How can you slim down traditional holiday dishes and add a bit of Asian flavor?

A vegetarian, or even vegan, Christmas is a real challenge! More and more people are limiting their meat consumption for various reasons.

A few tips on how to slim down our Christmas dishes:

sour soup

One of the most traditional dishes of Easter and beyond. The secret lies in the sourdough starter – you can buy it ready-made in bottles or make your own – provided you have good rye flour, for example, ordered from a mill. Żurek is a soup with a distinctive, sour flavor. It's undoubtedly quite fatty, and we typically add eggs and white sausage. This dish alone can leave you feeling heavy, and after all, it's usually just the beginning of the feast!

How to make a vegetarian version? Instead of sausage and eggs, add smoked tofu and baked apples (or potatoes), and to the vegetable broth – in addition to a good starter – crushed mun mushrooms (You can read about the properties of mushrooms and more here) and coconut milk. We can also finish the dish with croutons made from gluten-free Livity bread.

Tofu will provide us with essential protein, and the bread will be a source of energy, magnesium, and numerous B vitamins. Delicious, light, vegan, and with a subtle Asian accent.

eggs

What if it was without mayonnaise, only with the filling and the addition of wasabi  RECIPE or surrounded by colorful and healthy sesame fufikake?

Instead of using offal and meat, you can try preparing a vegan version. There are plenty of ideas, from vegetable and groat pâtés to legume and sunflower seed pâtés. The key is seasoning and proportions. The pâté should be easy to cut and have a distinctive flavor. We recommend shitake mushrooms, soy sauce instead of salt, and spices like cumin, ground coriander, garlic, fenugreek, turmeric, and chili. As a side dish, prepare beetroot with wasabi and lime. To add a touch of oriental flavor to your dish, gather a few ingredients: beetroot, wasabi and horseradish, lime juice, salt, and black pepper.

Most often used to make vegan pâtés, legumes, in addition to protein, are an excellent source of iron, manganese, zinc, and folate. Shiitake mushrooms, on the other hand, are known for their properties, including anti-cancer properties. Serving pâté with wasabi horseradish, in addition to its distinctive flavor, provides protection against viruses and bacteria and strengthens the body's overall immunity.

Mayonnaise

Hardly anyone can imagine Easter without mayonnaise. Vegans also have their equivalent. While it's not a low-calorie product, a small addition shouldn't hurt anyone. Quite the opposite! It's a great garnish for many dishes. You can add it to a salad of fresh or grilled vegetables or enjoy it with tofu marinated in soy sauce. By supplementing the recipe with natural, inactive yeast flakes, you'll not only gain a richer flavor but also provide a source of numerous B vitamins, selenium, and beta-glucans. These ingredients support cardiovascular function, boost immunity, and improve the condition of your skin, hair, and nails.

How can you prepare an example of vegan mayonnaise?

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup of unsweetened soy milk,
  • 1 tablespoon rice or apple vinegar,
  • 1 teaspoon of good mustard,
  • 2 tablespoons of yeast flakes,
  • ½ teaspoon of Himalayan salt
  • ½ cup of rice oil,
  • salt and white pepper

Blend the milk and vinegar in a food processor for about 2 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients (except the oil) and blend for another 6 minutes. Pour the oil into the blending mixture in a thin stream. Transfer the prepared mayonnaise to a jar and refrigerate for about 60 minutes.

Mazurka

Easter babkas, yeast cakes, mazureks… Holiday sweets can be made in many ways. It's worth looking for simple solutions and spending time preparing the treats with your children. Mazurek is very popular on Polish tables. It can be prepared vegan, using whole wheat flour instead of whole wheat flour, using whole wheat flour made from brown rice, sorghum, or coconut flour. This means that even those on a gluten-free diet can enjoy mazurek. The baked cake topping can be spread with homemade jam or sugar-free banana pulp. The cake can be traditionally decorated with nuts, raisins, or fruit.

I'm not hiding the amount of sugar, but this is supposed to be dessert! Let's not get carried away...

Remember!

  • Don't eat to your heart's content
  • Take breaks between meals – go for a spring walk with your family.
  • Try to eat plenty of raw vegetables.
  • Instead of juices, brew yourself some green or herbal tea.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Clinical dietitian Aneta Korzeniecka