Vegan Kwanzaa

This month I will be having vegan guides and recipes for the four main winter holidays this month: Hanukkah (Chanukah), Yule, Christmas, and Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa begins on December 26 to January 1 each year.

Kwanzaa (which means "first fruits of the harvest") is a week-long celebration held in the United States honoring African and Black heritage, unity and culture, marked by participants lighting a kinara (candle holder). Kwanzaa consists of seven days of celebration, featuring activities such as candle-lighting and pouring of libations, and culminating in a feast and gift giving. It was created by Ron Karenga and was first celebrated from December 26, 1966, to January 1, 1967. Families celebrating Kwanzaa decorate their households with objects of art, colorful African cloth, especially the wearing of kaftans by women, and fresh fruits that represent African idealism. Frequently, both Christmas trees and kinaras, the traditional candle holder symbolic of African-American roots, share space in kwanzaa celebrating households. To them, Kwanzaa is an opportunity to incorporate elements of their particular ethnic heritage into holiday observances and celebrations of Christmas. The Black Candle, an award-winning documentary by M.K. Asante, Jr., narrated by Maya Angelou, is a 2009 film about Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called "The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa," or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba - "The Seven Principles of Blackness"), which Karenga said "is a communitarian African philosophy" consisting of what Karenga called "the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world." These seven principles comprise Kawaida, a Swahili term for tradition and reason. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles, as follows:

• Umoja (Unity) To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
• Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
• Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
• Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
• Nia (Purpose) To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
• Kuumba (Creativity) To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
• Imani (Faith) To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Food:
The basic food for Kwanzaa is Soul food and African cuisine with Christmas and Thanksgiving food feast.

Recipes:
Menus:
Bryanna Clark Kwanzaa Recipes (PDF)
122 Vegan Sub-Saharan African Recipes
Vegetarian Kwanzaa Recipes
Vegan Winter Holidays Recipes

Vegan Chicken:
"Chicken" and "Clouds" or Mom's "Chicken" and Dumplings
Vegan "Chicken" and Dumplings
Vegan Chicken And Dumplings; Ultimate Comfort Food!
Vegan Chicken and Dumplings
Vegan Fried Chicken
Just like Chicken Strips
Country Fried Seitan Steak and Gravy
Chicken-Fried Tofu

BBQ:
Dragonfly's Vegan Ribs
BBQ Tempeh Ribz with BBQ'ed Potatoes
Barbecued Seitan Ribz
BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich
Pulled "Pork" BBQ Sandwiches

Stews:
Okra Stew
Unbeef Stew
Gumbo
Glorious Green Gumbo
Gumbo with Vegan Andouille Sausage
Gumbo z'Herbes with Cajun Tempeh Bacon
Emeril's Gumbo Z'Herbes With Wild Rice
Gumbo Z'Herbes

Vegetables Meals:
Stuffed Vegetables
Roasted Acorn Squash Risotto
Collard Greens with Coconut Milk
Eggplant Parmesan
African Sweet Potato Stew
Kale With Caramelized Onions and Garlic
Southern Fried Okra
Black Eyed Peas With Herbs
Potato Salad

Soups:
Cabbage Soup
Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup (use vegan stock)
African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup
Easy West African Peanut Soup

Macaroni and Cheese:
Delightful Mac and Cheese
Vegan Macaroni and “Cheese”
New Farm Mac and Cheese (vegan mac and cheese)
The Best Vegan Baked Mac & Cheese Recipe
Vegan Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Daiya
The Best Vegan Macaroni and Cheese Ever
Flashback Mac and Cheese
Best Vegan Mac and Cheese in the entire world...seriously
Mac and Cheese. Cheeze? Yeast?
Mac & Cheeze (take 2)
Macaroni & Cheese
Easy Macaroni and "Cheeze"

Other:
Meatloaf Alternatives
Tracy’s Vegan “Roast Beast”
Pot Pies
Shepherds Pies
Jambalaya
Jamaican Rice & Peas
Hoecakes
Okra Patties
Southern Grits
Southern Greens
Koki
Festive Kwanzaa Slaw
Jollof Rice

Breads:
Breads
Vegan Corn Muffins
Cornbread
Vegan Hush Puppies
Three Bean and Cornbread Casserole
Cornmeal Breaded Tofu

Desserts:
Desserts
Peach Cobbler
Crispy Cajun Chickpea Cakes
Peanut Brittle

Puddings:
Southern-Style Banana Pudding
Southern-Style Banana Pudding
Vegan Banana Pudding

Cakes:
The Best Red Velvet Cake
Vegan Coconut Cake
Glazed Mango Pound Cake

Pies
Pecan Pies
Southern-Style Vegan Pecan Pie
Vegan Pecan Pie
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
Kahlua Pecan Pie
Amazing Pecan Pie

Sweet Potato Pies
Vegetarian Sweet Potato Pie
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
Vegetarian Sweet Potato Pie
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
Sweet Potato Pie

Apple Pies
Death by Apple Pie
All-American Alternative Apple Pie
Brandi's Famous Caramel Apple Pie!
Apple-Cranberry-Currant Pie with French Topping (use vegan butter)

Cream Pies
Banana Cream Pie (Diner Style)
Vegan Coconut Cream Pie Filling
Coconut Cream Pie with Pecan Crust
Mint Carob Chip Cream Pie

Pumpkin Pies
Pumpkin Pie Bites
Tofu Pumpkin Pie
Non-Tofu Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Cookie Crust and Bourbon Sauce

Cherry Pies
Mini Cherry Pies
No Lie: Fantastic Vegan Cherry Pie

Other Pies
Mississippi Mud Pie
Mock Cherry Pie (use vegan butter)
Blackforest Mousse Pie

Beverages
Cider:
Hot Cranberry Cider
Mulled Apple Cider
Hot Caramel Apple Cider
Spiced Apple Cider
Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider
Hot Apple Cider
Sparkling Cider

Cranberry Drinks:
7-Up Cranberry Punch
Cranberry Margaritas
Cranberry Sangria
Celebrate a Vegetarian Holiday! - Beverages
Cranberry Punch
Finnish Cranberry Whip (Vatkattu Marjapuuro)
Holiday Cranberry Drinks
Cranberry Kiss

Vegan Alcoholic Drinks:
Alcohol
Cranberry-Ginger Martini

Eggnog:
Vegan Eggnog
Almond Vegan Eggnog
Rice Dream Rice Nog
Silk Nog

Pumpkin:
Pumpkin Pie White Hot Chocolate
Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
Pumpkin Pie Shake
Silk Pumpkin Spice

Hot Chocolate/Cocoa:
Vegan Hot Cocoa
Vegan Hot Chocolate from Scratch
Delicious Vegan Hot Chocolate
Creamy Vegan Hot Cocoa
Vegan Hot Chocolate
The Ultimate Vegan Hot Chocolate
Cashew Hot Cocoa
The Best Hot Cocoa Ever
Raw Food: Warm Cacao with Cinnamon
Creamy Hot Cocoa
Peppermint Hot Cocoa
Two Cups of Cocoa
Candy Cane Cocoa

Coffee:
Irish Coffee with Bailey's and Kahlua
Vegan Irish Coffee
White Chocolate Latte
Brown Sugar-Caramel Latte
Coffee

Punch:
6 Festive Christmas Punch Recipes
Warm and Spicy Autumn Punch (use vegan honey)
Christmas Cheer Punch

Additional Beverages:
Mauby
Tea
Rice Dream Supreme Chocolate Chai
Rice Dream Horchata
Rice Dream Supreme Vanilla Hazelnut
VegWeb Beverages
Beverages Recipezaar
Vegan Holiday Drinks
Spiced Christmas Beverages
New World Wassail
Seven Holiday Drinks You Can Still Enjoy If You're Vegan
North Pole Peppermint Chai
Spicy Chai Tea
I Can't Believe It's Vegan! Beverages

Guides and Fun:
The Official Kwanzaa Web Site
The History of Kwanzaa
Kaboose Kwanzaa
Holidays on the Net Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa at TheHolidaySpot
Reflections on a Vegetarian Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa events and celebrations
Kwanzaa Clip Art
Kwanzaa Music for Kids
Kwanzaa Craft Projects
Celebrating the Kwanzaa Holiday
123Greetings Kwanzaa
Everything About Kwanzaa...

Remember to check back here often for new post, I try to update at least once a month. Look at my past blog post for vegan information, resources, and links. E-mail me me if you have any suggestion post, questions on this blog or veganism or know any more sites relating to this post.