It’s undeniable that a plant-based diet has endless benefits for your health, and we could all stand to get some more delicious, nutritious veggies in our bodies during this season of over-indulgence. So, for our second installment of our In The Vegan Kitchen with Rip Plus Tan, we decided to whip up some meat-free and holiday-appropriate dishes that are so delicious, they would please the vegans, vegetarians and omnivores in our lives. Just like last time, they didn’t disappoint!
The Menu:
If you follow The Chalkboard, you know that we are huge Pamela Salzman and Kitchen Matters fans. We even did a cooking class series with her earlier this year and often revisit these recipes when we want to find healthy, delicious and crowd-pleasing dishes to serve for friends and family. So, it was a no-brainer to ask her to teach us her favorite vegan recipes that would satisfy a wide range of appetites and occasions. Here’s what she made for us (don’t forget to click on the downloadable PDF so you can have these recipes at your fingertips all season long plus we’ll be spotlighting one of these recipes each day this week!):
Appetizers:
Roasted Root Vegetable Skewers – Bright and lovely, you won’t be able to eat just one!
Main Courses:
Quinoa With Paprika and Grapes – Filling and cozy, the spice gives this dish a surprising warmness and the sweetness of the grapes was just right.
Portobello Mushrooms filled with Spinach white Beans and Roasted Garlic – This was rich and hearty and would be the perfect anchor to any holiday meal, vegan or not!
Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Shallots – Light and delicious, the group all went back for seconds on this one!
Dessert:
Gluten-Free Pear and Cranberry Tart – It was shocking how delicious this tart was! You don’t miss the butter or the white flour at all!
The Class:
We were joined by linen designer Rachel Craven, Lauren Soloff of The Granola Project, Lauri Kranz of Edible Gardens LA, the singer Nicole Simone, Ambre Dahan of Joe’s Jeans and our November guest editor Shiva Rose of The Local Rose. During class, we snacked on delicious roasted veggie skewers that were a huge hit. Pamela used roasted apples, beets, squash and arugula and sipped on Pressed Juicery’s new seasonal flavors, Spiced Almond Milk and Apple Cinnamon Persimmon juice, both of which were amazing with all of the food. Pamela walked us through the steps of each recipe and although the flavors were complex, the recipes were simple and easy to follow; though most of the class wasn’t vegan (we were a mix of pescaterians, vegetarians and omnivores), we all agreed we’d be making them throughout the holiday season.
The Decor:
One of the best parts of this cooking class series is getting some interior inspiration for the holiday table. Roost made the beautiful pine cone baskets and Bloom and Plume filled them with peonies, bay leaves and eucalyptus pods. Jenni also created beautiful place settings; the plates were from Heath, the placemats are Creative Women and the gorgeous green napkins were courtesy of Rachel Craven, who hand-printed them for us. Needless to say, the decor was as delicious as the food!
