My Bookman and I have been having a marvelous Solstice celebration today. The day began with a contribution from my Bookman, cinnamon rolls:
I’m sure these are good for you since they are made from whole wheat flour and instead of eggs they contain mashed potatoes. Ok, maybe the sugar erases the good for you. Maybe it comes out even so it’s neutral, like not eating anything at all.
Then it was time to make some vegan sausage. What do you make vegan sausage from? mashed pinto beans of course:
Add vital wheat gluten and spices, shape into sausages and steam for 40 minutes.
I didn’t take photos of everything or there’d be a gazillion of them, so let’s cut to the completed meal. I give you whole wheat herbed drop biscuits and tamari almond gravy, red flannel hash (potatoes, beets and onion), and sausage and collard greens:
Oh, was it ever delicious!
And now, for the finale, ginger-cashew-coconut-carrot cake:
I’m sure this also is a neutral food:
And here is a photo of the chef from the morning, rolling up the sausages in aluminum foil for steaming:
She’s wearing the official Solstice outfit of flannel pjs topped with a big shirt that has cats on it and the words “I Love Yule.”
We might get a little snow tonight too. Nothing could be more perfect! And now the best part is, the days will slowly be getting longer, so even though the coldest part of winter is still ahead of us, at least there will be sun. Happy Solstice!
happy solstice! you look adorable, the food looks luscious and it sounds like a very, very, very good day!
Happy belated solstice! That meal is making my mouth water.
This looks delicious; and you are as cute as can be. You don’t look anywhere near your 30s. I’d love the vegan sausage recipe. I made vegan Curried Red Lental Soup – it was FABULOUS! At first I was going to leave out the sweet potato, but I had one, so I put it in. Glad I did. The soup is golden and the spices so warming. Only thing, the lentils’ texture didn’t hold up very well, but the flavor was super. I made homemade baguettes, toasted the slices, and topped with tomato pulp sauteed with onions in olive oil – and although not winter – topped with basil strips. We don’t eat dessert, but I did have some figs on hand. Thanks to you, we’ll put Winter Solstice in our lexicon of holidays to celebrate. It was great fun and we took time to give thanks for our planet of bounty. However, it’s back to roasted beast for Christmas!!
Happy winter solstice!! What amazing treats you cooked for yourselves. And what everyone says is true – you look about 19 in your picture! Cross your fingers for me, I’m about to attempt butternut squash and sage risotto…
Happy solstice! Your meal looks SO tasty. And it’s nice to see a photo of you!
That looks so good! For a once-a-year-chef, you rocked it! And you have on an adorable outfit as well.
I wish we had snow. I totally feel like having a snowed-in holiday. As my overseas friends would say, Not Bloody Likely.
Yum! Yum! Yum! We spent the solstice shopping for and putting up our tree (a lovely pagan ritual). I wish we could have flown you in to do the cooking, although we sufficed with “Mexican casserole” — not vegan, but almost (just a little bit of cheese) and German chocolate cake (not at all vegan).
Courtney, thanks all around!
andalucy, thank you! We have leftovers if you are in the neighborhood
Grad, oh you are such a sweetie! I’ll send you the sausage recipe in the next day or two. Your Solstice dinner sounds delicious. I am glad it was such a success that you will be doing it again next year! Merry Christmas to you!
Litlove, you too are a sweetie. Nineteen was a looonnnggg time ago
I hope your butternut squash and risotto come out. You’re making my mouth water just thinking about it!
Dorothy, thank you, thank you. If you are ever in MN for Solstice you and Hobgoblin are welcome to stop by.
Daphne, thank you on all counts! if I could box up some snow and mail it to you, I would.
Emily, it sounds like you had a lovely day of your own. Mexican anything is hard to do without cheese. I love German chocolate cake. I have a recipe around here somewhere for a vegan version…
Yum! It all looks so delicious!
Yeay for sun! I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. Finally the days will get longer again.
Love your plates! Very appropriate for the (soon to be over) International Year of Astronomy.
Happy Winter Solstice – what yummy treats you two cooked up. Those cinnamon rolls got me pulling out a cookbook of my own
Oh that looks lovely and vegan gravy sounds amazing, I would never have thought that particular food type could be wonderful and vegan.
Everything looks delicious! I’m glad to hear you had such a wonderful Solstice – and now you can relax the rest of your vacation!
Neutral food is always the tastiest! It all looks yummy, though. Kudos to the cook–I hope you have an extra slice of that ginger-cashew-coconut-carrot cake for me! Lovely photo of you, too. Enjoy the rest of your break! Happy reading!
The celebratory meal looks wonderful. I wish you happy and enriching holidays.
A very belated Happy Winter Solstice, Stefanie! It looks like you and your bookman had a wonderful feast. You look adorable in your official outfit
softdrink, an it all tasted delicious too!
Rebecca, I know, I love noticing the tiny incremental increases in daylight
Sylvia, why thank you. The dessert plates had a sun/moon in the middle and we even have blue glasses with stars on them.
Verbivore, thank you! I hope whatever you made was delicious
Jodie, oh yes, vegan gravy is possible and yummy.
Lesley, thanks! Oh yes there is lots of vacation left in which to relax and enjoy.
Danielle, I love neutral food, it doesn’t count against you and I sure it doesn’t have any calories
Thanks all around. We finished off the cake, but should you ever stop by we’ll certainly make a tasty treat for you!
Paul, thank you and happy holiday wishes to you as well!
Iliana, thanks and thanks!