Share Your Holiday Spirit with the Animals

The winter holiday season offers the perfect opportunity to help spread a message of compassion. We've put together some holiday gift ideas as well as festive meat-, egg-, and dairy-free recipes that'll make everyone, including the animals, sing for joy!

Humane Holiday Gift Ideas

"Warm Holiday Wishes" note cards		Dr. Michael Greger’s latest nutrition DVDs		COK mug filled with organic, vegan chocolates

Visit COK's Marketplace today to buy these items—and to discover lots of other gift ideas!

Egg-Free Egg Nog

Serves 5

• 1 quart soymilk
• 6 ounces Mori-Nu silken tofu, extra firm
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup Amaretto, Southern Comfort, brandy, or alcohol of choice (optional)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and blend until creamy and smooth. Chill before serving.

Apple and Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash

Serves 3 to 4

• 1 acorn squash
  
• 2 apples, peeled and sliced
  
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
  
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
  
• 1 tablespoon soy margarine
  
• 1 tablespoon nutmeg
  

Preheat the oven to 350oF.

Slice the acorn squash in half and scrape out the seeds and the strings. Place both halves face down in a casserole pan filled with 1/2 inch of water. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Put the peeled and sliced apples, dried cranberries, brown sugar, and pine nuts (if using) into a bowl and toss until well mixed.

Take the steamed acorn squash out of the oven. Empty the casserole pan of any water. Place the halves face up and fill with the apple mixture. Top with the soy margarine and nutmeg. Cover the pan loosely with tin foil and bake until the squash, apples, and cranberries are soft, about 30 minutes.

Mock Meatloaf

Serves 4

• 1 pound vegetarian ground beef (try Boca Burger's Original Meatless Ground Burger or Gardenburger's Meatless Crumbles)
  
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
  
• 2/3 tablespoon prepared mustard
  
• 1/2 tablespoon horseradish
  
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
  
• 1/4 cup soymilk
  
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
  
  

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Press lightly into a bread loaf pan. Wrap loosely with foil. Bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Truffles

Makes about 20 truffles

• 1 12-ounce package non-dairy chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
• 8 ounces non-dairy cream cheese, such as Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese
• 2 cups powered sugar
• 2 tablespoons flavored syrup, such as hazelnut or vanilla (optional)
• chopped nuts (optional topping)
• coconut flakes (optional topping)
• 1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips (optional topping)

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, saucepan, or microwave.

Put the non-dairy cream cheese in a food processor or high-powered blender and slowly add the sugar. Blend until well mixed. Then add the melted chocolate chips to the cream cheese mixture and blend until well mixed. If using flavored syrup, add the syrup to the mixture and blend for 30 seconds. Pour the blended mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Once chilled, roll the mixture with your hands into bite-sized balls and place on a serving tray.

If using optional toppings, pour the nuts and/or coconut flakes into a shallow bowl and roll the chilled balls into them. Place the truffles on a tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For truffles with a hard chocolate coating, after the chilled mixture has been rolled into bite-sized balls, melt 1 cup of non-dairy chocolate chips. Dip the balls into the melted chocolate, place on a tray, and refrigerate for 2 additional hours.