Plant-based Christmas treats for Santa

Did you know that Santa has been embracing a plant-based lifestyle? Yep, he’s recently noticed that his big belly (which shakes while he laughs, like a bowl full of jelly, apparently), has been slowing him down on his long trips from the North Pole, so he and Mrs Claus made the decision to revamp their diets in 2020.

But just because Santa has gone all vegan on us doesn’t mean your little ones can’t still leave out some sweet treats for him on Christmas Eve. Luckily, we’ve got the perfect recipes, courtesy of Califia Farms, Talida Voinea – a plant-based mum from Newcastle in NSW who’s changed her diet to help her recover from a life-threatening hormone imbalance – and Eden Gokkaya, a Sydney plant-based recipe creator.

Santa’s plant-based Christmas cookies

Recipe by Talida Voinea

You’ll need:

⅔ cup buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup coconut sugar
½ cup cashew butter
½ cup tahini
¼ cup Califia Farms Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
¼ cup vegan white chocolate chips
¼ cup chopped macadamias
¼ cup frozen cranberries

Method:

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and coconut sugar.
2. Add the cashew butter and tahini and mix until combined and chunky.
3. Add almond milk and mix again until cookie batter forms.
4. Mix through white chocolate chips, macadamias and cranberries.
5. Form 1-tablespoon-sized cookie balls. Place on tray and flatten slightly, leaving plenty of room for them to spread.
6. Bake at 170°C for 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Allow to cool and leave them out for Santa.

Vegan eggnog

Recipe by Eden Gokkaya

You’ll need:

1 bottle Califia Farms Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp mixed spice

For serving

Cinnamon sticks
Ground cinnamon

Method:

1. In a small pot combine the Califia Farms Unsweetened Vanilla almond milk with the maple syrup, nutmeg and mixed spice. Stir gently on a low heat.
2. Add cinnamon stick, continue to stir for 8-10 minutes while the milk thickens up slightly.
3. Pour the mix into a jug and refrigerate overnight.
4. Once chilled, the eggnog is ready to serve. You could enjoy it warm if you prefer but refrigerating it overnight lets the flavour deepen.
5. Sprinkle some extra cinnamon on top to serve.

Optional extra: you can add a little rum or bourbon if you… ahem, we mean Santa prefers his nog with a little liquor in it.

For more recipes and inspiration for creating a plant-based festive feast, head to califiafarms.com.au