Celebrate meals vacation traditions from all over the world with these meals bloggers’ reminiscences and recipe concepts, from our houses to yours!
The holidays are a time to honor meals traditions that date again by the generations. It’s additionally a time to create new meals traditions of your personal. My Arkansas-born mom all the time made black-eyed peas throughout the holidays, as they had been meant to convey good luck for the approaching yr (plus they had been so darn good!). My father, who was born in Minnesota, favored the entire traditional vacation candy treats, akin to sugar cookies, apple crisp, and pumpkin pie. But the world of vacation meals traditions is even bigger than that! All all over the world, cultures have practiced meals celebrations that heart upon crops—the sustenance of life. These dishes introduced pals and households collectively to revel within the pleasure of life.
My household traditions mix my husband’s Swedish upbringing, with the meals cultures of my mom and father, plus a beneficiant dose of California spirit. So, I are inclined to benefit from the holidays with an open air potluck, which incorporates a wide range of plant-based dishes from all over the world, akin to Swedish Beet Apple Salad, Greek Veggie Balls, and Jansson’s Temptation.
This vacation spirit impressed me to talk with a few of my fellow dietitians and bloggers to get a glimpse of their plant-based world cultures from all over the world. We are sharing our favourite reminiscences and recipe concepts, from our houses to yours! I hope it will encourage you to create an eclectic celebration of plant-based meals throughout the holidays this yr.
Eat and Live Well,
Sharon
13 Food Holiday Traditions Around the World
1. Austria. “I remember my mum ‘measuring’ the rum ‘by feeling.’ It was that decisive moment in the making of the rum balls. Sometimes you would hear a high-pitched ‘ooh!’, which meant that they were going to turn out rather strong that year. The German name for these Vegan Rum Truffles is ‘Rumkugeln’, literally translated as Rum Balls. But, if used as a verb, ‘rumkugeln’ can mean to roll around, which is what you do when you’ve had too many of them!” says Sophie Rosemary Collins of Vegan On Board.
2. Egypt. “Egyptian falafel is a traditional dish made with fava beans rather than chickpeas. When I lived in Egypt, we had falafel for breakfast. It was fried before our eyes on the street corner and was the best falafel I’ve ever eaten. This is my healthier version; I bake or air-fry it rather than deep-fry it in masses of oil,” says Choclette Ammar of Tin and Thyme.
3. France. “In France, on January 6th, everyone, kids and adults alike, loves to buy and eat the Galette des Rois hoping to be ‘King or Queen for a day’ if they find a little figurine in their slice. My homemade vegan version is here,” says Francesca V Di Leandro of Seven Roses.
4. Germany. “During the Christmas season, a staple in Germany is to enjoy gingerbreads. Doesn’t matter if you are at home or visiting Christmas markets and enjoying the gingerbread cookies with a cup of mulled wine,” says Jasmin Hackmann of Ve Eat Cook Bake.
5. Greece. “These melomakarona cookies are a Christmas tradition for my family. We have made them every year the weeks before Christmas to give as gifts and to eat as Christmas dessert,” says Sophia Tsoukas DeSantis of Veggies Don’t Bite.
6. Hungary. “As long as I can remember, Crescent Cookies with Walnuts have always been an unquestionable part of our family’s Christmas. In other words, there is no Christmas without Walnut Crescent Cookies. The original recipe is handed down through generations. These cookies are definitely kid-favorites and the first ones to disappear, so we always make sure to bake enough,” says Emese Maczko of My Pure Plants.
7. Italy. “Growing up, most of my friends were eating meatloaf for their holiday meals, but in an Italian home, we ate lasagna, and always from scratch. These vegan lasagna stuffed mushrooms are filled with ‘cheesy’ spinach ricotta and topped with a hearty bolognese sauce that takes me back to some sweet childhood memories,” says Rosa Tamm of This Healthy Kitchen.
8. Poland. “Kolaczki, jam filled Polish cookies, have been a staple at holidays and family gatherings on my mom’s side since long before I was born. I have loved them since I was little. Traditional kolaczki contain lots of dairy, but I finally created a dairy-free version, and I promise you no one will know the difference! They are just as light and flaky as my Grandma’s!” says Jennifer Thurman Sebestyen of Veggie Inspired.
9. Puerto Rico. “Pastelitos de guayaba are a special treat found in bakeries all over Latin America. I love visiting my husband’s hometown in Puerto Rico at Christmas time—we always stop by the bakery and pick up a big box of Pastelitos, and then sit on a bench in the town square, listening to the coqui frogs chirping, and watching the twinkling Christmas lights strung across the courtyard,” says Sarah De la Cruz of Fried Dandelions.
11. Slovenia. “I have an obsession with chestnuts and have ever since I was a little girl. My mum used to make a chestnut puree with whipped cream during the autumn when we were kids and lived in Slovenia, and it’s one of my favorite recipes to this day. Chestnuts are a popular ingredient in desserts from that area and surrounding countries like Austria and Croatia, where mum’s family is from. I re-created the dessert, but used coconut whipped cream instead. Still just as good!” says Maša Ofei of The Minimalist Vegan.
11. Spain. “Sopa de galets, also called escudella de Nadal, is a traditional soup from the Catalonia region of Spain that’s served as a starter for the Christmas Eve and Christmas day meals. My husband harassed me for years to come up with a vegan version, and making vegan meatballs for the soup that don’t dissolve when boiled was no small feat!” says Melissa B. Copeland of Cilantro and Citronella.
12. Russia. “Russian-style pickled tomatoes are healthy, delicious and super easy to make. This is my grandma’s recipe that the whole family enjoys for holidays,” says Elena Szeliga of Happy Kitchen.Rocks.
13. Ukraine. “Syrniki, traditional cheese pancakes made in many Eastern European countries, are something I’ve not had in ages. My memories of them are from very early childhood; one of my babushkas loved making them for me as a treat. Whose babushka didn’t, right? I recently recreated them using a simple homemade vegan cheese base and gluten-free flour. It’s so good!” says Audrey Snowe of Unconventional Baker.
Check out a few of my favourite plant-based vacation recipes right here:
Tollhouse Pan Cookies
Vegan Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Sage White Bean Veggie Balls with Pomegranate Mandarin Sauce
Broccoli Walnut Au Gratin
Eggplant Pecan Pâté