Re-purpose holiday leftovers into a healthy and colourful vegan flatbread
There are so many delectable dishes to serve at Christmastime, some traditional and some with a modern twist. Regardless of what you serve, a hallmark trait of a holiday feast is leftovers. Eating until our fat pants feel tight is half the fun, and re-purposing the leftovers is the other half. It makes it feel like Christmas for a few more days!
In six days, my best friends will convene at my home for our annual Christmas party. Our parties always involve enough food to feed a village, despite there only being seven of us. Around three years ago, we started snacking on home-smoked salmon and crackers at midnight, after we already had a full dinner and dessert. Laughing and belting out to carols really helps with digestion, heh! I walked into the kitchen to grab the crackers and with a look of slight concern, my mother turned to me and said, “You girls are still eating?” With a new box of Ritz in my arms I nonchalantly nodded and went on my merry way.
Our Christmas reunion two years ago is remembered as the night we had not one, not two, but three rounds of Christmas dinner in one night. Those that arrived at the start feasted once, then again when a friend got off work, and once again when a friend arrived from the airport. Needless to say, I anticipate this year’s party to follow suit. If girls are supposed to eat daintily like little birds, then I don’t want to be a girl.
Usually we make so much food that we nibble on leftovers for breakfast the next morning. But sometimes crusty hummus and cold brussel sprouts isn’t all that appetizing. Instead, you should turn leftovers into a beautiful vegan flatbread! Flatbread has been our go-to dish for entertaining this year because it is great for sharing (just cut it into squares) or as a main dish if you’re just serving a small group. Maybe you’re having a small Christmas dinner for two or three; these flatbreads have all the smells and tastes of Christmas but conveniently presented on a fun-sized pizza. Christmas pizza could be a new tradition!
So tell us, do you plan to have holiday leftovers or just end up with leftovers regardless?
- FLATBREAD
- 1½ cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp poultry seasoning (optional; or use other fresh or dried herbs)
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- A pinch of black pepper
- ¾ cup plain non-dairy yogurt
- Oil, to panfry
- TOPPINGS
- Gravy, roasted vegetables, cranberry sauce, mashed potato, chopped fresh herbs
- Briefly mix the flour, baking powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper together in a medium mixing bowl.
- Make a well in the center and add the yogurt into the well. Mix with a spatula or your clean hands until a rough dough is formed.
- Flip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or two.
- Divide the dough into 3 balls. Flatten each ball into an oblong shape until about ¼" thick.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 2 tsp of cooking oil to the pan per flatbread, and once the oil is hot, fry the shaped dough one at a time. Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and puffed up.
- To assemble, spread a generous spoonful or two of gravy onto each flatbread; if your gravy is thin you can spread on two or three layers. Top with roasted vegetables, cranberry sauce, mashed potato, fresh herbs, or any other holiday feast leftovers you have on hand.
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