We’ve already had a lot to celebrate this month (2021 is looking up)! And to top things off, my favorite holiday is fast approaching. It’s Thanksgiving time!
While we may not be able to celebrate with all our family and friends this year, it’s still important to make the day special. And a big part of that is cooking up some delicious dishes to savour with your loved ones, whether seated side by side at the table or virtually.
Since our family has gone vegetarian, those dishes are a little different this year. But there are still plenty of ways to modify the classics so that you can still enjoy them — even if you’re vegan. Here are some of my favorites:
Stuffing
No need to give this up if you’re eating plant-based. Simply switch out butter for a vegetable-based spread. Here’s our modern take on making it the old fashioned way.
Here are the ingredients:
- 1 or 2 bags of Pepperidge Farm herb-seasoned stuffing mix
- Carrots, between 5-8 sticks, chopped finely
- Celery, between 5-8 sticks, chopped finely
- 1 large white onion, chopped finely
- Garlic, 1 clove chopped finely
- Dried cranberries, 1 cup
- Walnuts (or chestnuts — whatever your heart desires), 1 cup
- Miyoko’s Cultured Vegan Butter, half a stick
- Salt and pepper
First, sauté your large white onion in Miyoko’s Vegan Butter. Throw in chopped celery, garlic, salt and pepper. Once you have that base, add in cranberries and finely chopped carrots and walnuts. Then it’s time to add the stuffing! After that’s all mixed, put it in a cooking dish and cook until the top is lightly toasted — about 20-30 minutes on 350. Then let it cool.
Roast vegetables
Delicious and super nutritious. For this dish, you can steam or grill your veggies. We love sweet potatoes, carrots, root vegetable, green beans and broccoli. But just about any veggies will do!
Cranberry sauce
For killer cranberry sauce, boil a bag’s worth of cranberries and a cup of sugar in water. Stir them until they open up, soften, thicken and gel. Pour the sauce in a pan and let it sit for a bit, then put it in the fridge. You can make the sauce the night before or the day of.
Pie
I love to make fresh pumpkin pie for dessert. It’s easiest to get pre-prepared vegan pie crust. You’ll also want to pick up pumpkin puree, coconut cream, cornstarch, brown sugar and spices. Stir up the ingredients and pour them onto the crust, then bake at 350 degrees for an hour.
Apple pie is another classic option. There’s something about apples and cinnamon that makes for a divine November treat.
Now, no Thanksgiving meal is complete without a fabulous wine. With Lake Placid’s cold, cozy winter, I like to get a full bodied Pinot Noir. One of my favorites is the Reserve Pinot Noir from Angeline Vineyards.
We have a small family, but Thanksgiving always gives me a chance to appreciate it even more. Whatever your plans are this year, we hope you enjoy some delectable food while you take stock of what and who you are grateful for.
