Meatless Monday

womenshealthmag:

Meatless Monday: Holiday Party Foods
By Hollis Templeton
While holidays at my house revolve around tiny traditions, like saving one meaningful or homemade gift for after dinner and watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation until everyone’s asleep, one thing that never stays the same is the food. My dad, the cook and party planner of the family, picks cuisines from outside of our own culture and bases holiday meals around a different one each year. A traditional Jewish breakfast on Christmas morning, Italian-inspired Christmas Eve appetizers, a French-style holiday dinner—you never really know what’s coming.
Looking for a way to liven up your traditions this year? Keep your guests on their toes by swapping all-too-expected standards—a bagel breakfast, Waldorf salad at dinner, cookies for dessert—for tasty meat-free treats. Try the five easy recipes below for festive foods that will please vegetarians and omnivores alike.
Fruit Crepes with Chocolate Sauce On Christmas morning, skip boring bagels and cream cheese and whip up light and fluffy crepes filled with red and green fruit.
Potato Pancakes Over Baby Greens (pictured) Lighten up your latkes by opting for egg whites and serving the Hanukkah favorite with a small salad.
Spinach Cranberry Salad with Toasted Walnuts and Berry Vinaigrette This red and green, savory and sweet salad will add color and crunch to any holiday table.
Goat Cheese Skewers Simply stack cheese, basil, and tomatoes and you’ve got a party snack in minutes.
Ginger-Macadamia Nut Cheesecake with Praline Topping If your dessert motto is “go big or go home,” impress guests with this anything-but-ordinary cheesecake.
Photo: Elizabeth Watt/Thinkstock

Meatless Monday: Holiday Party Foods

By Hollis Templeton

While holidays at my house revolve around tiny traditions, like saving one meaningful or homemade gift for after dinner and watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation until everyone’s asleep, one thing that never stays the same is the food. My dad, the cook and party planner of the family, picks cuisines from outside of our own culture and bases holiday meals around a different one each year. A traditional Jewish breakfast on Christmas morning, Italian-inspired Christmas Eve appetizers, a French-style holiday dinner—you never really know what’s coming.

Looking for a way to liven up your traditions this year? Keep your guests on their toes by swapping all-too-expected standards—a bagel breakfast, Waldorf salad at dinner, cookies for dessert—for tasty meat-free treats. Try the five easy recipes below for festive foods that will please vegetarians and omnivores alike.

Fruit Crepes with Chocolate Sauce On Christmas morning, skip boring bagels and cream cheese and whip up light and fluffy crepes filled with red and green fruit.

Potato Pancakes Over Baby Greens (pictured) Lighten up your latkes by opting for egg whites and serving the Hanukkah favorite with a small salad.

Spinach Cranberry Salad with Toasted Walnuts and Berry Vinaigrette This red and green, savory and sweet salad will add color and crunch to any holiday table.

Goat Cheese Skewers Simply stack cheese, basil, and tomatoes and you’ve got a party snack in minutes.

Ginger-Macadamia Nut Cheesecake with Praline Topping If your dessert motto is “go big or go home,” impress guests with this anything-but-ordinary cheesecake.

Photo: Elizabeth Watt/Thinkstock