A Very Vegan Christmas

It has been interesting, but it's a learning experience and every year I'm sure it will get easier, it better because from a culinary standpoint it has been exhausting. The first batch of cinnamon bun dough didn't rise, I found this out and subsequently made a new batch at 5:30am Christmas morning. The strata didn't work at all and the crème brûlée - well it wasn't what I wanted and I should have gone with my cut instinct and gone for the pumpkin based dessert - then again no one really ate dessert. . . I wasn't impressed. The Tofurky was relegated to the barbecue and turned out okay - but it was way too filling for one person to even make a dent in it. So next year I think I'm going to find another alternative. The other funny thing when I talked about it with my mom - I don't particularly like turkey and I really don't like gravy on it... so I think I was forcing myself to enjoy something that I never particularly have. I know the meal my parents made was wonderful and I did eye the stuffing - I will not lie. In the end I realize that I placed and enormous amount of stress on a meal that should have been what I wanted rather than what made everyone else feel comfortable at the table.

We can cross off strata's and crème brûlée from the list of vegan meals and focus on others - like the ones contained in my Veganomicon cookbook - yes I got it - took two months of persistent begging and I got it... and it's good, oh so very good. Made chickpea cutlets yesterday and lemon bars for my Boxing Day at my Aunt's - those I would add less agar to - I like my lemon bars soft.

But in the end I know it's been good for me - no drugs in my meat, no excessive saturated fat intake and overall a predominately vegetable rich holiday. The only thing that has been detrimental is the lack of sleep and the excessive amount of energy needed to cook for one person - the same situation is going to happen for New Years - keeping with the whole single theme - I'm going to being going with my parents to my Aunt and Uncle's place in White Rock to play Wii and watch them eat Hot Pot - since it's a Asian event - I felt I should represent other Asian cultures - as such I have two options - make sushi from scratch - which actually looks like fun or pot stickers - maybe both? Donald's had almost everything I need for sushi - just need plain tempeh... hmm, let me sleep on that. Speaking of which - nap time.