The Other Christmas Roast

What's Christmas without a Christmas roast to share with family and friends? A Christmas roast that gives me a clear and clean conscience, one that makes my heart light and happy knowing that I didn't take any life. Introducing the other Christmas roast that celebrates life as we celebrate the birth of Jesus' birth this holiday season!

Here's the recipe to make your own Christmas roast.

Christmas nut roast (serves 6)

6oz pecan nuts

6oz walnuts

6oz chestnuts

240g chickpeas

Cup breadcrumbs

2 teaspoons veg bouillon

225g vegan cream cheese

Teaspoon ground cumin

Teaspoon ground paprika

Teaspoon ground coriander

Teaspoon of Fresh Sage and Thyme

Salt and Pepper

3 small leeks

Puff pastry (this you can get at Tescos)

Soy milk to brush pastry

Make the breadcrumbs in the food processor. (Toast some bread slices and blend till crumbs)

Chop the leeks and fry until soft.

Blend together in a food processor all the nuts, chickpeas, breadcrumbs, spices, salt pepper, bouillon.

Then gently cook this mixture for about 7 minutes in a frying pan, until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the nut mix, you will need to add a little oil or veg margarine to prevent this happening.

When this has cooked, mix the cream cheese, leeks and herbs in and leave until cool enough to handle.

When the mix has cooled, grease a baking tray and roll out the ready bought puff pastry onto it.

Shape the mixture into a sausage shape in the middle of the pastry, then pull one side of the pastry up onto the top of the sausages shape mixture.

Using a pastry brush lightly coat the edge of the pastry with soy milk and pull the other half up to over-lap it.

Do the same with each end, folding the corners in on top of each other.

Lightly coat the top of the pastry with soy milk.

Gently slice the top of the pastry diagonally to allow air out and give guidelines for serving.

Bake at 200c for about 40mins or until brown.

Vegetables accompanying nut roast:

Roast Potatoes….. Boil lightly for about 5 minutes then put in a sieve and roll them about a little to fluff up the outside of the potato. Sprinkle with salt and roast in roasting tin

Parsnips and Carrots….. Cut into halves (you can cook these together) Again boil for 5 minutes then put in roasting tin (great to add a couple of cloves garlic and some fresh rosemary to these)

Brussels sprouts

Peas

Cabbage

Trimmings!

Gravy

Fry onion and one garlic clove lightly

Add salt and pepper

Pour in Bisto gravy, (made as per instructions on tin)

Add a sprinkling of herbs i.e. Basil/Sage then tablespoon margarine

Bread sauce

Take crusts off white bread slices (I usually use a whole loaf)

Take one large onion and peel, leave whole, stick cloves in onion till covered.

Put Onion in pan big enough for it and the bread, and cover with soya milk. Cook on low until the bread absorbs the milk leaving a thick sauce, add more milk for right consistency, add some salt and pepper and keep on low, keeping an eye not to burn, for about 30 minutes.

For dessert, have some apple pie =)

Knowing me, I wouldn't just wait until next Christmas to make this. I'd make it anytime I feel like having a fulfilling stuffed roast. I'd take it to a party too that I'm invited to. Like the upcoming New Year party. I probably won't call it a Christmas roast. I'd call it a "New Year Roast." At least there will be something for me to eat if my host didn't make anything blood-free. In fact, I'd offer to make this as it would alleviate my host of the burden of making something for vegetarians and vegans. Well, if I do go to parties, that is. I forgot when was the last time I hung out with friends. The only party I went to this year -- Christmas party with the family. It's just so peaceful when you're alone.