Oh, the Witches New Year! This is my favorite Sabbat and we spend a month in preparation for the big celebration. Of course, we combine it with the festivities of Halloween, and why not? It feels like the whole world is aware that the veil between worlds is thinning, the light half of the year is ending and the winter season is upon us. Caught between a sense of wonder, dread, anticipation, and excitement I find that the best way to celebrate is with festive food.

Traditional foods of the season include: Ale, Apples, Cakes for the dead, Cider, Corn, Cranberry muffins and bread, Grains (all types), Hazelnuts, Herbal teas (especially Mugwort), Meat (or tempeh), Mushrooms, Pears, Pomegranates, Pumpkin, and other Squashes.

Vegan Kitchen Witch

Although traditionally the Samhain feast is also referred to as “the blood harvest” (since this is the third harvest festival, when animals would be slaughtered for the winter months) it doesn’t mean that you have to eat meat if you are a vegetarian or vegan. There are so many wonderful plant-based meals to cook that are better for your health, more compassionate for animals, and easier on the environment. Here are some of my favorites:

Main Dishes

Try these out for putting together a delicious holiday menu:

The Crock-Pot Butternut Squash Soup from Clean Food Crush is a warm and creamy dish full of fall flavors. Serve it in a sourdough bread bowl with a side salad for a complete and easy meal.

Jaime over at Dishing Out Health has a hearty Lentil and Mushroom Stew over Potato-Parsnip Mash that is so tasty you won’t ever miss the meat.

For the perfect taste of fall, try the Vegan Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells from Rainbow Plant Life as a pretty centerpiece to your Samhain “Dumb Supper”. I love the creamy garlic sauce that tops it!

Desserts

Satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth with healthier options at your holiday feast:

A traditional offering to commemorate those who have passed, these Vegan Soul Cakes from The Tired Witch are easy to bake up as an offering on your altar.

The Domestic Gothess has given us another fun Sabbat recipe with her Pentagram Topped Vegan Apple Pies. They are easy to make (if a little time consuming) but sooooooooo worth the effort!

And if you have little ones celebrating with you, Demeter at The Beaming Baker has absolutely perfect Jack Skellington Mounds Cups that are sure to be a holiday favorite.

Drinks

For a non-alcoholic option, the Crock-Pot Apple Cider recipe from Almost Super Mom is full of the best fall flavors and so easy to put together.

For a more grown-up beverage that is still easy to put together, try the Slow Cooker Mulled Wine recipe from Bailey over at The Gay Globe Trotter. Mulled wine is spiced, sweet, and delicious!

This absolutely magical bourbon-based Haunted Graveyard Halloween Cocktail combines all the witchy ingredients in a delicious fall drink. There’s even a smoking rosemary twig as a garnish! When you head to Sprinkles and Sprouts be sure to look for her other Halloween-themed treats.

What other Samhain recipes to you love to cook up for a magical celebration! I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.