Vegan Dinner Party!

Hi guys!  As awesome as we are, my friend Alli and I threw a vegan dinner party together!  We had a four course meal that we started cooking at 2 and finished at 7 (not because it's complex but because we're easily distracted) and had a great time with it.  I would suggest throwing vegan dinner parties with all of your friends.  It's the best :)

Step One:  Prepare everything.  Make a list of the recipes that you're going to make, then a grocery list of the ingredients in those recipes.  Wash and chop all vegetables, prepare dressing, and make anything that can be made ahead of time and chill.  If making a dessert that will be baked, you can mix the dry ingredients so that all you have to do is add the wet and pop it in the oven.

Step Two:  About 1 hour to 1/2 hour before, finish cooking or reheat meals.  We made the salad and tossed it in the vinaigrette, reheated the soup, prepared the appetizer, and put the dessert into the oven. 

Step Three:  Prepare the table.  Set up place mats, glasses, silverware, and napkins so that all that's left is to serve.

Step Four:  Eat and enjoy!  The reason to have a dinner party is to have fun and see your friends.  It's also a great bonding time with those who love to cook as much as you :D

My Plan: 

Course 1 + 2:  App and Salad

 

For the appetizer, we used toast points (from whole foods for about $1) and topped them with bruschetta and hummus with paprika.  It was delicious :)

 

For the salad, it was a little more complicated (two vegans with a salad-from-a-bag?  You gotta be kidding!)  We combined mixed greens, minced red peppers, chopped celery, and a delicious vinaigrette and tossed it.  The dressing was amazing and is now going to be a formal recipe:

 

Creamy Vegan Dressing:

Vegan, Soy Free, Nut Free

• 3 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 lemon's juice
• 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 tsp herb de Province
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup vegan 'cheeze' (combine 1/3 cup nutrional yeast with 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, plus salt)
• Salt and peppa

Directions:  Prepare vegan 'cheeze' by combining nutritional yeast, salt, and seeds in a food processor and blend until thoroughly ground.  Remove and add mustard, lemon, garlic, and herbs.  Drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper, and taste (adjust these to taste).  Add 1/2 'cheeze' and blend.  If too thick, add water, if too thin or not cheezy enough, add more cheeze.  Makes:  ~1/2 cup dressing



 

Vegan Cheeze is delicious!

We also made a soup using veggie + no chicken broth, tomatoes, celery, onions, lentils, oil, and herb de Province (I can't share the recipe because it's from a cook book):

 

We served it with more vegan cheeze (obsessed!)

 

For dessert, we had these oat squares.

 

 

Of course, Alli and I had to be really romantic about it (with our $1 scented candle).  I really feel like we connected on a whole new level.  Once you throw a dinner party with someone, you might as well marry them, right?

 

Alli, being the "Jewish grandmother" that she is (her words, not mine!), sent me home with left overs.

 

 

You know I love ya Alli.

 

I hope you are inspired to throw a dinner party of your very own!  If you have any questions, comment below! 

What would you have at your dinner party?

Have a great Thursday!  And don't forget- tomorrow's Friday!