Free Download: 10 Healthy Plant-Based Festive Recipes

When it's all over bar the washing up you may be looking for a welcome distraction from the exertions of Christmas, and the run up to it. If so, we've got a welcome treat - 10 delicious, easy-to-make, vegan recipes, all with a festive slant.

You can download the free e-book below, but here are two of our favourite recipes to whet your appetite:

Vegan Biscotti Recipe

Serves: 16

Ingredients

Dry ingredients:
1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
⅓ cup (70g) superfine sugar (demerara sugar works too)
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
pinch of salt
zest of one unwaxed orange
¼ cup (35g) hazelnuts, chopped roughly

Wet ingredients:
1 tbsp. coconut oil
3 tsp. almond milk
½ tsp. almond extract

Garnish:
2 oz. (60g) dark chocolate (vegan), melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Mix all the dry ingredients together (except the hazelnuts) in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Place the coconut oil in a small bowl and melt in the microwave or over a pot of simmering water. Once melted, whisk in the almond milk and almond extract.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix gently until roughly combined. The dough should be not too dry or too sticky. If it’s too dry, add a touch more milk and if it’s too wet, add a touch more flour.

Now, add the chopped hazelnuts and mix them gently into the dough, making sure they are distributed evenly.

Roll the dough into a long, thick log and then transfer it to the baking sheet and flatten it into a 1½ x 10 inch (3-4 cm x 25 cm) log.

Place the baking sheet into the hot oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the surface of the log is firm and lightly browned.

Remove the log from the oven and set onto a wire rack to cool for 15-20 minutes. Cut the log into ½ inch (1-1.5cm) slices with a knife. Place the slices on a baking sheet cut side down and return them to the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes (the longer you bake them the harder they get).

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the biscotti on a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cool, melt the dark chocolate, dip the biscotti into the melted chocolate and arrange to dry on a wire rack.

Store the biscotti in an airtight container for 3-4 weeks.

Nutrition Per Serving

Jumbo Vegan Mince Pie Recipe

Serves: 20

Ingredients

For the mincemeat:
1 large apple, peeled & grated
1¼ cups (200g) mixed dried fruit (eg raisins, cranberries, apricots)
14 oz. (390g) jar black cherries in kirsch
¾ cup (100g) skinless hazelnuts, roasted & roughly chopped
1 orange, zested & juiced
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground allspice
¾ cup (150g) dark brown sugar

For the pastry:
3½ cups (400g) all purpose flour
1 cup (200g) coconut oil, straight from the fridge
1⅓ tbsp. icing sugar
⅓ cup (80ml) ice-cold water
¼ cup (50ml) almond milk, for brushing

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C).

Place all the mincemeat ingredients into a casserole dish and add half of the kirsch from the jar of cherries. Mix everything together, then cover with tin foil. Place the dish into the hot oven to cook for 35-40 minutes until all the sugar has melted, and the liquid has reduced. Set aside to cool completely.

To make the pastry, place the flour and coconut oil in a food processor and pulse until to form breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and pulse to combine, then pour in the water and pulse until the pastry starts coming together. Add another 2 tablespoons of water if the pastry looks a little dry, then tip the dough onto a clean surface and pat into a disc with your hands. Wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C). Grease a tart tin with a little oil.

Take the pastry out of the refrigerator. Cut off one-third of the pastry and keep covered under a tea towel. Roll out the bigger portion of the pastry in a circle on a well-floured surface to a thickness of ¼ inch (5mm) and place it over a greased tart tin.

Adjust the pastry to fit into the tart tin, fitting into the corners, taking care not to stretch it. Trim off any excess dough. Lightly prick the base of the pastry with a fork (not all the way through). Cover the pastry with baking paper and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the tart tin from the oven, discard the baking paper and bake for a further 5 minutes.

Now, transfer all the mincemeat into the tart base. Take the remaining pastry from under the tea towel and roll out to ¼ inch (5mm) thickness. Cut out stars and place them on top of the mincemeat. Brush the top with almond milk.

Place the tart back into the hot oven for a further 15-20 minutes until the pastry on top is crisp and golden. Remove the tart from the oven and set aside on a wire rack to cool a little before slicing and serving.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 30 days.

Nutrition Per Serving