Vegetarian/Vegan/Plant Based Thanksgiving

The years I was plant-based, I made mushroom risotto for a main one year and a quinoa-stuffed acorn squash the next year. I’m not a fan of fake meats in general. Both were delicious and I’d still rather eat them than turkey!

I absolutely LOVE the idea of eating all the sides!

The only fake meat product we eat is the Beyond Sausage Hot Italian, which isn’t very thanksgivigish. Last year we made oven roasted tofu bites (from the “It doesn’t taste like chicken” site - but with way more spices than she uses, kind of like the ChickfilA nuggets).

So I had a little bit of that. And then ALL THE SIDES!

My daughter is vegetarian. She agrees the Tofurky product is rubbery and blah-tasting. She said the Field Roast product itself is a little tasteless but the gravy was good. She's enjoys the side dishes though and since she isn't vegan I can make some richer sides with dairy ingredients. At Thanksgiving I make separate dressing for her using vegetable broth in place of chicken or turkey stock and I leave out the sausage I put in the non-vegetarian version and add more mushrooms.. We usually have several vegetable side dishes and mashed potatoes or au gratin potatoes.

Last year for Christmas (after the low-flavor Field Roast product at Thanksgiving) I made a Curry Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower for my DD's "main dish". Because it was whole it looked more like a main dish than a side and it was something special I normally would not have made.

With a greater variety of plant-based meat substitutes available I'm hoping to see some better main-dish options in the future.

It's NYT cooking - not sure if they give you a number of free recipes or not. cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017760-vegan-mushroom-make-ahead-gravy

Trader Joe's version of Tofurkey is quite good. I'm a strict vegan, but since I serve dinner to my son and others who may or may not eat plant-based diets I cook both a turkey and a Trader Joe's tofurkey loaf, as well as, a number of side dishes, most of which are vegan. I think you have to follow the directions on the fake meat very closely to get it to taste good. Last year, my son actually preferred the fake meat and fake gravy to the real thing. So I had to share.

Edited to add: I will make things like Stovetop Stuffing, and mashed potatoes by substituting vegan products for milk, eggs, and cheese. In my experience, the only vegan cheese worth eating is the cashew cheese I make myself, OR, Miyoko's products. Miyoko's is so much better than any of the others.

I am not a vegetarian/vegan but two of my kids are and I made this Vegan Nut Loaf for them for Christmas a couple years back. It was a big hit with them. I don't like nuts or chickpeas so I didn't try it.

These stuffed pumpkin recipes popped up in my YouTube recommendations this week. One is meat based, the other vegan. Not sure how well it will go with your side dishes, but I thought it looked festive. youtu.be/jbKW38FH_SY

ETA: Just went back and watched the video again. The meat one would also be easy to adapt as it uses small pieces of meat.

I am vegan, I usually eat with my inlaws and they make (mostly) vegan sides so there are plenty of things to choose from.
One year I did the Gardein holiday roast and I thought it was pretty good. I think I also remember a field roast one that came in puff pastry.
This year I may order the hassleback squash as a main from our local vegan restaurant, or the vegan turkey from the south african place.

I don't usually eat fake meat, but when I am bringing something to share with others I will bring something like that so they can try it.
But usually there is so much that I can eat I don't feel left out either way.

itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/seriously-the-best-lentil-shepherds-pie/

My family and friends really like Lentil Shepherd's Pie - this isn't exactly the recipe I've used (no BBQ sauce, for one thing) but it's a start.

I'm going to try this soup!   Quick Thai Peanut Butter Pumpkin Soup


itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/10-minute-thai-peanut-butter-pumpkin-soup/

I am whole food plant based, as is DH, my kids are not. We don't eat any fake meat. I make an excellent seitan roast which even my kids like, and all the sides.

I’m another who is happy eating all “sides”. I’m way to happy chowing down on my very full plate to miss any thing “meatlike”.

I do love mushrooms. And gravy. I have to be gluten free, and the majority of fake meats use vital wheat gluten as their first ingredient.

That lentil shepherds pie sounds really good.