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Photo by Marie Laforêt

I've said it before (and maybe I was whining a little bit at the time), holiday meals just aren't the same when you're vegan. Not that I have any desire for turkey. I really don't. Quite the opposite - I would be thrilled if everyone at the table was enjoying a delicious, plant-based feast. That's why I said, "Yes please!" when Robert Rose offered to send me a review copy of The Vegan Holiday Cookbook: From Elegant Appetizers to Festive Mains and Delicious Sweets.

For the simple holiday meals that we enjoy as a family of four, we tend to cook a store-bought turkey alternative or we make this easy tofu loaf. But The Vegan Holiday Cookbook, created by Marie Laforêt, has me seriously considering the need to up my holiday food game. So today I want to tell you a little bit about the types of recipes you can find in the cookbook, and share two incredible dessert recipes for you to try out this holiday season and beyond.



The full title of this vegan cookbook kind of says it all - there are more than 60 recipes for holiday-worthy appetizers, mains and desserts. To give you some examples, for starters there are three types of vegan "caviar" that you can serve on Paris toasts or blinis. The squash truffles sound amazing, as do the vegan sausage mini tarts (I can see building a whole meal around those).

Several of the recipes are gluten-free as well as vegan. There is a page following the introduction that lists the gluten-free recipes and also other recipes that are easy to adapt to be gluten-free. There are also four themed menus suggested, depending on whether you're looking to make a traditional meal, a light and sophisticated dinner, a buffet or a last-minute meal. As an alternative to the usual soups, there's a recipe for ravioli in flavored broth that sounds delectable.

For mains, you can try your hand at making your own tofu roast, complete with stuffing and glaze. Or how about "Lentil Wellington" with roasted carrots? Seitan Wellington, tofu medallions, Swedish meat balls - the list goes on and each recipe is more tempting than the last. The dishes are beautifully depicted in full-colour photographs. The Vegan Holiday Cookbook is a great resource for anybody looking to create impressive, special occasion holiday meals that will delight meat-eaters and vegans alike.

Of course, given a list of recipes to choose from, I went with two desserts. You're welcome. Seriously though, I think my mind is always on dessert, especially at Christmas. The first recipe, the Snow White Layer Cake, I chose because it reminds me of a cake I made for my husband many years ago when I was still unmarried and living with my parents.

I remember that cake took so friggin' long to make. We were planning to go out and I think I was exhausted by the time he came to pick me up. But it was a good cake, all topped in coconut, like Marie's lovely vegan cake.

I'm also sharing the recipe for her "Shortbread Forest" because every Christmas cookie platter needs shortbread, and also look how adorable the cookies look in her photo! The intro to the recipe suggests making an entire forest of shortbread cookies of different colors and flavors instead of making a gingerbread house. Or tuck the cookies into little gift bags as gourmet presents.

About Marie

A Paris resident, Marie Laforêt has written over a dozen vegan cookbooks. Visit her at www.100-vegetal.com.

More Book Recommendations

I love to give and get books as Christmas gifts. Do you? You can shop my book recommendations here on Amazon.



Photo by Marie Laforêt







Recipes courtesy of The Vegan Holiday Cookbook: From Elegant Appetizers to Festive Mains and Delicious Sweets by Marie Laforêt © 2017 www.robertrose.ca Available where books are sold.



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