Easy holiday potluck brunch.

MY MOTHER-IN-LAW USED TO SPEND DAYS preparing for holiday parties. She had everyone in the family put together appetizers, bake breads and cookies, and make salads up until the last minute. The parties were lots of fun, and everyone raved about the food, but with all the organizing and prep, she was exhausted.

Over the years, I've realized that rushing around to buy and make all the food for a get-together is not the way I want to spend my time. I'd rather lose the stress factor and have more time to socialize with family and friends. A seasonal potluck brunch is just the ticket. This way, everyone contributes a favorite dish, the food is always an interesting blend of cooking styles, the atmosphere is casual, and you're finished early in the day so clean-up isn't an extended project.

My first holiday potluck brunch came about as a fun way to get together with friends. I used an idea from a vegetarian cooking class I once taught, where a vegetarian potluck was the final homework project, and collected all the recipes for my get-together a week ahead. I find it's also fun to have guests personalize their recipes, adding a sentence or two about its origin or how it was modifed. I copied this information and stapled it together to make a booklet for each guest. You can even create a title page with the potluck's theme to begin the collection of recipes you make for your guests. An alternative is to have pens and nice paper out with the recipes. Then, everyone can make their own copies.

When you organize an event like this one, choosing a theme brings a focus to the meal and makes it more appealing. Any title can highlight the holidays in a general way, so be imaginative with the name. It doesn't have to be fancy, just something simple, such as Vegetarian Comfort Food Festival or Holiday Favorites. One of my favorite holiday brunches was called Family Recipe Treasures Revisited. Heirloom family recipes were revised to be vegetarian-friendly, if necessary, and to have a lower fat content. One friend brought a version of her grandmother's stuffed cabbage rolls, made with tempeh instead of hamburger yet seasoned in the same savory way. She proclaimed it better than the original.

After determining a theme and creating a title, prepare invitations with an RSVP that includes course categories. This way your guests can check off whether they're bringing a salad, appetizer, bread, side dish, main dish, or dessert. Have everyone select a second option as well. Be sure to get back to them about the option they chose. For more culinary-challenged friends, have easier options available, such as bringing some juice or a grain coffee substitute. After all, not everyone is comfortable in the kitchen, and a holiday brunch isn't about stress or pressure.

This planning stage is also an ideal time to gather information about food allergies so certain ingredients can be avoided, if possible, when choosing and preparing recipes. In addition, when my friends arrived, they all wrote out the recipe title and ingredient cards for their dishes. These ingredient cards were placed in front of each dish as an additional aid to food selection. Without concerns about objectionable ingredients lurking in the dishes, we could all relax and sample each other's delicious food.

The following recipes can be put together for any potluck, or peruse them and use what appeals to you. If you're pressed for time, select a recipe that can be made ahead and reheated. When the day arrives, relax and enjoy the party.

SUBSTITUTE INGREDIENT SUGGESTIONS

FOR MEAT PRODUCTS:

* Soy sausage

* Fakin' Bacon (smoked tempeh strips)

* Chicken-style seitan

* Tempeh (to substitute for ground meat)

* Tofu

FOR DAIRY PRODUCTS:

* Soy, rice, or almond milk (Use soymilk with a small amount of lemon juice as a substitute for buttermilk.)

* Soymilk creamer (for cream)

* Soy yogurt

* Soy sour cream

* Soy cream cheese

* Vegan cheese alternatives

FOR EGGS:

* Flax seed egg replacer (Use 1 Tablespoon ground flax seeds blended with 3 Tablespoons water for each egg. This substitution can be used to replace up to 3 eggs in a recipe.)

* Silken tofu (Use 1/4 cup pureed tofu to replace 1 egg. This substitution can be used to replace up to 2 eggs.)

* Ener-G egg replacer (Available in natural foods stores. Use according to package directions.)

FOR CHEESE TOPPINGS:

* Ground toasted nuts or seeds

* Crushed cornflakes

* Bread crumbs blended with a little vegan margarine

* Toasted coconut

FOR CHEESE FILLINGS:

* For cheese layers, try roasted vegetables, such as eggplant, red peppers, summer squash, or sliced sauteed portobello mushrooms.

* For ricotta type fillings, use one 14.5-ounce package of drained firm tofu, blended with 2 Tablespoons oil, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

SIMPLE RED LENTIL PATE

(Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups,
or twelve 2-Tablespoon servings)

This is an easy make-ahead dish.
Add your favorite herbs to vary
this pate. Try 1/2 teaspoon freshly
chopped rosemary, 1 teaspoon basil,
or 1/2 teaspoon toasted, crushed
fennel seeds.

1 cup red lentils
2 cups water
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons frozen juice concentrate,
  such as apple or orange juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
A few drops hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1/4 cup chopped olives (optional)
Salt to taste
Chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

Cook lentils, water, garlic, and
juice concentrate together on a
slow simmer until lentils are very
soft. Add a little more water, if
needed. Stir in mustard and hot
sauce. Puree lentils until smooth
and creamy with a hand blender
or a blender. Add water to adjust
consistency. Stir in olives, if
desired, and add salt to taste.

Place in a serving bowl.
Garnish with a sprinkling of parsley
or cilantro. Serve with carrot
and parsnip sticks or with cauliflower
florets. You could also fill
celery or spread on crackers.

Total calories per serving: 53
Carbohydrates: 10 grams
Sodium: 178 milligrams
Fat: <1 gram
Protein: 4 grams
Fiber: 2 grams

APPLE-SPINACH SALAD
WITH HAZELNUTS

(Serves 6)

I like to buy organic apples and
leave the skins on, but you can peel
the apples if you would like. Wasabi
powder and hazelnut oil are available
in natural foods stores. If you
can't find either, use a pinch of
cayenne instead of wasabi powder,
and use another nut oil, such as
walnut, in place of hazelnut oil.

4 medium-large, sweet-tort apples,
  such as Fuji, divided
2 Tablespoons lemon juice, divided
3 Tablespoons pimentos, drained
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed, rinsed,
  and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi powder
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon grated ginger
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon hazelnut oil
1/2 cup lightly toasted, chopped hazelnuts

If using organic apples, leave the
skins on them, but peel conventionally
grown apples. Core and
cut 3 apples into matchsticks. Mix
apples with 1 Tablespoon lemon
juice. Toss apples with pimentos
and spinach in a large bowl.

Core and chop remaining
apple, and place with water in
a small saucepan. Simmer until
apples are soft. Blend in blender
until smooth and creamy. Add
a few drops of apple puree to the
wasabi powder and let sit for a few
minutes. Combine wasabi paste
with remaining lemon juice and
the vinegar. Squeeze ginger pulp
between fingers to express juice
into the lemon juice-apple cider
vinegar mixture, then discard
ginger pulp. Stir in salt to taste.

Pour dressing back into saucepan
and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Stir in oil. Garnish salad top
with toasted hazelnuts. Serve
dressing on the side.

Total calories per serving: 147
Carbohydrates: 19 grams
Sodium: 33 milligrams
Fat: 8 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Fiber: 5 grams

BUTTERNUT SQUASH
STREUSEL BREAD

(Makes one 9" x 5" loaf, about 9 servings)

This is a great recipe to use up leftover
squash. If you don't have butternut,
use another variety, such
as acorn, sweet dumpling, kobacha,
or hubbard. Even leftover sweet
potatoes will do in a pinch.

Spectrum makes a wonderful
vegan nonhydrogenated shortening
that is sold in natural foods stores.
If you can't find it, use another non-hydrogenated
margarine. Date sugar
and granulated maple syrup can also
be found in natural foods stores.

1/4 cup toasted chopped nuts, such as
  pecans or walnuts
1 Tablespoon nonhydrogenated vegan
  margarine
2 Tablespoons date sugar
2 Tablespoons currants
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry or barley flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup chopped dates, chopped apricots,
    raisins, or additional currants
1/4 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable
    shortening
1 cup baked mashed butternut squash
1/2 cup vanilla soy yogurt
1/2 cup granulated maple syrup or
  additional 1/2 cup date sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line
a 9" x 5" bread pan with parchment
paper. Combine nuts, margarine,
2 Tablespoons date sugar,
and currants. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together
whole wheat and pastry flours,
baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon,
salt, nutmeg, and cloves.
Add the bran from the sifter back
into the mix with the dates or
other fruit and blend in.

With a pastry blender, cut
shortening into the flour until
well blended. With a blender or
hand blender, puree squash, soy
yogurt, and maple syrup or additional
date sugar together. Combine
wet ingredients with flour mixture,
mixing until a soft dough is
formed. Pour into prepared loaf
pan and spread evenly. Top with
nut-currant streusel mixture.

Bake for 1 hour or until a
bread tester or toothpick comes
out clean. Let cool in pan for
5 minutes before removing to a
cooling rack. When completely
cool, cut into 1-inch slices.

Total calories per serving: 269
Carbohydrates: 44 grams
Sodium: 387 milligrams
Fat: 10 grams
Protein: 5 grams
Fiber: 4 grams

VEGETABLE UPSIDE-DOWN
SKILLET CAKE

(Serves 6)

Like a vegetable cobbler or pot pie,
this main dish is always a crowd-pleaser
at potlucks. Bragg Liquid
Aminos[TM] is a soy product similar
to soy sauce or tamari that lends
a rich flavor to gravies and stews.
Look for this product and frozen
edamame in natural foods stores.

1 1/2 cups chopped red onions
1 Tablespoon oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 yellow or white potatoes, cut into small
  chunks
1 carrot, sliced
1 rutabaga or turnip, cut into small chunks
2 cups chopped collard greens or kale
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon arrowroot (found in natural
  foods stores and Asian markets)
1 Tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos[TM]
  or tamari
1 cup frozen shelled edamame (green
  soybeans), thawed
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/3 cup soymilk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup whole wheat flour blended with
    3/4 cup whole wheat pastry or barley
    flour (or 1 1/2 cups unbleached while flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable
    shortening or vegan margarine
1/2 cup mashed sweet potato
1 Tablespoon vegan margarine (optional)
Sprinkling of paprika

Heat a heavy 9" or 10" oven-proof
skillet over medium heat.
Add onions and oil, stir, reduce
heat, and cover with a lid that fits
directly over the onions. Sweat
onions until soft. Add garlic, potatoes,
carrots, rutabagas, collard
greens or kale, and rosemary. Stir,
cover, and cook for about 5 minutes.
Combine water, arrowroot,
and Bragg Liquid Aminos[TM]. Add
to vegetables with edamame and
pepper, and continue to cook
while you make the cake. Allow
about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To make the cake, combine soy-milk
and lemon juice, and set
aside. In a medium mixing bowl,
combine flour, baking soda, and
baking powder. Mix well. With
a pastry blender, cut in shortening
or margarine until mixture resembles
fine granules. Blend the sweet
potatoes with the soymilk until
well blended. A hand blender
works well for this, but you can
use a blender instead. Stir wet and
dry ingredients together until a
fairly firm dough is formed, but
do not overmix, as this will make
the crust tough. Add a bit more
flour if necessary. On a floured
board, pat or roll dough out to
the size of the skillet.

Remove vegetables from heat.
Place dough over vegetables and
make about 5 slits on the cake
top radiating out from the center.
For a richer tasting cake, spread
1 Tablespoon margarine over the
top and sprinkle paprika over the
top. This gives a browner appearance
to the cake. Bake for 25 minutes
or until top is brown and
vegetables are bubbling. Let cool
slightly before serving.

Total calories per serving: 370
Carbohydrates: 54 grams
Sodium: 560 milligrams
Fat: 14 grams
Protein: 13 grams
Fiber: 9 grams

ORANGE-PECAN WILD
RICE AND MUSHROOMS

(Serves 6)

This dish can be served cold, room
temperature, or warm. I like to let
it sit in the refrigerator for a few
hours while the flavors marry.

1 heaping cup uncooked wild rice
2 cups water
Pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
Pinch of cayenne
1 Tablespoon orange zest
Additional salt to taste
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup lightly toasted pecans
Finely chopped parsley for garnish
  (optional)

Combine wild rice, water, and
salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce
heat, cover, and simmer for 50
minutes or until done. Wild rice
is done when the grains split open
and shows a gray interior.

While rice cooks, heat a heavy
skillet over medium heat. Add
1 Tablespoon oil and onions and
stir. Reduce heat and cover with
a lid that fits directly over the
onions. (If you don't have a lid
that fits over the onions, use foil
or waxed paper to cover.) Cook
until the onions are soft and
transparent, then add mushrooms,
sage, and cranberries. Cover and
cook until mushrooms are soft.
Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine orange juice, balsamic
vinegar, garlic, cayenne,
and remaining oil. When wild
rice is done, combine with onions
and mushrooms, then blend in
the orange juice-balsamic vinegar
mixture and orange zest. Season
to taste with salt. Stir in grated
carrots and pecans just before
serving. Garnish with parsley,
if desired.

Total calories par serving: 279
Carbohydrates: 39 grams
Sodium: 20 milligrams
Fat: 12 grams
Protein: 7 grams
Fiber: 6 grams

PUREED GREENS

(Serves 8)

This is a perfect way to use up an
abundance of greens. Make this
recipe a day ahead and reheat on
the stovetop right before the potluck.
Garnish with sesame seeds before
serving. Light sesame oil and white
miso (a fermented soy product) can
be found in natural foods stores. You
can buy toasted ground sesame seeds
or make your own by toasting the
raw sesame seeds in a heavy skillet.
Heat the skillet on medium heat
and toast the seeds for about 7 minutes.
Then, grind the seeds in a spice
grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

1 large onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon light sesame oil or extra-virgin
  olive oil
6 cloves garlic, pressed
Dash of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
12 cups chopped kale, collard greens,
   or braising greens
2 Tablespoons frozen apple juice
  concentrate
2 Tablespoons white miso
1/4-1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons toasted ground sesame
  seeds (optional)

In a large pot, saute onions in oil
until very soft. Add garlic and hot
sauce, and continue to cook for
2 more minutes. Add the greens,
cover, and braise for 15 minutes
or until greens are soft. Add juice
concentrate and miso and puree
in a food processor or blender
until smooth and creamy. Add
1/4-1/2 cup water and blend in.
Return to pot and gently heat.
Stir in lemon juice. Serve with
2 Tablespoons ground, toasted
sesame seeds sprinkled on top
to create a finished look.

Total calories per serving: 95
Carbohydrates: 17 grams
Sodium: 163 milligrams
Fat: 3 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Fiber: 3 grams

YAM AND POTATO
CRESCENTS

(Serves 8)

These crescents can be baked ahead
and placed in a 350-degree oven
for 15 minutes right before brunch.

2 medium yams (about 7 inches long)
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about
  3 1/2-4 inches long)
2 teaspoons paprika
2 Tablespoons oil
Sprinkling of salt
Ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut
yams and potatoes in half lengthwise
and slice into 1/4-inch crescents.
Place crescents in a large
bowl and mix with paprika and
oil. Place potatoes and yams in a
single layer on two baking sheets
and place in oven. Bake for 60
minutes, turning them with a
spatula halfway through baking.
Sprinkle with salt and ground
pepper to taste.

Total calories per serving: 152
Carbohydrates: 30 grams
Sodium: 14 milligrams
Fat: 4 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Fiber: 5 grams

CRANBERRY CUSTARD

(Serves 8)

Agar is red marine algae that makes
an excellent gelling agent. This
product, used to replace gelatin in
vegetarian-friendly recipes, can be
found in natural foods stores in
granule, flake, or bar form. If you
left this dish to gel you would get a
dessert similar to Jell-O[R]. You can
cut the dessert into squares, sprinkle
with coconut, and serve instead of
whipping it as directed. Use coconut
milk in place of water for a creamier
dessert, if you like.

1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
2 1/2 cups water, divided
1-2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 Tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of salt
3 Tablespoons agar flakes
1 Tablespoon arrowroot (found in natural
  foods stores and Asian markets)
1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)

In a saucepan, combine cranberries,
juice concentrates, 2 cups water,
ginger, tahini, cayenne, salt, and
agar flakes. Bring to a boil, then
reduce heat, stir, and cook for 5
minutes, making sure tahini is
blended in. Blend arrowroot with
remaining water. Stir into mixture
and simmer 1 more minute. Remove
from heat and pour into a
7" x 9" pan or an 8" square pan.
Refrigerate for one hour so that
mixture can gel. Remove and whip
with an electric mixer until creamy.
Place into a serving bowl and
sprinkle with coconut, if desired.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Total calories per serving: 102
Carbohydrates: 21 grams
Sodium: 12 milligrams
Fat: 2 grams
Protein: 1 gram
Fiber: 1 gram

WARM CINNAMONCARDAMOM
APPLE CIDER

(Makes 1/2-gallon, or 8 cups)

This is definitely one of those recipes
for people who are too busy to make
anything else. Another idea is to try
simmering a rosemary sprig in apple
juice or cider--the two flavors blend
well together.

1/2 gallon apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks
10 cardamom pods

Combine all ingredients in a
saucepan. Simmer for 15-20
minutes. Strain and serve.

Total calories per serving: 112
Carbohydrates: 29 grams
Sodium: 10 milligrams
Fat: <1 gram
Protein: <1 gram
Fiber: <1 gram