If your goal is to consume less meat this year, check out the following menu for a meat-free holiday feast.

Oftentimes the star of our holiday feast is an oversized stuffed bird or a glazed ham. However, some families might choose this year to focus less on the hunk of meat in the middle of the table and more on the fresh bounty that the winter season brings.

If your goal this year is to consume less meat, thereby reducing your carbon footprint and risk of heart disease, check out the following menu for a meat-free holiday feast. With so many complex, rich flavours, you won’t even miss the turkey! And without all that tryptophan making you sluggish, you’ll have a bit of energy left for another game of charades!

Appies
Impress your family with an array of meat-free munchies to snack on while dinner cooks away. Try out the two-hands-required Festive Nachos, the anything-goes Lemony Herb Veggie Dip, and the crunchy Roasted Chickpeas.

Main dish
Most traditional cooking styles use meat sparingly, as a condiment or treat. However, in North America, the meat has become the centrepiece of the majority of our holiday feasts. To get back to our roots, choose to make the focus of your feast a hearty dish made with seasonal produce—the Apple and Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash is a perfect choice.

Side dishes
Mix up your side dishes this year with new twists on the classics, and ethnic-inspired dishes that boast fusion flavour. Try out the Caramelized Fennel and Onions with Brussels Sprouts and Toasted Walnuts, the festive Confetti Rice, and the Roasted Butternut Lentil Soup.

Dessert
Finish off your meat-free holiday feast with individually served Baked Pumpkin Custard, a modern take on the holiday classic.