The Mischievous Vegan: Savory Pecan Holiday Tarts1

By Malloreigh

The December holidays, quickly approaching, are a dark time for many vegans. Not only are we surrounded by piles of rich, dairy and egg-laden holiday baking, but we have to deal with our families – who, sometimes, consider our dietary choices to be a personal insult, a rejection of the values they brought us up to hold.

Don’t get me wrong. Plenty of vegans are blessed with understanding families. Some of us even have vegan parents. I’m not talking about those lucky vegans, though I do wish them a happy holiday season and suggest an orange juice-soy sauce Tofurkey baste for their family holiday feast.

My mother is great about my veganism. Sure, at first she thought I was doing it to impress a lover, and that when we broke up I’d go right back to my previous diet of cheese and eggs (and pasta), but I can’t really blame her. I have gone through phases before. This will be my sixth vegan Christmas dinner, though, so she’s gotten used to it by now. She does somehow think that by eschewing animal products I’ve chosen to eat bland and repetitive food. And she has this adorable habit of making a huge batch of something vegan – spring rolls, dolmades, or soup – and then expecting me to eat it three times a day while I’m visiting for the holidays. Life could be worse.

It’s my Dad that gives me a hard time. Despite high cholesterol warnings from his doctor, my he’s relentlessly defensive of his dietary choices. At least once every holiday season I hear, “You know, the cow doesn’t die when they milk it,” and every time, I respond, “Dad, I’ve told you about the dairy industry. Let’s not talk about it.” And yet, he has no problem with eating my vegan holiday baking and candy!

As usual, my personal anecdote leads into a recipe. I made these incredible tarts for Thanksgiving (another really painful holiday for vegans), but they would suit Christmas just as well. Soon I’ll make a sweet version of this tart, too.

Savory Vegan Pecan Holiday Tarts

• 6 sheets phyllo pastry. (You can buy this frozen. Often it’s vegan – check the ingredients)
• 1 container Tofutti better than cream cheese – OR – 1 cup silken tofu blended with 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 bulb garlic
• 1 small or 1/2 large onion, any color
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or margarine
• 1 tbsp sugar, maple syrup, or agave nectar
• 24 pecans

Preheat your oven to 400 F.

Remove the outer skin of the garlic bulb, leaving each clove wrapped. Slice off the tops of the garlic cloves, brush with olive oil, and roast in the oven until soft – about 40 minutes.

While your garlic is roasting, slice the onion into rounds. Separate the rounds. Heat oil or margarine in a skillet; add the onions and sweetener, stir to coat, and saute over low heat until the garlic has finished.

In a bowl, mix cream cheese and mustard. Squeeze the softened garlic in; alternately, use a garlic press or mince it. Stir together until combined.

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Tear each sheet of phyllo pastry in half and use each half to line a muffin cup – I find it works best if you fold them in half and then crumple them in.

Put a dollop of cream cheese in each phyllo cup, then add a couple of caramelized onions, and top with two pecans.

Roast in the oven for 8 minutes, until phyllo is golden brown. Let cool and then pop out. Serve at room temperature.