What’s on Your Vegan Easter Menu?

You love animals, consider them friends, not food, and think a plant-based diet is the healthier way to go. Whatever your reason(s) for being a vegan, your meal can be just as well-rounded as the carnivores and omnivores.

We all know that for Easter, the eggs are plentiful and many meat-eaters enjoy lamb, ham, or a roast for their special meal, but what about for vegans? Here are some vegan and vegetarian inspired menu ideas for Easter dinner. From soups and salads to super delish side dishes with veggies galore, you won’t run out of healthy, meatless options.

APPETIZERS/H’ORS DEURVES

Avoiding cheese? Try dipping your veggies, pita chips, and blue corn chips into some hummus, which is a great source of protein. Also, go for guacamole, salsa, or bean dip you can whip together in your blender. Sweet potato fries are always a yummy option. Bring on the veggies. Whether raw crudities or sautéed, broiled, or baked, don’t skimp on the vegetables.

VEGAN 3-BEAN DIP

Ingredients

3 cans beans (1 can each of cannellini, kidney and black beans)

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (for those who like spicy)

2 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice (freshly squeezed)

2 Tablespoons tahini paste

2 Tablespoons hot sauce (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips, blue corn chips, pita chips, and/or raw veggies like carrot sticks, celery sticks, grape or cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Recipe adapted from: veganinthefreezer.com/white-bean-dip/

LOTS OF SIDE DISH OPTIONS

So much to choose from! Try serving potatoes with garlic and rosemary; asparagus; broccolini with ginger, garlic and soy sauce; Brussels sprouts; cauliflower rice; spiralized zucchini or beets; root vegetable medley with carrots, turnips, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and beets; green beans and garlic; curried rice or couscous; tabbouleh; pea risotto; quinoa, buckwheat noodle salad or butternut squash soup. Try beans and tofu atop a salad, in a soup, in a wrap, or as a side dish.

VEGAN POTATO SALAD

Skipping the egg salad? Go for potato salad using vegan, plant-based mayo.

Ingredients

1.5 pounds red or Yukon potatoes

1 cup plant-based mayo

2 Tablespoons red wine or rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon yellow or Dijon mustard

¾ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped carrots

½ cup yellow, white or red onion

1-2 chopped green onions to garnish

1 kosher dill pickle

Salt and pepper to taste

Cayenne pepper and red chili flakes (for fans of the spicy)

Directions

Boil or bake potatoes. Let cool, then chop along with other vegetables. Combine in a mixing bowl. Put sauce ingredients in a separate bowl, stir together, and add to vegetables. Add a few dashes of salt, pepper and/or cayenne pepper. Sprinkle with chopped green onions to garnish and serve. Can be refrigerated for 30 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from: thissavoryvegan.com/vegan-potato-salad/

ENTRÉE AND MAIN DISH OPTIONS

Some entrée ideas include pesto pasta with zucchini and yellow squash, veggie pizza, veggie pot pie, vegan lasagna, veggie chili, stuffed portabellas and bell peppers, tofu lettuce wraps or tacos with beans and rice.

HEALTHY VEGAN DESSERT OPTIONS

Wanting to stay sugar-free, but still enjoy a sweet treat? Gather a variety of fruits for a delicious fruit salad. Top with slivered almonds or coconut flakes, and garnish with a sprig of mint.

VEGAN MACAROONS

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups shredded coconut flakes

¼ cup finely ground, blanched almond flour

3 Tablespoons solid coconut oil

¼ cup pure maple syrup

½ teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with greased aluminum foil or parchment paper. Blend ingredients in a food processor until the thick, sticky mixture holds together. Use a cookie scoop to create balls, then place on a lined baking sheet. The balls will increase some in size when baking, so allow enough space in between. Bake for 13-15 minutes until slightly golden around the edges. Cool on a cooling rack about 30 minutes to 1 hour before enjoying!

Recipe adapted from: beamingbaker.com/4-ingredient-paleo-coconut-macaroons-recipe-vegan-paleo-gluten-free-dairy-free-refined-sugar-free/

Enjoy your meatless, dairy-free meal, and a Happy Vegan Easter!

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Susan B. B. Schabacker

Susan B. B. Schabacker is a proud writer, team member, and fan of Forsyth Magazines and writes multiple articles every month for Forsyth Woman and Forsyth Family. She loves writing and is also pleased and honored to write for National Geographic and National Geographic Kids. Susan is a co-author of a children’s book, Huckleberry Robin, based on a three-generation true family story and hopes to write more children’s books. Susan is also a local singer/songwriter/musician (and aspiring artist) working on recording her third album about COVID-19 (Coronavirus), called Beyond the Virus, that has become both a local and international collaboration. Currently, she lives in the Winston-Salem, Piedmont Triad area of NC, where she has resided for over 20 years. Susan graduated with a B.A. in Corporate Communications and a minor in dance from Elon University. She has had the opportunity to travel internationally to Budapest, Hungary for classical ballet, when she attended UNCSA (University of North Carolina School of the Arts); London, UK; and Beijing, China, where she studied abroad through Elon University. In Stockholm, Sweden, she had a marketing internship at Hachette-Filipacchi, publisher of Elle and other magazines. She also had another marketing internship in London with the Bramah Museum of Tea. Susan is the founder, owner, and master tea blender of a local tea business, Tea-lation! (@Tealation on FB + IN), which she has designed ads for in Forsyth Woman. She hopes to share her love for life + teas and encourages everyone to share, sip, and savor their cuppa happy! Susan looks forward to writing more articles and books and embarking on a long and successful career in music. Susan’s other passions include: photography (@SBBSPhotography on FB + IN), acting, cooking, and arts + crafts.

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