12 Make-Ahead Vegan Christmas Sweets

Christmas is a busy time for many, especially for those providing the lion's share of the nourishment. Sweet indulgences of course occupy a central role at this time of year and must be taken into account. Thankfully many treats can be prepared ahead of time and offered up when needed. The recipes presented here are not only easy to make and enjoyable year-round, but also good for you while satisfying a seemingly insatiable craving for sweetness. Additionally, all of the recipes are vegan-friendly, and that's another bonus because you'll be able to cater to a wider variety of tastes and preferences.

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Vegan Coconut Milk Dal Makhani

Creamy, rich and fragrant dal makhani — literally "buttery lentils" — variations of this once humble north Indian street food staple have become signature dishes in fine Indian restaurants and homes across the world. Like other famous dal curries, dal makhani invites experimentation. The essentials of whole urad beans — easily found in any Indian grocer and also known as black gram — and red kidney beans, ginger, garam masala, and cream remain the same in all of these variations, but otherwise the dals are a canvas upon which to work your seasoning art.

Indian-Spiced Green Pea Soup

A nice split pea soup is comforting anytime of year, especially when the temperatures are cool. This Indian-style creamy pea soup includes green garden peas in addition to green and yellow split peas, and is ideal for lunch served with some fresh crusty bread, or as a starter or part of a larger dinner when a lightly spiced, earthy, thick and satisfying soup is in order.

Chana Paneer Masala

Originally a side dish that focused on paneer as the shining ingredient, I have revised the older recipe from way back in 2009 to make it more legume-centric. Thus, I have come up with a version of chana masala that includes shredded paneer along with mushrooms which are pan-fried near the end of the cooking time and then added to the dish for an unforgetable dish without too much fuss either.

Chana Palak (Spicy Chickpeas and Spinach)

I used to get confused about the difference between chana saag and chana palak. The common elements are chickpeas, split or whole, and leafy greens. As it turns out, palak means spinach, whereas saag can mean any leafy green, including spinach but also mustard greens, kale, fenugreek leaves or whatever suits your fancy.

No matter the greens you choose to include, this classic North Indian dish deserves to be served up often. The creaminess of silky spinach and coconut milk embraces the plump buttery chickpeas and the range of spices used to aromatically enhance the experience. It's a luxurious dish that is nonetheless not overly spicy nor too rich. Serve up with brown rice for a special earthy and nourishing meal, or with your favorite flat breads.

Indian-Style Samosa Potpie

It's easy to get excited about pie and my husband is visually animated when he knows that I will be making homemade pie from scratch. This is not a sweet pie, however, but something even better in my opinion, and that is a savory pie with a spicy and hearty samosa filling complete with plump chickpeas and a rich butter crust. It is a dinner pie. I was fortunate to have access to local produce, making this unique fusion-style Indian dish an extra special flavorful centerpiece for the dinner table. Think of it as a samosa on steroids.

Southern-Style Pinto Beans with Rice and Fried Eggplant

Simmered in a rich, zesty and tangy spiced sun-dried tomato sauce seasoned with a little liquid hickory smoke, these pinto beans are so hearty and packed with rich barbecue flavor that even your most barbecue-crazy carnivorous friends won't miss the meat on the grill with this dish. They won't even miss the grill at all, as it's all done on the stove-top. They'll probably be amazed that it's not only vegetarian, but vegan too.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

A protein snack is something that I eat at some point almost every day to give me a little pick-me-up or to fill the gaps between meals in a nourishing way. So having protein snacks on hand is a pretty essential component of my food planning. But ready made versions are rarely on my grocery shopping list. No matter how much chocolate or peanut butter with which the store-bought protein bars surround their protein, it never seems to disguise the "Play-Doh" taste of protein powders themselves … maybe if they used better quality chocolate and peanut butter?

So, I prefer to make my own bars and nibbles, not only because I can control the quality of the other ingredients that accompany the protein powder, but also because they are so much tastier. They're almost always so easy to make at home too, and a good protein powered snack need not include protein powder anyway to provide a healthy and heavy dose of protein goodness.