For the festive season, EWG is dishing out some green gastronomic advice with mouthwatering plant-based recipes – perfect for a healthy and happy time over the holidays.
We asked our colleagues to help curate a list of their favorite dishes – each sustainable – that are guaranteed to make your holiday gatherings a smash hit with family and friends. These culinary ideas are as good for the planet as it is for your health and your taste buds.
The abundance of wonderful recipes we received made it challenging to feature them all. After some tough decisions, we've selected a few that stand out:
- Administrative Associate Maryn Chmielewski shares her savory quesadillas, bursting with bell peppers, sweet potatoes, poblano peppers, black beans, scallions, and vegan cheese.
- Human Resources Director Farah Siddiq suggests Brazil nut shortbread cookies and a side of nog ice cream for the perfect festive treat.
- For those with a sweet tooth,, EWG VERIFIED® Social Media Manager Olivia Wagner recommends delicious brownies featuring dairy-free chocolate chips, sea salt, flax eggs, and sugar.
We’ve also got delicious options for the main course:
- Communications Manager Iris Myers, a seasoned participant in EWG's holiday recipe guides, offers a decadent leek gratin with parmesan, nutmeg and thyme.
- Senior Science Analyst Sydney Evans opts for cream cheese-free pasta with cherry tomatoes, offering flexibility with pasta choices like tagliatelle and fettuccine. Sydney also suggests a one-pot baked orzo with chickpeas, shallots, spinach, pesto, salt, and pepper, along with a savory shepherd’s pie.
- Senior Graphic Designer Tiffany Follin introduces Sichuan Fish Fragrant Eggplant, featuring Sichuan chili bean paste, garlic, soy sauce, black rice vinegar, and sliced green onions. Tiffany's other favorites include black-eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread.
- Senior Scientist Kaley Beins adds a savory touch with mushroom risotto, crafted from portobello mushrooms, rice, chives, dry white wine like pinot grigio, and plant-based butter.
- Farah also recommends the Afghan dish, Borani Banjan, incorporating small eggplants, crushed garlic, tomatoes, turmeric, and onions.
And remember, you can use EWG’s Food Scores database to find good choices for quick and healthy meals and snacks during the holidays and beyond. The database lets you search for ratings for more than 80,000 different foods, based on nutrition, ingredients and how much processing went into their production.
You can also find some more favorites from our featured list of recipes here.
When you’re buying ingredients to make meals over the festive period, remember it’s always best to buy organic fruits and vegetables, to avoid heavy pesticide loads.
Check out EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ to find out which produce is OK to buy conventional and when it’s best to buy organic.
Happy holidays and bon appétit from EWG!
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