HELP! MIL has just told me that some of my Boxing Day guests are newly turned vegan and I need some advice about what to cook for them. I've also got some vegetarians coming and I'm assuming that vegetarians eat vegan food but that vegans don't necessarily eat vegetarian food - is that right??

Boxing Day meal is a running buffet - from noon to 9pm - about 70% of it is traditional 'finger food' and the other 30% is hot - casseroles or curries - served with jacket spuds or rice. Most of my prep is done on Christmas Eve with only basic heating up and salad preparing done on Boxing Day. What I DON'T particularly want is to separate the vegan and non-vegan food - I'd like it to appeal to everyone if possible. So, basically:

a) Any ideas for yummy Vegan finger food?

b) Any ideas for two or three hot dishes which will go nicely with rice or jacket spuds? (Something that can be eaten without using a table and just with a fork preferably.)

I'm fairly flexible when it comes to ingredients (so long as I know in advance) - I'm not great at pastry - and, if possible, could you supply recipes.

Thanks

Vegans do not eat meat, fish or any dairy (no eggs, milk, cheese) and NO honey if they are strict.

Check www.vegsoc.org - Vegetarian society and they will say if a recipe is vegan or not. Check also the vegan society also go to BBC website for food and the goodfood website (the magazine)


Ratatouille should be good with rice or spuds

A veggie chilli with red kidney beans

All manner of curries

Mushroom rissotto

Quorn is not vegan I think they bind it with eggwhites

Click on the following

http://www.veganfamily.co.uk/yule.html

http://www.vegsoc.org/cordonvert/recipes/christmas.html

http://www.parsleysoup.co.uk/christmas.htm

http://www.veganvillage.co.uk/fddrnk.htm

http://www.vegansociety.com/html/food/recipes/

http://www.viva.org.uk/recipes/rose.html Rose Elliot recipes


Hope these help!

A few more

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...20/ai_68913307

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/vegetarian...ganmenus.shtml

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/speci...incodemayo.htm

http://vegetarian.about.com/b/a/256568.htm

The link below is for Tartex Mushroom pate which is ok for Veggies and Vegans. Careful when buying any other cos it may have cream in it. I guess a health store would stock it - Holland and Barret do anyway.

http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-...il/753440.html

You assume wrong I like a bit of cheese in all my food!

If they are newly vegan they'll probably have caved in by Christmas anyway.

I've stopped panicking now!

Veggie - Cheese isn't a problem - its my favourite and I'm getting in loads! Sorry - I meant that theres nothing in Vegan food that Vegetarians would find unacceptable... but it doesn't always work the other way round.

No honey... oh bother - I use honey quite a lot. Which reminds me... I'll need to find a dessert without dairy in it.

I'll definitely make ratatouille - with olive oil instead of butter - might put in some butterbeans for texture and I think maybe a mild mixed vegetable curry made with vegetable ghee - I've got some in the fridge.

Thanks for all the links - I shall work my way through them. Just had a look at a few and its really interesting!

Do you have any particular favourites which are vegan-friendly? You know - the kind of tried and trusted stuff which I can't go wrong with - especially for the cold buffet bit.

Houmous for dips?

Oh - yes! Good idea!! I can get stuck in to that as well....

And Guacamole and salsa are good.

There is also a smoked aubergine dip called Moutabal (sp?)


http://www.arabicslice.com/moutabal.html here is one but not smokey I don't think


http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/da...el_73803.shtml

Yum! I just made this - just for research purposes of course - and its on my Boxing Day list for certain!!!

Good!

I have had it in Lebanese restaurants. It is lovely!

By the way- we had a South American theme to our book club yesterday and I was going to get some salsa and Guacomole. Because of the blasted weather I only went across the road to a shop and the only guacomole was mixed with houmous. I did not like the combination somehow - it tasted weird!¬

guacamole mixed with houmous sounds vile.

I like to go a bit greek and have some tzatziki ooh and stuffed vineleaves and piles of olives.



dunno why i put the carrot in, i jus like it.

oops just realised tzatziki is dairy, sorrryyy!!

I think I've got my list now. Not sure if it is particularly Vegan but, TBH, its the best I'm going to do given that I've got other guests to cater for.

Buffet:

Tomato, pepper and cannellini bean bruschetta
Aubergine 'caviar' on brushetta
Peacock's smoked aubergine dip
Guacamole
Smoked pepper Hummus
(all served with wholemeal pitta fingers and julienned veg)
Winter Tabbouleh (but with normal molasses rather than the pomegranate molasses).

Roasted mediterranean veg with a Harissa dressing over couscous (served cold as a salad)

Hot dishes:

Spicy Ratatouille with butter beans in
Mixed vegetable curry

D'you think this is an okay menu? Balanced enough?? I can't think of a pud except for fresh fruit salad but I'm working on it. I like all this food so if theres leftovers it won't be a problem.

Sarah Ann - it all looks to be vegan - as long as you don't use cheese or butter. Well done!

I think a fresh fruit salad is a good idea! You could get some vegan cream/yogurt or icecream maybe to go with it (with 'normal cream etc etc for those as wants).

Or Maybe just have an 'exotic' mix of fruits and marinade them in a liquer (mind you, there is always someone who does not want alcohol).

If they turn their noses up - they are not fit to be your friends/family etc!