It is December and a time for celebration and giving (in the spirit of Christmas).
Celebration is often quite synonymous with eating (in the Malaysian spirit), so here’s a sharing of how you can have a meatless celebration (in the spirit of caring for the animals!).
Many holiday meals center on a great big dramatic presentation of meat. That’s great if you eat meat; but what if you are a Vegetarian or simply someone that just wants to eat less meat? Many of us at Calorie Count no longer eat meat every day, or prefer to treat it as a side dish or seasoning element. What do we do when a major food centric holiday or celebration is at hand? Can you celebrate and wax nostalgic over the memories of times spent with family and friends around a dining room table without a big hunk of meat? Of course you can.
How? Think in terms of abundance. Spend some time considering colors, textures, flavors, and aromas from all the delicious not-meat food groups – beans and legumes, seasonal and exotic vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and nuts or seeds. Choose ingredients and recipes that work together to create an aromatic, texturally rich, rainbow colored feast. Setting the table in an opulent way gives a touch of elegance to what may otherwise be a fairly ordinary serving of vegetables. Just a few candles and cloth napkins are all you need. Extend the time spent with your wonderful family and friends by serving the meal in courses and make mindful consideration and conversation about each dish part of your tradition.
While I am not a Vegetarian, I do frequently eat in that way as I am reducing the presence of meat at the table. For a colorful meatless celebration rich in flavors and textures designed to satisfy the stomach and the soul, give these recipes a try.
First Course:
Minestrone is the perfect first course. The beans and a multitude of colorful vegetables provide nourishment and offer the added benefit of taking the edge off your hunger so that you can slow down and pay more attention to subsequent dishes.
Main Course:
I created this recipe and wrote the post for the annual BlogBlast 4Peace. Peace and Pappardelle can easily be prepared with any hearty whole wheat pasta. I just happen to love the texture and satisfying solidity of this noodle.
Simple yet upscale, Pear and Feta Salad will round out the nutrition factor of this course with a nice serving of fruit and cheese.
Dessert Course:
If you have room for a few more calories and want something just a bit decadent, this basic Almond Bread Pudding is home-style comfort food at its best. No need for an alcoholic topping and it’s fantastic made with whole grain bread!
My friend, Janette, is a new Vegan and has been experimenting with dessert! No eggs or animal milk were used in this delightful lower calorie Vegan Chocolate Cake.
A typical holiday meal can have as much as 2,000 calories. Even if you choose the Almond Bread Pudding with this meal, your total calories are only 977. If your preference is the Vegan Chocolate Cake you will only have to log 820 delicious calories. Smiling while you log holiday meal calories is a fantastic reason to hold a meatless celebration!
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