I recently checked out a Thanksgiving children’s book for my kids. The two main characters are on a mission to go find a turkey for Thanksgiving (they don’t know why, they just know that it’s a tradition). After overcoming some hilarious obstacles, they finally get the turkey, who lucky him, instead of being cooked and eaten, gets to eat dinner with the family, since the family doesn’t realize that the turkey is traditionally eaten as part of the meal. It’s a silly, heart-warming story (with a subtle vegetarian message, although I really don’t think it was intentional), and got me thinking about food for the holidays, particularly Thanksgiving, since it’s right around the corner (2 weeks is “right around the corner” in my world).
This year it will just be our family, no extended, at least for the holiday, which means: I can cook whatever I darn well want to and not have to worry about pleasing anyone’s turkey-lovin‘ taste buds (thank heavens, the omnivorous husband LOATHES turkey!).
In the years past I’ve made:
*Dreena Burton’s fresh cranberry sauce & lemon broiled green beans –my favorite cranberry sauce recipe that uses maple syrup as the sweetener, I could eat bowlfuls of the stuff
*Mashed potatoes–roasted garlic and/or herbed w/ cashew or mushroom gravy
*Candied yams (sans the ground up horse hooves, I mean marshmallows)
*Stuffed pumpkin (stuff a pumpkin with your favorite stuffing and bake)
*Wild Rice & Lentil Timbales (recipe from Fat Free Vegan)
*Steamed sweet corn
*Home baked whole grain dinner rolls
*Sparkling apple cider
*Pumpkin Pie/Chocolate Pumpkin Pie (Dr. McDougall has a great recipe on his site & Dreena has one as well in ED & BV) with homemade cashew ice cream or my fave Seven Secrets Cookbook brown rice ice cream
I’ve made veggie cutlets (made from garbanzo beans, wheat gluten, and seasonings), although not for Thanksgiving. I and my family (including hubby) like them, but since my kids don’t have any expectations or context for meat on their dinner plate, there’s no real incentive for me to try and make some sort of turkey replacement specifically for Thanksgiving.
Since I still haven’t decided on the exact menu for the holiday, I’d love to see what YOU’RE going to make, and get some inspiration from you all.
QUESTION FOR YOU: What are some of your favorite vegan holiday dishes? What vegan dishes will you be eating at Thanksgiving? Be a dove, and do share.
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