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Vegetarian Christmas Meals

Vegetarian Christmas – festive options for the non-meat eaters

As so much of the Christmas holidays are focussed around eating meats – turkey, ham, and goose to name but a few, the festive period is a completely different experience for vegetarians. There is a certain amount of challenge that comes with organising Christmas dinner if you are a vegetarian, vegan, or are just catering for someone who is vegetarian or vegan. However there are plenty of festive options for non-meat eaters to choose from.

Traditional vegetarian Christmas recipes can include Frittatas, spinach salad, potato salad, nut roasts, vegetarian lasagne, and spinach and ricotta cannelloni. Frittatas are the ultimate vegetarian Christmas morning treat and are packed full of vegetables and plenty of herbs and spices – ideal for getting you in the mood for some carol singing at church or to fuel your hours of present unwrapping.

Oven baked pasta dishes are also a popular vegan and vegetarian Christmas choice such as the veggie lasagne and cannelloni meals, and with such delicious dishes available, who needs meat? Vegans and vegetarians are much more widely acknowledged nowadays and this means that a lot of new vegetarian Christmas recipes have been created to cater for all the non-meat eaters out there. You can find numerous such recipes on Recipebridge.

Contemporary take on vegetarian Christmas menus

Modern takes on the vegetarian Christmas also include cheese and potato filled pies (look on Recipe Bridge for more inspiration). The puff pastry in this particular recipe alongside the creamy texture of the cheese and the softness of the potatoes is enough to make even the meat eaters jealous!

But who writes the rules about what makes a traditional vegetarian Christmas dinner? You do, of course! If a nut roast sounds delicious to you, then gather a wide variety of nuts and get roasting. Or if pasta dishes sound more intriguing, go for it. And if you want to experiment some more, then give a vegetable casserole or stuffed peppers a go – the possibilities are endless.

As suet is a raw fat from an animal but plays a big part in a lot of Christmas dishes, make sure that if you are serving Christmas pudding to a vegetarian that you have made it without the use of suet. Other than that, the Christmas pudding is an ideal dessert for all to share on Christmas day – whether you are vegetarian, vegan or anything else!

Find a plethora of vegetarian Christmas recipes on Recipebridge. Are you hosting a vegetarian Christmas dinner this year? Feel free to tell us about the types of dishes you will be serving on our Facebook page or Tweet us.

December 17, 2011
Gingerbread All the Way

The quintessential gingerbread for Christmas

Gingerbread is so synonymous with the month of December, but why? Perhaps it is the fact that the gingerbread recipes are often crafted into novelty festive shapes, or perhaps it is the spicy yet sweet nature of the gingerbread itself which makes us associate it with the Christmas holidays. Whatever it may be, it is a well loved sweet treat all over the world and even has two days dedicated to it during the year.

National Gingerbread House Day is on December 12th and National Gingerbread day is celebrated on June 5th and the sweet treat itself is said to date all the way back to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks who used it during ceremonies. However, over the centuries, Europe claimed it as its own and began to adapt recipes. There were many variations of gingerbread and the texture and tastes could vary from soft to crunchy, sweet to spicy, but even then it was loved by all who tried it.

The festive gingerbread houses

Gingerbread today still varies in flavour and texture wherever you go but usually is a crisp cookie-like sweet that uses ingredients such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, sugar, honey and molasses. The ingredients once prepared are then cut into novelty shapes like gingerbread men or women or other shapes (especially at Christmas when they can often be reindeer, Christmas tree or Santa shaped) and then decorated with icing sugar or colourful icing.

Gingerbread houses however are the most exciting thing about Christmas and for kids and grownups alike, it is just so cool to start creating your own gingerbread house. Gingerbread can make the walls and roofs of your house and you can get creative with decorating it to look like your idealistic Hansel and Gretel house. Flaked almonds make perfect roof tiles, whilst chocolate fingers are great decorations for the doors and outer walls and can make your gingerbread house look like a cosy little log cabin!

Gingerbread cakes are just as popular as the cookies themselves and can have the flavours of gingerbread cookies but all the moisture and softness of a Christmas cake! If you want to keep the festive flavours flowing (that was a bit of a tongue twister!) then why not try the Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle on Recipebridge – it’s festive and extravagant!

If you are a lover of gingerbread but are looking for more recipe ideas, then look no further than the Gingerbread Cookie Cocktail. This delicious drink is made with vanilla vodka, an orange wedge, brown sugar, coffee liqueur, and gingerbread syrup (which you can buy or make yourself from scratch – depending on how adventurous you are feeling!).

What are your favourite gingerbread creations? Feel free to post pictures or tell us about your fantastic gingerbread people or houses on our Facebook page or Tweet us.

December 16, 2011
National Cupcake Day

Celebrating all things cupcake!

Today is National Cupcake Day and it is on this day that people all over the world are invited to celebrate all things cupcake-related. The cupcake was developed in 19th century America and was made famous by its convenient baking formula and basic ingredients. Over the years, cupcakes have grown from simple treats to hugely popular little desserts that come in a variety of shapes, sizes and flavors with numerous recipes dedicated to them.

There is something special about cupcakes that make us feel like a child when we eat one. Perhaps it is the sweet flavours or the colourful icing that sparks the nostalgia. No matter what it is, these sweet cakes are a truly iconic American treat and they have become so popular that people all over the world have begun to try and break world records in attempting to bake the biggest cupcakes on the globe. The world’s biggest cupcake was created in London, England in July 2009 and weighed over 330 pounds!

Cupcakes are what you make them, and the size, shape, and ingredients you use can truly transform a cupcake from one thing into another. So whether you are using a basic cupcake recipe and experiment with frosting to top it with, or whether you are finding new and exciting ways to add colour and flavour to the cupcakes’ sponge, variety is great to try out.

Festive cupcakes this holiday season

The month of December is a time for food, and it is with this in mind that many people rush out to buy their turkeys. I say save yourself for the cupcakes – after all, if the weather outside really is ‘frightful’ then make sure you have a cup of tea and some cupcakes ready to warm you up when you get home.

You will find so many cupcake recipes available for you to make at home on Recipebridge that you may not know where to begin. Try starting simple and working your way up – a basic cupcake is a great place to start and is a wonderfully uncomplicated way to ease yourself into baking cupcakes. When you have found your feet, you can begin to experiment with different types such as the Caramel Apple Cupcakes, Vanilla Cupcakes, and Chocolate Chip Tiny Teddy Cupcakes.

If you are feeling extra adventurous and want to set yourself a challenge, try the beautifully delicious Jumbo Size Yogurt Marble Cupcakes (a firm favourite of mine!). The recipe requires some basic and easy-to-find ingredients and it doesn’t take long to mix the batter together ready to place in the oven.

Rich chocolates, lots of festive spices, and plenty of alcohol-soaked dried fruits make for great winter dining, so try incorporating all or just some of these into your cupcakes and they are sure to be a hit with your family, friends or whoever else you offer them to. Cupcakes are for sharing and are a great way to spread the love – so go for it and see how much you enjoy putting a smile on everyone’s faces!

December 15, 2011
Super Foods You Should be Eating

Super Foods have a very high nutrient value

The term ‘super foods’ gets tossed around in such a casual way that many people are probably unaware of what an actual super food is. To put it simply, super foods are the types of foods that are extremely rich in nutrients that ultimately improve our health. With some creativity, you can include these super foods in your daily recipes.

Considered as one of the best super foods, blueberries are near the top of the list in terms of super foods and how beneficial they are for our health. Not only do these little berries taste delicious, they have been proven to aid the growth of new brain cells.

Blueberries are a great source of fibre and are high in Vitamin C, and tests have shown that they can help lower your cholesterol. They are low in calories so make a great snack and also contain antioxidants that help stop signs of aging, and decrease the risk of getting certain cancers, arthritis or heart problems.

Another fantastic super food is quinoa, a type of seed that is rich in amino acids, which basically means that it is rich in protein. Amino acids are good for building and repairing tissue in the body which means that quinoa is also great for improving your health.

Quinoa is high in magnesium which helps reduce the pain felt during migraines, helps promote good cardiovascular health, helps protect against breast cancer and also works as an antioxidant.

Flax and hemp seeds are yet more of the super foods that many of us should consider adding to our diets. Flaxseeds are packed full of omega 3 and work as great anti inflammatories, help prevent high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Hemp also is high in omega 3, plus omega 6 as well. This makes hemp seeds a super food that helps with the prevention of cancer and is high in fibre and protein.

If you’ve ever heard of maca you’ll know that this too is one of the great super foods. It is a bit like a radish and can be eaten raw. It is known as the natural aphrodisiac of the root world and is very rich in nutrients including protein and plenty of fatty acids and carbohydrate that help increase your libido.

Maca is best known for its abilities to create inner harmony in your body and balances your system out which means that it improves your immune system. It can also even out your blood pressure.

Make these super foods as part of your daily meal…

So there you have just a few of the super foods that are out there – there are so many of them that it would be extremely difficult to try and get them all into our diets, so just try a few, reap the benefits and you’ll soon be living a much healthier lifestyle! Find recipes with these super foods and more on Recipebridge.

December 13, 2011
Flavorful Spice Mixes To Spread Holiday Cheer

Spice mixes for your holiday gifts

Spice mixes and rubs can add immense flavor to your recipes and everyday cooking. Why not add these to your holiday gifts? Instead of sweet treats and the cookies, these homemade spice rubs will make wonderful holiday gifts. Put the spices in jars, dress up with some ingenious packaging and voila! You will add pizzazz and flavor to your holiday giving for your guests to enjoy throughout the year.

Caribbean Spice Mix

South American Spice Mix

Creole Spice Mix

Pink Peppercorn Spice Mix

Indian Garam Masala

Basic Spice Rub

Find these and more recipes for spice mixes and rubs on Recipebridge. As always, we’d love to hear your variations and favorite spice mixes. Post your recipes on our Facebook page or tweet us to share your recipes!

December 12, 2011
Your Favourite Dining Experience?

What’s your favorite dining experience?

When it comes to eating out, we all want it to be a pleasant if not wonderful experience. If a restaurant doesn’t deliver what we would regard as a ‘good’ dining experience, then we are very unlikely to return. So many restaurants get so many aspects of the full dining experience perfect, and some get it so horribly wrong – so what makes great dining experiences for you?

Service is one of the main factors that can make or break a dinner service for me. Being greeted at the door then shown to a seat as quickly as possible is one. Being welcomed by the host or waitress with a smile on their face is another – it is surprising how much miserable waiters can really make you feel unwanted in a restaurant!

Not only is service with a smile essential to the best dining experiences, but the service also needs to be attentive without being too desperately over-keen. Taking drinks orders then happily coming back to take food orders should come as second nature to the service staff. This brings us onto my next point – timing.

When waiters/waitresses give you too long to look at your menu, you tend to change your mind or forget what you were ready to order. Decide and then close the menu so that you look ready to order. Although it doesn’t put me off dining out, a pet hate of mine is when service staff come and ask how your meal is…when you have a mouth full of food. At which point you have to smile and nod, rather than actually being able to say anything!

Noise levels in a restaurant, diner or cafe can affect the way you eat. If you are the type of person who likes a lot of hustle and bustle around the table as you eat, then that is totally up to you, as this can add to a more exciting atmosphere. A more refined and quietly intimate venue might suit dining experiences for couples on a romantic date better.

Cleanliness is such a basic requirement that it is hardly worth mentioning; however feeling like you are eating in a well-maintained dining area can instantly put you at ease. It is therefore important for the presentation of the restaurant to seem spotless too – an uncluttered dining area with tables spread far enough apart so that all diners aren’t sitting shoulder to shoulder makes for much better dining experiences.

No matter what, good food tops the list for the best dining experience!

No matter what all the external factors are, the food that you are served is the most important factor in creating the perfect dining experiences, and it can really be the decider on whether you are drawn back to that place. A perfect appetiser, an ideal entree, a most delectable dessert, or a combination of all three can do the trick in making you want to return.

Where are your favourite places to dine? Do you have any great dining experiences that you would like to share? Feel free to post your memorable dining experience on our Facebook page or Tweet us!

December 10, 2011
Liquid Chocolate

The blissful chocolate!

If there is one weakness that a lot of people have, it is chocolate. Steeped in history and one of the foods that dominates so many of the major holidays, it is no wonder that chocolate is so popular.

Cocoa beans that make the chocolate are made from the fruit of the cacao tree which is native to South and Central America. In fact, not long after his discover of America, Christopher Columbus found cocoa beans and took them back to Europe. (If we’re going into the technical side of things, he didn’t actually discover them; he in fact stole them from a trader’s ship!)

Not only an iconic food, chocolate also reached ‘super food’ status recently. As superfoods are usually high in nutrients and great for your health, a lot of people are doubtful as to the benefits of eating chocolate, and of course excess chocolate is bad for you, especially processed bars with excessive amounts of sugar that have been added to the cocoa beans.

However, the raw cacao bean has many health benefits. In fact, dark chocolate and cocoa are higher in antioxidants than fruit! Eating it in moderation has its benefits, but as with everything else, balance is the key to a healthy diet. There is no doubt that recipes for hot chocolate are extremely delectable when served as desserts, entrees and in drinks.

The delectable melted chocolate…

You will have heard of the chocolate gateau, chocolate fondue served with strawberries, or luxurious hot chocolate, but have you heard of chocolate main courses such as chocolate nut pasta or chocolate lasagne? Chocolate is an extremely popular ingredient in Italy and is regularly added to entrees to boost the flavour of the dish.

Chocolate fondue is a great thing to serve if you have a dinner party you want to throw for friends. Pots of melting chocolate or a chocolate fondue fountain is a great novelty idea and a great conversation point too! If you leave plenty of things for our guests to dip into the chocolate such as platters of fruit or marshmallows, they won’t want to leave.

If you’re feeling experimental, using dark chocolate in a savoury dish such as chilli con carne can really bring out the strong flavours. Or if you want to make some chocolate chilli bites for appetizers or a spicy yet sweet snack, making this doughy treat can be a popular hit with chocolate lovers too.

Remember that chocolate doesn’t just have to be sickeningly sweet; it can have a bit of a kick and a certain amount of attitude as well. Experiment with your uses of chocolate and you are sure to find some fantastically chocolaty recipes from Recipebridge that you totally fall in love with.

Have you got any favourite chocolate recipes that you want to share? Feel free to Tweet us or post them on our Facebook page!

December 9, 2011
The Tender, Useful Sweet Potatoes!

Sweet Potatoes – native to America

Sweet potatoes are a traditional root vegetable that are native to America, and were first introduced to Europe and other parts of the world when Christopher Columbus returned to Europe after the discovery of the ‘New World’ in 1492. Over the years this gorgeous vegetable has become an addition to many traditional meals including Thanksgiving, and is used in many dishes from sweet to savoury.

Sweet potatoes are in season during November and December so it is no wonder that they are many popular recipes using them to serve at the Thanksgiving and Christmas tables. They can be found in supermarkets during the rest of the year, but if you really want to try them at their best, buy them during November and December to truly benefit from their flavours.

Sweet potatoes are not only a fantastically versatile vegetable to cook with, but they also contain an abundance of nutrients and vitamins that make it a great addition to your diet as well. These highly nutritious vegetables are rich in beta-carotene, proteins, antioxidants and vitamin C.

Beta carotene is the pigment that gives the sweet potatoes their distinctive orange colour and presents itself as vitamin A which is great for your skin and helps to build up your immune system. The proteins found in sweet potatoes are great for building and repairing tissues in the body. Antioxidants found in these vegetables are great for detoxifying the body’s system and promoting good health. Vitamin C, also found in sweet potatoes, is great for curing the common cold, strengthening bones, and supports your cardiovascular system.

How to cook sweet potatoes?

There are many different methods for preparing and cooking sweet potatoes. Depending on what you use them for, you might want to consider cooking them in the healthiest way possible so as to benefit from all of its nutrients in the best way. Boiling sweet potatoes and then mashing them still means that the consumer can reap the benefits of all that vitamin A! Stir frying is another reasonably healthy option in comparison to roasting or baking.

Many chefs would agree that sweet potatoes are wonderfully versatile. Used in both main courses and desserts all over the world, these vegetables can be adapted to suit any dish. A sweet potato bhuna masala has a fantastically spicy yet sweet taste thanks to this great vegetable, and sweet potatoes used as a side dish with roasted venison or sea bass is a beautifully gourmet dish you should definitely try. It also goes really well in casseroles too! Everyone’s heard of the sweet potato pie, so try this maybe adding meringue and chocolate sauce and you’ll realise just how flexible this vegetable can be. Follow Recipebridge to find some easy and scrumptious recipes for sweet potatoes.

Please feel free to tell us about your favourite recipes with sweet potatoes –do you prepare them in sweet or savoury dishes? Tweet us or post your recipes using sweet potatoes to our Facebook page!

December 8, 2011
In-flight Beverages !

Beverages available on flights

As an extension to our blog on ‘Plane Food’, we found this cool infographic from visual.ly about in flight drink menus and wines. While the plane food definitely has a reputation of being sub standard, there is often a large selection of complimentary drinks – alcoholic and non alcoholic available on flights, the range depending upon whether you are in economy, business or first class. You can find complimentary or a paid selection of wines, spirits, cocktails as well as sodas and juices on most flights.

To add on to our series, we’d love to share an interview Benjamin Christie did with Qantas Airlines a few months ago which is currently on their inflight radio on all Qantas planes. You can listen to this interview here.

As always, we would love to share your Holiday travel experiences. Feel free to post on our Facebook page or message us via our Twitter feed.

December 7, 2011
Plane Food Sucks!

Have you analyzed your plane food recently?

As the holiday season approaches, many of us will be preparing ourselves for our trips we take to see our families and friends. Whether you are escaping to warmer climates during the holidays or simply flying home to spend the holidays with your loved ones, then you will undoubtedly be subjected to the horror of ‘plane food’.

In 1936, United Airlines started providing food to their customers during flights and to ensure that each company was keeping up with their competition, plane food became less of a novelty and more of a standard procedure. Unfortunately, even though it is nice to have something to keep the hunger pangs away, the nutritional value of these hastily put together meals is very disappointing.

Due to the plane food and its appalling nutritional value, the FDA has had to put warnings in place to ensure airlines do not add too much salt to their food. Saturated fat, a lot of salt, and a lack of vitamins and minerals are what we have come to think of as standard plane food.

Another interesting factor that many people don’t know is the fact that background sounds of an aeroplane i.e. white noise can desensitise the taste buds. This makes food taste incredibly bland, so many airlines have been known to add more flavouring such as salt or sugar to their food to make them a tastier dish to eat. All the extra salt that might be added to your plane food can cause dehydration which is one of the main causes of deep vein thrombosis – something that is very common on long-haul flights. You can see some interesting photographs of inflight meals at AirlineMeals.net.

What options do we have for the plane food?

If you are worried about consuming a calorific, high fat, high in salt plane food meal, there are ways you can prevent your body from having to digest such unhealthy portions. When you are ordering your meal when you book your flight, a dietary requirement box is usually provided – let them know that you want to order a meal that is low fat or has low sodium.

If you are still unsure about the content of the plane food you are given and are unwilling to eat it, another option is to take snacks with you onboard – just ensure that the flight allows it, as it would be annoying to prepare yourself a packed lunch and then have it confiscated at customs!

If you have travelled by air recently and were either pleasantly surprised or truly disappointed with the plane food, what did you do about it? Planning a trip soon and have a plan about what to eat on your flight? Please feel free to share your insights and leave tips on coping with plane food on our Facebook page, or feel free to Tweet us!

December 5, 2011