5 easy and healthy vegan holiday side dishes
The holiday season is here, and with Thanksgiving around the corner, you may be starting to plan your holiday menu. Whether you’re already planning a plant-based holiday dinner or are looking for some healthy alternatives to traditional holiday dishes, we’re sharing five healthy vegan side dishes the whole family will enjoy.
#1 Orange Zest Cranberry Sauce (Serves 10)
Ingredients:
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 (12 ounce) bag of fresh cranberries
Directions:
- Start by adding the water and orange juice to a stockpot and bring to a boil.
- Add the coconut sugar and whisk well.
- Add the cranberries and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving with your holiday meal!
#2 Cinnamon Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 6 large sweet potatoes peeled, cubed, and cooked
- ½ cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Sea salt to taste
Directions:
- Add the cooked sweet potato cubes to a food processor or high-speed blender with the coconut milk and blend until smooth.
- Add the maple syrup and cinnamon and blend again.
- Season with sea salt and enjoy!
#3 Simple Garlic & Thyme Roasted Carrots (Serves 3)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb carrots washed, peeled, and cut in half lengthwise
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp fresh thyme, chopped
Directions:
- Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the carrots to the baking sheet and drizzle with the avocado oil.
- Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme to a bowl and mix well.
- Sprinkle the seasoning over the carrots.
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until tender.
#4 Creamy Garlic Mashed Cauliflower (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 2 heads of cauliflower, cut into florets
- ½ cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
Directions:
- Start by adding the cauliflower florets to a stockpot. Add enough water to cover the florets and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook for 7 minutes or until tender.
- Drain and then transfer the cauliflower to a food processor or high-speed blender and blend until it turns into “rice.”
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Enjoy as a delicious alternative to mashed potatoes.
#5 Plant-based Gravy (Serves 8-10)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- ½ tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
Directions:
- Add all ingredients to a stockpot over medium heat and continue to whisk until smooth.
- Once the gravy starts to thicken, remove from heat and serve over mashed cauliflower or mashed sweet potatoes!
Here’s to a Healthy Plant-Based Holiday Season!
While the holidays traditionally come with lots of added sweets and comfort foods, if you are looking to do things a little healthier this year, consider these simple plant-based side dishes. Not only are they super yummy, but they taste so close to the real thing, your meat or dairy-eating guests won’t even know these are completely plant-based!
