Vegan xmas: Mulled cider

Breakfast: Granola and almond milk with grated cacao

Lunch: Mediterranean chickpeas with spinach and cous cous

Dinner: Veggie stir fry and rice with mulled cider

So here it is; our first vegan Christmas!

Christmas for me means good food, good drinks, good friends and some sort of cold outdoor activity. Unfortunately, Toronto has not dained to give us snow yet this year, so that's skating and snowboarding out. Better concentrate on the other three then.

Mulled wine and mulled cider are so festive to me that I feel they should come draped in tinsel. It's also lovely and warming on a cold day and might even make you feel better when you're ill. That's my excuse anyway.

This is a great recipe to bottle up and give as little presents!

You'll need:
(Makes about 2.5 litres)

2 litres cider
1/2 cup good rum (I used my Ron Abuelo from Panama!)
1 orange
1 orange peel
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp local honey (if you eat honey - if not, use agave nectar)
1/2 cup water

Method:

Place all ingredients together in a pan and simmer for 20 minutes
Run the mixture through a sieve before drinking straight away or placing into storage containers - 2 empty wine bottles work great
Warm again before serving!

This is a little stronger than some recipes, given the rum, but that all adds to the festivity, if you ask me. Always serve this warm, with lots of good friends, preferably in front of a roaring fire. Hooray!