If you are a vegetarian, you can still celebrate the Thanksgiving with happiness without turkey. What you need to do is just come out with some ideas that can be both enjoyable and tasteful. You need to know that the major celebration of Thanksgiving is actually not on the food, but rather it is in the belief as well as the celebration itself. The most important thing is that you should having a wonderful moment by getting together with your friends and family. Whether your family and friends are vegan or not, you should try to prepare for a Thanksgiving dinner that are completely vegan without turkey.
Here are some vegan Thanksgiving dinner recipes that you can refer to.
For a good, vegan cornbread, use the recipe from my Cornbread Chili Pie.
1 8″ x 8″ pan of cornbread cooled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion diced
1 carrot diced finely
1 shallot diced
1 tablespoon thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons sage minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup pecans toasted
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried apricots diced
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock (see here for the recipe)
6 apples
After the cornbread has cooled completely, cut it into 1″ cubes. Spread them out on a baking sheet and bake at 350º for 10 minutes. Flip the cubes over and bake for another 10 minutes. The cornbread should be dry and slightly crispy at the edges. Allow to cool.
Prepare the apples. Slice apples in half through the stem. Scoop the inside out so that the edges are 1/4″ thick.
Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion, carrot, and shallot. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme and sage and cook for 3 minutes. Add the cornbread to the pot with the pecans, cranberries, and apricots, and stir. Taste for salt and pepper. Add the vegetable stock to the mixture and stir gently.
Heat the oven to 350º. Spoon 1/2 cup of the cornbread into the apple halves. Place the apple halves into an oven proof dish, and add 3/4 cup of water to the bottom of the dish. Cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 50 minutes. Broil on high for remaining 5 minutes, until the top of the stuffing is crispy and golden.
*You can also make this stuffing without the apples. Just spoon the cornbread mixture into an oven proof dish and bake, covered, for 1 hour; then broil, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
Colleen Boucher is the creator and writer of the blog Dinner Peace ( http://dinnerpeace.blogspot.com ). She is an evolving vegan eater, and recipe creator, health advocate, and wellness specialist. Dinner Peace is a blog for current vegans, vegetarians, and anyone interested in occasionally trying to go meatless, lose weight, or just get healthy.
4 potatoes peeled and quartered
3/4 cup non-dairy sour cream (I recommend Tofutti brand)
1 cup unsweetened hemp milk
1 head garlic
Salt to taste
Heat oven to 325º. Cut the top off the head of garlic, so the cloves are exposed. Place in a small oven proof dish, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 1 hour, or until the garlic is golden and bubbly.
Place potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a knife can be easily inserted.
Pour milk into a small saucepan. Heat milk, but do not boil.
Mash potatoes with a potato masher (duh!), or with a potato ricer. You can also whip them in a stand mixer, but the results will be less even. Add the sour cream, and stir, or blend, until evenly distributed. Slowly add the warm milk to the potatoes, until you have achieved a smooth and moist consistency. Taste for salt. Serve immediately. If you are serving them in the next two hours. Pour 1/4 cup milk over the potatoes and cover with foil. Stir, and reheat if necessary, and serve!
What you will need for the tofu roast:
* One tofu loaf or vegetarian roast
* ¼ cup of melted butter or olive oil (or 1/8 cup of each)
* 2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning
* 1 teaspoon of paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon of thyme
* 1/4 teaspoon of sage
* Salt and pepper to taste
Spread the melted butter/olive oil all over the tofu roast. In another bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients. Note: if you are using fresh herbs, then mix them and keep the paprika separate. Sprinkle the herb mix on the tofu roast and then bake it according to the package directions.
If you want to serve a tofu roast with stuffing, here is a recipe:
You will need to make your tofu roast from scratch so you can put the stuffing into the roast. The following receipt serves 4 people:
What you will need for the roast:
* 16 ounces of firm tofu
* 1 teaspoon of salt
* 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon of marjoram
* 1/4 teaspoon of savory
Ingredients for the stuffing:
* 1 12-ounce package of stuffing mix
* 2/3 cup water
* 1/4 cup buttery spread
* 1 slice of whole grain bread, cubed
* 2 additional tablespoons water
* 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Ingredients for the glaze:
* 1 teaspoon vegetarian barbeque sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
* 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
* 1 teaspoon orange juice
* 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Directions for the roast with stuffing and glaze:
1. Blend the tofu until it is smooth and then stir in the salt, pepper, savory and marjoram.
2. Put two layers of paper towels into a colander and put the colander on top of a bowl. Pour the tofu mixture into the colander, pressing it along the sides so that a well forms in the center of the mixture. Cover this mixture in the colander with two more layers of paper towels and put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
3. Put the stuffing mix, 2/3 cup of water and the buttery spread into a saucepan and cook according to the package directions on the stuffing box. Add sage, cubed bread and 2 tablespoons of water.
4. Take the tofu out of the refrigerator and remove the two layers of the paper towels that are on top of the tofu in the colander. Fill the well in the middle of the tofu with the stuffing mix. Grease a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Put the baking sheet on the top of the colander that contains the tofu and turn the colander over so that the tofu with the stuffing mixture forms a mound on the greased baking sheet. Remove the two layers of paper towels that were on the bottom on the colander, covering the tofu.
5. Bake the tofu turkey at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
6. Prepare the glaze for the tofu turkey by mixing all of the ingredients that remain, including the 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil that are left over.
7. Take the tofu turkey out of the oven and brush it with the glaze. Bake the tofu for another 20 minutes. If you want the tofu turkey to have a crispy brown top, put the turkey under the broiler for about 3 minutes.
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* Prepare appetizers with warm pita bread and veggies.
* Make vegetable lasagna. For this you can use carrots, diced zucchini, and tiny broccoli pieces instead of meat.
* Cook a hash brown casserole with green beans and corn. Add almonds to the beans while baking.
* Flavor your mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese and garlic. Use mushroom gravy or vegan margarine as dips.
* Use French bread and bake your favorite recipe.
* Get black olives, red onions, diced tomatoes, grated carrots, and bell peppers and toss a scrumptious salad.
* For the dessert, prepare the traditional pumpkin pie. It’s better to make the crust at home because crust from the store may contain lard.
With so many options for vegetarians, the turkey-eaters may get curious and turn to a vegetarian Thanksgiving recipe this holiday. What’s more you can make your menu stand out of the usual dishes. Cooking innovative vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner recipes is a surefire way to surprise your guests and give their taste buds that much wanted change!
Vege Island
Skillet Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
1 spaghetti squash
olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can cannellini beans, drained
sea salt
black pepper
paprika
thyme
parsley
2 to 3 cups fresh spinach
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Split squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place halves cut-side down in covered baking dish, either oiled or with ½ inch water. Bake for 30 minutes.
2. When the squash is almost done, sauté garlic in olive oil in a small skillet. Add cannellini beans, stirring carefully to keep beans intact. Add sea salt, black pepper, paprika, thyme, and parsley to taste (but don’t be too shy, because the seasonings are what give it a yummy kick).
3. Remove squash from the oven. Heat a large skillet with some olive oil (and more garlic if desired). Scrape the squash into spaghetti strings with a fork and transfer to the skillet. Add spinach and toss. Cover to speed up steaming of the spinach. When spinach is semi-wilted, transfer squash and spinach mixture to plates. Top with the seasoned beans and serve.
Source of recipe: Experimenting in the kitchen. You can experiment with different kinds of beans and greens (ie, perhaps black beans and kale) as well as other herbs and spices, but my fiancé thought this particular combination was very tasty. It’s definitely a nice change from grain-based dishes, and it still leaves your tummy satisfied.
Makes: 2 servings, Preparation time: 15 minutes , Cooking time: 30 minutes to bake
Yams and Apples
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
6 to 8 yams
5 to 6 pippen or golden delicious apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup margarine
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Boil yams until barely tender (whole or cut width wise, in big pieces). Peel. Cool. Slice and alternate yams and peeled apple rings in margarined casserole dish. Boil together: 1/2 c. vegan sugar, 1 c. water, 1/4 c. margarine, 1 1/2 T cornstarch and 1/2 t salt, until it begins to thicken. Pour over yams and apples and bake covered at 350 for 1 hr.
Source: recipe is from my mom-in-law
Serves: 8-10
Wow, this time of year, I really feel for you vegans because it is all about the turkey or ham, or creamy soups and casserole dishes, all containing animal products!
Maybe you can do a dish with squash or cranberries or potatoes. Sub accordingly for vegan standards in the recipes you find, I have heard that for cream you can use non dairy creamer, and for butter there is margarine. But I think it is kind of ridiculous to make a vegan recipe “taste” like meat. Don’t try to imitate meat, just let your veggie dish shine on its own merit.
Savory Nut Loaf
This nut loaf is a loose recipe because I never make it the same way twice. It depends on what I have on hand. If you are vegan, you do not have to use the eggs or cheese, or you could use soy cheese; add a little more veggie stock to make it moist enough. Leftover slices are great in a sandwich the following day.
Ingredients:
About 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 or 2 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 medium onion, chopped fine
5 or 6 cloves garlic, minced
About 1 cup sliced mushrooms, optional
About 1 cup any leftover chopped vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, squash, etc. (optional)
4 to 5 cups coarsely chopped nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews; use a couple of kinds, perhaps some sunflower or pumpkin seeds, too)
About 2 cups of cooked grains (rice, wheat, bulgur, quinoa, millet)
About 1 cup soft whole-wheat bread crumbs
2 to 3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 to 1/2 cup tomato or V-8 juice
1/2 to 1 cup vegetable broth, divided
2 to 3 teaspoons tamari soy sauce or Braggs’ Aminos
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh minced thyme or marjoram
1/2 cup fresh minced parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Heat oven to 350°F. Line loaf pan with foil and oil or butter it; set aside.
In medium sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add celery and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and other vegetables, if you are using them, and sauté for another 2 minutes or so.
In large bowl, combine nuts, grains and bread crumbs. Transfer sautéed vegetables to nut mixture. Add eggs, tomato juice, half the vegetable broth, tamari and herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well to blend. If mixture seems dry, add remaining broth.
Transfer mixture to loaf pan and pat smooth. Bake about 45 minutes, until firm and golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on serving plate. Slice and serve. Yields 1 loaf.
Spicy Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
1 1/2 c ap flour
1/3 c cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cardamom
1 1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 c sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1 c cold coffee
2 t vanilla extract
2 T vinegar
Peanut Butter Frosting:
2 T peanut butter
1 T agave syrup
1/2 c Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine)
2 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together from the flour to the sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the coffee, oil and vanilla. Dump the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix until combined. Stir in the vinegar until the vinegar combines with everything. You’ll see streaks from the vinegar which means the magic is working. Pour into paper-lined muffin tins and bake for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
In a small saucepan, melt peanut butter and agave syrup over medium heat. Remove to cool slightly. Using a mixer, briskly beat margarine and sugar together until fluffy. Add in peanut butter mixture and vanilla. If necessary, whisk in more sugar to stiffen or some soy milk to thin slightly. Once the consistency is ideal and your cupcakes are completely cool, frost and decorate cupcakes.
Tomato & Cilantro Broth
From Ananda Spa in India
The low-fat, low-calorie, and vegan broth is loaded with disease-fighting herbs and spices, including ginger, which has anti-inflammatory properties and is a digestive aid, cinnamon, which has been shown to help balance blood sugar, and garlic, which has powerful antimicrobial properties. If you are following an Ayurvedic diet, the experts at Ananda recommend this for vata and kapha doshas.
Ingredients:
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves (about 11 cloves)
1/8 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (about 10 peppercorns), lightly crushed
2 fresh bay leaves (or 4 dried)
2 green cardamom pods
6 medium tomatoes, quartered and seeded (about 3 pounds total)
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 (3/4-inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 large bunch fresh cilantro, stems reserved and leaves finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Special equipment: 1 (3-inch) square cheesecloth; kitchen string
Preparation:
Make spice sachet by wrapping together in cheesecloth the cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, and cardamom pods. Tie with kitchen string.
In heavy, large pot over high heat, stir together 4 cups water, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cilantro stems, 1 teaspoon salt, and spice sachet. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until reduced by 1/3, about 30 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into large cle
Lisa’s Famous Shepard’s Pie
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
TOFU MIXTURE:
1 lb block firm tofu (must be frozen solid & then thawed)
1 onion chopped
2 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon coriander
pinch pepper
1/2 cp. walnuts (toasted & chopped)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1-2 tablespoon tamari
MASHED POTATO:
4 potatoes peeled & cubed
3 tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup soy milk
dash of salt to taste
MUSHROOM GRAVY:
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoon tamari or Braggs
pinch of pepper
1 1/2 cps of potato water
2 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water
Directions:
TOFU MIXTURE: Once tofu is defrosted, squeeze out all water like a sponge. Shred into small pieces. Toast walnuts lightly on cookie sheet in oven until lightly browned, then chop.
Fry onion, oil and spices on med heat until translucent. Add tofu, nuts, lemon juice and tamari. Continue to stir while cooking for 5-10 minutes. MASHED POTATOES:
Boil potatoes in large pot until soft. Drain & place back in pot or in a large bowl. add margarine, soy milk & salt to taste. Mash.
MUSHROOM GRAVY: Dissolve cornstarch in water in small bowl. Fry mushrooms with oil on med-low heat in small saucepan for 3-4 minutes. add tamari, pepper & potatoes to water. Bring to simmer for 2 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and stir constantly on low heat until thickened.
Place Tofu mixture in bottom of baking dish. (I use a glass baking bowl about 6-8 inches deep and 10 inches wide) Then add mushroom gravy on top, followed by potatoes. Smooth top of potatoes and add a few pads of margarine on the top.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately! Serves as excellent main dish for Thanksgiving and is well worth the time spent making it. *HINT* Get someone to help you prep and it will cut your time in half! ENJOY!
Serves: 4 as main/ 6-8 as side
Preparation time: awhile
There are some great recipes here for further ideas.