A Vegan Christmas, by Peggy Harrison
First, why am I a vegan? All my life I have been an animal lover (cats especially) and so when, about eleven years ago, my daughter Ann and I watched the movie Food, Inc. our vegan journey began. It was not an immediate switch from meat eating to vegan. We decided right away that we would no longer eat red meat and would only sparingly eat other meats. As time went on and we learned more about the abuse of the animals we were consuming, it became evident that no meat or fish eating was necessary. Then we learned about the abuses in the egg and dairy industries and that brought us to veganism about two years ago.
The big question we get all the time is “But how do you eat enough protein?” It really isn’t that hard to get all the protein you need as a vegan: beans, tofu, tempeh, seitan, fortified nut milks, nuts, and more (many vegetables have some protein). Vegans do have to be sure they get enough vitamin B-12 and sometimes a supplement is necessary. On the flip side, we do not consume any harmful fats or cholesterol.
What would a vegan Christmas look like? Pretty amazing actually. On Christmas morning, after some coffee and a light breakfast (tofu scramble or vegan sausage on an English muffin) some members of the family will head to Unity Farm Sanctuary to volunteer and cuddle a few turkeys (they actually have the softest heads).
The Christmas tree will be real and cut from a local farm. (I know there is a lot of discussion as to what is the best environmentally friendly option when it comes to trees but we prefer real). We have not been creative in our decorating of the tree, using ornaments that we’ve had for years, some store bought and some homemade (a couple as old as 100 years) and white lights.
All gifts will be purchased with an eye toward them being cruelty free (animal and people) and environmentally friendly such as cotton clothing, vegan leather items, dog and cat toys that do not resemble animals, sustainable toys for children and more. The gift wrapping, if used, would either be reusable (like gift bags we already have) or recyclable or compostable such as newspaper or brown paper.
Dinner will consist of all plant-based foods but in a totally innovative way. For instance, did you know that ground flax seed and water can be substituted for eggs and it’s so easy to do, or that adding nutritional yeast to a recipe will make it taste cheesy? A good substitute for dairy, of course, are the nut milks, soy milk or oat milk (my favorite). Many companies make vegan “roasts” with stuffing and gravy included that are a great substitute for the turkey, ham or prime rib. Actually, at our dinners the meat-eating members of the family really like the “roasts” we provide. And, of course, there is always the sweet potato casserole and if you must have the marshmallows on top (and who wouldn’t want them), there are vegan options for those too; nope, regular marshmallows are not vegan. We like a side dish of greens (kale, swiss chard and spinach) cooked with coconut milk, garlic, shallots, red chile and ginger.
One cook book that I love for getting started with some great and easy vegan recipes is The Homemade Vegan Pantry: The Art of Making Your Own Staples, by Miyoko Schinner. Miyoko Schinner also produces some amazing vegan cheeses and other alternative dairy options that are very good. I have found the best place to buy them is Wegman’s.
All of this is making me eager to enjoy all the sights, smells and sounds of Christmas! It will be here before we know it.
Looking ahead…Green book group for winter 2021
In case you are that hard-to-buy-for person who always says, “get me a book for Christmas,” here’s one you could consider—Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. The Green Team will be sponsoring a book group discussion on this title in February, 2021. Get a head start on this great read!