Having just hosted our first holiday party, I can relate to the need for good, make-ahead finger food recipes. Luckily, this month's issue of the Vegan Culinary Experience (which is free to download) is filled with wonderful options that all take inspiration from the Middle East.

From the December issue, Chef Jason welcomed us to feature his Dolmas recipe. Dolmas are one of those wonderful international foods that tend to be naturally dairy-free, yet under-loved in places like the U.S. Chef Jason notes, "Dolmas are a commitment, though well worth the effort [and very fun to make!]. I like to spend a weekend afternoon doing a large batch of them and then snack on them throughout the week."

Preparing these in advance, and serving them up with a platter of olives, hummus, babaganoush, and tomato stewed green beans will offer a flavorful spread (with a cool theme!) that is open to most special diets, from vegan to gluten-free.

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to sample a sweetened condensed soymilk that had not yet been approved for import into North America. After some recipe trials, I was sure this product would be a hit, but alas, it seemed to fall off the map. That is, until now. Pangea, otherwise known as The Vegan Store, is importing cans of this rare holiday ingredient gem all the way from Brazil. In addition to the Vegan Sweetened Condensed Soy Milk, they also have cans of Dulce De Soya available from the same manufacturer. All of Pangea's products can be ordered online, and they ship throughout the U.S.

To further sweeten the deal, Pangea sent two of their favorite recipes using this clever product, Coconut Chocolate Chip Macaroons and Vegan Magic Cookie Bars (aka 7-Layer Bars). Can't do soy? Try the soy-free Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk and Dulce de Coco recipes in Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook. The sweetened condensed coconut milk also works wonderfully in the following recipes ...

Just in case you missed the prior announcement, I am here to say that it truly is official, Foods Matter Magazine is now going digital and will be free for internet viewers. This month is their last print issue, and we have snagged a delightful sample recipe from their farewell issue to share with you today.

According the Foods Matter staff, this simple dessert is "A very different, and rather sophisticated, alternative after turkey and all the trimmings!" Of course, the rich chocolate base will surely satiate any chocoholic throughout the holidays or any time of year for that matter. Plus, this recipe is naturally vegan (egg-free and dairy-free) and gluten-free, and it can also be soy-free and nut-free without a problem.

Enjoy the following recipe, and be sure to check out the very informative Foods Matter website ...

The official Thanksgiving holiday may have passed, but grocery stores (and perhaps your refrigerator and freezer) are still brimming with cranberries, and cravings for holiday fare, such as that sweet cornbread, linger on. Merging those two flavors into a Sunday brunch treat, Hannah (author of My Sweet Vegan and blogger at Bittersweet) has created a vegan Cornmeal and Cranberry Pancakes recipe that is sure to please.

These pancakes are naturally dairy-free and egg-free. Because the recipe relies more heavily on the flavor of cornmeal than flour, adventurous gluten-free cooks may want to trial subsituting their favorite GF flour blend. Hannah also uses soymilk, but you can substitute your favorite milk alternative (almond, rice, coconut, etc.) to make this easy recipe soy-free ...

Do you ever find yourself hungry for something a little sweet, but not wanting to go the full-blown dessert route or ruin dinner? Enter the health-ified Chocolate Chip Crispy Treats Recipe. This version classifies as a relatively nutritious, hybrid snack-treat that is not too sweet, yet slightly indulgent.

So what makes these different from your ordinary Snap, Crackle, and Pop version? Let's see ... no refined sugars, in fact pretty low in sugar overall; two whole grain cereals for the price of one; coconut oil instead of butter or margarine; a little flax seed and nut butter for good measure; and, well, chocolate is a health food now, right? Plus, it is natural dairy-free (casein-free) and can be made vegan and gluten-free in a pinch. See the full post on One Frugal Foodie for the recipe.

Ten years ago, who would've ever thought we would see the day when someone could compile 1000 vegan recipes that truly tasted good. And the author of 1,000 Vegan Recipes, Robin Robertson, confesses that they actually had trouble narrowing it down to just one thousand!

It is true, and we are giving away a copy of this beautifully designed, highly organized, and very thick, hardback cookbook today. Just head over to the Cookbook Giveaway on One Frugal Foodie to enter to win. Once you have your own copy in hand, you can join me in the experimenations ... but you will have to catch up. Having sampled the Creamy Artichoke Dressing, Maple-Glazed Pecans, and Five-Spice Walnuts recipes, I only have 997 recipes to go. Okay, perhaps this cookbook will keep me busy for quite a while, but, I do think this recipe for Hollandaze Sauce may be number 4 on my list.