The Perfect Holiday Menu

[smasty]

I know it's awhile before "the holidays" but seeing all the Halloween stuff in the stores got me thinking about this. We're almost into the last 3 months of the year...a challenging time for people trying to stick to a healthy regimen. I think it's really important to plan, and longer time we have to plan the better the plan. Will you be sitting down to holiday meals with SAD family members? If so, I think it's critical we put together menus that are appealing and elaborate (unless you're a mono eater and want to stay that way). We shouldn't make it hard on ourselves by sitting down to a salad when everyone else is pigging out on turkey, stuffing, and pie. Now I know there's some purists here who would love their salad just as much as everyone else is loving their pie, but this is for the rest of us, maybe facing our first holiday season as rawists. We're going to face potlucks, parties, daily unflux of christmas cookies, chocolates everywhere. That's why it's never too early to start the game plan. So, here's our assignment, come up with what you think would be the perfect holiday meal, all courses or only one course. I'd love to hear peoples' ideas for appetizers, soups, main dishes, and dessert combinations. I don't know what mine is yet, but I know a couple of my MOST favorite meals have been Alissa's calzone, Alex's lasagne, and Alissa's black forest cake.

[Analeah]

Hey Smasty, what a great idea for a thread! Tonight I just had the most incredible meal, I think quite possibly better than any cooked meal I have had! To start I had wild mushroom (chantrelle and many other delicious kinds I have no idea what the names were though) pizza dehydrated with fresh heirloom tomatoes and then topped with avocado. Really incredible incredible! Then I had caramel (yacon syrup, coconut butter and almond butter) butternut squash and “stir fry” Amarillo pepper veggies (broccoli and spinach) with basil and other herbs and olive oil. This tasted somewhere between steamed veggies and stir fry only ten times better because it was raw and full of flavor. Then some marinated heirloom tomatoe slices with fresh basel, olive oil and other spices. Then for dessert a delectable melange of fruit (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, banana, figs, blood orange, European canteloup melon and pomegranate) with a delicious sweet yacon syrup, cashew and pine nut cream on top with a little home made raw coconut butter chocolate. All this with some fine Australian wine and let me tell you I don't see how it could have been any better to me (unless of course I had mango in the fruit salad lol) I can't really adequately describe how yummy this all was.……It got me thinking there would be no problem eating this way during the holidays! :D

[Sweet lips]

Analeah,

I am so hungry after reading your menu and how wonderful it must look. Now, the big one, pleas share the recipe for:

caramel (yacon syrup, coconut butter and almond butter) butternut squash and “stir fry” Amarillo pepper veggies (broccoli and spinach) with basil and other herbs and olive oil.


How do I do this?

Smasty - this a wonderful idea - We always have greens and in the book Complete Raw Food recipes - the recipe is southern style greens. I will think of some things, but you are right on the money as usual.

Be blessed in your comings and goings

[Rawkinlocs]

I think as long as I have some (raw) stuffing, sweet potato pie, peach pie/cobbler, cranberry sauce and marinated greens (kale and collard) I'll be just fine! I don't need a meat-type dish as I really don't crave or desire meat.

But those other things I mentioned, those are foods that would make holiday time challenging for me.

I may try Alissa's "Noasted Turkey" recipe or something.

[Veganmama]

Great idea for a thread as i was just thinking about this last night as i cooked Alissa's Raw Raviloli, What an amazing flavour sensation, I've been brought up in a real foodie house my dad is an amzing chef and now is a very respected foodie in Australia. I can't wait to make this dish for him, i cannot belive that the sauce wasn't simmered for hours, it had such a rich full flavour. ANd the Turnip well i must say i was pretty sceptical about this, but WOW!!!!!!

So this is definetly on my christmas menu, on my Christmas wish list is Alissa's book but there is bo way i can afford the shipping to OZ atm if her other recipes taste this good.

I also have an excellent Australian book, Eat Smart, Eat Raw and it has recipes in it for Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding which i may try out and am happy to post if anyone wishes

[Kristi]

I'm going to have to hire someone as a caterer!

[yeahbethany]

The "Savory Sage Croquettes" in the Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine Book are DELICIOUS and they taste like a cross between chicken patties and stuffing. Mmmmmm.

I made a fabulous pumpkin pie for a potluck....I'll try to remember what I put in it:

Crust: walnuts, soaked dates, salt.

Filling: pie pumpkin (or butter nut squash)--maybe 3 cups or more?, coconut water, honey, raisins lotsa good spices like cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, fresh ginger, a handfull of soaked almonds.....Blend up in a vitamix till really smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings until absolutely delicious.....then, add ground psyllium seed husks (maybe a couple tablespoons? not sure) and blend. This will solidify into a perfect pumpkin pie filling texture. Pour into crust, chill, and serve with your favorite raw whipped cream.

Sorry I don't have the exact proportions! Next time I make it I will try and remember to write it down! I wish I did!

[Analeah]

Analeah,

I am so hungry after reading your menu and how wonderful it must look. Now, the big one, pleas share the recipe for:

caramel (yacon syrup, coconut butter and almond butter) butternut squash and “stir fry” Amarillo pepper veggies (broccoli and spinach) with basil and other herbs and olive oil.


How do I do this?


Awe thanks sweet lips :D Okay well I don't have an exact recipe as it's the first time I made anything like this but it was really easy. For the butternut squash I just chopped it all into little squares (and I did a couple thick slices to experiment too) and poured the sauce on top and put it in the dehydrator. The sauce was basically a mixture of yacon syrup, almond butter and coconut butter and also some water to make the consistency thinner. To me it tasted wonderful, just like caramel! I also added some cinnamon too which gave it a great flavor. For the veggies I just chopped up some broccoli and added some spinach and then covered in a mixture of olive oil, soy sauce, amarillo pepper, basil and a little tomatoe juice. After being in the dehydrator for several hours it gets really warm and yummy. Just keep checking on it to make sure you don't over dehydrate it but if you put enough sauce on everything I don't think it would happen too easily.

Thanks for sharing the pumpkin pie recipe! It sounds delicious, I know I am definately going to have to try this one out soon. What exactly are psyllium husks and where can you find them? Is it necessary for the recipe or just a nice addition? The savory sage croquettes sound delicious too! Do you have a recipe for those? Thanks again for sharing everyone!