Sustainable Food: Cooking up a Vegan Holiday

Tis the season to think about food. We begin at Thanksgiving, the end of the harvest season. We move on, eating our way through Advent until we arrive at delicious Christmas and New Years' celebrations. Perhaps you celebrate other days in between or beyond New Years Day as well. It is the season for hibernating and the season for enjoying food. How can you do it in a sustainable way?

For many, a vegan diet is the right ethical and sustainable choice. A plant-based diet is certainly much lighter on the earth, since you're eating food that grows from the earth, not food that eats food that grows from the earth. Skipping that one step makes a world of difference, sustainability-wise, especially if vegans also choose local produce. Many choose a vegan diet as an ethical choice as well, the alternative to factory-farmed meats.

Luckily, out there in the land of the internet there are resources for those who are in this sustainable Christmas quandary. The Veggie Table and the Vegan Nutritionista are two websites that are veritable compendiums of vegan goodness. The Vegan Nutritionista has resources for all sorts of vegan quandaries, including what to bake for Christmas. The Veggie Table has an excellent section with child-friendly recipes as well.

Focus on hearty whole grains and local root vegetables. Combining grains will give a menu the full complement of proteins, and whole grains are better for you and very filling. Using local root vegetables is a wonderful way to celebrate the seasons of harvest and family. Turnips, celery root, beets, yams, and potatoes are delicious ways to celebrate the season.

Dig into the root cellar to look for other vegetables and fruits from the summer. Think  of a warm pear salad topped with nuts, or apples and turnips and sugar all browned together: delicious, local, and vegan. Turn to the pantry too, for the preserves from the summer - or think ahead to next year, when you can create vegan chutneys and sauces for savory and sweet dishes.

Looking for seasonal take out food? :LA's Vegin Out does Christmas baking for you, vegan style. They also deliver healthy vegan meals all year round. Or head to a restaurant for your seasonal eats like many families do - restaurants like Blossom in New York City.

What's a vegan to do for the holidays? With so many mouth-watering options, from ideas for home-cooking to take out to restaurant meals, there is so much incentive to be cook, eat, and live more sustainably this holiday season.