Easy Vegan Entertaining

Looking at these recipes are making me FAMISHED.

I mean, I know that Christmas has already come and gone, but New Years Eve is next week and I’m ready for round two of eating the night away! Entertaining during the holidays can get us super stressed out and even make us feel a little plumpy n’ lumpy around the middle. Holiday events are known to be filled with hefty appetizers, empty carbs, and sugar. It can be tough trying to figure out what to make and serve that guests would rave about. 

Luckily, Living Healthy Chicago paid me a visit in my kitchen to see what I make for the holidays, so I whipped up my easy vegan entertaining recipes! 

Spinach Dip:

• 1 package of frozen spinach
• 1 cup of cashews
• 1 package of silken tofu
• 3/4 cups of nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup water chestnuts
• 1 white onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

1. Soak the cashews in a bowl for 2-3 hours (this softens them up for blending)
2. In a blender blend together cashews, nutritional yeast, tofu, and apple cider vinegar
3. Chop the onion and garlic
4. In a skillet heat the coconut oil and saute the onion and garlic for 5 minutes
5. Heat the frozen spinach for about 5 minutes and then fold in the cashew + tofu mixture. Transfer the mixture to a dish and garnish with a bit more nutritional yeast and serve.

Cucumber Canapés:

• 4 Cucumbers
• 1 cup of hummus
• 1 jar of sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup pine nuts

1. Slice the cucumbers into thin pieces
2. Top each piece of cucumber with a tbsp of hummus
3. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and sprinkle about 3-4 pieces over each slice
4. Sprinkle 3-4 pine nuts over each slice

Pumpkin Balls

• 1 cup of rolled oats (cooked)
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1 cup of almonds
• 1 can of organic pumpkin puree
• 6- dates
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened)

1. In a food processor, grind the 1 cup of almonds until they are a well ground
2. Add the oats, almond butter, chopped dates, and pumpkin puree into the food processor and blend for 3-4 minutes
3. Add all of the seasonings and blend for another couple of minutes
4. If needed, add more ground almonds to make it a stickier mixture
5. Once well blended, take one palm full and roll into a ball on a cutting board
6. Sprinkle coconut flakes around the board and roll the pumpkin ball around the flakes

 What type of vegan recipes do you make for your healthy entertaining?!