A festive vegan three-course meal

If you are not vegan yourself, but want to put the time and effort into cooking something great for others who are, it can be difficult to find a recipe to suit. So try this meal that you will love as well, full of tasty, festive goodness.

Starter – Miniature creamed pea and tarragon pithiviers

This beautiful Christmas starter includes pithiviers, which are small puff pastry pies that can also act as great side dish. It combines onion and peas with herbs and vegan cream cheese.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp vegan margarine
• 125g/4½oz vegan cream cheese with herbs and garlic
• 2 tbsp dried tarragon
• handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 150g/5½oz frozen peas
• 2 packets of puff pastry sheets
• sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Main – A luxury, festive roast

This tasty Christmas roast is full of porcini mushrooms, nuts and a few surprises! A great traditional roast dinner replacement for the vegan in your family.

Ingredients:

• 230g/8oz mixed nuts, chopped
• 110g/4oz red lentils
• 1 large carrot
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 large onion
• ½ large courgette
• 1 aubergine
• 100g/3 1/2oz mushrooms
• 25g/1oz porcini mushrooms
• 4 tbsp vegan margarine
• 2 tbsp mild curry powder
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 4 tbsp chopped parsley
• 10g/2 tbsp chopped dried apricots
• 2 tbsp soya flour, sieved
• ¼ pint water
• vegan pesto
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts.

Dessert – Poached pears in red wine with cinnamon or star anise

This dessert not only looks great, but it tastes great too!

Ingredients:

• 4 firm pears
• 2 tbsp agave or maple syrup
• 300ml/10fl oz vegan red wine
• pinch of cloves
• stick of cinnamon or one star anise.