4 Hearty Plant-Forward Recipes for the Holidays

1. Preheat a large saucepan with the 3 table­spoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply caramelized, about 60 minutes.
2. While the onions are cooking, soak the rice and lentils in warm water. Finely chop the sage, and remove the thyme leaves from their stems.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
4. Once the onions are caramelized, remove half of them and set aside. Add the sage and thyme leaves to the saucepan, and cook until fragrant, about one minute.
5. Strain the lentils and rice, and add them to the saucepan with the vegetable broth and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the lentils and rice are cooked through, about 45 minutes.
6. While the lentils and rice are cooking, halve and seed the squash. Lightly coat the squash with the avocado oil, and season with the remaining salt and the black pepper. Place cut-side up on a baking sheet and bake until the squash is tender, about 40 minutes.
7. Once the lentils and squash are done, ­distribute the filling into the cooked squash and top with the reserved caramelized onions.
8. Return to the oven for another five minutes.
9. While the stuffed squash is in the oven, prepare the tahini dressing by whisking the ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
10. To serve, drizzle the squash with the tahini dressing and garnish with the pistachios.

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Bring the water and salt to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the polenta is creamy and tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, then cover to keep warm.
3. While the polenta is cooking, toss the mushrooms with the avocado oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper.
4. Spread the mushrooms in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until deeply browned, about 15 to 18 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, add the butter to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the yellow onion, carrots, and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and cook until the vegetables are tender and begin to brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.
6. Push the carrots and onion aside, and add the tomato paste to the center of the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized and darkened in color, about two to three minutes.
7. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute more.
8. Add the mushrooms and cornstarch, and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated.
9. Add the wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze any brown bits, and cook until the wine is halved in volume, about three minutes.
10. Add the thyme, pearl onions, vegetable broth, coconut aminos, and paprika. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender and the liquid has thickened.
11. Add a splash of vegetable broth to thin the stew if desired.
12. Pluck out the thyme sprigs and discard.
13. Serve the stew over the creamy polenta, garnished with the fresh parsley.

1. Heat the vegetable broth on the stove over medium heat.
2. Place a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of the butter.
3. Add the onion and cook until tender and translucent, about six to seven minutes. Add the squash, salt, and pepper, and cook until softened, about six to eight minutes more.
4. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains in butter.
5. Add a ladle of hot broth and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is fully absorbed. Repeat until all the broth is absorbed and the rice is cooked yet firm in the center, about 25 minutes.
6. Remove from heat, stir in the remaining butter and grated cheeses, and cover to keep warm.
7. Separate the stems from the chard leaves and chop the stems into small pieces. Roughly chop the leaves. Whisk together the miso paste and warm water in a small bowl until smooth.
8. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the olive oil.
9. Pour in the ­miso-paste mixture and bring to a simmer.
10. Add the garlic and stir, cooking until fragrant, about one minute.
11. Add the chard stems and cook until softened, about three to four minutes more.
12. Add the chard leaves and beans, and cook about two to three minutes, until the leaves are wilted and the beans are warmed through.
13. Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar and salt.
14. Serve the risotto topped with the beans and greens, and garnish with the shaved Parmesan.

Prepare the sauce:

1. Add garlic, carrot, celery, and onion to a food processor or blender, and pulse until finely chopped but not mushy.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside. Add the mushrooms and walnuts to the food processor and pulse until roughly crumbled.
3. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion and carrot mixture and cook until the vegetables are tender, about four to five minutes. Push the vegetables aside and add the tomato paste to the center of the skillet. Cook until caramelized and darkened in color, about two to three minutes.
4. Add the salt, basil, oregano, and red-pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the mushroom mixture and cook until lightly browned, about five to six minutes more.
5. Add the wine and allow it to reduce for about two to three minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, bring the mixture to a steady simmer, and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes.

Prepare the remaining lasagna components:

1. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and prepare the remaining lasagna components.
2. Whisks the eggs in a mixing bowl until no white streaks remain.
3. Add the ricotta, Italian seasoning, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and mix until combined. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions.
4. In a 9-x-13-inch baking dish, add a thin layer of the sauce. Next, add a layer of lasagna noodles, a generous layer of sauce, a layer of the ricotta mixture, a few slices of fresh mozzarella, and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan. Repeat this order of layering until all the components are used, finishing with a layer of cheese on top.
5. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
6. After 45 minutes, uncover and turn the oven to broil. Broil on high for three to four minutes, or until the top layer of cheese is bubbly and browned in some spots.
7. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.