THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512200031
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Fitness Quest
SOURCE: BY MARY FLACHSENHAAR, SPECIAL TO FLAVOR
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
COOKING CHRISTMAS dinner was challenging enough when Uncle Fred went low-cholesterol, Aunt Bertha said no to salt and Cousin Matthew was diagnosed with a wheat allergy.
Now you find out Sister-in-law Sue has turned vegetarian.
Holy cow!
Or, more appropriately, gad zuccs!
But the holiday cook need not panic.
``Most vegetarians are easy to cook for and most eat a variety of foods,'' said Anne Burky, president of the Hampton Roads Vegetarian Society. ``Many nonvegetarians are skeptical at first, but when they see what's on our holiday table, they can't believe it.''
Burky's table will be set for 12 on Christmas day and will groan under the weight of a mock roast made with meatless ``sausage,'' raw vegetables with hummus and bean dips, a big green salad enlivened with artichoke hearts and olives, fresh green beans cooked with garlic and tomatoes, twice-baked potatoes stuffed with tofu, homemade herb and sourdough breads, tofu pumpkin pie, fruitcake and nondairy ice cream.
Burky, her husband, Kevin, and their 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter are vegans. In addition to eating no meat, poultry or fish, vegans avoid any food of animal origin, including eggs, milk and other dairy products.
But of the approximately 12 million Americans who consider themselves vegetarians, most include eggs and dairy in their diet.
Which makes the holiday cook's job a lot easier. Eggnog, baked goods made from traditional recipes and vegetables crowned with cheese sauce are not forbidden fruit. And if there is enough variety in taste, texture and color among the side dishes that accompany the turkey, roast or ham, a vegetarian main dish is not a necessity at the holiday table.
``Most vegetarians will be happy with two or three interesting vegetable dishes, at least one grain, pasta or potato, a hearty bread and dessert,'' said Dawn Gardner of Chesapeake, who was motivated to give up meat for health reasons four years ago.
``Just don't bury all those vegetables in casseroles loaded with cheese sauce,'' she advised.
Instead:
Lightly cook colorful combinations of vegetables with a creative mix of spices. You'll soon realize many compatible vegetables come in the Christmas colors, green and red;
Serve a hearty, homemade meatless soup of vegetables and grains, omitting the beef or chicken broth;
Make a festive salad that goes beyond the workday lettuce-tomato-cucumber mix;
Serve tomatoes, green peppers or squash generously stuffed with vegetables and rice or another grain. This could be an entree for the vegetarian, a side for the meat-eaters at the table.
Remember that the Christmas menu needn't be a rerun of Thanksgiving, which demands a more traditional sit-down dinner with a turkey at its center. Dare to be different - try a sophisticated pasta dish sans meat. Not even Tom's most ardent admirers will miss him. MEMO: Mary Flachsenhaar is a free-lance writer living in Norfolk. All recipes
were kitchen tested by the author.
The Virginian-Pilot's Fitness Quest is a six-month project to inspire
our readers to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Through the end of the year,
we are focusing on health, exercise and diet, as well as reporting
monthly in the Real Life section on four people's quest for fitness. To
join Fitness Quest or share your story, call Infoline at 640-5555 and
then press BFIT (2348). by CNB