Guilt-Free Gelt

Hanukkah gelt is foil-wrapped milk chocolate that resembles gold coins, given to children. But you can find vegan dark chocolate gelt which looks just as festive. And dark chocolate tastes so much better. No Whey makes a great dairy-free version.

It’s All About the Oil

Latkes, also known as potato pancakes, are usually the star of the show on Hanukkah. You fry them in lots of oil and ideally serve them as soon as they are done.

There are two basic kinds of latkes, ones where the potatoes are blended into a smooth batter (I grew up with this kind) and one where the potatoes are grated. Grated is the classic way; people used to do this on a box grater, and scrape their knuckles. It’s so much easier in a food processor.

The first time I made them this way, I totally forgot about the egg that my mother used in her blended version. But you know what? The grated potatoes, with onions and seasoning, don’t need an egg. They are kind of like a hash brown cake without the egg.

I split the difference and make half the batter in the blender, and grate the rest. This gives the latkes a better texture, and it holds together well. It also dirties twice as many dishes…

Vegan (and Gluten-Free) Latkes

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 russet potatoes peeled (about a pound)
• 1 medium onion
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut one potato into quarters and quarter the onion. Blend in a blender until a smooth batter forms.
2. Cut the other potato in half lengthwise and grate using a food processor. Or go old school and use a box grater. No need to cut the potato first then, but watch your fingers.
3. Drain the grated potato in a sieve or squeeze out the water with your hands. Combine the grated and blended potatoes and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Heat a skillet slicked with oil on medium-high. When the oil is hot, add large spoonfuls of batter to make pancakes; flatten them a little with the back of a spatula. Try to resist messing with them while they cook. They take 3-5 minutes per side. I like to use a cast-iron skillet for the latkes.
5. Drain on paper towels.
6. If you are making latkes in advance, you can reheat in a 350-degree oven until piping hot.

There are two classic toppings for latkes: applesauce or sour cream. Applesauce is not only the vegan option, but it’s also tastier, I think, and far healthier. If you’re looking for a vegan sour cream, Tofutti makes a great one available here.

I make applesauce by cooking on the stove and pureeing them through a food mill. You can also cook them in an Instant Pot. With the food mill, you don’t have to peel the apples, but the milling process takes awhile. But this is why you have children. Mine would do it for 5 minutes or so, then grow bored and eat a bowl of applesauce. With three kids and one compliant husband, a bushel of apples becomes applesauce in no time.

Homemade applesauce

Get a mix of apples: Macoun, Macintosh, Empire, any heirloom varieties you can find. Wash and cut into quarters. There’s no need to core or peel, but cut out any bad spots. Expect shrinkage as every person passing through the kitchen will grab a few pieces. Even the dog sits patiently drooling, accepting any small bits that fall to the floor.

Fill a big pot, add a cinnamon stick, cover, and cook over the lowest heat possible so apples don’t scorch. Your house will fill with the lovely apple cinnamon scent.

If you’re feeling fancy, throw in a handful of fresh cranberries or a pear. You can also add a knob of fresh ginger or freshly grated nutmeg, but I prefer the pure cinnamon flavor.

Stir occasionally and cook till all the apples are all broken down and soft (about an hour). Pass through the food mill.

Make a big batch so you can freeze some for later.

One Bowl Olive Oil Brownies

As long as you’re making applesauce, you might as well whip up a batch of brownies with a half cup of homemade sauce. For the olive oil, choose an inexpensive oil that doesn’t have an overwhelmingly fruity aroma.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract,
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 9 pan with foil and spray lightly with oil.
2. Melt unsweetened chocolate in the large bowl in the microwave. Stir in sugar, oil, vanilla, cocoa, applesauce and salt, and mix until smooth. add flour and stir. Mix in chocolate chips.
3. Pour into pan and bake 25-30 minutes.
4. Cut into squares when cool.

Don’t Forget the Candles

Since some vegans won’t use beeswax, many of the premium Menorah candles are off-limits. There are pretty eco-friendly soy or vegetable wax candles which are a healthier choice than paraffin candles. Find some here.

The post Make Your Hanukkah Celebration Vegan with These Easy Recipes and Tips appeared first on The Beet.

Despite this being the city’s favorite dish, you can find delicious plant-based food that packs in the taste and nutrients. Check out these 7 spots next time you’re in The Queen City.

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1. Essen Kitchen, 1 Findlay Street, Cincinnati

Plant Yourself: There are only two tiny tables at Essen, so this is best to-go. Bring your grub to Rhinegeist Brewery, just a couple of blocks away. The taproom allows you to bring in your own food and the IPAs are delicious

Don’t Miss: The Reuben: a sandwich made with smoked and roasted beets and portobellos, on grilled rye bread, with pickles, horseradish spread and Russian dressing. Messy and delicious.

Order For the Table: Biscuits & jam. Cincinnati has a strong southern influence, so these are on point. They are served with plant-based maple butter along with jam.

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2. Pho Lang Thang,1828 Race St, Cincinnati

Calling All: Pho Lang Thang is the perfect treat for Vietnamese soup lovers.

Plant Yourself: Sit at the bar, where you get a local beer on tap. The formerly tiny Pho Lang Thang moved a block from Findlay Market to much roomier digs.

Don’t Miss: The super-sized bowl of vegan pho, loaded with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, jalapeños and lime. Add tofu, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. It looks like too much to eat but somehow we slurp up every drop. And if you don’t? Wrap it up to finish later.

Order for the Table: The vegan salad rolls with tofu, mushrooms and herbs in rice paper are merely a delicious vessel to eat the irresistible peanut hoisin sauce.

Leave Room For: There are no desserts, but the homemade pickled plum or dragonfruit sodas satisfy a sweet tooth. Or walk over to Findlay Market, where Maverick chocolate has vegan dark chocolate bars (try the spicy Fahrenheit 513, with chilies and cinnamon).

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3. B&A Street Kitchen, 1500 Race St, Cincinnati

Calling All: Diner food lovers. B&A is the place to go with your meat and egg loving friends because there are plenty of plant-based comfort foods for you, and options for your friends as well.

Plant Yourself: Choose to sit in the quieter back room for a more tranquil experience.

Don’t Miss: Anything with the chorizo tofu or vegan goetta. The Breakfast sandwich “Running the Garden” with bell peppers, caramelized onions, spinach, avocado and chorizo tofu. There are also south of the border tacos with the vegan goetta.

Order For the Table: You’ll want seconds and even thirds of their delicious hips and guacamole.

Leave Room For: Spicy Mexican hot chocolate made with soy milk.

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4. Happy Chicks Bakery, 4035 Hamilton Ave, Cincinnati

Calling All: All-day breakfast lovers. Happy Chicks café is open till 6, so go for breakfast, lunch or dinner at this entirely dairy-free eatery.

Plant Yourself: Order at the counter and sit a bar stool overlooking the street.

Don’t Miss: Any dish with a homemade croissant. I’ve never had such a flaky, butter-free croissant. They pair well with the Daiya cheese, roasted red peppers and kale in the Emily Sandwich.

Order for the Table: Chick nuggets, which are chickpea nuggets, dipped in spicy homage ketchup.

Leave Room For: Cupcakes! Unique flavors like Green Fairy which features fennel, anise absinthe and chocolate frosting or Black Velvet, featuring chocolate cake and almond cream icing. There are also many gluten-free cupcakes.

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5. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar, 525 Race St, Cincinnati

Calling All: Salad lovers who like trendy-looking cafes and fresh-pressed juices will love Maplewood Kitchen and Bar.

Plant Yourself: Order at the counter and grab a seat at the plant-filled café.

Don’t Miss: The Power salad loaded with kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, pomegranate, peppadew peppers, roasted sweet potato, chickpeas, pear, coconut and chia-lemon vinaigrette.

Leave Room For: The Roasted Tomatillo Bloody Mary includes super greens juice, so we feel a little less guilty drinking one at brunch!

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6. MadTree Brewing, 3301 Madison Rd., Cincinnati

Calling All: Beer lovers. MadTree‘s taproom & beer garden has wood-fired pizza from Catch-a-Fire Café. Try the signature Psychopathy, a very hoppy IPA.

Plant Yourself: If you are bringing your pup, the heated beer garden is the place to be in winter. In warmer weather, there’s a huge patio.

Don’t Miss: The cashew ricotta and vegan sausage pair well with the baby kale and mushrooms.

Order for the Table: The veggie power salad has Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, pistachios and pomegranate vinaigrette

Leave Room For: A dessert beer like the Saison with strawberries or Mexican lager with agave.

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7. Peace Street Bakery, Various Locations

Plant Yourself: At home! If you live in the Cincinnati area, you can order Peace Street’s 100% vegan baked goods by email,  phone (513-205-4679) or on their Facebook page. If you can’t wait, the first restaurant on our list, Essen, carries an assortment of Peace Street goodies in-store, as well as local favorites Clifton Natural Foods, Unwind and The Whole Bowl.

Don’t Miss: The Caramel Pecan Magic bar is called magic for a reason! Other favorites include Strawberry Almond Bars, gluten-free brownies, chocolate chip cookies and the Ohio classic Buckeyes, which are peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate.

Order For: Your next special occasion. Peace Street takes custom orders and by the looks of their Grateful Dead Dancing Bear Cookies, they can make almost anything. They also take pie orders for Thanksgiving with the option of three delicious flavors: Classic Pumpkin, Cinnamon Apple and Caramel Pecan Pie and make custom cookies for any holiday or occasion.

The post The 7 Best Places to Eat and Drink Vegan in Cincinnati, Ohio appeared first on The Beet.

No jello shots or egg nog here. But you can make fantastic crowd-pleasing drinks without compromising your food preferences. Keep things simple with one signature cocktail, along with wine and beer (no honey porter though).

Aquafaba: The miracle water

I’ve always avoided cocktails like whiskey sours because of egg whites. And plenty of people who don’t follow a plant-based diet just don’t like the idea of raw egg whites in their drinks. Aquafaba, the liquid that remains after you cook chickpeas, is the perfect vegan substitute.

You can make your own aquafaba, but an easier way is to drain a can of chickpeas and save the starchy liquid. Low sodium chickpeas are preferable so your drinks aren’t salty. One 15-ounce can of chickpeas yields about six ounces of aquafaba. Use the chickpeas to make hummus, or add to a Buddha bowl or salad.

For a whiskey sour, you also need simple syrup. Most simple syrups are an equal mixture of sugar and water, but I prefer a less sweet version, with half the amount of sugar.

Simple syrup

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Bring sugar and water to a boil, then simmer and stir until sugar dissolves. This keeps for about a month in the refrigerator.

Please Note: Recipes are for one serving. If you want to make a batch, mix in a pitcher, then pour some into the shaker. Unless you have a giant shaker, it’s hard to make more than 2 or 3 at a time.

Plant-Based Whiskey Sour

• 2 ounces bourbon (Use a decent brand, like Makers Mark or Knob Creek)
• 3/4 ounce simple syrup
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 3/4 ounce aquafaba
• 2 drops bitters (I like Hella Bitters Citrus)
• Strip of citrus peel

Fill a martini shaker with ice and add all the liquid. Shake till cold and strain into a martini or old fashioned glass. Garnish with the citrus peel.

Plant-Based Gin Fizz

• 2 ounces gin
• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce simple syrup
• 1/2 ounce aquafaba
• 1-ounce club soda
• Garnish: lemon peel

Fill a martini shaker with ice and add the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and aquafaba. Shake till cold and strain into a highball glass. Top with club soda and garnish with lemon.

Bee’s Knees with no stinger (i.e., no honey)

• 2 ounces gin
• 1-ounce lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce maple syrup

Fill a shaker with ice and add all the ingredients. Shake or stir and strain into a coupe glass.

Martini time

Martinis are simple drinks, which means it’s all about the execution. You need great quality gin or vodka, super cold liquid and bleu-cheese stuffed olives. I found a vegan bleu cheese made by Reine Fauxgonzola. Just get some big, meaty, pitted green olives. Cram some of this into the olive cavities and voila, the ideal martini garnish.

Many bars store martini glasses in a freezer so the martini is even colder. I used to do this until I replaced my refrigerator with a model that has a bottom freezer. It opens by pulling the drawer, so the martini glasses fall over.

Perfect Martini

• 3 ounces of your favorite vodka or gin
• A drop or two of white vermouth
• 3 homemade Fauxgonzola stuffed olives

Fill martini shaker with ice, add your booze of choice and shake and shake. Then shake some more. Pour into chilled martini glass and garnish with olives.

Time to celebrate

This holiday drink will banish thoughts of egg nog but the spiced rum brings plenty of cheer. If you don’t want to squeeze citrus for the other drinks, you can get away with using bottled lime (unsweetened) or lemon juice. But for this drink or really anything that calls for fresh nutmeg, go the extra mile and buy fresh. The taste is so much better than the pre-ground.

Milk Punch

• 1 1/2 ounces spiced rum
• 3 ounces almond milk
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• freshly ground nutmeg
• cinnamon stick

Fill a shaker with ice and add the liquid. Shake and strain into a glass mug. Grind a little fresh nutmeg over the top and serve with a cinnamon stick.

Looking for more holiday recipes? Right this way.

The post 5 Vegan Cocktails That Everybody at Your Holiday Party Will Love appeared first on The Beet.

The fourth group just wants to have a party with great food. We happen to be part of the latter group, but whatever cohort you fall into, these crowd-pleasing, plant-based recipes will elevate your party.

The post Superfoods for the Super Bowl: Throw a Plant-Based Party Everyone Will Enjoy appeared first on The Beet.

One Bowl Olive Oil Vegan Brownies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract,
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 9 pan with foil and spray lightly with oil.
2. Melt unsweetened chocolate in the large bowl in the microwave. Stir in sugar, oil, vanilla, cocoa, applesauce and salt, and mix until smooth. add flour and stir. Mix in chocolate chips.
3. Pour into pan and bake 25-30 minutes.
4. Cut into squares when cool.

Nutritionals per Brownie

Calories 346 | Total Fat 15.4g | Saturated Fat 4.5g | Sodium 240mg | Total Carbohydrate 53.9g | Dietary Fiber 3.4g | Total Sugars 35.2g | Protein 3.9g | Calcium 15mg | Iron 3mg | Potassium 144mg |

The post Vegan Hanukkah Recipe: One-Bowl Olive Oil Brownies appeared first on The Beet.

Last year, we celebrated over vegan dim sum at Buddha Bodai Kosher, Vegan Restaurant in New York’s Chinatown, and as we finished, the Parade passed right by the restaurant. This year, due to the pandemic, the celebrations look a little bit different, but you can still ring in Chinese New Year with these plant-based lucky foods that you can make, and host your own celebratory dinner.

Part New Year, part Ground Hog Day, Chinese New Year is also called the Spring Festival because the coldest part of winter is supposed to be over.–we can only hope.

Chinese Dumplings

Symbolism: Dumplings signify wealth

Vegetable Dumplings

Cold noodles with peanut sauce
Symbolism: Cold Noodles connote longevity.

This is why you don’t cut noodles; the long noodles are supposed to lead to a long life.

Cold Peanut Noodles

Good Fortune Fruit.
Symbolism: These connote fullness and wealth.

Chop or cube into pieces pineapple, oranges, melon, tangerines, or any other fruit that has a golden, yellow, or orange color. The mixed fruit should look like little pieces of gold to signify wealth.

The post Celebrate Lunar New Year With These Lucky Plant-Based Dishes appeared first on The Beet.

Guilt-Free Gelt

Hanukkah gelt is foil-wrapped milk chocolate that resembles gold coins, given to children. But you can find vegan dark chocolate gelt which looks just as festive. And dark chocolate tastes so much better. No Whey makes a great dairy-free version.

It’s All About the Oil

Latkes, also known as potato pancakes, are usually the star of the show on Hanukkah. You fry them in lots of oil and ideally serve them as soon as they are done.

There are two basic kinds of latkes, ones where the potatoes are blended into a smooth batter (I grew up with this kind) and one where the potatoes are grated. Grated is the classic way; people used to do this on a box grater, and scrape their knuckles. It’s so much easier in a food processor.

The first time I made them this way, I totally forgot about the egg that my mother used in her blended version. But you know what? The grated potatoes, with onions and seasoning, don’t need an egg. They are kind of like a hash brown cake without the egg.

I split the difference and make half the batter in the blender, and grate the rest. This gives the latkes a better texture, and it holds together well. It also dirties twice as many dishes…

Vegan (and Gluten-Free) Latkes

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 russet potatoes peeled (about a pound)
• 1 medium onion
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut one potato into quarters and quarter the onion. Blend in a blender until a smooth batter forms.
2. Cut the other potato in half lengthwise and grate using a food processor. Or go old school and use a box grater. No need to cut the potato first then, but watch your fingers.
3. Drain the grated potato in a sieve or squeeze out the water with your hands. Combine the grated and blended potatoes and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Heat a skillet slicked with oil on medium-high. When the oil is hot, add large spoonfuls of batter to make pancakes; flatten them a little with the back of a spatula. Try to resist messing with them while they cook. They take 3-5 minutes per side. I like to use a cast-iron skillet for the latkes.
5. Drain on paper towels.
6. If you are making latkes in advance, you can reheat in a 350-degree oven until piping hot.

There are two classic toppings for latkes: applesauce or sour cream. Applesauce is not only the vegan option, but it’s also tastier, I think, and far healthier. If you’re looking for a vegan sour cream, Tofutti makes a great one available here.

I make applesauce by cooking on the stove and pureeing them through a food mill. You can also cook them in an Instant Pot. With the food mill, you don’t have to peel the apples, but the milling process takes awhile. But this is why you have children. Mine would do it for 5 minutes or so, then grow bored and eat a bowl of applesauce. With three kids and one compliant husband, a bushel of apples becomes applesauce in no time.

Homemade applesauce

Get a mix of apples: Macoun, Macintosh, Empire, any heirloom varieties you can find. Wash and cut into quarters. There’s no need to core or peel, but cut out any bad spots. Expect shrinkage as every person passing through the kitchen will grab a few pieces. Even the dog sits patiently drooling, accepting any small bits that fall to the floor.

Fill a big pot, add a cinnamon stick, cover, and cook over the lowest heat possible so apples don’t scorch. Your house will fill with the lovely apple cinnamon scent.

If you’re feeling fancy, throw in a handful of fresh cranberries or a pear. You can also add a knob of fresh ginger or freshly grated nutmeg, but I prefer the pure cinnamon flavor.

Stir occasionally and cook till all the apples are all broken down and soft (about an hour). Pass through the food mill.

Make a big batch so you can freeze some for later.

One Bowl Olive Oil Brownies

As long as you’re making applesauce, you might as well whip up a batch of brownies with a half cup of homemade sauce. For the olive oil, choose an inexpensive oil that doesn’t have an overwhelmingly fruity aroma.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract,
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 9 pan with foil and spray lightly with oil.
2. Melt unsweetened chocolate in the large bowl in the microwave. Stir in sugar, oil, vanilla, cocoa, applesauce and salt, and mix until smooth. add flour and stir. Mix in chocolate chips.
3. Pour into pan and bake 25-30 minutes.
4. Cut into squares when cool.

Don’t Forget the Candles

Since some vegans won’t use beeswax, many of the premium Menorah candles are off-limits. There are pretty eco-friendly soy or vegetable wax candles which are a healthier choice than paraffin candles. Find some here.

The post Make Your Hanukkah Celebration Vegan with These Easy Recipes and Tips appeared first on The Beet.

Get ready to celebrate the Year of the Rat. Before you say “ewwww,” rats symbolize vitality and intelligence. Anyone who has had the experience of living in New York City knows that both those things are true. To ring in the Chinese New Year on Saturday, January 25th, we created this list of lucky foods that are also plant-based. An aside: Cold noodles with peanut sauce were my husband’s introduction to New York Chinese food, and now that I know how to make them, I can tell him that these symbolize a long life. But we get ahead of ourselves.

Part New Year, part Ground Hog Day, Chinese New Year is also called the Spring Festival because the coldest part of winter is supposed to be over. We can only hope.

If you can’t make it to a festival, you can still celebrate Chinese New Year, with these plant-based lucky foods that you can make, and host your own celebratory dinner.

Chinese Dumplings.
Symbolism: Dumplings signify wealth

Vegetable dumplings

• 1/4 cup chopped cabbage
• 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms 
• 1 tsp. grated garlic
• 1 tsp. grated ginger
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 10 wonton wrappers

• 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallions

 Vegan spring rolls

• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 4 cups napa cabbage sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 carrots sliced thinly
• 4 ounces bamboo shoots sliced thinly
• 1 cup cooked glass noodles
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 12 spring roll wrappers
• canola oil for frying

Cold noodles with peanut sauce
Symbolism: Cold Noodles connote longevity.

This is why you don’t cut noodles; the long noodles are supposed to lead to a long life.

For the sauce

• 1/2  cup natural creamy peanut butter (I use Whole Foods 365, which is a little runny and perfect for sauces)
• tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2  Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• juice of half a lime
• 4-6 drops Sriracha sauce
• 1  cup frozen shelled edamame
• 1  cup snow peas, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup cucumber, sliced into matchsticks
• 1/2 pound firm tofu, pressed under a weight or book, then cut into chunks(when the kids were little, I cut tofu into rectangular LEGO sized pieces)
• 1/4  cup chopped salted roasted peanuts
• 1-2 chopped scallions, greens and white part
• 12 ounces soba noodles, cooked to stiffness and cooled

Instructions:

1. To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree.
2. In a large bowl, add half the sauce, then all the noodles and stir to coat. Add the rest of the veggies and tofu and the rest of the sauce. Top with peanuts and scallions.

I usually make the peanut sauce with soba noodles, which I know are not Chinese. But the popular taste and health benefits make this a year-round dish.

Good Fortune Fruit.
Symbolism: These connote fullness and wealth.

Chop or cube into pieces pineapple, oranges, melon, tangerines or any other fruit that has a golden, yellow or orange color. The mixed fruit should look like little pieces of gold to signify wealth.

Happy New Year!
 

The post Celebrate the Chinese New Year With ‘Lucky’ Plant-Based Foods appeared first on The Beet.

For New Year’s Eve, while others are seeking caviar, I crave a special treat of wild mushroom toast. I like to gather up a mess of them (not foraging, just going to the food coop or Whole Foods) to make a delicious and celebratory mushroom and truffle oil toast and nosh on it as the hours wind down. Cook them with some wine and thyme. A hit of truffle oil. Slather this onto a toasted slice of sourdough bread and you are ready for some midnight snacks.

Mushrooms on Toast

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound thinly sliced mushrooms: a mix of portobello, cremini, shiitake
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper
• Splash of sherry
• ¼ cup Tofutti sour cream
• sliced whole wheat sourdough baguette
• Truffle oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat a wide skillet over high heat and olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add thyme and garlic, and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper and continue to sauté for a minute more, then add sherry and sour cream and simmer 2 minutes.
3. Toast bread slices. Spoon mushrooms and juices over toasted bread. Top with chopped parsley and a drop of truffle oil. Serve warm.

Sweet and Smoky Carrot Dip

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled
• 1/2 pound parsnips
• ½ cup roasted  almonds
• 2 T plus ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2½ tsp. salt
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ cup canned chickpeas (save the Aquafina for cocktails!)
• 4 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika
• ½ cup parsley
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Let cool, put in food processor.
   
2. Cut carrots and parsnips into chunks and put onto baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 T oil and 1 tsp. salt. Roast, stirring once or twice, until very tender and starting to shrivel about 1 hour.
3. Transfer carrots to a food processor; add garlic, chickpeas, lemon juice, pepper, paprika, parsley, ½ cup oil, and 1½ tsp. salt. Process, adding more oil as needed, until mixture is mostly smooth.
4. Transfer dip to a small bowl, drizzle with more oil.

 Ring in a Sweet New Year

After we watch fireworks from the rooftop on New Year’s Eve, one of the guests at the party we attend whips out a blender and starts making White Russians. A few years ago, I came up with an alternative, since we were all standing on a freezing rooftop. I make hot chocolate with coconut cream and peppermint schnapps. Even the people eating chicken wings and pepperoni pizza come back for seconds.

The secret is using dark chocolate, not cocoa, to make the drink. I melt chocolate slowly, whisk in a couple of ‘milks’ and add peppermint schnapps to taste.

NYE Hot Chocolate

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups of almond milk (or whatever kind of plant-based milk you like)
• 1 cup of So Delicious coconut creamer
• 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (if you have peppermint extract, you can use this instead, or in addition)
• Dash of chili powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Peppermint schnapps, to taste
2. Heat the milks over med heat and stir in the chocolate.  Simmer until all the chocolate is melted.
3. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and chili powder.
4. Serve in mugs with a generous slug of schnapps

Lucky Foods to Eat on New Year’s Day

Cornbread and collard greens are meant to signify that you’ll have prosperity and wealth in the coming year, so of course, we want to add those to our brunch menu. Make a vegan corn-bread from this recipe that JD Raymundo created for The Beet. (His other recipes are found at The_Little_Almond if you are inspired to check out his other creations.)

Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day has been considered good luck since around 500 A.D. as part of the Jewish custom in celebration of Rosh Hashanah the Jewish New Year. But it also has deep roots in the South as a food that brings luck to anyone who eats them. The tradition is to eat exactly 365 peas on New Year’s Day since each one signifies one day of luck. Then leave one pea on your plate, to share your luck with someone else. Or give the gift of black-eyed peas so someone you want to spread luck to this year!

Vegan Cornbread

INGREDIENTS:

• Soy MIlk
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• All-Purpose Flour
• Cornmeal
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Ground Cinnamon
• All-Spice
• Nutmeg
• Salt
• Pumpkin Puree
• Coconut Oil
• Brown Sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F and line an 8×8 baking pan with oil and parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix in your soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside to curdle and create vegan buttermilk.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine your flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and spices until evenly mixed.
3. In a large bowl, whisk in your pumpkin puree, coconut oil, brown sugar, and vegan buttermilk until well combined.
4. Add your dry ingredients to the wet, and using a rubber spatula fold ingredients together until well combined.
5. Transfer the mixture to your baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when you poke the middle. Let it cool for 10 minutes before removing your cornbread from the pan and transferring it over to a wire rack to finish cooling.
6. Cut evenly into squares and serve with some vegan butter.

The post Lucky Foods to Eat for New Year’s that Are Vegan and Celebratory appeared first on The Beet.