Purées to Dressings: 7 Blender Recipes to Make This Holiday Season Easy!

Ever since the food processor became the standard many of us have forgotten just how useful the tried but true blender is. Blenders aren’t just for margaritas and fruit smoothies. Rather, they can be any Green Monster’s handy kitchen aide to add a depth of texture to meals. Blenders can be especially useful during the holidays when you need to purée something on a deadline because the in-laws are on their way or because you need to drown out the screams of football fans downstairs.

After learning about all the possible recipes that you can whip up, you’ll have a newfound appreciation for all that your old pal, the blender can do. Grab the kitchen confidante that you shoved in the back of your cabinet, (in between the hand-powered beaters and Slap Chop that you just had to order but have yet to use), and get reacquainted with it. We’re mixing it up with a list of ways to get your blender more involved in the action this holiday season.

1. Purées

While they are a main component of babies’ and elderly peoples’ diets, purées aren’t just known for being easy to digest. On the morning of a holiday feast about ¼ cup of butternut squash purée can replace an egg for binding in muffins or apple bread. For a hearty Thanksgiving side, you can make a roasted butternut squash purée by combining squash, garlic and spices with veggie broth. You’ll have your guests yelling, “hip-hip purée!”

2. Mac N’ “Cheese”

Macaroni and cheese is like that old friend you met in summer camp as a kid. You don’t get to see him often but when you two reunite, it’s as if you never left each other. The chemistry is instant. Macaroni and cheese also happens to be a great side dish for the holidays. Since we’re not incorporating dairy cheese this animal-free holiday season, we can use our blender to puree some raw nuts and nut milk to create that thick “cheese” sauce we love. Mixing in nutritional yeast and tahini takes this recipe to the next level of creaminess. Add in some canned pumpkin at the end of the cheese sauce process for an epic fall take on a classic.

3. Egg-Less Nog

How can you resist this booze-infused archetypal holiday drink? The intoxicating scents of cinnamon and nutmeg always filled the kitchen during Christmas time when you were growing up. However, the eggnog that made your mother and aunt Caryn dance around singing holiday songs had a hidden secret unbeknownst to you at the time. You didn’t know it was made with the product of a hen’s period and that antibiotic-laden substance that comes from a tortured cow’s udders. Now, knowing what traditional eggnog is made from, we’ve come up with a raw vegan recipe to keep you dancing around the kitchen with your blender in hand. Try to resist the temptation to drink it straight from the blender so you’re sure to leave some for your guests. This drink is so yummy that you may even need to appoint a GMDD (Green monster designated driver) for the evening.

4. Holiday Hollandaise

Holidays are often accompanied by brunches the way that a pleather jacket accompanies blue Jeans. It just works. Making hollandaise sauce is no easy feat but if you want to take on the challenge to make your own vegan brunch, we’ve got just the recipe. Try this blender-friendly sauce over a vegan fried egg or grilled asparagus. It is sure to have your guests saying, “eggscuse me, are you sure this is dairy-free?”

5. Salad Dressings

We never tend to think of the salad as a standout dish in our holiday spread. Regardless, the right salad dressing can really tie a meal together. Blenders are ideal for mixing salad dressings. Plus you can play kitchen boss and control exactly what is going into the dressing. This way you can avoid added preservatives that are often found in our store-bought salad dressings. Check out these five ingredients that will make your salad more than a side dish.

6. Pumpkin Ice Cream

If you’re looking for the perfect way to top off that last piece of pie you snatched from the table (it’s OK: we won’t tell), ice cream is the way to go. Combining coconut milk with pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla and an array of spices will create a pumpkin ice cream so rich and smooth that it will be worth the brain freeze.

7. Apple Compote

If your sweet tooth wasn’t fulfilled from that pumpkin ice cream you may want to whip out the blender again for this delectable treat. You can simply combine apples, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and orange juice, blending it all for about two minutes. Afterward, add the mixture with two tablespoons of maple syrup to a saucepan and cook on low heat for 25 minutes or until the mixture thickens.

There are several unexpected ways you can invite your blender to the party this holiday. Dig out your blender and start experimenting with these holiday-inspired recipes. Using a blender will save you time and make cooking for the holidays a more exciting task. What could be bad about that? Whether it’s to make an egg replacer for muffins or to create a silky hollandaise, your blender has got your back. The holidays are all about reuniting with loved ones.  Thus, “should auld acquaintance be forgot” (in this case your blender), use these recipes to help remember him. Have any special plans to use your blender this holiday? Share them with us!

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
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