The holiday season is a time for relaxing and spending time with family. This time of the year brings lots of love, happiness, and of course food! Eating with family and friends is always special, but cooking with them is even more enjoyable. For vegans and vegetarians, the holiday delights are a little different than the classic food items. After asking the students around Amador, we found the top three best vegan and vegetarian recipes that are perfect for this holiday season.

Saheli Thakkar (‘21) shared her favorite holiday recipe of vanilla almond hot cocoa. This is the perfect drink to sip by the fireplace while being in the company of your family and friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Sugar
• ⅔  cup baking cocoa
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 8 cups of 2% milk
• ⅔ cup water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• Miniature marshmallows

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa, and salt
2. Stir in water and milk
3. Stir over medium heat
4. Remove from the heat and add in extracts
5. Serve in mugs, sprinkle marshmallows, and enjoy!

Esha Chawla (‘19) shared her favorite recipe of brussels sprout and basil pasta salad. This pasta salad works great as a side-dish or part of an appetizer.

Ingredients:

• ¼  c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½  tsp. Kosher salt
• ½ lb. sliced onion
• ½ lb. sliced mushrooms
• ½ lb. chopped Brussels sprout
• 1 tsp. finely chopped rosemary
• 1 lb. cooked bowtie pasta
• ½ c. reserved pasta cooking water
• lemon juice
• Fresh basil
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a deep skillet, heat olive oil and garlic on medium for 3 minutes, stirring. Add salt, onion, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts.
2. Cook 5 minutes or until almost tender, stirring. Add rosemary. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until wilted.
3. Cook pasta according to package instructions and reserve ½  cup cooking water. Toss pasta and cooking water and with vegetables.
4. Garnish with lemon juice, basil, and black pepper.

Vivian Gallego (‘19) shared her recipe of vegan gingerbread cupcakes, which are a wonderful dessert item for the holiday season.

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Wet ingredients:

• ½ cup fancy molasses
• ½ cup non-dairy milk, such as soy or almond
• ⅓  cup light oil, such as canola vegetable
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

• ½ cup vegan butter
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk, such as soy or almond

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 ℉. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners, or lightly grease the pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix! Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners.
4. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5. To make the frosting, use a mixer or hand beater to mix all the frosting ingredients together until light and fluffy. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

As the holidays are right around the corner, these recipes are a delicious way to spice up your dinners and desserts. We hope you enjoy them as much we do! Happy holidays!