Holidays, the raw vegan way.

Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts are not typically what you would call raw-friendly. Or even healthy. So you have to find your own way to do things.

This was my Thanksgiving turkey. His name was Steve. He was made out of a honeydew, bosc pear, two raisins, a triangle of orange pepper, a waddle-shaped piece of red pepper, grapes, clementines, and bamboo skewers. He was delicious.

This was my edible Christmas tree. Yes, I realize it looks like: a) a sea monster, b) a round hairbrush, or c) a car wash. I imagined it being more…regal. But it just turned out kookily. Those are green beans, cranberries, and a cucumber.

Edible sculptures are a very easy way to have a holiday meal. They’re fun, decorative, and usually a big hit.

Or you can go with something a little fancier. I don’t have pictures, but I made a super-delicious lasagna with thick zucchini noodles, a cashew ricotta, and a tomato-sun dried tomato-mango-date sauce. It was literally my favorite thing I ever made. If (when) I make it again, I’ll make sure to post a recipe. I made it on Christmas Eve and let it sit in the fridge overnight. I had leftover cheese and sauce after making it, so for Christmas Eve dinner I made bite-sized raviolis with circular zucchini slices (I just cut the end off and used a potato peeler). Those were a huge hit; very gourmet-looking, yet so simple to make!

Though I am a low-fat raw vegan, I’ll occasionally make something with cashews or almonds. Though it’s delicious, I don’t recommend doing it very often. At least when I eat nuts, they aren’t filling and I always end up eating too many of them. But hey, if you aren’t going to indulge a little bit during the holidays, when can you?

What did you guys have for Christmas/Thanksgiving dinner?