North Bay Woman

F A L L 2 0 1 7 | NORTH BAY WOMAN 21 There are wonderful vegan dishes that are sumptuous for the holidays, in particularly jewel-like salads with many colorful, seasonal ingredients. Not to mention all the vegetable soups you can include in the holiday season that are plant-based and delectable." "You just have to think a little more creatively," she says. "Let's say you want to have a roasted meat as the center of the table. Think differently about all the textures you can serve with it." Consider what's on the table as a palette for your palate, she outlines. Play with dishes that offer crunchy, smooth, chewy, chunky, silky or even spicy experiences. Work with a wide range of colors. Traditional holiday cooking can be brown or beige, Katz says. So think about serving foods that dazzle with bright reds, oranges, greens, yellows — a rainbow for the eyes as well as the appetite. According to Angela Ginsburg, chef/ owner of A Fork Full of Earth organic catering company in Fairfax, serving vegan cuisine at the holidays is a good way to make sure just about every type of diner coming to the table, will get his or her needs met. "I've seen so many trends develop in the past 10 years. Diets like paleo and ketogenic. A big interest in organic and sustainable — not just that the foods are healthier, but how they are raised, down to the quality of the soil in which animals graze and vegetables grow," she says. Of all the trends, says Ginsburg, gluten- free seems to be the dominant one. "Whereas we used to have bread with every meal, people are turning away from it. They're wanting more vegetables, more alternatives, or really good-quality, good-tasting gluten-free choices." "In our business we always say it's important for hosts to feel everyone at an event is included. Instead of saying, 'Here's a casserole for the vegans,' it's about changing the dishes on the table so they are suitable for everyone. Work with lots of the great oils now available, instead of butter. You'll still get that rich, satisfying mouth feel. If you're serving cheese or cream, serve it on the side and offer vegan cheeses in addition. Use maple syrup or dates as sweeteners instead of traditional sugar." For cookbook author and long-time vegan Miyoko Schinner, internationally known for her business Miyoko's Kitchen, holidays are the time when she trots out her special "company" foods. In her opinion, "Any kind of holiday cooking that's good is going to take more time, whether it's vegan or not. But overall I'm seeing that people are becoming more aware of other people's dietary needs and they're thinking about it in their holiday menu planning." Want to do something different, no less delicious, and healthier this year? Here are several vegan recipes from our local experts that will make your holiday season healthier and even more delicious. Moroccan carrot soup Serves six 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 yellow onion, chopped Sea salt 3 pounds carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads 6 cups high-quality natural boxed vegetable stock such as Pacific or Imagine, plus more if needed 2 1/2 teaspoons Meyer lemon zest 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice, plus more if needed 1/4 teaspoon dark maple syrup, plus more if needed Chermoula for garnish (recipes below) Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, saffron, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and sauté until well combined. Pour in 1/2 cup of the broth and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the remaining 5 1/2 cups of broth and another ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Put the lemon zest in a blender and puree the soup in batches until very smooth, each time adding the cooking liquid first and then the carrot mixture. If need be, add additional broth to reach the desired thickness. Return the soup to the pot over low heat, stir in the lemon juice, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt, and gently reheat. Taste; you may want to add another squeeze of lemon, a pinch or two of salt, or a drizzle of maple syrup. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months. Garnish with chermoula, below, for serving. Chermoula Makes 1 1/4 cups 1 cup tightly packed chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro or basil leaves 6 fresh mint leaves 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1 clove garlic, chopped 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon sea salt Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months. Reprinted with permission from "Clean Soups," 2016 by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, Ten Speed Press Broccoli di cicco with vegan bagna cauda Serves 12 people as a side dish 3 pounds broccoli di cicco/broccolini ¾ cup olive oil 8 cloves garlic 6 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1 cup bread crumbs, from the bread of your choice (gluten-free is fine) 2 tablespoons fresh marjoram leaves Moroccan carrot soup. – Photo by Eva Kolenko from "Clean Soups" by Rebecca Katz and Mat Edelson Angela Ginsburg

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