Christmas dinner is one of the most emblematic and important gatherings that bring together most of the members of a family. It is a time when the company and the pleasure of food mix, achieving a feeling of comfort and well-being.
Pasta, sweet or salty salad, cod, romeritos, turkey and desserts are the typical dishes served at this very particular dinner. However, what if some family members are vegetarians?
To enjoy this Christmas season respecting and validating the beliefs of each of the members, We share these 10 recipes for healthy vegetarian dishes:
Bell peppers stuffed with vegetables
Ingredients: 4 bell peppers, 2 green peppers, 4 onions, 2 carrots, 1/4 of cabbage, 150g of peas, 300g of mushrooms, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 glass of white wine, water and extra virgin olive.
Instructions: Once the peppers are washed, season them with a little oil and salt and place them on a baking sheet. Put them in the oven for 1/2 hour. Chop the cabbage and cook it for 8 minutes in a saucepan with salt. As for the sauce, chop the onion and 2 cloves of garlic, the mushrooms, and place them in a saucepan. Pour the white wine with water into it. Season and cook for 10 minutes. Next chop 3 onions, the peppers and the peas; Peel the carrots, 2 cloves of garlic in slices and brown them in a pan with oil. Stuff the peppers with the mushrooms, adding the mushroom sauce; then put them in the oven for 6 minutes.
Stew of vegetables, legumes and mushrooms
Ingredients: 200g of peas, 120g of green soybeans, 300g of mushrooms, 3 onions, 1 slice of pumpkin, water, extra virgin olive oil, salt and chopped parsley.
Instructions: Soak the green soybeans for 3 hours and then cook them for 5 minutes in a pot with water and salt. Remove the strings from the peas and cook the remains in a saucepan with water and salt for 8 minutes. Chop the onions and roast them in oil. When they start to color, add the pumpkin cut into wedges. Let them cook, adding the peas and soaked soy to the saucepan. Cook everything together. Clean and cut the mushrooms, browning them in a pan with oil. Season and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Portobello Lasagna
Ingredients: 340g of dry lasagna, 4 cups of milk, 1 and 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, 1/2 cup of flour, 700g of Portobello mushrooms, 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of black pepper, 1 tablespoon of nutmeg, olive oil and coarse salt.
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Boil water in a large pot with 3 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the lasagna and cook for 10 minutes. Strain and save. For the white sauce, boil the milk in a pot, removing it from the heat. In another pot, melt 1 stick of butter, adding the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, mixing constantly with a wooden spoon. Add the milk, heat and mix. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and with a balloon whisk, beat while cooking for 5 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat. Remove the stems from the Portobello mushrooms to cut them into slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, adding the mushrooms and seasoning with salt. Cook for 5 minutes. To form the lasagna, place the white sauce in a baking dish; On top of the sauce, a layer of lasagna, another of sauce, then 1/3 of mushrooms and 1/4 of parmesan. Repeat the step two more times and in the final layer place the lasagna, sauce and the leftover Parmesan cheese. Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and bubbling.
Vegetarian Christmas Terrine
Ingredients: 1 finely chopped onion, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 3 cloves of minced garlic, 300g of textured vegetable protein, 2 tablespoons of curry paste, 30g of breadcrumbs, 3 drops of almond essence, 2 tablespoons of water, 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary, 50g of toasted walnuts, 250g of chopped plums, 4 beaten eggs, 1 sliced peeled orange, 1 can of roasted chilies, salt and pepper.
Instructions: Turn on the oven to preheat to medium heat. Line a terrine container with parchment paper or aluminum. Sauté onions in olive oil for 5 minutes, adding garlic and textured vegetable protein. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the curry paste, breadcrumbs, almond essence, water, rosemary, half of the prunes and walnuts, stir a little and turn off the heat. Let cool for 10 minutes and then add the beaten eggs. Season with salt and pepper. At the base of the terrine mold, place the sliced oranges; then a layer of roasted chili peppers, and on top of it the rest of the preparation. Finally, a layer of plums and walnuts. Cover with non-stick paper and put it in the oven for 40 minutes. Carefully unmold the terrine and that’s it!
Vegetarian lasagna with Italian bread
Ingredients: 4 medium zucchini, 1 package of mushrooms, 1 medium onion, fresh garlic, 280g of chopped frozen spinach, 790g of pasta sauce, 680g of mozzarella cheese, 227g of cheese slices, olive oil and lasagna noodles.
Instructions: Boil the lasagna noodles until al dente. Chop the zucchini, mushrooms, onion and garlic. Heat a frying pan with the olive oil, sautéing the vegetables until they are tender. Next add the spinach and add the pasta sauce. Cover the lasagna with the vegetables in layers and add mozzarella cheese to each layer. Cover with the cheese slices. Then bake the lasagna until golden and bubbly.
Grilled vegetables on charcoal
Ingredients: 8 small potatoes, 2 onions, 2 tomatoes, 6 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Preparation: Wash the potatoes and tomatoes, drying them with absorbent paper. Next, cut the onions and tomatoes into wedges and place them on a preheated grill.
Step 1: Wash the potatoes with their skin and the tomatoes. Dry them with absorbent paper. Cut the onions and tomatoes in half or into wedges. Have the grill preheated and with little embers because it will be used for slow cooking since some vegetables, such as tomatoes, are very sensitive to direct heat. First place the potatoes with their peel and whole.
Step 2: When the vegetables are tender on one side, turn them over and add the onions, cut side down, and continue cooking until tender. In the case of tomatoes you have to be careful, since their interior is almost all liquid. Cook them for only 2 minutes on each side.
Arrange the vegetables on a platter, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and serve.
You can experiment with other types of vegetables and add grilled sweet potatoes with their skin or corn in your chala. Cheer up!
Vegetable pudding
Ingredients: 2 eggs, 1 cup of cooked spinach, 1 cup of cooked cauliflower, 1 bunch of cooked asparagus, 4 cooked young carrots, 1 chopped onion, 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, a pinch of sugar and oil.
Instructions: Cut the previously cooked spinach, cauliflower and asparagus into pieces that are not too small, so that their color and texture can be perceived in the final preparation. Place the chopped vegetables in a container. Booking. Take half of the cut onion and wilt it a little in a pan with a few drops of oil. Let it cook until it is tender. In another bowl, moisten the breadcrumbs with milk. Let it rest for a few minutes and squeeze it; You can help yourself with a strainer. Add the moistened bread crumbs to the cut vegetables. Add the eggs and cooked onion. Take a pudding mold and line it with wax paper. Distribute the asparagus on the bottom of the mold along with the chopped carrot. Pour the prepared mixture over this. Cook in the oven in a bain-marie, that is, place the mold inside a larger one with a little water, at 350°F, until it looks firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it sit until it cools a little. Unmold, cut into more or less thick slices and serve with the mayonnaise mixed with the rest of the cut onion as a dressing.
Chard cannelloni
Ingredients: 12 large leaves of chard, well washed, 4 cups of spinach, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 small onion cut into cubes, 5 cloves of garlic, 15 ounces of ricotta cheese, 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, 3 9×12-inch sheets of pasta (fresh or dried, already cooked), 2 cups Neapolitan tomato sauce and 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese to sprinkle at the end.
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cut the chard and/or spinach into large pieces. Booking. In a medium skillet, heat the oil. Sauté onions until softened. Add garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the chard and/or spinach. Lower the heat and sauté, stirring constantly, until the leaves reduce and the liquid they produce evaporates (about 7 minutes). Remove from the fire and let cool. In a large bowl, combine the three cheeses, basil, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the cooked leaves and mix very well. Place the mixture in a Ziploc-type bag and cut one of the corners to create a sleeve to fill. Place the cooked pasta sheets on the counter and draw a line with the cheese and chard mixture along the longest sides of each sheet. Roll each end toward the middle, creating 2 cannelloni. Cut in the middle and then in half, to create 4 cannelloni with each sheet. If you have used the cannelloni-type pasta that comes already rolled, simply fill it with the mixture. Grease a baking dish. Place a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the tray. Place the cannelloni on the tomato sauce and drizzle with the rest. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over them. Bake uncovered for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until you see the cheese melted and the tomato sauce bubbling.
Baked Vegetable Tian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 onion cut in half and then sliced, 2 cloves of garlic, minced, 1 or 2 unpeeled potatoes, 1 zucchini, 1 anco squash, 3 large round tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste , dried thyme to taste and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
Instructions: Preheat the oven to a moderately high temperature (190ºC). Coat an oven-safe container (plate or dish) with vegetable spray. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and sauté until translucent – about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Spread the garlic and onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish. Cut the potatoes, zucchini, pumpkin and tomatoes into 0.50cm wide slices. Arrange them in tight layers in the baking dish on top of the onions, so that…