Cooking Christmas lunch is stressful at the best of times, but with millions of Brits choosing to eat plant-based this festive season, many people are struggling with what to cater for their veggie and vegan guests.
With cries of “Can you eat eggs?! What can I replace the butter with??!!” among others…the anxiety ante has been well and truly upped, so plant-based food brand Gosh! comes to the rescue with some simple plant-based hacks to take the hassle out of a meat-free Christmas.
Swap goose fat for coconut oil or rapeseed oil for the roasties, as these oils have a higher smoke point and will ensure the crispiest of roasties.
Why not also try adding dry polenta during the roasting process for that extra golden crispiness.
- Vegan gravy – into hot water, add dried porcini mushrooms, tomato purée, herbs, roasted garlic and seasoning into a blender for the perfect vegan gravy.
- Gosh! Sage and Black Pepper Sausages make the perfect plant-based alternative to pigs in blankets, and when rolled into balls, makes the perfect stuffing too!
- Replace the dairy milk in bread sauce with a lactose free or oat milk alternative, replace butter with a soya or avocado spread alternative available at all health food shops and big supermarkets. You can also add a couple of tablespoons of ground flaxseed to your bread sauce. Not only does this help to thicken the sauce, it also provides a dose of healthy omega-3 fats.
- Toasting pine nuts and sprinkling over warm Gosh! Sweet Pumpkin and Chilli Bites, served on a rosemary sprig skewer makes for the perfect Christmas canapé.
- Steam your brussels sprouts, then add a handful of dried cranberries, a drizzle of avocado oil and a sprinkle of zinc-rich pumpkin seeds for a satisfying crunch.
- Slice 1 large red onion add a teaspoon of maple syrup and sauté until caramelised. Serve on top of a mushroom burger for a simple yet hearty main dish.
- For a quick cranberry sauce, cook fresh cranberries in a saucepan with a little water and a dash of maple syrup. When they begin to ‘pop’, take off the heat. Once cool, stir in 2tbsp chia seeds and leave to thicken.
- For an easy starter dip, blend together 1 handful spinach, 1 garlic clove, 1 handful frozen peas, a squeeze of lemon and half a cup of coconut yoghurt. Drizzle with avocado oil and serve with Gosh! Broad Bean and Quinoa Bites.
Leftover parsnips? Blend cooked parsnips with 1–2 cooked onions, vegetable stock, a little coconut cream and cumin. Serve as soup and top with crumbled Gosh! Beetroot Falafel for a pop of colour.
- Don’t have time to make a nut roast? No problem—simply roast some Gosh! Sweetcorn & Quinoa Bites and serve with chopped dried apricots and grated carrot.
- Make your own ‘smoked salmon’ from carrot strips marinated in tamari and lemon. Perfect on a blini with vegan cream cheese as a canapé or with tofu scramble as Xmas day breakfast.
- Make mini sausage rolls as the perfect Xmas party grub using puff pastry and any of the Gosh! Sausages cut into smaller pieces.
- For an amazing Xmas day centrepiece why don’t you stuff a Butternut squash with mashed up Gosh! Moroccan Bites – falafel, cranberries and nuts. Bind together with a ‘chia egg ‘ and top with herbs and breadcrumbs and bake for 30 mins. This will look beautiful when you serve it and makes a change from nut roast.
- Swap the eggs for chia eggs; make a chia egg by mixing together 1 tablespoon of chia seeds and 3 tablespoons of water and waiting 5 minutes … this will replace 1 egg and use just as you would a normal egg.
- Make your own vegan baileys by mixing a little coffee, whiskey, plant-based milk (try coconut) and sweeten with maple or agave syrup.
- Make the ultimate Boxing Day sarnie using cold Gosh! Sage and Black Pepper Sausages, vegan mayo, cranberry sauce and loads of salad and any other leftovers that look good to throw in.
ENJOY!
Gosh!’s range can be enjoyed as a cold on-the-go snack or heated up as part of a delicious and nutritious meal.
Starting from just £2.40 the bites, burgers and sausages are the tastiest and healthiest way to eat meat-free.
The whole Gosh! range is as transparent as glass with absolutely nothing hidden and everything on show – which is why the range is fully registered by the Vegetarian, Vegan, Coeliac and Kosher food societies.