Yesterday (Feb. 2) was Imbolc, the cross-quarter day that celebrates the return of Spring. It's the halfway point between Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, so we're more than halfway done with winter. YAY! I hate winter, especially during Covid when we can't gather inside places. Patio season cannot get here fast enough.
Traditionally, Imbolc is celebrated with dairy products, because back in the day, people who lived off the land didn't have a lot of fresh veggie options in the middle of winter. So dairy and root veggies were common, as well as seeds, which symbolize fertility (and we're celebrating the return of the Earth's fertility!). I always celebrate with vegan dairy instead.
This year, I combined vegan cheese and root veggies to make this Broccoli-Cheese Baked Potato. The sauce has a vegan bechamel base (with oatmilk, flour, and Miyoko butter), and then you melt vegan cheddar shreds in the sauce. It was so good and perfect on a cold winter night (the temps dropped to 25 in Memphis last night!!!).
For dessert, I made a Vegan Cookies & Cream Milkshake!
I combined No Bull Vanilla Bean oatmilk ice cream with Chobani oatmilk and a Newman-O in the Vitamix and pulsed so there would be some cookie crumbs. Then I topped it with vegan Reddi Whip and vegan sprinkles. It'd been so long since I'd had a milkshake! I need to make these more often.
Happy Almost Spring!
I need to make a milkshake too! I was actually just thinking about that the other day.
ReplyDeleteYour stuffed baked potato looks incredible!!
I'm so ready for winter to be over too, although I don't love summers here so...
We just had Lammas, and I will eventually post about that one day when I ever post again.
ReplyDeleteI love your take on the vegan dairy for Imbolc, everything looks great.
I for one am counting down the days to 'winter' here... I say 'winter' because it is still very sunny. You'd love Brisbane!