Vegan Cooking Tips

Harried Holidays

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD

Oh no! It’s the holidays and you’ve just been invited to an office potluck luncheon or the in-laws are dropping by for “a bite.” What’s a vegan who can’t cook to do?

Do not fear. Everyone likes savory, spicy appetizers. Prepare some cold sparkling grape juice or hot cinnamon-spiced cider and a plate of hot, savory, crunchy munchies and you’ve got it covered. Here are some simple ideas for dishes you can prepare.

Open-and-Pile Style Nachos

Open a bag of baked tortilla chips and pile them on a microwaveable dinner plate. Open a can of vegetarian refried beans and pile these on top of the chips (spread them around so they’re evenly distributed). If you’ve got some olives, open, slice, and pile these on top of the beans. Open a bag of vegan sliced cheese, crumble the cheese and pile it on top of the olives. Place your creation in the microwave and cook on HIGH for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the beans are hot.

This works with any kind of chip, so think pita chips or veggie chips. You can find red, green, and blue tortilla chips, as well as flavored bagel chips. If you want more crunch, get a bag of chopped onions or fresh salsa from the produce section of your market and pile it on, too.

Another variation on this theme would be to use canned, drained artichokes (packed in brine or water, not marinated) and croutons instead of chips for the base. Top with a small amount of vegan mayonnaise, shredded vegan cheese, olives or garbanzo beans, and canned, drained, chopped tomatoes. Microwave as above.

To conventionally cook, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place your ingredients in an ovenproof pie pan or a shallow casserole dish and bake for 5-10 minutes or until everything is heated through.

Quasi-Quesadillas

Are there tortillas in the house? Then you can make fast appetizers. Shred vegan cheese or finely crumble firm tofu. Toss with salsa or pizza sauce. Spread on a tortilla and cover with a second tortilla. You can bake your “quesadilla” on a vegetable oil-sprayed baking sheet in a 400-degree oven for 5 minutes or until bubbly. If you like, you can sauté it on top of the stove in a heated, vegetable oil-sprayed frying pan over high heat, browning it on both sides. Cut the quesadilla into small triangles and serve as a hot appetizer. You can also fill the quesadilla with mashed beans, hummus, or soy cream cheese.

Fast and crunchy popcorn

Popcorn is festive, filling, and easy to make. Whether air-popped, microwaved, or popped in your fireplace, popcorn can be seasoned for a tasty crowd pleaser. You’ll want to premix your flavorings and place them in a big bowl. Toss the popcorn in the seasonings while it’s hot, even if you are serving it later, so the flavors can permeate all the kernels. For about 6 cups of popped popcorn (about 1½ cups unpopped popcorn), try some of the following spice blends.