Guest Post: A Very Vegan Christmas {Part One}

Yesterday I hinted that I would be featuring a guest on the blog today and I am so excited to introduce my friend, Kellie.  In July 2010, Kellie adopted a whole-food, plant-based diet in phases after reading Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food."  She also accredits "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell for making her go "full throttle" and the movie "Forks Over Knives" for validating her decision.  Kellie and her husband, Matt run and train together and she says that running has re-energized their marriage in many ways.  They are running their 6th half marathon in May at the Jersey Shore and their first full marathon in September...the Via, which they are targeting a sub-four hour time.  Kellie recently launched a personal blog to share her journey as she trains for it.  Check it out: Breaking Four.  Kellie lives in Forks Township with her husband Matt and her three children Dylan, Ryan and Sienna.

When Kellie told me last month that she was planning to prepare some scrumptious vegan recipes for her Thanksgiving table, I was intrigued.  From there, I decided to ask her to share some plant-based food ideas for holidays and I must say, these look amazing.  She sent over four recipes, so I thought I would share two today and two more later in the week.  So without further ado...here's Kellie:   

When Tracy asked me to share a blog post on vegan holiday dishes, my wheels started turning immediately. For my husband and me, Christmas is a grab bag of sorts. Unlike Thanksgiving and Easter, neither of us growing up had “traditional” Christmas dinners. By that I mean, a particular dish or dishes that were staples year after year. On Thanksgiving, for example, a turkey always graced the center of our tables. For Easter, it was ham for my family and pierogis for his. But Christmas dinners always seemed to vary between different meats, pasta dishes and small appetizers.

In keeping with that spirit, it’s how we’re rolling “veganizing” our holidays. For Easter, we always enjoy potato pierogis. For Thanksgiving, we make delicious vegan stuffings (yes, more than one) paired with plant-empowered dishes of root vegetables, Field Roast “Sausages” and sweet potatoes. Christmas remains our holiday of unpredictability (why not shake things up at least one holiday a year!)

This year we’re making Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, courtesy of Chef Chloe Coscarelli. Portobellos have the texture and consistency of meat. They are also known for their earthy taste, which adds a distinct flavor to a wide range of foods. This makes them a perfect choice for vegans and omnivores alike.

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Every delicious dinner needs a healthful greens salad as an accompaniment.  Nava Atlas's Mixed Greens with Apples, Beets and Pistachios is a gorgeous looking salad that’s chock-full of nutrients and literally bursts with flavor.  The beets and apples are a nice balance of sweet and tart.  The addition of the pistachio nuts adds a wonderful crunch to every bite, bringing a bit of WOW to this salad and making it pop!  It’s a can’t-miss side that will be a hit with your dinner guests.  

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Part two of A Very Vegan Christmas will be posted featuring two more began recipes, courtesy of Kellie.  Enjoy!