Thanksliving Roundup

It's that time of year when we prepare to gather together with family and friends for an all-day feast to give thanks for all that we cherish.  While that tradition typically revolves around the carving of a roasted turkey as the centerpiece, for us vegans, it's a more compassionate celebration.  We choose instead to indulge in glorious dishes created from Mother Nature's harvest... sweet baked butternut squash, oven roasted Brussels sprouts, mashed sweet potatoes, piles of potatoes swimming in gravy, and crispy salad greens.  It's a time to get creative in the kitchen with recipes that elevate the ordinary into something extraordinary to suit the occasion.

This is what my Thanksgiving plate typically looks like.

There's usually some kind of faux meat/roast (in this case, Cornmeal Crusted Tofu) surrounded by piles of colorful veggies.  One year I even tried a tofu turkey that looked like a three-dimensional child's drawing of a turkey.  It's easy to go overboard with the menu because there are SO MANY delicious options this time of year.  I try my best to keep it simple.  But that certainly doesn't mean I'm at all deprived.

It's particularly tempting to overdo it on desserts.  A couple of years ago I made Gluten-free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars with pumpkin puree swirled into the batter.  I think I may have to revisit this creation again this year.... so good!

For your culinary pleasure and to help you stay focused, I've compiled this list of links devoted to Vegan Thanksgiving Menus. Check them out for inspiration!  Drool over the photos!  These are definitely worth trying at home!

Happy holiday!

A Very Vegucated Thanksgiving - From the producers of the life-changing vegan documentary, "Vegucated," these menus feature Southern favorites as well as light and tasty treats for the holiday.

Forks Over Knives Plant-based Thanksgiving - Another life-changing documentary, the producers have shared some of their favorite holiday recipes.

Oh She Glows Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes - This blog is filled with tons of gorgeous vegan food photos, and the Thanksgiving menu delivers even more ooos and ahhhs.  I'm gonna have to try that Pumpkin Pie Brownie!

Healthy Vegan Thanksgiving - From Dreena Burton's Plant-Powered Kitchen come these fabulous Thanksgiving recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

The Greatest Gluten-free Vegan Thanksgiving Menu - From Manifest Vegan blogger Allyson Kramer comes this super healthy and delicious menu in VegNews.

Vegan Thanksgiving from HuffPo - The Huffington Post put together this lovely slideshow accompanied by recipes for the holiday.  Get ready to drool!

Vegetarian Thanksgiving from the NYT - Can you believe the New York Times is getting on the veg holiday bandwagon?  Yes, it's true!  Here are some pretty amazing recipe they've compiled into a searchable database.

Gourmet Vegetarian Thanksgiving - Even Gourmet magazine is on it this season!  Take a look at some of these sophisticated creations like Bruschetta with Chickpea Puree and Chopped Arugula, Baked Figs in Lemon Syrup, and Roasted Chestnuts.

Vegan Holiday Kitchen - Here are some beautiful recipes form the cookbook with the same name.  Lots of great ideas for stuffings, sides, soups and salads.

Buzzfeed's Vegan Thanksgiving - Here are 41 more from Buzzfeed!

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu Planner - This is a great little tool from Eating Well magazine for those planning a holiday get together.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Meal Plan - A nice guide for the feast and leftovers from the non-profit Mercy for Animals.

ChooseVeg Thanksgiving Menu - Ideas for meal planning and creating the perfect feast.

And most important to remember is the reason behind the celebration.

"No prayer I ever said over their dismembered bodies exonerated me from the part I played.  No excuse I ever made washed the blood from my hands.  I only felt free when I stopped participating.  I felt like a weight had been lifted, and I recognized the inherent connection between animal rights and all other social justice issues." ~ Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Organic Tofu Turkey

I don't really miss turkey on Thanksgiving, so I'm not a huge fan of Tofurky or Field Roast and other faux meat alternatives on the market.  Nonetheless, I'm always curious to try out something new and different that I could potentially recommend to friends and clients. 

This year, I discovered the Organic Tofu Turkey, by Fresh Tofu Inc.  This Allentown, PA company has been making tofu-based faux meats since 1992, though this is the first time I've seen their individually hand-scored creations in the health food store.  The box comes with a 1 lb. tofu turkey and a little "savory herb gravy" packet, which is supposed to serve 9.  Because it was so fascinating - as well as gluten-free! - I had to take one home with me.

The little tofu bird cooks fairly quickly:  you simply place it in a baking dish with about 1/4 inch of water in the bottom, cover with foil, then heat for 40 minutes.  Remove the foil, then let it brown up uncovered for about 5 more minutes.

I know most vegans don't like to be reminded of eating a bird, but I thought this little guy was so cute.  Tastewise, it reminded me of any of those flavored tofu blocks from Soy Boy, and it had a similar firm, smooth texture.  But when it comes to tofu, my favorite will always be The Bridge. 

Still, as a gluten-free vegan alternative, this is a fun option.  Plus, it went well with gravy, mashed potatoes, and all the other flavors of the season.  Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving!

Talking Tofurky on WWLP-TV 22

I was invited by WWLP-TV 22 to do a cooking segment on vegan turkey alternatives for Thanksgiving.  The actual request was for Tofurky, which I don't typically eat because it contains gluten, but I do think it makes for a fine stand-in for anyone who misses having a centerpiece on the table. Personally, I'm a fan of side dishes and all the beautiful colors, tastes, and textures of seasonal vegetables.

I decided to demonstrate how to make a Curried Butternut Squash Risotto because it features one of my seasonal vegetables, and it's a twist on a traditional favorite usually made with chicken stock, cream, and parmesan cheese.  My version uses soy milk (although rice milk could be substituted) and coconut cream.  It's rich and luscious, and you'll never miss the cheese.  I served it with Cornmeal Crusted Tofu Cutlets, Crimini Mushroom Gravy, and Brussels Sprouts Amandine, then topped the risotto with spiced pepitas.  It really felt like Thanksgiving in the Well on Wheels kitchen today.

Curried Butternut Squash Risotto (serves 4-6)

1-2 Tbl olive oil
2 shallots, diced
1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
1 cup Arborio rice, rinsed
2 cups water
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp curry powder
½ cup Thai Kitchen organic coconut milk
1 cup Westsoy organic soy milk
1 tsp sea salt, to taste
2 Tbl fresh shopped parsley

In a large pot, sauté shallots in oil. Add the squash, turmeric, curry powder and Arborio rice and sauté for a minute. Add the water, cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Raise heat to medium and gradually stir in the coconut milk. When the rice has absorbed the liquid, add 1/2 cup of soy milk, stirring to incorporate. Keep up this process until no more liquid can be absorbed. Season with sea salt. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately. (Risotto waits for no one!)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

Tradition of course calls for pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, but since my mom is baking an apple pie for the holiday (at my request!), I decided to do something a little different with pumpkin. I made a batch of Gluten-free Vegan Chocolate Chip Blondies (with pumpkin puree).

As if the original recipe wasn't delicious enough, the added hint of pumpkin and spice put it over the top. This is one of those "relatively healthy" desserts that tastes decadent, yet has some health benefits (i.e. from the pumpkin, and from the apple sauce which replaces some of the oil). And really, you'd never know.

They're really easy to make, though you must be sure to have some parchment paper on hand to line the bottom of your 9 x 13 pan. If you're looking for a dessert idea, there's still time to whip up a batch of these for tomorrow's feast!

Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!!

Gluten-free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
1 cup white rice flour
3/4 cup Gluten-free flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1/8 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup Earth Balance margarine
1 Tbl coconut oil
1 1/4 cup Sucanat
4 oz. apple sauce + 1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 Tbl soy milk
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Prehat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 pan with oil, then line with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients. [NOTE: Substitute 2 cups of regular white flour for the rice flour, GF flour, and cornstarch and omit xanthan gum if you don't need this recipe to be gluten-free.] In a food processor, puree Earth Balance, coconut oil, Sucanat, applesauce & corn starch mixture, pumpkin puree and vanilla until creamy. Add to dry ingredients and stir until batter is smooth. You may need to add a few tablespoons of soy milk if it is too dry. Gently fold in chocolate chips, then spread batter evenly in baking pan. Bake 20-30 minutes or until firm to the touch and lightly golden on the sides. Top with confectioner's sugar.

Georgie's Diner

I had a great time Thursday sharing a couple vegan recipes at the newly renovated and reopened Georgie's Diner in West Haven. The kitchen staff is friendly, knowledgeable and always willing to do what it takes to make vegans happy!

For the next month or so, diners will find two new vegan offerings on the Specials Menu. For those who love comfort food, the Tempeh Stroganoff with Eggless Linguini and Broccoli is sure to please. I love eating this in the fall, particularly on cold, rainy days.

Tempeh Stroganoff

The second vegan item - just in time for Thanksgiving - is the Cornmeal Crusted Tofu with Mushroom Gravy, Cider Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Stringbean Amandine. I think I'll be enjoying this for my own Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Tofu

These are just two of the many vegan offerings available at the diner. You can also indulge in Tempeh Reuben, Portobello Polenta and their fabulous Mediterrannean Platter. They even have a dedicated vegan fryer for making unadulterated vegan French fries. Oh yeah, and then there's their famous Chocolate Drift cake for dessert.... mmm...

The warm glow of Georgie's Diner

Mark your calendars: I'll be serving up some treats again January 15. You're all welcome to stop in for a free sample. In the mean time, visit Georgie's for lunch or dinner and tell Nick you heard about them here.

Cooking up some vegan fare

Georgie's fabulous kitchen crew

Two satisfied customers

Ooo, you're a holiday

I'm really happy with the way everything turned out yesterday. The soup was the best, and the rest of the meal was pretty good, too. I was actually quite surprised that I finished making everything about an hour before guests arrived and had time to play some tug-of-war with my dog. Afterward, she waited patiently under the table, eyeing the front door for any movement.

Earlier in the day, NPR affiliate WPKN 89.5 FM aired a little segment on vegetarian Thanksgivings and interviewed me to find out what I'd be serving. Thank you Melinda Tuhus for inviting me to speak on your fabulous program, The Forest and the Trees! Here's the menu:

Gingered Winter Vegetable Bisque

Cornmeal Crusted Tofu Cutlets with Crimini Mushroom Gravy
Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Parnsips

Brussles Sprouts and Broccoli with Shallots

Minted Wild Rice Pilaf with Dried Cranberries, Toasted Pine Nuts and Orange Zest

Maple-Glazed Butternut Squash with Pecan Praline

Mixed Berry Applesauce

After dinner, we indulged in Pumpkin Pie, Apple Crumble and Chocolate Chip Cookies. Sorry... we were too busy stuffing ourselves to stop for a picture. Then we collapsed by the fire and bid a fond adieu to another Thanksgiving.

Anyone have any stories to share? I love a good story...

Thanksliving

It's 10:00. Do you know where your turkeys are? Hopefully, they're all gobbling away at Farm Sanctuary in bucolic Watkins Glen, NY.

As I write, there is a pot of Gingered Winter Vegetable Bisque simmering away on the stove. This will be the first course of my mini-epic Thanksgiving Feast which I will be hosting at my home tomorrow afternoon. I hope it sets the perfect mood... No politics. No religion. No talk about the weather. Nothing but mmmm...

[ed. note: I needed to take a break because that buttercup squash just smelled too good to resist.]

I am now sitting happily, a warm bowl of soup in my tummy. This is the perfect way to take the edge off a cold autumn day. For an added kick and contrast to the creamy sweetness of the squash, I decided to top the soup with green onion and toasted spiced sunflower seeds. Chili powder, cinnamon, sea salt and a tiny pinch of cayenne sauteed in about 1 Tbl of Earth Balance, then tossed with the sunflower seeds until they sizzle and pop. Ooo, it smells heavenly.

I limited myself to an itty bitty serving so as not to skimp on my Thanksgiving guests. Quite a challenge, but it will give me something to look forward to tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!