Are we all scurrying about getting ready for Christmas? All you moms out there feeling tired trying to get every detail in order and, like me, probably waking in the middle of the night with 'to-do's' that trigger your brain and you're BOING! awake?! Yes, it's the 'most wonderful time of the year', after all.
Ok, sarcasm aside, I do love that this time of year we have fun sharing with each other, in whatever way that is. Like yesterday, I had a nice long chat with a friend that I hadn't talked to for a while. We joked about our stress of the holidays, and had a great time sharing our tired woes!
Plus, I am really loving the joy I see in my girls with what's beautiful about this time of year. Their fun in decorating the tree, their excitement to see other's homes decorated, and the adorable things they say about Christmas. We have been lucky so far with our girls with Christmas gifts... this year, our 6 1/2 yr old wrote a 'list'... the first time ever. It had just one thing on it - a panda bear. She really wants a stuffed panda bear (and as you moms out there know... just what you need more of in the house... stuffies, right?). Anyhow, I feel fortunate that her list wasn't '&', '&', '&'.... just one thing that is special for her. (Mind you, she's counting down the days, is bouncing off the walls, and has already hung her stocking... right at our fireplace... open at the top, saying "so Santa can fill it all the way up"!) Anyhow, she wrote a panda bear on her note and mailed it some weeks back. Recently, I think she's realized that she didn't specify with Santa what size Panda she would like. I think she's concerned that she might get a little panda figurine. So she asked "mom, does Santa know I want a big Panda". I said "I'm sure Santa will do his best to get you a special Panda". She replied "can we ask God to talk to Santa so he'll bring a big Panda?" Funny. Um, excuse me god, I don't think Santa really understands what I'm looking for... can you clear it up for me?
So, in the spirit of the season and to balance my state of sleep-deprivation meets excitement, I am sharing a few things here.
First, I have posted more recipes from ED&BV. You can find the recipes for Chocolate Mint Melties, Cashew Ginger Tofu, Thai Coconut Corn Stew, Raspberry Cornmeal Pancakes & Celestial Cream. Ahhhh yes, dig in folks! I've also reposted my Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, which is in the archives. (btw, if any of you get a nice photo of the Cashew Ginger Tofu, I'll use it on my recipes page)
Next, my recipes for Food Network Canada are finished! YES!! So, in late January/early February, you will be able to get your paws on 20 new recipes at foodtv.ca - whooopeee! I'll fill you in with more details once the time approaches.
Next, a few of my favorite things. If you have some last minute gifts and aren't sure what to buy, have a look at this list from last year, and also consider these ideas, that can be given in combination with each other, or as an 'extra' to a gift you have...
Kitchen Rasp - any cook would love to receive one of these handy gadgets. Even if they have one already, it won't go to waste - sometimes you want one for use in sweet recipes and one for savory uses.
Maple Butter - I use maple butter in a couple of new recipes in ED&BV, and I really love it. It's VERY concentrated, basically is pure maple syrup boiled down to a thick butter, so you get an intense maple flavor in a small amount.Lemon Squeezer - Nifty gadget that you will actually USE! I have one, and it's very handy, and makes a great little gift.
Heat-Proof Spatulas - we all love these, and need 'em!
Any of these items pair beautifully with uh... my book, ha!
Sahale Snacks nuts. These are terrific, though note that a couple of the flavors might be spicy for some. My faves are the walnut and pecanblends. Wonderful!
Cocoa Camino chocolate bars. Dairy-free varieties - especially the mint variety, which has these little bitty sugary minty bits that make the bar OMG outstanding! Try them in the Chocolate Mint Melties!
Speaking of which, I now sport my Santa hat and will give away 2 signed copies of ED&BV! Enter your comment for a chance to win, rules are here. I will do the draw during the holidays and announce the winner in the New Year.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!
(p.s. if you are wondering "Dreena, what are you eating for Christmas this year? Check out this post, that's what we're having - yum, can't wait! Plus, I'm using my Classic Cranberry Sauce recipe from ed&bv, and also adding a new tofu recipe that I've submitted to foodtv.ca, you'll be able to get it soon. Not sure about dessert, have to think about what I'm doing there, but as for our main meal, it's all described here. If you're still thinking about dishes to make, this holiday tart that I created for VegNews would also be a festive dish.)
64 comments:
I am so glad to see you back!!!! I am making some chocolate mint melties for teacher gifts this year. I am glad to hear another mother is feeling the same as me. My two year old saw a silver dolly in the store the other day and has to have it, it is all she will talk about. My six year old has a list a mile long. One year all she wanted was a green dinosaur, ah the simple years.
Well I hope you and your family has a wonderful christmas and a very good new year!!!
heather d
Well I'm um, entering my comment, but I can't seem to see the rules! :O Oh noes! Is the URL broken?
I cannot wait to try the celestial cream. I would have gotten to play with it after Christmas since I bought my mom your book (yay!) but now I get to try it early when I make breakfast for my family this weekend!
I was unable to see the rules as well. I am very excited about the melties, though. I have to bake a variety of cookies for my husband's third grade class holiday party and I think that these will be perfect. Yay for vegan cookies. By the way, I just baked up some of your homestyle chocolate chip cookies over the weekend and added my own homemade vegan toffee in chunks. Oh my! They were heavenly!
well happy holidays Dreena!! My 6 yr old asked santa (1st time ever on his lap) for a black chihuahua stuffie - alas there is NO SUCH THING!! well - as I busily sharpie a beige one, I wanted to add that I made the pink cookies in EDBV but didn't have beet root powder, so they were beige & didn't have sprinkles, so crushed candy canes for our Xmas party & of course, made them gluten free (UGH! Gluten free vegan - it just sounds SO awful!) Well - they were a HUGE hit & boy did I need that coz I had 2 failing gluten free breads & some rubber pancakes before that! So thanks again for a fool proof recipe - Angela
welcome back, Dreena!!!! I've missed you!! :0D
I just did a post on my blog, featuring maple butter - it's so rich and delicious!!
hope your holiday season is joyous and prosperous!!
Ooohh, I can't wait to try the choclate mint melties. Thanks so much for the recipes!
Chelle
Dreena, it's great to see you back! I hope you had a good blogging break. Thank you for sharing the story about your daughter and the panda bear. She is so not a typical consumer kid- and I love that! I sure do hope God sets Santa straight on the size of the bear!
I'm still loving Eat Drink and Be Vegan- I'll be trying more new recipes on my family for Christmas dinner! It'll be the first time I cook for them in a long time.
I'm going to have to look for that maple butter today when I do my shopping. Have you tried using maple sugar or date sugar in baking? Can it be substituted equally in recipes? Thanks Dreena- you're the best! Happy HOlidays!
Oh Dreena, glad you're back with blogging.
My 3 year old daughter is telling everybody that she's getting a race car for Christmas. Of course, just a Matchbox car. It's cute how she wants just this one thing and since she's such a girly-girl it's funny that she's asking for a car.
I'm hosting a dinner on Sat night and I'm making your chickpea tart and cranberry sauce from VegNews. I've tested the recipes a few weeks ago and they were such a hit. I plan on also bringing the tart to a couple of dinners during the holidays.
All the best and warm wishes during the holidays,
The Veggie Vixen
Oh, I forgot to mention that I'll be baking the chocolate pumpkin pie as well. What a hit!
The Veggie Vixen
Thanks so much for your blog. I found it a couple months ago and really enjoy reading it and trying out your recipes.
Daneen
Thanks for your great ideas for Christmas dinner. My family is all omnivore, I am the only veg one of all of us! These are exactly the kind of ideas I am looking for to have a hearty dinner!
Thanks and Happy Holidays!
Sarah L
Hooray! I'd love to win a copy. Thank you for your generosity!
Love the recipe posts! Thank you!
I can't wait to see the new recipes. We love making the pumpkin cheese pie filling without the arrowroot and leaving it uncooked. We use it as a dip with the cinnamon sugar tortilla chips.
Just tried Leslie's Bad But Good Bars and was thinking that the base has some wonderful possibilities as an adapted nanimo bar (or custard cream bar, as they were called in my house growing up).
Please enter me in the contest for the copy of ed&bv.
Bought my dark chocolate mint bar to make chocolate mint melties tomorrow to go along with the fudgy brownies for the teachers at school.
Happy Holidays
Janet, PE
These recipes look great! Happy Christmas!
I just discovered your blog a few weeks ago and I'm so impressed! My fiancé and I have been pescetarian for a almost a year now. The recipes you post gave us so much ideas to cook for Christmas! As our families are omnivore, we're making a "pot-luck dinner" where everybody bring something... that way we can bring yummy veggie food for everyone to taste! Our resolution for 2008 is a "one day vegan a week (at least)", We'd love to try the recipes of your book!
Valerie B.
I have been putting off commenting on your blog, but now have the perfect excuse to, with the contest!
I have your second book and I LOVE it! I am very, very allergic to dairy and do not like meat, and I found your book during a time when I was feeling SO frustrated with food options (your book was the ONLY vegan cookbook that my library has!).
I have LOVED every single recipe that I have made, so far (I have made about half). My three year old daughter, (the pickiest eater on earth) will eat almost all of what I give her from your book before declaring it yucky (usually she just declares things yucky upon having it placed in front of her).
I also love that I have really branched out with the variety of foods that my family is eating. I didn't have many of the items that your recipes call for, but I have been slowly building up my pantry to include them. I just picked up some quinoa, millet, and spelt flour from a coop and can't wait to try them in recipes.
Wow this is long! Thank you, thank you!! You have made it so much easier to make foods for my family that I can also eat!!
OOh a contest for something I'd actually LIKE to have for Christmas!!! :)
Hi there,
I'm brand-new to Veganism and so happy I found your blog. Thank you for sharing all the delicious recipes. I've been struggling to get a hold of really yummy recipes and can't wait to try some of these out myself and share them with my toddler (who, I think I'm going to try to raise as a Vegan also. So, technically we're both new to it..) I've been reading the Vegan Sourcebook and it says that one of the most important things about becoming Vegan is to network with other vegans. Blogging is a great way to do it. Thank you. Thank you!
Sarah
www.spiralcreek.wordpress.com
Thanks for posting so many of your recipes! I made your lemon-poppyseed cookies as part of my holiday baking and they were so popular. I definitely want to make them again, soon.
Have a great Christmas!
More recipes! Thanks!
Count me in! I already own a copy for myself, but my mom is getting closer and closer to vegetarianism and I would love a copy to give to her!
I would love to win a copy of your book. I have all three and just bought the first two for my sister's birthday. It would be great to complete her set.
Angie
Welcome Back, Dreena! Thanks for the last minute gift reminders (and the gift of recipes!)
Aimee
It's great to see you back! That's so cute that your girl only wants one special thing. I remember writing a list longer than anything with items my parents couldn't possibly find anywhere on earth. I had quite the imagination.
Happy Holidays to you too and may you have a wonderful New Year! :)
Hi, Dreena! Glad to see you posting again- and with a freebie!
My four-year old is counting the days too and crossing them off in the calendar when she wakes up in the morning.
Hope you and yours have a joyous Christmas!
Your Christmas dinner sounds delicious!
Thanks for posting more recipes...
I so enjoy your postings. I just want to put a plug in for your tamari roasted chickpeas - my husband is a snack fiend, and it's been so great to have these delicious protein filled snacks instead of potato chips! It's such an easy thing to make, and so good. Happy Holidays!
hi dreena,
i just wanted to comment and tell you how much i am loving the recipes in ed&bv. what a wonderful cookbook. truth be told, i love all 3 of your books, and this is no exception. i love that i can count on the recipes to be tasty, healthy, and not too time/labour-intensive. thanks so much - all your hard work is truly appreciated - enhancing the lives of vegans everywhere!
Hey Dreena, thanks for the new recipes. As always I am sure that they are GREAT!
Stephanie
I'm always excited to see what you've been working on! Thanks for all of the great ideas!
Melissa B, NC
Congrats on the Food Network CA gig! I'll check out the recipes when they're available.
Merry Christmas!
I'm commenting, just to say I'm so sad I'm not a US or Canada resident, but Singaporean. I do want to buy ED&V from Amazon though.
Hi Dreena,
I just had a peek at your Xmas menu. It looks fab.
S
Your book is on my wish the list. Te chocolate pumpkin pie had my pumpkin hating 3.5 year old begging for more!
Please enter me in your contest:)
Merry Christmas! I'll have to show my husband this list! I have your books, but I want to enter anyway. It would be great to win an extra to give my mom. She could use a vegan cookbook! Hope your family and you have a wonderful holiday.
Laura
Actually, I popped by just to say happy holidays and thanks for all the wonderful recipes as of late, but then I noticed the book give away and well...:-) I wouldn't mind winning a copy! :-) but, most importantly have a great christmas season!!!
Marisa
Thank you so much for sharing some more recipes--I have to try the mint cookies.
Happy Holidays!
Tam
It's three sleeps until Christmas and I'm pooped already. I'm not a mom, but I know what you mean about the wide-awake-in-the-middle-of-the-night-moments. I'll be glad when it's Boxing Day and I can get some sleep.
Jim & I are wishing you, Paul & the girls a very, very Merry Christmas!! All the best to you Dreena.
Pssst....I trust God got in touch with Santa to tell him about the panda. (That was the cutest thing ever!)
Thank you for all the info and ideas! I am so happy to have your cookbooks with me as my3rd holiday season of being vegan. I still wonder what to make sometimes and your books help out SO much. Everyone always loves the dishes, even the veggie-skeptics in my family!
Happy Holidays to you and your family and thank you for making such a difference to all of us!!
Hi everyone! You are a bunch of lovely people, you know?! Your comments are appreciated, and always a treat to read. :)
So, I fixed the rules link - but you've probably noticed that already... oops for that.
Cynthia, your mention of toffee had me in the kitchen yesterday... cursed food-working brain of mine! Though, I managed to come up with a wicked-good caramel that I might make into vegan 'turtles' now (turtles, turtles, rah rah rah!)... so thanks... I think (as I'm meant to be not recipe testing right now). :)
Hiya Teresa! oh, I love maple sugar too. I don't use it much, just because I figure it's not the most available ingredient for people. I used it in my 'Tiramisu' recipe in TEV, and loved how it added a mellow sweet maple flavor, but without any liquid or dark color. Maple sugar could be substituted sometimes for the maple butter, though the maple butter is SO concentrated, that you'd have to use a lot of it to equal the density and sweetness that the butter gives. Have you seen maple butter in your area? It's worth trying out sometime, even just a small jar... fun new food!
Veggie Vixen, I love that story! I think it's so good to balance the girl/boy toys, just because the girls get such heavy 'girly' messages from early on, and images of princesses and barbies and Bratz dolls, etc, etc. Balance for that is definitely a good thing! Very cool that she is excited about a car. I'm delighted you like the holiday tart so much too, btw, and feel honored that it is making it your party dinner!
Janet, I agree, the base did turn out similar to that of a nanaimo bar, even though that wasn't really the plan. Now you're putting another idea in my head... stop, stop!
Valerie B, I like your resolution, and I think you'll quickly find yourself adding another day or two soon enough... good luck and stick with it!
Kristina, thank you, my that was all just very sweet of you to say (and I'm sure glad you didn't put off commenting any longer). :) Keep cookin' and if you have a question, be sure to let me know.
Sarah, welcome to veganism! Our daughters have both been raised on a vegan diet, so feel free to e-mail me if you have questions about anything... have fun and enjoy!
Hi Bazu! That's so great... I like the bit of sugary sprinkle crackle on those cookies. So much holiday baking and just plain eating, huh? Fun though. :)
Springsandwells... that means a lot, many thanks. I try to balance good flavor with healthfulness most of the times (then some of the time, the 'healthy' part takes a back seat!), in my recipes, and having them be relatively quick and easy is also important to me - and just plain necessary. I am truly complimented by your comment, thank you.
Carrie, it's rather insane, isn't it? It's not the kids wide awake at the wee hours of the morn'... it's the adults!! I guess we're all kids at heart after all!
Thanks Candi, and that's an anniversary to celebrate indeed! The holidays are the best when you're eating vegan!
Enjoy your Christmas and holiday festivities everyone... and I hope Santa brings you all some very good vegan chocolate treats!... and the contest is still open for those of you that might be adding a comment after mine.
Last night I had a christmas party and I made your chickpea tart, and then my friend arrived and she had made the same thing!! It was great :) We had chocolate pumpkin pie for dessert. I told all my friend that they were your recipes and that they should read your book. Happy holidays!
Dreena, if you come up with a vegan version of the Turtles chocolate (rah! rah! rah!) I would be forever grateful.
The Veggie Vixen
Merry Christmas!
Could you please enter me in the contest? It would be a wonderful way to perk up my interest in cooking again. Your recipes are beautiful!
MT
mmm cocoa camino bars! Maybe Santa will leave some for me this year...thanks for sharing your recipes, I can't wait to try the chocolate mint melties!
Hello Dreena,
I am excited to tell you that for once my husband is so pleased that I am finally getting my money's worth and more from buying a your cookbooks. I have used them dilligently and I must say that I love 98% of the recipes. With my 3 1/2 yr old son being highly allergic to eggs, milk, and peanuts you have allowed him to enjoy the holiday parties and school activites without being left out. I was able to make sugar cookies, cupcakes, brownies and more for him. I have found tofu recipes that both my small children and older children will eat. My work place is pleased when I bring in food for them. They say," if Robin made it, it must be wholesome and good for you". I have lost about 8 lbs eating food with less cholesteral and fat. It's filling and allows me to control my snacking. I love the lentil soups and tonight I will make the Moroccan-Infused Vegatable Phyllo for our Christmas dinner and one of the Lime pie recipes since it is my husband's favorite. I see so many opportunites for dinners and ways to help my family eat better and be healthier. We are not vegan by any means yet but I am pleased that I am instilling strong educational and nutritional values into the heads of my very stubborn family. Oh Yeah~ The More-ish Brownies were a big hit with my 20 yr old who is famous for her non vegan brownies!! He HE HE~ Dreena, again I am so thankful I found your website and your books! Have a great Christmas and I hope to share you recipes with others!
Robin
Dreena, I was wondering... for all of your recipes that use spelt flour, is is possible that I could use kamut? I have a wheat allergy and for some reason spelt irritates me but kamut does not. Thanks so much!
Reasons I would like to win this book:
1. I borrow your other book from the library. A lot. I once had to replace a copy because I accidentally set it on fire by keeping it too close to the stove.
2. I need to impress my omni family with tasty dishes so that they know that vegans don't only eat ketchup.
3. I can set up a shrine in your honor and my three legged cat and I can worship it.
4. It would rock.
Thank you for all the awesome recipes!
Merry belated Xmas, Dreena!
XO
UV
Hey you! Just wanted to let you know that our Christmas dinner (should I say YOUR Christmas dinner as they were all your recipes) was FANTASTICO! The only thing we did differently was I made your broccoli-mushroom-walnut phyllo pie from Vive instead of the phyllo pie from EV. And we had sweet potato, turnip and garlic mashed potatoes, and mom made peas pudding. O. Em. Gee! it was soooo good. Can't wait for leftovers tonight!!
ok that's all! bye!!
PS. Tell C. that her request has been received by Brent and Feliz Navidad is on the list for next year's Christmas CD!! (How cute... hopefully Santa was able to clear his schedule before Christmas Eve so he and God could have a chat about the specifics of C's request!)
I've been wanting to play with ginger and cashews in an Asian-style way, but I'm not buying anymore tofu (I bought a block, used it once, let it rot, threw it out, and immediately started craving tofu). As punishment, I'm not replacing the tofu until I use up some other stuff in my pantry.
I've seen maple butter in stores, and I've been very tempted. I think I'm allowed to buy maple butter . . .
Dreena, It was a pleasure to meet you at the Choices White Rock book signing. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me and to take a look at my well used and very food-spattered copy of The Everyday Vegan. Your books are wonderful. Best Wishes for the New Year, Anna
I didn't have a lot of time (or energy) to bake this Christmas so I pulled out a few of your recipes (Choc Mint Melties, Peanut Better and Maple Walnut). It was so great to be able to bring in goodies to work but not have to pull out my mixer. My non-veg mom loves the maple walnut so I ended up making a double batch for Christmas day just for her!
Ohmigosh. I have to get some of that maple butter. It's been on nearly every vegan blog I've looked at for the past week. This is a ridiculous craving.
Dreena,
I must say that my husband and the little kids loved the Morrocan-Infused Vegetable Phyllo and the Lemon Herb Tofu. I also made some very tasty sweet potatoes and we were all pleased. It was much beter then the canned ham my MIL came with. She does not know of my quest for healthier food. Bless her heart she does try! Thanks for the tips on using the Phyllo!!! I did want to ask you about using Agar Powder. I do not have any and wanted to make the Vanilla Frosting. The Chocolate Frosting has Xantum Gum in it. What is the difference and can I make a substitution?
Thanks again
Robin
Hope you had a great holiday! Happy New Year!
Veggie Vixen, if I come up with the recipe, I'll e-mail it to, promise. :)
Robin, what a Christmas gift your comment was. Here you are including more and more vegan foods in your diet and loving it along the way. You are indeed showing your family a healthier diet and ways to eat more wholesome foods that are also delicious... we can hope that those food habits will stay with them through their adult years. You deserve such a great pat on the back, Robin... here it is ::pat, pat, pat:: Thank you for this note, and I am so pleased my recipes are helping you find more heatlhy, tasty options for your family. Keep up the fantastic work!! Just read your second comment (glad they loved the recipes - ugh on the canned ham, oh dear). Which recipe is it exactly that you are wanting to make? I might be able to give you some suggestions, but I'm not sure which you mean. Any chocolate frosting you do (ex: the Triple Choc Cake frosting from TEV, or the Choc Hazelnut from ed&bv, won't need any xanthan gum or agar because the chocolate provides the stability in the frosting... but, let me know which recipe you're thinking about).
Hi J.J., well kamut is not always a great sub for spelt, because it is a grainier, coarser flour. I use it in some baked goods, but it gives a texture a little like a fine cornmeal, rather than a fine flour. Can you use barley flour? I have used barley flour in more and more recipes, and in some of the new ones in ed&bv. I find it usually subs fairly well for spelt flour, though in muffins and quick breads you may need a touch more binder/egg replacer. But, for the most part I would recommend trying barley flour as a sub... let me know if this works for you.
Ingridvonopel, your comment rocked!
UV, hugs and kisses for a wonderful Christmas and New Year to you too!! :)
Hey Dayle... that's darling of you to say... and I must admit, we loved it too and stuffed ourselves silly!! I like the idea of the broccoli pie - not quite as heavy as the potato phyllo pie. Next year I'm thinking of switching things up with the chickpea tart... though traditional holds strong here, and hubby mightn't enjoy the change, ha! So, did mom also tell you that she "didn't even miss the turkey"?? Funny bird, our mother. The turkey didn't miss you either. Really, I always remember the turkey being the least interesting and least enjoyable part of the Christmas meal. Ah well... in her words, she said you guys made a "scrumptious meal". Nicely done... I bet you slept well after that full day of cooking, huh?!! Oh, I've got to send that e-mail to you - will do. xoxo. And good to know Feliz Navidad is 'on order'! :)
Hi Anna! It was a delight to meet you and talk with you at the signing as well. Your story meant a lot to me, and I hope that you and your son find some new favorites in ed&bv. Thank you for stopping by, and I wish you both a very Happy New Year!!
Vegan baker, that's very awesome, thanks. My baking, at least for cookies, is always bowl and spoon... I think it's my resistance to clean up extra kitchen gear! Thanks for the note. :)
So glad to have found this blog, and also the book Vive Le Vegan, which I just ordered! I have an 8 month old, and I can't wait to read the chapter about feeding vegan babies! Also thought it was cool that you're in BC, as I'm originally from BC (but currently live in CA). Looking forward to reading more :)
Hello Dreena,
Sorry my bad. I meant the Coconut Dream Frosting had xanthan gum in it but not agar powder and the Creamy Vanilla Frosting has xanthan gum and agar powder in it. I wanted to know what the agar powder does and is it an absolute for the Creamy Vanilla Frosting Recipe? Do you know of an adjustment to the recipe that might work if I don't have the agar powder? And, thanks for the nice reply. I only speak the truth. Hope this email is more comprehensive then the last concerning my agar powder problem!
Robin
I gave ed&bv to my sister and her husband as a wedding present! They just got married on Dec. 16. They loved it. They love to have people over so I know your recipes will be perfect for them.
Hence, I would love a copy for myself...can't wait for the draw!
Happy New Year Dreena!
Claire
I am not seeing the homestyle chocolate chip cookies or the the lentil sniffle soup (sorry--I know I butchered the name!) in the archives...were they posted there? Or where can we find these recipes?
Thanks!
Courtney
Hi again Robin... no problem, btw. Both the agar and xanthan gums serve as stabilizers for the frosting. With the Creamy Vanilla Frosting, there really isn't any other binder in the frosting, and so it is an essential ingredient. You *could* omit the xanthan and just go with the agar in the frosting - and note (though I mention this in the directions) that the frosting will appear very congealed after chilling - needs to be reblended A LOT to smooth out. The Coconut Dream frosting is more mallowy - and makes a slightly bigger batch as well. I really love this frosting, and though it requires the vegan cream cheese, it's something different with the combo of silken tofu and cream cheese... and the xanthan gum (along with the flavor from the mac butter) gives a mallowy feel to the frosting. Again without the xanthan gum, this frosting will be very loose. You can make it, but it will turn into more of a thick sauce that you can ladle over the cake before serving. That's an option if you don't have xanthan gum or don't feel up to the trip to get it! Btw, though xanthan gum may seem pricey, a little goes a very long way in recipes. Also, if you don't have mac butter for the recipe, the only other nut butter I'd sub in is cashew. I think that's it... so, if you don't have either agar or xanthan, I'd recommend going with the Coconut Dream frosting, and use the frosting as a thick sauce if it isn't thick enough after chilling to hold on the cake. Goodness I've gone on here... hope this helps you... good luck (and happy new year)! :)
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