Season’s Eatings!

🙂 It’s the time of year where everywhere you look there are delicious displays of everything seasonal! In the UK it’s traditional to have Turkey with roast potatoes, roast parsnips, loads of vegetables including Brussels Sprouts, all served with gravy, cranberry sauce and bread sauce. Of course, if you are vegetarian or vegan then the traditional turkey is foregone in favour in Nut Roast! We usually make our own just to make sure it is delicious and then of course, we know exactly what is in it! This year you can find ready-made nut roasts everywhere as well as loads of other vegan dishes for mains, sides and desserts!

We already have a few great recipes on here for nut roast – a vegetable nut loaf, a garlic mushroom based version, and a pumpkin based nut roast, we even have a guide to roasted vegetables if you prefer those over (or have them in addition to) boiled vegetables.



What we had forgotten to post a recipe for is stuffing! 🙂 Now, stuffing comes in many forms – obviously it is used as a filling (hence the ‘stuffing’) but we love stuffing made into crunchy balls or even baked in a tray and cut into slices. There are loads of different ways to make stuffing, most involving breadcrumbs, but this version is bread free, grain free and also gluten free! 🙂

We have made the recipe as simple as we can and so it takes up as little time as possible! Hooray! Sharing them over with Angie at Fiesta Friday, this week co-hosted by Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook Come and see what everyone else is sharing! 🙂

Stuffing

An easy to prepare vegan and gluten free stuffing full of flavour for everyone to enjoy!

Serves: 20 stuffing balls
Created by:: Laurena @LifeDietHealth
Gather
  • oil of choice
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1/2 medium leek chopped
  • 1 medium carrot diced
  • 5 medium mushrooms chopped (we used chestnut mushrooms but any are fine)
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon dill
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic granules
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 400 g tin cooked chickpeas
  • 60 g cooked chestnuts chopped
  • salt to taste
Prepare
  1. Oil a large baking tray (or spritz with a spray) then add the onions, leeks, carrots and mushrooms. Sprinkle half of each of the herbs over (oregano, rosemary, dill, garlic, pepper), spritz or drizzle a bit more oil over then put on the middle shelf and roast for 15 minutes at Gas 6 (400f / 200c).

  2. While the vegetables are cooking, put the chickpeas in a food processor and blitz until almost smooth (you might need to add a bit of the chickpea liquid). If you don't have a food processor, mash the chickpeas until they are roughly mashed.

  3. Put the vegetables into a large bowl, scraping all the bits off the tin for extra flavour. Add the chickpeas, then the remaining spices (oregano, rosemary, dill, garlic, pepper). Mix together then add the chickpea paste. Mix well and do a taste test. Add enough salt to your liking and adjust herbs if necessary.

  4. Put a bit more oil on your baking tray (it's fine to use the same one without washing) and make the stuffing mixture into balls. The balls should be roughly ping-pong ball size and you should get about 20 from one batch.

  5. Bake the stuffing at Gas Mark 6 (400f / 200c) for 20-30 minutes depending how crispy you like them. They can then be served immediately or cooled and stored for later.

  6. The stuffing balls make a great addition to a meal (especially Christmas dinner) but are also great on their own or maybe 'stuffed' into a sandwich. They will store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Enjoy!


Of course, there is more to dinner than just the savoury part… it’s traditional here to finish with Christmas Pudding – a strange concept for many not used to it as many people make them months in advance and allow them to mature! Then of course there are mince pies, gingerbread chocolates and creamy drinks like this one!

Do you have any traditional foods you like to make and eat at this time of year? Join the conversation below and tell us the traditions where you are! 🙂

Send us your stuffing photos! ? If you’re sharing them on social media use #LifeDietHealth and tag us @LifeDietHealth We love to see what you do with our recipes, so please share! ?

Have a fabulous weekend, if you’ve finished now for work until after Christmas (or even until next year) have a great holiday and get some relaxation in amongst all the hustle and bustle!

Have a very Merry Christmas ??⛄

Speak soon

Laurena x

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9 Comments

  • Eva Gallon 20th December 2019 at 21:56

    Season’s Eatings indeed☺ It’s mandatory to put on a few pounds around this time of year! I always preferred veggie stuffing even as a kid; actually, I never even tried sausagemeat stuffing until my mid 20s at the in-laws, they don’t do Paxo lol (nor prawn cocktail starter!) Re traditions: I would always go to my cousin’s house to make mince pies on the 24th (my aunt provided the jar of mincemeat, I honestly can’t remember whether we made the shortcrust pastry or not). My sister and I would open one present from under the tree and one from our stocking later that night. Our main presents were opened in the morning of the 25th, it just seems odd to me when people do this after lunch haha. I hear they’ve stopped making those little plastic moustaches you’d always find in Christmas crackers, I don’t think they’ll be missed?I’ve still kept one or two of those mini screwdriver sets and a mini photo frame lol. I’ve always been a Christmas pudding fan☺

    Reply
    • Laurena@LifeDietHealth 20th December 2019 at 22:18

      Oh wow Eva! We used to go to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and felt all grown up that we were allowed up so late! We’d leave a glass of something out for Santa (usually Port or Sherry I think) and I’m guessing we left a mince pie too! In the morning we were allowed to open our stockings as soon as we woke up, which meant chocolate (random Roses) and satsumas for breakfast! We’d usually have to help with lunch prep or table setting and were possibly allowed to open one present from under the tree before lunch! Yes… we were an afternoon present opening family! ? Lunch and tidying up was usually finished by the Queens speech and we’d open presents with the tv on. Oh… on the radio today they played a bit of “The Good Life” Christmas episode from a very long time ago! I could visualise what was going on!? You do know that crackers still have mini screwdriver sets and photo frames in?

      Reply
  • Eva Gallon 20th December 2019 at 23:02

    How could I forget leaving out the mincepie, sherry and carrot lol. Greek Cypriots normally go to church on Christmas day morning (midnight mass for us is on Easter saturday….until around 3 am!!) My thing to watch each Christmas is the 1988 Lion, Witch & Wardrobe?Yes, I do know that about the screwdrivers and frames- they’re just getting rid of the plastic tat? Have a nice weekend x

    Reply
    • Laurena@LifeDietHealth 20th December 2019 at 23:21

      3am!!! Wow! Oh I’ve not seen the Lion, Witch & Wardrobe for ages; it’s always been Annie & Oliver for us! Oh and Gremlins and Home Alone! I was going ti make my own crackers… maybe I’ll have a go on Sunday! Enjoy your weekend x

      Reply
  • Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook 21st December 2019 at 08:16

    I haven’t had stuffing before. Maybe because we are not celebrating Christmas? Anyway, I always think that they are delicious and omg yours has chickpeas and I love anything with chickpeas. Can you send me some of these?? Hahaha. Thanks for sharing, Laurena. Happy Fiesta Friday!

    Reply
    • Laurena@LifeDietHealth 21st December 2019 at 18:09

      Jhuls OMGosh you’ve never had stuffing?! Wow! Not even with roast chicken and gravy? You SO need to make these! If you weren’t so far away I’d send you some… or bring you some over! ?Thanks for co-hosting?Happy Fiesta’ing.

      Reply
  • CoffeeMamma 31st December 2019 at 16:24

    This is such a great idea!!

    Reply
    • Laurena@LifeDietHealth 31st December 2019 at 16:26

      Thank you! and Happy New Year! 🙂

      Reply
      • CoffeeMamma 31st December 2019 at 17:53

        Happy New Year to you too

        Reply

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