Thanksgiving is a time to feast. Some say it is a time to be grateful and count your blessings, others say it is a time to grate cheese and count your servings of turkey! Maybe though, your family isn’t having a “Vegan Thanksgiving,” and no one’s asking them to. I grew up staying overnight at my cousins on Thanksgiving Eve just to get up at 5 am and witness my Italian Godfather in a blue bandana belting country music and manhandling turkeys with absolute glee. Now that I’m older, and I’m not as interested in turkey, I still want to enjoy a meal with my family without having to make calls ahead of time or change any traditions that could rip the fabric of family into dietary shreds.
So here are a couple recipes to remedy the awkward relative questions — might even stoop a few!
The last recipe’s crust is inspired by Minimalist Baker’s “Coconut Oil Crust.”
Spank Yo Mama Stuffing
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400. Mix flaxmeal and warm water and let sit.
Sautee onion, celery, and carrot in vegan butter or olive oil in cast-iron pan until onions are translucent.
Add sweet potato, purple sweet potato, parsnips, garlic and spices. Cook for 10 minutes.
Add tempeh and stir in for a couple of minutes. Squeeze half lemon over top.
Add bread slices torn into bite size chunks, after stirring, pour stock over the top and cook out some of the liquid for 5 minutes.
Mix in flaxeggs and cashews then put into the preheated oven. Let roast for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown crust forms.
Cheesy, Creamy, Green-y Bean Casserole
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375.
Sautee onions and garlic in pan until slightly translucent
Add mushrooms and seasoning and sautee, adding stock a bit at a time. Stir and let stock evaporate for a while.
Add non-dairy milk and let it heat through before adding cornstarch and allowing it to thicken.
Once it coats the back of a spoon/spatula, or resembles cream of mushroom soup, you can add nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor, or just mix in cooked green beans. Add mixture to oven-safe container, coat with fried onions and cook for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Punkin’ No Chunkin’ Pie
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine pumpkin, sweetened condensed coconut milk, vanilla, flaxmeal, baking powder, and spices into a bowl and put in fridge to set. Optional to add 2 tbsp of water to thin out.
Combine flour, sugar, spices, baking powder and baking soda in bowl and mix in coconut oil or vegan butter until clumpy.
Add ice cold water little by little until solid dough is formed. Do not over knead.
Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness.
Spray pie pans with oil then put parchment paper in the base. Lay pie dough over the pan and press in the sides, evening thickness as you go.
Use a fork to press holes in the bottom of the crust, then let crusts cool in the fridge for at least 20 minutes(or the freezer for 5-10).
Fill crusts with filling and bake for 50-80 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes, or cool in the fridge before serving. Top with sifted powdered sugar or non-dairy whipped topping!
