For many voddies, the “hardest” time to manage our eating is during the Holidays—not because we want to eat meat, but because those who do can’t quite understand how we could ever give up all the wonderful traditional holiday treats. Becuase they care and our curious they badger us about :
1. What they should make for us (since our diet is “limited”)?
2. How we can stand it?
Most of this is just innocent discourse but because eating is why we write, I have an exercise for you.
Take a moment and write down all the holiday food that you enjoy or could enjoy that is sans meat. The list should not be meat substitites (tofurkey anyone?) but rather traditional food, good food, that doesn’t have meat.
In order to keep this authentic, the list I have below is holiday food that is reflective of my culture, which is Puerto Rican. Meat and seafood are central components of Puerto Rican fare—in fact, like in most cultures, a big meat dish (in our case, pernil = roasted pork shoulder) is what makes a Christmas, Navidad. But when I went through this exercise I found a whole lot more that I could eat, without the pernil.
If a little tiny island like Puerto Rico can have some many options, I am certain your family too can have wonderful, scrumpstous, and filling food that will make us remember the holidays a good time to eat.
Here is the list
1. Pasteles de habichuelas (http://www.boricua.com/2006_Issues/November/Pasteles_Video.html0
2. Arroz con Gandules (Rice and Beans)
3. Yuca con Cebolla (Cassasava with Sauteed Onions)
4. Monfongo con Ajo (Plantatian Heaven)
5. Dulce de Coco (Candied coconut)
6. Pastelitos de Guayaba (Guava tarts)
7. Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog–lots of rum)
8. Ensalada de Papa (Carribean Style Potatoe Salad)
9. Vianda con Aciete y Vejetales (Root Vegetables Dish)
10. Arroz Con Dulce (Rice “Pudding”)
These are just ten items….but I could go on!
To learn more about Holiday Vegeterian Food and Food from Puerto Rico, the links below are especially helpful.
Happy Holiday!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_Puerto_Rico
http://vegetariancuisine.suite101.com/article.cfm/vegetarian_holiday_foods_to_keep_onhand