Hello,

I may be hosting Christmas Eve and have a guest coming who is vegan.  I need some vegan recipie ideas for appetizers.  I will have hummus and veggies, but I also want something a bit more "fun" and filling for her.

Just a few caveats: I don't want to do any "fake" things like "vegan cheese," or "vegan meats," etc., and I am only a moderate cook, so I don't want anything too difficult.

The remainder of my guest are hard core carnivores, so it doesn't have to be anything large.

Thank you!

Roasted/broiled veggies with vegan dressing (find at Whole Foods).  Good warm or cold.

Plain almond milk or soy milk work well for most recipes calling for milk.

Vegan Butternut Soup:

1 medium butternut squash

3 medium yellow onions

1 tsp each garlic powder, pepper, salt, smoked paprika (Trader Joes), hot sauce

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1 lemon's juice (fresh is essential)

4 - 6 cups vegetable stock 

Peel, seed, and chop squash roughly. Peel and roughly chop onions.  Place in pot with 4 cups stock with spices and boil/steam until very soft; cover and stir occasionally.  Purée preferably with a stick blender in the pot until smooth, add stock until desired thickness.  Add lemon juice and hot sauce.  Adjust seasonings.

Keep hot in crock pot, self-serve in small ramekins or cups.

Can be blended in batches in the blender.