Our independence day is almost here. Celebrate freedom with great tasting vegan delicacies. Make this year’s vegan Fourth Of July stand out with diverse cuisine ranging from BBQ burgers, vegan hot dogs, cheesecake, and many more. Who says parties without animal-based barbeques should be boring? With these recipes, even the non-vegan will find it hard to resist.

Thai Quinoa Burger

If you love the Thai flavors of cilantro, lemongrass, and curry paste and you cherish the American burger, then this is for you. The Thai Quinoa Burger combines all these ingredients to give you a spicy finger licking burger rich in protein.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
• Two flax eggs
• Three tablespoons ground flax seed
• Five tablespoons of water

For the Patty

• One can of rinsed and drained chickpeas
• 1/2 cup of chopped snow peas
• 1 cup dry oats
• 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• Two tablespoons canola oil
• One tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• One tablespoon red curry paste
• One tablespoon of freshly ground ginger-garlic paste
• 1 cup finely diced red onions
• A pinch of ground black pepper and Kosher salt
• Fresh green chilies
• One tablespoon of agave nectar

To Assemble The Burger

• 6 Burger Buns
• BBQ sauce of your choice (like mayo and hoisin sauce)
• Spinach, fresh carrots, or lettuce
• Mung bean sprouts

Procedure

In a bowl, whisk the ground flax with water and set aside for 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan, boil the vegetable broth with quinoa. Reduce the heat and let it simmer until the broth is completely absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Meanwhile, pulse the oats in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add in the flax egg together with the rest of the patty ingredients. Process for a while until the mixture is smooth and thick. For a small serving, measure one cup of the cooked quinoa and add it to the food processor. Refrigerate the rest of the quinoa for future use.

Coat a baking sheet with oil. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, Make at least six patties out of the burger mixture. Heat a large frying pan with vegetable oil. And fry the patties on each side until they are golden brown. Place the fried patties on the baking sheet and bake them for 10 minutes.

Get your six-burger buns and assemble with your favorite BBQ sauce, veggies, and sprouts.

Vegan Hotdogs

Hot dogs are a favorite summer meal. I love grilling mine on the Vegan Fourth Of July while basking in the sunshine. These vegan hot dogs have little or no saturated fat. In addition, they don’t have cholesterol and they are lower on calories compared to the animal-based hotdogs.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 pieces of well-drained marinated artichokes
• 12 pieces of sun-dried tomatoes
• 11/2 cups of kidney beans well drained
• One garlic clove – minced
• 1/3 cup of rolled oats
• One teaspoon of smoked paprika
• Black pepper, a pinch of salt, and oil.

Procedure

Drain the artichoke hearts and the sun-dried tomatoes using kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil. Add the artichokes, the tomatoes, kidney beans, clove, oat, and paprika to a food processor. Smear a pinch of salt, pepper, and oil. Blitz the mixture until it is evenly mixed.

Spray your baking tray with oil. Mold the mixture into sausage shapes of the desired size as you line them up on the baking tray. Spray the sausages with oil and bake them for half an hour checking them occasionally to ensure they are firm and golden brown.

Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake

This chilled cheesecake looks very sophisticated yet very simple to make. It has different layers of pink and a beautiful fresh raspberry arrangement on top with a velvety cream perfect for the Vegan Fourth Of July dessert. We use agar powder to make the cake firm even in this hot summer weather.

Ingredients

• 6 Medjool dates
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup raw cashews – soak them overnight and pat them dry
• 3 cups of freshly made coconut cream
• 1/8 cup of lemon juice
• 4 cups of fresh raspberries
• One tablespoon of agar powder
• 1 cup of water

Procedure

Pulse the dates, coconut, and salt in a food processor. Ensure the mixture still maintains its rough texture. Press the mixture firmly on a cake ring to prepare the cheesecake crust. Keep aside.

Meanwhile, blend the soaked cashews and 1 cup of coconut cream, slowly adding more coconut cream until the mixture is well blended. Add the lemon juice and mix lightly without curdling the milk. Divide the coconut base among four separate bowls and keep aside.

Puree the fresh raspberries with the dates to prepare the raspberry base. Remove the raspberry seeds by straining them. You can also use cheesecloth to get rid of all raspberry seeds.

In a small saucepan, add the agar powder, water and the dates-raspberry mixture. Heat the saucepan, and then let the mixture simmer for a minute. Do this quickly before the agar sets.

Get your four bowls of coconut base. In the first bowl, add ten tablespoons of the raspberry mixture. In the second bowl, add seven tablespoons of the raspberry mixture. Five tablespoons in the third bowl, and finally two tablespoons in the fourth bowl. The raspberry mixture shall create different layers of pink in your cake. The first bowl is mostly red whereas the last bowl is the lightest in color.

Use a spoon to mix the raspberry mixture into the coconut base in each bowl.

Get the cake ring. Spread fourth bowl mixture over the crust to create your first layer. Then spread the third bowl mixture on top of the first layer to create your second layer. Do the same with the second and first bowls respectively. Then top up any raspberry-date mixture that remained onto the fourth layer. Swirl it with a sharp knife to create pretty effects.

Chill the cheesecake for three hours before removing the cake ring. Garnish the cake with fresh raspberries or some edible flowers.

The Bottom Line

If you loved these Vegan Fourth Of July recipes, then I’m sure you’ll love our other collection of vegan recipes. The vegan pizza, vegan chicken nuggets, and vegan donuts can also be an excellent addition to your dishes for the 4th of July party. Try the above recipes this Vegan Fourth Of July, and let us know what you think.

The three doshas; Vata, Pitta, and Kapha are present in all humans. However, you will notice a predominant type in each person, which is what we need to address. Nutrition-wise, each dosha has unique requirements. I will address these requirements using healthy yet practical vegan ayurvedic snacks. Let’s get to it!

Ayurvedic Snacks For Pitta Dosha

The Pitta types are very fiery and they can’t tolerate heat. They eat very fast and digest very fast. This means they also get hungry more often and hunger makes them angry. Hence, a choice of a heavy filling cold snack would be the most ideal.

Date Energy Balls

Ingredients

• ½ cup Rolled Oats
• 1 cup dates – pitted
• Vegan chocolate chips (as many as you want)
• 1-teaspoon Hemp, Chia or Flax seeds
• 3 tablespoons Cashew nut butter (or use peanut butter or any nut butter)

Procedure

Presoak the dates for 20 minutes in hot water if they are too hard and drain them off.

In a food processor or grinder, pulse the dates to a coarse texture. Add the nut butter and the rest of the ingredients and pulse until well combined. Roll this mixture into small balls using your hands and your snack is ready to eat. These can also be frozen for up to 6 months.

Coconut Energy Balls

Ingredients

• 1 cup Rolled oats
• Vegan chocolate chips – just a few
• 2 tablespoons Hemp, Chia or Flax seeds powdered
• ½ cup cashew nut butter (or use peanut butter or any nut butter)
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)

Procedure

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients using your hands. Then shape into palm-size balls and enjoy these delicious ayurvedic snacks.

Ayurvedic Snacks For Vata Dosha

These are usually lean, super active and unsettled. They have poor sleeping patterns and poor eating habits. You can consider them malnourished. They also can’t tolerate cold hence a choice of a warm energy-packed snack would be the most ideal.

Baked Granola Bars

Ingredients

5 cups vegan granola (homemade or store-bought)
2 tbsp. raw cacao powder
4 tbsp. hemp seeds
4 tbsp. maple syrup (or your preferred sweetener)
3 tbsp. cashew nut butter (or any nut butter)

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 356F.

Pulse 1 cup of the granola to powder form. This powder helps to bind the entire mixture.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients with your hands until well combined and lumpy. If still too dry, add a little nut milk.

Line a baking tray and compact this mixture well.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Let them cool before cutting into even palm-sized bars. You can enjoy these ayurvedic snacks with your favorite ayurvedic tea.

Ayurvedic Snacks For Kapha Dosha

These have masculine bodies yet are quite calm and composed. They have deep sleep patterns with slow digestion. For this reason, they need a low-calorie snack diet to avoid obesity.

Baked Carrot Chips

Ingredients

2 carrots, chopped into even chips.

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Your favorite healthy dried herbs. I use parsley and paprika, ¼ teaspoon each

Procedure

Coat the carrot chips with all the ingredients, and then bake them in a pre-heated oven at 425F for 25-30minutes. You can enjoy these ayurvedic snacks hot or cold. Moreover, you can dip them in a vegan ranch dip.

If you have ever been a victim of boring vegan snacks or flavorless dips, then its time to make a change this Christmas. Good cooking is like good music. They are all based on the foundation of proper technique. Vegan Christmas appetizers, tapas, finger foods, canapés, or whatever you might call them, prepare your pallet for the main feast.

It is a diverse category of foods; just like the occasions, we serve them for. And the beauty is that almost all types of food ingredients can be adapted as appetizers. This makes it hard to narrow down on specific foods especially for major Holidays like Christmas. In this article, I will share with you my all-time favorites, variations, and serving tips. Read on!

Baked Apples with Vegan Cheese

These are the simplest vegan Christmas appetizers to make. The best apples for this recipe are the green Granny Smith varieties, and the best cheese is the vegan cream cheese. You can also add fruits, nuts, and spices. I love the combination of star anise, cinnamon, and black peppercorns with dried apricots.

For this recipe, feel free to adjust the measurements according to the number of guests you will be serving.

Ingredients

• 8 apples
• 4 tablespoons vegan cheese
• 1 tablespoon diced dried apricots
• 1 tablespoon diced raisins
• A pinch of ground cinnamon, star anise, and black pepper

In a bowl, mix the vegan cheese, the diced fruits, and spices well.

Remove the core of your apples and a little more flesh around it. This creates holes in the apples for stuffing.

Spoon the cheese mixture in the apples and bake them at 200 degrees Celsius for 20-30 minutes or until your apples are tender.

As a tip, add a little water in your baking tray to keep the apples from drying out while baking.

Remove from the oven, garnish with some whole spices.

Serve hot!

Variation

Instead of apricots, you can use chopped pecans or dried cranberries. These are rich in anti-oxidants and other nutritional benefits.

You can also use other firm apple varieties such as Empire or Cortland.

Finally, you can add maple syrup if you have a sweet tooth but remember to balance the sweetness with a pinch of salt. This also depends on the apple variety you use. If your apple is naturally sweet, you don’t need to add more sugar.

Vegan Cheese Balls

Cheese balls are a delicious choice of vegan Christmas appetizers. You can prepare them in advance and cook them when your guests arrive. For this recipe, we shall use our favorite vegan cheese recipe.

Once you have the cheese ready, you will need the following to make the vegan Christmas appetizers.

Ingredients

• 4 potatoes
• 2 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
• ½-teaspoon ground coriander seeds
• 1-teaspoon chopped fresh coriander leaves
• ½-teaspoon dried oregano
• 1-teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
• 1-tablespoon corn flour
• Salt and pepper to taste

Wash and boil your potatoes (skin on) until tender. Peel off the skin and mash them with a fork. Add salt, pepper, and all the above ingredients and mix well. You can use any spices of your choice.

Now scoop the potato mixture and using your hands, flatten them into small patties. Add some more vegan cheese. Fold the patties into small balls, and set aside. The idea is to have more cheese inside your balls. So once they are done, you take a bite, and the cheese at the center melts in your mouth.

Make some batter to coat them before cooking. This batter gives a crispy layer outside. And at this point, you can get more creative.

For my batter, I use:

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons corn flour

Mix well to form a light batter.

Dip your vegan cheese balls and swirl around to coat well.

Roll the coated ball in breadcrumbs and set aside.

Repeat with the rest of the potato balls and roll in different coatings such as pistachio, chocolate shavings, chopped nuts, and cranberries to make several colorful vegan Christmas appetizers.

Freeze these coated balls for at least 1 hour before cooking. This ensures your cheese is firm enough to withstand the heat when cooking.

To cook, you can deep fry them in hot oil, or pan fry with just a little vegetable oil, or bake them at 250 Celsius for 15 minutes. However, deep-frying produces the best results.

Serve hot with a sweet and sour chili dip or this delicious vegan sour cream.

Baked Avocado Fries

Avocado is a key ingredient if you are on a Ketogenic diet. They are rich in monosaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals. For these fries, you need to preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius (425 F).

Ingredients

• 3 avocadoes – Slice them evenly (like French fries but not too thin)

For the flour mixture

• 2 tablespoons of arrowroot flour, or cassava flour, or coconut flour (you can also use all-purpose wheat flour)
• Spices – ½ teaspoon each
• Garlic powder
• Paprika
• Chili flakes
• A pinch of salt and black pepper to taste

Mix all the dry ingredients and set aside.

For the wet mixture

• 1½ tablespoon ground chia seeds (or you can use flax seeds)
• 4 tablespoons of water
• 1 lime juiced

Mix well and set aside.

For the final coating

You can use breadcrumbs, coconut flakes, cornflakes, or any similar ingredient that can create a crunchy effect.

To assemble

Dredge the avocados in the flour mixture to coat well. Dip in the wet mixture and finally in the coconut flakes or breadcrumbs. Lay the slices on a lined baking tray and spray with olive oil (optional).

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

These avocado fries need a tangy dipping sauce. The vegan sour cream works well, but you can also use our vegan ranch.

Vegan Christmas Appetizers for the kids

For the kids, this vegan snacks recipe has several treats that you can easily serve as appetizers. These include the energy balls, Tofu fingers, and of course the cashew cheese balls.

Cashew cheese balls

You can also make deep fried vegan chicken nuggets from our easy vegan chicken recipe.

So now you don’t have an excuse to serve sloppy vegan appetizers. The options are endless. You only need to be creative and think outside the box. Happy holidays!