight and the texture becomes firmer. I love serving it on a platter decorated with fresh rosemary sprigs and a scattering of cranberries which always gets a few ooh-ahhs.

• 2 tablespoons (13 g) of ground flax seed meal whisked with 1/3 cup (79 ml) of water
• 2 cups (150 g) of toasted breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons (42 g) of vegan butter
• 1 small yellow onion (1 cup), finely diced
• 1 small leek (1 cup), green top removed and sliced into thin half-moons
• 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, divided
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large carrot (1 cup) peeled and shredded
• 1 cup (90 g) of finely chopped cremini mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1 cup (245 g) of canned pumpkin puree
• 1 cup (200 g) of canned brown lentils, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup (150 g) of finely chopped vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts
• 1 cup (150 g) of finely chopped salted mixed nuts
• ¾ cup (98 g) of finely chopped dried sweetened cranberries (craisins)
• ¼ cup (25 g) of oat flour
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 177°C. Grease a standard size bread loaf pan 8½x4x2½ (22x11x6 cm) loaf pan and line the inside with a sheet of parchment paper so that the paper hangs over the long edges, creating handles.
2. Make the flax egg- Pour the water into a small bowl and energetically whisk in the flax seed meal until incorporated. Set aside to thicken for 15 minutes.
3. Toast the breadcrumbs- Spread the breadcrumbs evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and slide into the 350°F / 177°C oven. Toast for 10-12 minutes, until fragrant and crispy, stirring halfway through.
4. Sauté the aromatics- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Slide in the onions and leek and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 7-10 minutes until very soft but not brown, lowering the heat to medium if needed. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant 1 minute more.
5. Sauté the veggies and herbs- Scoop in the carrots, mushrooms, fresh rosemary, and sage into the pan. Sprinkle with the other teaspoon of salt, black pepper, thyme, and cayenne. Cook until the carrots are tender, and the mixture begins to look dry and stick to the bottom of the pan, 5-7 minutes. Slide the pan off the heat.
6. Add the remaining ingredients- Scoop in the pumpkin and mix it all together. Then pile in the breadcrumbs, lentils, chestnuts, mixed nuts, cranberries, and oat flour. Mix until well combined. Add the flax egg, apple cider vinegar and mix again. Taste and add more salt and pepper to your liking.
7. Press the dough into the bread pan- Spoon the dough into the pan pressing firmly as you go. See that there are no air pockets and that it is packed tight. The dough will fill the loaf pan almost up to the top.
8. Bake the loaf- Bake for 60 minutes. The top will look brown and dry. Let cool for 20-30 minutes before using the parchment paper handles to lift the loaf from the pan. Flip it over onto a serving plate. Enjoy with White Wine and Mushroom Gravy.

Pro Tip:

Using a food processor will save you from a chopping marathon. Start by using the “S” blade to pulse the breadcrumbs. Transfer them to a baking sheet. Then use the pulse setting to chop your mushrooms until finely diced. Transfer them to a dish. Pile the chestnuts, mixed nuts, and cranberries into the work bowl and pulse until you’ve achieved a coarse crumb. Finish by switching to the shredding blade and shred your carrot.

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White Wine and Mushroom Gravy

Rich savory and silky, gravy takes mashed potatoes and roasts to the next level. As sauces go, gravy can seem mysterious. But feel rest assured that a five-star gravy is well within your reach. The key to unlocking layers of umami flavor, without meat, is to blend sauteed mushrooms with a roux-thickened vegetable blend known as mirepoix. This famous flavor base, essential in French cooking, is the budling block of good gravy. White wine balances the dish with complex flavor leaving you with a salty savory experience that will have you licking your plate!

• 8 oz (227 g) of cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and roughly diced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, divided
• ¼ cup (57 g) of vegan butter
• 1 large yellow onion (2 cups), diced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 medium celery stalks (1 cup), diced
• 2 medium carrots (1 cup) peeled and diced
• ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup (42 g) of all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (118 ml) of white wine
• 2 cups (473 ml) of low sodium vegetable broth, plus more to thin if needed

1. Cook the mushrooms- Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When a splash of water creates a sizzle, tumble in your mushrooms and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Sautee until they have released most of their liquid and have shrunk way down in size, 10-15 minutes. Slide the pan off the heat.
2. Sautee the mirepoix- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a separate large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the other teaspoon of salt. Sautee until soft and translucent but not browned, 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute to let the flavor bloom. Plop in the celery, carrots, and a few twists of black pepper. Continue to cook until all the vegetables are a soft cohesive mass, 10 more minutes.
3. Make a roux- Turn the heat down to medium-low and sprinkle flour over the vegetables. Mix until well coated. Cook for another 7 minutes to toast the flour and temper its flavor. Gradually pour in the white wine followed by the vegetable broth, whisking as you go. Return the heat to medium-high. In a few minutes it will begin to simmer and thicken.
4. Strain the gravy- Scrape the vegetable mixture into a small-holed colander fitted over a mixing bowl. Use a flexible spatula to press all of the precious liquid out. This is the gravy base. Tip: Refrigerate (or freeze) the flavorful vegetable mixture to toss into soup at a later date.
5. Make the gravy- Transfer the gravy base to a blender and add the mushrooms. Blend on high speed until silky smooth. Scrape it back into the saucepan over medium heat to warm before serving. Adjust the consistency, if you like, by simmering to reduce and thicken, or add a bit more vegetable stock to thin. Garnish with a few twists of black pepper and serve nice and hot.

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Mint Melt Away Chocolate Tartlets

The inspiration for this addictively delicious tart came from a community favorite recipe, Vegan Dark Chocolate Tart, on my blog. The luscious, ultra-chocolatey filling, paired with a chewy no-bake crust, is one of the best desserts you’ll ever taste! In the spirit of the season, I added mint to the ganache filling which is divided between mini tart pans for easy sharing.

For the crust

• 1½ cups (150 g) of regular rolled oats
• ½ cup (65 g) of raw pecans
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon of fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons of refined coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1½ cups (220 g) of medjool dates, pitted (about 12 large dates)

For the dark chocolate mint filling

• 1 can (13.66 oz / 403 ml) of full fat coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons of mint extract
• ¼ teaspoon of agar powder (not agar flakes)
• 1¾ cup (9 oz / 255 g) of chopped good quality dark chocolate
• 3 tablespoons of maple syrup

1. Prep your tartlet pans- Use your fingers to grease 10 (4”x3⁄4”) mini tart pans with coconut oil. Be sure to apply coconut oil to each flute and the bottom crease so that the tarts will release from the pan once cooled.
2. Make the crust- Tumble the oats, pecans, cocoa powder, and salt into the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until it looks like coarse sand.
3. Pour the melted coconut oil and maple syrup over the top and add in the dates. Pulse until the dough comes together and no large chunks of dates remain. Squeeze a clump and see if it sticks together.
4. Press the dough into the tartlet pans- Divide the dough evenly between the mini tart pans. Then use your fingers to press the dough, the same thickness, all around the sides and bottom of the pans, wiping your fingers clean as needed.
5. Make the filling- Chop the chocolate into small pieces and scrape them into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
6. In a small saucepan whisk the coconut milk, mint extract, and agar powder. Turn the heat to medium-high and continue to gently stir. When little bubbles form around the rim of the pan and the temperature is at least 185°F / 85°C, it’s done.
7. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes without stirring. Then whisk the mixture until smooth and glossy. Add 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and whisk again.
8. Fill the tartlet pans- Ladle the filling into each pan up to the rim of the crust. You may have a bit of extra. Let the tarts sit for 1⁄2 hour to cool and set. Transfer them to the fridge for at least an hour to finish setting before serving.

This recipe is also the perfect amount for 1 (9½ x 1½”) tart and freezes beautifully. I promise, your guests will love it!

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