Vegan & Gluten Free Xmas - Deep Filled Christmas Pie, Delicious Sauces & Raw Dulces

2013. It’s that time of year when I’m looking back on all that has happened. 12 months ago today it was predicted the world was going to end! A year ago today, I was beginning preparations for a Christmas feast. I thought you may like a little reminder….

2012

So, time to get on with the preparations for the Christmas meal. The fragrant, warm, busy hub on my kitchen is a welcome escape from the drizzly rain outside. Thank God for fairy lights…casting a festive and magical glow.

As always I strive to bring you recipes that are not only vegan but also free of gluten, grain, sugar and soy and low fat if it isn’t effecting flavour.

ALSO….great news, EVERYTHING can be made ahead.

Today in Part 1 of 2 -

Traditional Flavours - in a pie. Christmas Pie.

Deep Filled Christmas Pie.

Traditional Trimmings - Cranberry & Roasted Garlic Infused NoBread Sauce

Red Wine Gravy

Adorable and so easy Strawberry Jolly Santas.

Cool After-dinner Chocolate Peppermint Thins

Tomorrow in Part 2 -

Vegan Glazed ‘Ham’ and a Crisp Festive Spiced Brussel Sprout Salad

Thick Sage & Onion Sauce.

Raw Mince Pies with Cashew Cream

First up…

Deep Filled Christmas Pie.

For this I wanted to combine all my treasured Xmas flavour memories, beneath a deep layer of pastry. I don’t bake pasty much at the moment but December 25th only comes but once and a year and the thought of all these flavours together on one plate was too good.

The recipe is a little bit involved. You can shortcut and use pre made sausages if you are time starved. There are three stages.

1 - make sausages following my recipe here. for meatless balls. Whilst you are allowing those to cool, make the pastry.

2 - make the pastry. I love this ratio of flours for the pastry but you can just use a premixed gluten free flour if you so wish, or experiment with your own.

1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup chickpea/garbanzo flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 flax ‘egg’ (1 Tbs flax meal with 1 Tbs water)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup water or unsweetened almond milk
almond milk (or any vegan milk) for brushing

mix into a bowl to form a slightly wet dough. Pop in fridge to chill for min 30mins. Whilst the pastry is chilling lets make the stuffing. It is delicious in it’s raw state but try not to eat it or there won’t be enough for the pie.

3 - make the Chestnut Stuffing

2 homemade vegan sausages (use from the recipe above)

1 medium onion, minced

2 juicy organic dried figs chopped

1/4 cup roughly chopped roasted chestnuts

3-4 sage leaves deep fried and chopped or 1 Tbs dried sage

3 Tbs almond flour (or gluten free bread crumbs if you have)

1 pear (or apple) blended to a sauce in a processor

1 tbs tamari sauce

2 tbs olive oil ( optional…I also threw in a cheeky dash of truffle oil).

1 tbs nutritional yeast (optional)

squeeze over juice of 1/2 small lemon

salt & pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl (taste and season).

Putting it all together - heat the oven to 190degrees.

Roll out your pastry (about 5mm thick) on a piece of lightly floured parchment (makes it easy to manoeuvre and cleaning up is a breeze). Make two circles approx - 1 x 10 cm 1 x 9 cm. Transfer the largest pastry round onto a lightly oiled bake pan (so you don’t have to manoeuvre later).

Place a circle of the moist stuffing on the pastry. In the centre of the stuffing place your sausage. As per the photo, cover the sausage with the stuffing.

Brush the edge of the pastry with almond milk. Pop on the pastry lid, brush around the edge with almond milk and then gently fold up the bottom over the lid and crimp with your fingers. Brush all over with milk. You can be terribly retro and make a couple of pastry holly leaves and gently make a cut on the top.

Place in the oven and bake until golden. Approx 18-20mins.

Now the Trimmings!

Very simple and quick to make. Make them both. Christmas needs them both!

Cranberry & Roasted Garlic Sauce.

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 large orange juice and zest

1 garlic clove roasted in oil (tip…pop it in the oven same times as the Xmas Pie!).

1 Tbs coconut sugar

1 Tbs stevia or xylitol (keep those calories for later!)

1/2 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

grinding of black pepper

gently simmer the cranberries in the orange juice (not the zest), along with the other ingredients until they start to pop (so fun..interactive ingredients!!). Add the zest of the orange. Check for sweetness.

Transfer to a serving pot or a jar if making ahead. Keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Vegan (Gluten free, Paleo) Nobread Sauce

1 1/2 cup almond milk (make sure it is un-sweetenend, or make your own)

1/4 cup almond flour

1 large shallot

1 T arrow root

1 clove

1 bay leaf

1/4 - 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper … so, crucial to marry the flavours.

1/4 tsp salt

Stud the bay leaf to the shallot and pop it into a pan with the milk and seasonings.

Gently boil the almond milk for 10 minutes. The kitchen will begin to fill with warming aromas.

Add the almond flour.

Mix a little of the milk in a small dish with the arrowroot to make a paste, and slowly pour the mix into the pan whilst stirring.

Gently simmer until the sauce begins to thicken.

Transfer to a serving pot, or a jar if you are making ahead. Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Ok to freeze too.

Serve it all up with a Two Root Mash (a combo of your choice), Rosemary Roasted Parsnips and Mushroom infused Red Wine gravy

1/2 cup dried mushrooms soaked in 1 cup water

1 glass vegan red wine
1/2 vegan, yeast-free stock cube

1 tsp onion powder
1 tbs arrow root
a few good splashes of tamari

Gently simmer the wine until it is reduced by half.

Remove the mushrooms (you can use them for a chestnut and mushroom soup for supper or for the day after Christmas) and then put the soaking water into a small pan over a low heat, add the arrowroot and the wine and stir continually until it starts to thicken. It just takes a few minutes. This is definitely a ‘do on the day’ recipe. Stirring is very zen! add the tamari once thickened and remove from the heat. Serve immediately. If you do need to reheat then you may need to add a little more water. Its so good with the mash.

All these dishes, sauces, gravy are perfect partners. Made to share a (large) plate! Beun Apetito!

Now for the afters… If you still have room! Tomorrows post (make sure you come back, y’all) showcases a lighter entree/main so you have room for Rich & Raw Mince Pies. For today we are keeping it light (ish).

Raw Dulces

Oh my gosh, aren’t they adorable. They magically came to life when I popped their little flax seed eyes on their faces. Oh oh oh…I LOVE them. They are super easy to make. I was at a rather spectacular raw food potluck in Brighton the other day and a woman with a flash of flame-red hair, called Esmerelda had made them. So delightful. Great for your children to make and healthy too!

Xmas Strawberry Santa

For the RAW CREAM
1 cup raw cashews - soaked for at least 30mins, or better overnight (if you don’t have a high speed blender it helps them to cream better).
2 Tbs xylitol (ground to a powder in coffee grinder)
2 Tbs coconut oil melted
2 tbs lemon juice
pinch salt

Mix in a blender or food processor until smooth and whippy. Refrigerate to help stiffen.

Strawberries
flax seeds

Enjoy creating your little Santas!

How about rounding it all off (if you have any room left) with a Raw Peppermint Thin…

raw peppermint thins

makes 8 (or so).

Filling
1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes or desiccated coconut ground to a meal
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour (if you don’t have then use 1/2 cup almond flour)
1/4 cup yacon syrup or agave (yacon is healthier and easier on blood sugar)
2 Tbs coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla powder
1 tsp good quality peppermint oil (without unnecessary additives)
2 pinches pink salt

Chocolate covering

1/2 cup carob or cacao powder
*opt..2 tbs roasted chicory coffee (tastes amazing and great for digestion and blood sugar balance) or 1/2 tsp coffee powder)..enchances flavour
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
*optional - 1 tsp sunflower lecithin emulsifyer
pinch salt

For the filling

mix all the ingredients into a processor and blend until just beginning to clump. You need it to hold together when squeezed. Roll into balls and pat down onto a sheet of parchment. I used a cookie cutter to cut perfect circles. Continue until you’ve used all the mix and then pop onto a plate and into the freezer for 30mins. The chilling process makes it easy to get a good covering of chocolate as it hardens when it comes into contact with the frozen patties.

to make the chocolate

Melt in a bain marie, the coconut oil. Put the other ingredients into a bowl and mix. Pour the liquified oil into the bowl and mix until incorporated.

Assembly

Dip the patties into the melted chocolate (work quickly) to cover and then place on some parchment paper or cling film/saran wrap. The chocolate will harden in no time. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Look out for Part 2 tomorrow!

Be well,

India x

Vegan & Gluten Free Xmas - Deep Filled Christmas Pie, Delicious Sauces & Raw Dulces

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