Going vegan for the holidays

(WTNH) - Mary Lawrence, local vegan chef and founder of "Well on Wheels," joined Good Morning Connecticut this morning with some delicious and easy-to-make vegan appetizers for the holidays.

Here are the recipes for what Mary prepared on the show today:

“Vegan Caviar”

1/4 cup walnuts
2-3 Tbl olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup kalamata olives
1/4 cup green olives
2 Tbl capers
3 Tbl chopped fresh parsley
sea salt
fresh black pepper

Pulse walnuts in food processor until roughly chopped. Combine with remaining ingredients and pulse together until a paste is formed, leaving some texture. Refrigerate before serving. Spread on toasted slices of baguette or crackers, or use as a filling for tortilla rollups.

Red Pepper Tapenade

1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup kalamata olives
¼ cup sundried tomatoes
1 clove garlic
2 Tbl capers
2 Tbl chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste

Pulse red pepper, olives, sundried tomatoes and garlic 5-6 times in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add remaining ingredients and pulse 1-2 times to combine. Use as topping for dips or filling in wraps.

Artichoke Cream Cheese

3-5 artichoke hearts
1 tsp garlic powder
8 oz. container of vegan cream cheese (Tofutti)
1-2 Tbl nutritional yeast
½ tsp sea salt
fresh black pepper

Puree artichoke hearts in blender or food processor until smooth. Combine with remaining ingredients and puree. Refrigerate prior to serving. Can be used as a dip, spread, or filling.

Below are some helpful links Mary has provided for those of you interested in having a vegan holiday:

Celebrate a Vegan Holiday

The Vegan Holiday Table

The Savvy Vegetarian’s Traditional Holiday Recipes

Ask Your Family for a Vegan Christmas

How to Cook a Vegan Christmas Dinner

For more information about "Well on Wheels," Mary's personal vegan chef service, visit www.wellonwheels.com.