There is no Turkey on my table this Christmas. I used to cook one for my cat but now he s no longer around there wont even be that!
If anyone has any good recipes for a meat free option I would be very grateful, as shop bought is usually pretty boring! Thank you! x

Im sorry cant help on this as sadly I do eat Turkey although today they had on the tv about a turkey farm closing and they were all looking down the camera and if I saw that I dont think I could ever eat one again. I hope you find the perfect meal though for your Christmas day. After all why follow what everyone else does.

Thanks Seaslug! Far be it for me to tell anyone what to eat. I hate people who preach to others, I m very far from perfect! Meat eating is just not right for me. But everyone to whatever is right for them! Thanks again.

I know, but my family are coming over, and I love all the trimmings that go with a roast meal, without the roast! And I love playing hostess and dressing up the table, its kind of traditional I guess!

I googled a meat free christmas and there are some good recipes like mushroom wellington, you might want to check it out.

Quorn is normally a good subsitute for meat. I can't think of anything else to suggest. Good luck with finding a good vegetarian dish and sorry to hear about your cat.

Youre very welcome Vanessa, not that I didn anything. Must admit tried quorn myself and was violently sick on it and have never touched it to this day.

I had a Quorn roast last Xmas. It was pretty bland and not very good value for money, but I ate it anyway. None of the Quorn products seem to suit me now

Arh what a disappointment. I think sometimes its just as nice to have fresh produce. I sometimes do peppers and garlic and onion all in a tomato sauce with chillies or chilli powder and pasta, its rather tasty.

Thanks everyone for the ideas! Actually, I do already eat quite a lot of Quorn! Not thats its that great, but there s not that much choice in the vege range! Anyway, I manage to burn nearly everything anyway, so dont know why I m that worried! X

Turkey is way down on my fav meat list.

Roast Beef
Roast Chicken
Steak
Roast Pork
Roast Duck
Roast Lamb
Roast Turkey

quote:

Originally posted by Caveman:
Turkey is way down on my fav meat list.

Roast Beef
Roast Chicken
Steak
Roast Pork
Roast Duck
Roast Lamb
Roast Turkey

Apart from duck and steak, i used to find all of them delicious. I cut out lamb out of my diet first, then eventually all of them

Well if its any consolation, I do feel heathy on a meat free diet (she says as she almost passes out with the flu) in general that it! Although I would miss chocolate more than anything but I only eat a little of that these days! Dont we suffer for our vanity!?!

Hi Vanessa, Im sure you will know this, but just saw in the sainsburys free mag today, some of the specially prepared veggie meals they are doing for christmas. No I dont work for JS. Hee Hee.

I can't stand ready meals. I must say though I will miss all the 'trimmings' that go with Xmas dinners again.

Nor do I. I always prepare everything from fresh but it was just an idea if anyone was stuck.

quote:

Originally posted by seaslug:
Nor do I. I always prepare everything from fresh but it was just an idea if anyone was stuck.

Yes I do as well Seaslug, and I find the difference incredible if/when I buy something ready done. At least it's an idea though

hi vanessa! how about a nut roast?
i had one as a roast dinner in a brewers fayre a few weeks ago and it was lovely...i will see if i can find a recipe for you...

ok, here is one...
450g (1lb) Peanuts
225g (8oz) Hazelnuts or Walnuts
225g (8oz) Red Lentils
110g (4oz) Mushroom
110g (4oz) Breadcrumbs
50g (2oz) Aubergine
2 Sticks Celery
1 Medium Carrot
1 Medium Courgette
1 Small Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Sunflower Oil
1 tbsp Parsley
2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Marjoram
1 tsp Paprika
Vegetable Stock or other liquid
Salt and Pepper
Wash and drain the lentils, cover with cold water, bring to the boil then simmer until just tender
Chop the nuts.
Peel and grate the carrot.
Finely chop the other vegetables.
Fry the onions and garlic in a heavy based frying pan until softened.
Add the mushrooms, aubergine, chopped herbs and spices, seasoning, cooking gently until the aubergine is soft.
Add the remaining vegetables and cook gently for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Add the chopped nuts, breadcrumbs and a good dash of soy sauce.
Mix thoroughly, the mixture should be fairly firm, if required add a little liquid to moisten.
Pre-heat oven to 190°C: 375°F: Gas 5.
Place into an oiled loaf tin (pressing it into the corners), cover with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Serve with seasonable vegetables and onion gravy or a sauce of your choice.

Serves: 4 - 6

or this one?


How to Make Basic Vegan Nut Roast
This recipe is for the basic and standard vegan nut roast. From this building block, you can make as many variations as you like with different flavours, vegetables, herbs, spices and sauces. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 onions, sliced
5 tomatoes (organic is preferable), diced; skin on or off is up to you
2 carrots, grated
1 cup of wholemeal breadcrumbs (or 3 slices of fresh bread, crumbed)
1/2 cup vegetable stock (or juice)
100 gms cashews, ground
100 gms hazelnuts, ground
Steps
Assemble the ingredients.
Fry the onions in a saucepan or frying pan on medium heat for 5 minutes, or until translucent.
Add the grated carrot, tomatoes, breadcrumbs and vegetable stock (or juice).
Cook on a low heat for 15 - 20 minutes.
Once cooked, turn off the heat, add the nuts and mix together.
Turn on the oven at 200ºC.
Line a loaf tin with baking paper or grease with olive oil.
Scoop the cooked mixture into the loaf tin and pat down evenly with the back of a fork or wooden spoon. (Clean fingers are okay too!)
Bake in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

or there is this one....
Rose Elliot’s Pine Nut & Carrot Roast with Mushroom Sauce

Serves 6

Ingredients

25g/1oz butter
1 onion, finely chopped
225g/8oz carrots, finely grated
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
225g/8oz pine nuts, grated
2 tbsp chopped parsley
squeeze of lemon juice
2 free range eggs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg

For the sauce

7g/1/4 oz dried mushrooms, rinsed
600ml/1 pint water
25g/1oz butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp vegetarian Madeira or fortified wine
2 tbsp shoyu sauce

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4
2 Grease and line a 500g/1lb loaf tin
3 Melt the butter in a large pan and fry the onion, without browning, for 5 minutes, then add the carrot and celery and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
4 Remove from heat and add the pine nuts, parsley, lemon juice and eggs.
5 Season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
6 Pour into the tin and bake for 40 minutes until golden brown and firm in the centre.

To prepare the sauce:

1 Put the mushrooms and water in a saucepan, bring to the boil then remove from heat and leave to soak for 40 minutes, then drain, reserving the liquid and chop the mushrooms.
2 Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion and fry for 10 minutes until lightly browned.
3 Add the mushrooms and gently cook for 30 minutes until tender.
4 Mix the cornflour with the reserved liquid, Madeira and shoyu, then add to the mushroom mixture. Bring to the boil, stirring until slightly thickened. Season to taste.

Turn the roast out onto a plate, slice thickly and drizzle with the mushroom sauce. Serve with roast potatoes, sprouts, carrots and all the trimmings for a classic vegetarian Christmas feast that will be a sure-fire hit year after year.

the other thing i will say is that the first year that we entertained my family at christmas in our new flat - 3 years ago - we found out that my sister-in-law was a vegetarian...but amazingly, my partner,managed to rustleup a stuffed pepper with mushroom risotto or you can use quorn instead of mushroom - which in my opinion has more flavour than actual chicken!
but i don't like the quorn burgers that you can get....everything ielse is ok..
i am a meat eater - i just like something different myself occasionally...]

good luck with your quest...hope you have a fabulous christmas day with your family!!

Thanks so much boysmamma! I ve only just logged in after a very busy couple of weekes and read your lovely recipes! Thats brilliant. What a star you are!! Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. Its 1.15am and only just had time to look at this. How sad is that!! Take care.