The holidays are about to begin and the question is always asked about how to make plant based mashed potatoes without butter and milk. The answer is simpler than you think.
Paired with it is caramelized fennel. A different sort of dish for your holiday table. It’s light and delicately flavored amongst some of those heavy hitters. Non plant eaters will love both of these recipes too!
Navigating the holidays may seem daunting, but if we are going to be honest- it’s the sides that are always the best part anyway. Right? There is always the quandary around whether or not to toss aside your diet and go with tradition for one day, or to stay with the plan.
Turkey or No Turkey?
The holidays are not just about the food, but about the nostalgia and history and sharing around the food. The making of a traditional family stuffing is one of the ties that bind us together- so where and how do we draw the line?
There are several ways to approach this. You can just say, “heck! it’s one day and I don’t want to miss it”. Another approach is to bring a dish or two of your own for everyone that is fully compliant and just take a nibble or two of the pumpkin pie and whipped cream. You can also try and talk everyone into starting new traditions and enjoy a delicious and healthful holiday meal!
There is no where to begin to tell you how to do this. It’s so highly personal and I truly believe in the power of food and traditions. So I have no interest in placing guilt, or bringing sadness to the day. It does take consideration and it does take some forethought. I don’t really think it would be fair to burden your host/hostess with complying with your wishes, so be prepared to bring some food for yourself if need be. Make enough for everyone. Who knows! It might be the beginning of getting some folks to start to think about making the shift when they see how yummy eating plants are.
How it Will go Down at Chez Watson-Sculley
We will be hosting the family at our house in East Hampton, as we usually do. I will be preparing a turkey from a local farm for just a few people. Personally I will not be having any, and to be candid, I will not miss it. My extended family is becoming more and more curious about this lifestyle and that makes me very happy. Taking away a memorable meal would be unkind and would no doubt backfire in my case. I have chosen to not pick this battle, but I am slowly but surely winning the war.
The rest of the meal will be WFPB compliant. I make a killer cranberry relish, awesome stuffing, Brussels sprouts, roasted squash and this year the above fennel. Little does everyone know they have been eating this way for a few years now and NO ONE EVER has noticed. Yes, some guests bring dairy desserts or appetizers, but that’s fine- for now.
Today I am posting two recipes. One for mashed potatoes and one for the caramelized fennel. Stay tuned over the next few days. I have a few more holiday dishes to share, including dessert!
Ingredients
- For the Potatoes:
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 pounds yukon gold potatoes, peeled and rough 1" dice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1+ cup unsweetened plant milk, I use either oat or hemp milk
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- salt and pepper to taste
- For the Fennel:
- 1 large bulb of fennel, sliced into 6 pieces, keeping the root intact
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons white miso
- 1 Tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Instructions
For the Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wrap the garlic into a piece of foil and place into the oven to roast for about 15 minutes. It will become golden and caramelized. Place the peeled and diced potatoes into a large pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Add some salt and the bay leaf. Bring the water to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender but not overly mushy. You don't want water logged potatoes. About 12 minutes of simmering. Drain the potatoes and remove the bay leaf and place into a large bowl. The best way to get the smoothest potatoes is with a ricer. It's a cranked food mill the results are divine. It's also a great gig to get the kids involved with. You can also do like my Dad used to and use an old fashioned potato masher. It requires some elbow grease, and promises a few lumps, but then that can be the beauty of it. Warm the plant milk sightly and add to the potatoes along with the garlic squeezed from the skins and the nutritional yeast. Mash away to your hearts content then salt and pepper to taste. For the Fennel: Warn a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the fennel and cook until nicely browned on one side. There is enough moisture in the fennel to keep it from sticking. After about 4 minutes turn the fennel over. Add 3 tablespoons of water and place a lit on top. This will steam and soften the fennel. After 2 minutes remove the lid. Cook off any remaining water and continue to cook until the second side is browned. Remove to a platter. In a small bowl or blender combine the vinegar, miso, ginger and garlic. Blend until creamy. Add it to the warm pan with the heat turned off. Gently warm the miso sauce for a minute or two then pour over the fennel and garnish with the pine nuts.