Here's my ideal Wigilia dinner: Potato Pancakes, Lentil Golabkis, homemade Kapusta Pierogis, Pumpkin-Cranberry Risotto, and Pomegranate Kale Salad. Don't forget the shot of Wisniowka with dinner. I usually opt to drink red wine on Wigilia, but sometimes my dad brings special Xmas craft brewery beers, like the Anchor Christmas Ale, my fave, and I'll partake in that instead.


I'm a big Xmas cookie-maker, and last year I made seven kinds! My favorite was the Hazelnut Linzertorte cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. I usually get my money's worth out of that book around Xmastime.


Here is what I made last year:


Oh look, it's the eggnog cake from last year! I made this one GF, and it didn't really come out well.. I'm not sure why, because I didn't really do anything differently. Bob's Red Mill Changed their packaging, but that's all I can think of!


Yum, another year, another Wigilia. I have pretty much all the same things on my plate this year with the addition of roasted veggies! Even better!


My favorite thing to do with all the Xmas leftovers when I get home, is make a Leftover Sandwich! Probably my smartest idea to date.

These are golabkis, little Polish burritos, with a cabbage tortilla and lentil filling.


After you roll them up, you cover them in a tomato sauce and bake them. They were pretty easy to make. They were the first thing I made, so maybe I just had more steam and they felt easy. Who's to say.


Every year for the past several, my mom and I have been making our own pierogis to bring with us to Wilgilia. My dad took a few action shots for us demonstrating the process.






I wish I had taken pictures of the final ones. We had a ton. Also my crimping skills are on point.


I made my mother-in-law these gluten-free carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting! I am no expert at gluten-free baking and I definitely had some trouble with these cupcakes, but she still enjoyed them anyway. I will perfect my recipe for next time. Anybody have a solid gluten-free carrot cake recipe they swear by?



I made some stuffing for Christmas Day, along with some mashed potatoes and gravy. Also some chickpea cutlets and roasted veggies, all unfortunately not pictured.


Last, I made this cake. It's an "eggnog" cake, but I always use silk nog and it tastes great and no one has any clue or cares that it's vegan because it's so good. It's also so easy.


Our Christmas morning spread: leftover eggnog cake (I made 3...) gingerbread cookies, chopped pineapple and assorted pears. Pears are key.

 This is my sis modeling her new Boston Terrier socks I got her. Totally got myself a pair too. That always happens when I buy her gifts.


A couple days after Christmas we drove back to New York with Alex's dad and his girlfriend. They usually visit annually so it was nice to walk around with them. His Dad likes to visit the Times Square Area, especially after or around the holidays. Most New Yorkers would never be caught dead there, and I am inclined to agree with them, but in the spirit of the holidays and for the sake of my family wanting to see it all, we stepped slowly in a mob of people waiting to see the tree and ice rink.




Come on, you're not going to go all the way out there and take baby steps in foot traffic for 5 hours and NOT take any pictures. Here's us being cute without privacy.


The next day we got Roberta's with our friend Lauren from Cake Thieves and enjoyed life once more.


After pizza, we stopped at Dr. Cow and picked up some fancy cheese. I have been meaning to try their cheese for a while now, and I'm glad I did because it is great.


It's not that I need to be having wine and cheese parties -- It's that I can. I shared this cheese with my lovely vegan friends and would love to try some other kinds too, though this one was great. When I one day host a vegan wine and cheese party I will find that sommelier who told me I "just could never understand the finer things in life" and tell him he's particularly not invited to my special party with artisan cheese. And wine from the corner store. Because I can't understand the finer things in life.