Our Christmas Dinner Menu - Kitchen Treaty

Okay, so here’s what’s up. This holiday season has been tough for me blog-wise. This is the first Christmas I’ve been dairy-free, and apparently, at no time is dairy more plentiful than at this time of year. It’s kind of a good thing because it keeps me away from the truffles and the cookies and the what-nots (see also: a terribly horrible thing).

It’s this time of year when I usually share indulgent cocktails and decadent desserts, and without those, I’m really feeling at a bit of a loss. (I’m also avoiding sugar, so it’s a double whammy.)

So I guess I have to apologize, and I hope that by the time the 2016 Christmas season rolls around, I’ll have found my holiday groove.

Meanwhile, I thought I’d share what’s on our Christmas dinner menu this year for our multi-vore family. As usual, I’m taking the traditional route by prepping a meaty main for the carnivores. But then we’ve got some hearty, diet-neutral sides so that I, the lone (now dairy-free) vegetarian in the family, can feel like I got to enjoy a special meal, too. As far as the kid goes, well … she’ll probably get a side of bacon, some bunny mac, and sprinkle-topped vanilla yogurt, if I’m being honest. (Yeah, we tried the “you’ll eat what we eat” thing, and she ended up losing weight that she could not afford to lose on her very petite frame and ended up at the doctor’s office with stomachaches [EAT, CHILD!], so … for now, she continues to get custom-made meals).

Anyway! Here’s our menu …

Nibbles & Sips

Bruschetta Bar (from What’s Gaby Cooking) – I’m thinking a smaller version of this is in order. Awesome, right?! Plus, it can all be made ahead of time.

Spinach Hummus (from me) – served up with red bell pepper strips and pitas for a super-Christmassy vibe!

Peanut Better Balls (from Oh She Glows) – every single thing from Angela turns out amazing, so I’m super excited to give these vegan, lower-sugar treats a try.

Old-Fashioned Almond Cookies (from The Clean Dish) – I’ve been obsessing over these simple star-shaped gems ever since the popped up in my Pinterest feed. Seriously, three ingredients! Vegan and gluten-free.

Eggnog (traditional store-bought) and Homemade Vegan Eggnog (from Produce on Parade) – The family will prefer traditional ‘nog. That’s fine with me; more vegan deliciousness for myself!

Slow Cooker Hot Spiced Apple Cider (from me) – virtually no effort goes into this and it’s always a hit.

Spinach Hummus recipe

Spinach Hummus

The Main Event

For the meaty main, we’re going with this one:

Pork Tenderloin with Apples & Honey (from The Kitchen Is My Playground) – this looks so easy. We’re trying a tester recipe for dinner this week (well, my carnivorous guy will be trying it; and probably assembling it too if I’m being honest), and I have high hopes.

For the sides, we’re all about:

Nutty Chickpea Pilaf (from me!) – love the protein from the chickpeas and nuts, plus it’s nice and festive looking with the cranberries and parsley. Perfect for Christmas – vegan and gluten-free to boot.

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes with Garlic & Chives and Vegetarian Onion Gravy (also from me!) – because we’ve gotta have a potato dish with a holiday dinner! I think sweet potato mash would go even better with the food on this menu, but we have a few sweet potato haters coming to dinner, and we don’t want to do that to them on Christmas.

vegan-slow-cooker-mashed-potatoes-with-garlic-and-chives7

Vegan Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes with Garlic & Chives

Pomegranate Roasted Brussels Sprouts – I’ll be posting a little Brussels sprouts tutorial later this week!

Glazed Carrots (how-to from The Kitchn) – I’m not sure which recipe I’ll use (if any) but I’m thinking of glazing them with pure maple syrup. I know that two veggies aren’t really necessary, but these are a nice, accessible alternative for those that can’t bring themselves to do Brussels sprouts (hard to fathom, right?!)

Nutty Chickpea Pilaf recipe - A hearty pilaf with a satisfying nutty crunch and, thanks to a handful of dried cranberries, a touch of contrasting sweetness. A plethora of chickpeas elevates what's typically a side to entree status. My favorite dinner lately! Vegan, gluten-free.

Nutty Chickpea Pilaf

Apple Cranberry Sauce (from me) – I mean, can’t not do a cranberry sauce. I might throw in a little fresh ginger; it feels like it it would fit the menu.

Vegan Fluffy White Dinner Rolls (from Oh She Glows) – I really wanted to do some sort of squash or sweet potato roll but then I set my eyes on these bad boys and they were it for me.

Homemade Apple Cranberry Sauce | Kitchen Treaty

Apple Cranberry Sauce

Dessert!

Boysenberry Pie (from Remlinger Farms) – yeah, a store-bought pie! My nephew’s school had a fundraiser selling these bad boys; how could I refuse?! Oh, and it’ll be a la mode, of course.

But I can’t have pie or ice cream, so I also want to make this:

Vegan Buche de Noel – what I have in mind, well, only exists in my mind … but it IS happening. Preferably with meringue mushrooms. It may or may not turn into cake pops somewhere along the way; we shall see. (Wish me luck!)

So, that’s it for our multi-vore Christmas dinner menu this year!

Now tell me! What deliciousness do YOU have planned?!

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