A Plant-Based Thanksgiving

 I get a lot of questions about what we serve for Thanksgiving since we don't have turkey gracing our table.  I thought I would just share the recipes we use to just to give an idea of what it could be.  Our dinner is simple but delicious, and while not "traditional", each dish has the traditional version in mind. 

I didn't know I would be making this post when we ate, so I don't have pictures of each dish.  BUT...I did happen to take a picture of my plate.  The only dish not pictured: the cranberry sauce

While the following recipes are tweaked variations of someone else's, I can't remember whose, and since the tweaks have been many and are years old, it would be hard for me to go back and give credit where credit is truly due, and for that, I apologize.  I'm so thankful for the many food-bloggers out there who have been my inspiration and provided such wonderful recipes!

Thanksgiving Lentil Loaf

• 1 1/2 cups dry lentils
• 3 cups broth
• 2 cups (packed) finely chopped or grated sweet onion (1 large)
• 1 1/2 TBLS minced garlic
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrot
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, chopped fine
• 1 TBLS fresh thyme, plus 1 1/2 tsp dry
• 1 1/2 tsp dried: thyme, oregano, and sage
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup flaxmeal
• 3/4 cup oatflour
• 3/4 cup cornmeal (coarse is best)

• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 TBLS unsweet applesauce
• 2 TBLS balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp brown sugar (opt)

--Cook lentils in broth until tender.  Remove 1 cup and mash the remaining.  Add whole lentils back into bowl and recombine.

--Steam/saute onion and garlic until soft.  Add celery, carrot and mushroom.  Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the mushroom start to release their juices and carrots soften. 

-- Add the herbs and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.  Add salt.

--Stir the flaxmeal, oatflour and cornmeal into the lentil mixture.  Add the veggie mixture and stir until mixed well.  If it's dry, add a 1-2 TBLS of water.

--Press firmly into a 9x5 oiled loaf pan (trick: put some parchment paper down in order to lift it out easily!).  **You can chill it at this point up to 2 days ahead.

--Make the glaze by mixing the ketchep, applesauce and vinegar.  Spread on top of loaf.

--Bake uncovered @350 for 1 hour.  Let it cool for 20 minutes and then lift it out and continue to let it cool for another 20-30 minutes before slicing.  Serve with gravy (recipe below)

Gravy

Yield: 2 cups (more than enough for the loaf -- I always have tons of extra, but it makes a great salad dressing of sorts!)

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 cups broth
• 2 TBLS nutritional yeast
• 2 TBLS soy sauce
• 1 TBLS Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 tsp dried: rosemary, thyme, and sage
• 3 TBLS cornstarch + 1-2 TBLS water at the end

-- Steam/saute onion and garlic 5-7 minutes until soft

-- Add remaining (minus cornstarch and water)

-- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes

-- Carefully puree

-- Mix the cornstarch and water together and then add to the gravy, stirring constantly

-- Heat 3-5 minutes until thick

**You can prep this up to 2 days ahead

Harvest Grain "Stuffing" 

Yield: 6 cups

(I just have to say that while I love the flavor of stuffing, I never liked the soggy bread texture, so I created this version, easily made GF by using rice)

• 1/2 package Trader Joes Harvest Grain Blend, or 1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous, or other grain
• 3 cups broth
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped carrot
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 3/4 tsp dried: rosemary, thyme, and sage
• 1/2-3/4 cup extra broth
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
• 1/4 tsp pepper, to taste

-- Cook grain according to directions

-- Steam/sauté carrot, celery and onion until soft, 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic, 2-3 minutes.  Add herbs and cook til fragrant, 2-3 minutes.

-- Add cooked grain with a little extra broth, stirring to gain a thick creamy texture.  Add more to your liking.

-- Add raisins and s&p to taste. (The raisins add a natural sweetness that I love, but if the stuff you love is raisin-free, feel free to leave it out!)

**You can prep this up to 2 days ahead, just leave out the raisins until you're ready to reheat and serve.

Slightly Spiced Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Yield: 4-5 cups (I usually double this as it's the crowd favorite!)

• 8 cups cubed sweet potatoes (washed well, skins on)
• 1/3 cup sugar-free apple sauce
• 2-3TBLS brown sugar (opt)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

-- Combine all in a crockpot and set to high for 4 hours (Alternatively, you can cook the potatoes however you wish and then add everything to them and mash them)

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Potatoes

Yield: 4-5 cups

(While I've made this with only cauliflower before, it ends up being too "runny" and I found that using half cauliflower and half potatoes not only added the starch needed to make them creamy, but the little flecks or red and purple add some visual texture)

• 1 large head of cauliflower, stem and core removed
• 1 1/2 lb multi-colored baby potetoes
• 2 heads roasted garlic (or 3 TBLS minced garlic in a pinch)
• s&p to taste

-- Make sure cauliflower florets aren't too large, and half any potatoes that are larger than an inch

-- In an InstantPot with a silicone colander in place and a cup of water in the bottom, put the potatoes in first, topping with the cauliflower

-- Set on High Pressure for 3 minutes, quick release when done

--Carefully transfer to food processor along with the garlic and puree until creamy

--If you don't have access to an instant pot, you can steam the potatoes and cauliflower and you can also just simply mash them my hand for a more rustic look

Maple-Balsamic Roasted Green Beans with Rainbow Carrots

• 1 lb fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
• 1 lb rainbow carrots, skinned, halved and sliced lengthwise
• 1 small red onion, sliced thin (opt)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 TBLS Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary & thyme
• s&p to taste

-- Mix vinegar, maple syrup and mustard in a small bowl with the herbs

-- Combine the bean, carrots and onion in a large bowl, or a ziplock bag.  Add the dressing mixture and stir until well coated

-- Roast @ 400 for 45 minutes, shaking/stirring once mid way through

Cranberry Sauce with Apple and Orange

• 2 12oz bags fresh cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar 
• 3 cups chopped granny smith apples
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• zest from 1 large orange (use the orange for some of the juice!)

-- Combine cranberries, liquids and sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium until berries begin to pop

-- When most berries are burst, add the apples, cinnamon and zest and cook over medium another 5-10 minutes until thickened

-- Remove from heat and cool, and then chill.

Oher items we always have:

• Corn
• Rolls/Bread
• Baby gherkins
• Dessert 

Cran-Apple Crisp & Cran-Orange Relish

This crisp will be gracing our Thanksgiving dessert table this year.  Oh wow.  It's perfect for any gathering, or plain old day, this Harvest season!  I have played around with the combinations of the crisp -- using only apples is the best way to go, followed by a mix of pears and apples (lessen sugar to 1/3 cup if you use pears!), and all pears coming in last.  Still good, but not fabulous like the apple versions.

We enjoy this  a la mode, but feel free to drop a scoop of pure vanilla ice cream on top!

Cran-Apple Harvest Crisp

Serves 8

What you'll need:

• 6 cup peeled and chopped Granny Smith apples (sometimes I sub a cup or two of honeycrisp or pears)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• ¼ c white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 TBLS cinnamon

Crumble Crust

• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 3 TBLS chilled butter OR coconut oil

What you'll do:

• Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly spray a 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray
• Place the apple chunks, craisins, sugars, and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir until the apples are well coated.  Pour into the baking dish.
• In a smaller bowl, combine the flour and oats.  With a pastry cutter or fork, cut in chilled butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.  
• Pour the crumble crust mixture on top of the apples, spreading evenly.
• Bake uncovered for 1 hour.
• Let stand for 5-10 minutes

And now for one of my all-time favorite additions to any holiday table. This cranberry orange relish is simple and delicious and comes together in a snap with the help of a food processor!

Cranberry Orange Relish

(makes 3 cups)

What you'll need:

• 1/2 cup pecan halves (opt)
• 12 oz bag of whole cranberries, rinsed
• 1 orange OR 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup sugar

What you'll do:

• If using the pecans, place those in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.  Empty into a medium-sized serving bowl.
• Dump the cranberries into the food processor and pulse until finely chopped (be sure to leave some texture - the goal is not to puree).  Empty into the serving bowl.
• If using orange juice, pour it into the serving bowl now & skip the next two steps.
• Use a fine grater on the orange peel until you have 1/2 tsp of zest (the goal is to scrape off just the orange part as you grate--the white pith has a bitter flavor).  Empty zest into the serving bowl.
• Discard remainder of orange peel & any seeds, then place segments of fruit in food processor and puree.  Empty the puree into the serving bowl.
• Pour sugar in serving bowl and stir until dissolved.
• Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Note:  Cranberries freeze exceptionally well, so I buy an extra bag while they are in season and freeze for later use.

Time Tip:

• Make this a whole day ahead

Mashed Potatoes Two Ways

With Thanksgiving just a week away, our thoughts wander to the festive table we'll sit down to.  And the mashed potatoes we'll likely pile on our plate.  Personally, I was never one for mashed spuds -- I'm more of a stuffing girl -- but that all changed when I started using different types of potatoes (and adding in squash) to make the mashed potatoes a little more interesting.  I'm still a stuffing girl, but these piles of mashed goodness give stuffing a run for its money!


First up, mashed potatoes meets butternut squash!

This twist on simple mashed potatoes gives the side dish more nutritional heartiness.  It's also a no-think recipe with the use of the crock-pot!  We love the added hint of garlic and could easily eat these once a week!  For budget reasons - please wait until you find a good deal on the butternut squash if you can, and if you can't find one small enough, just cook and freeze the rest for another recipe! (You can also find already peeled and cubed butternut squash in the freezer section of most supermarkets.)

Butternut Mashed Potatoes

Serves 8-10 (5 cups total)

Active time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hrs

Total time: 3 hrs 20 minutes

Serving Suggestions:  Along side lentil loaf with a green salad or roasted asparagus.

What you'll need:

• 4 cups diced (1 in) red or new potatoes, washed, skin on
• 4 cups diced (1 in) butternut squash, peeled
• 5 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3 TBLS olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp crushed dried rosemary

What you'll do:

• Place everything in a crockpot, cover, and cook on high for 3 hours. Stir occasionally.
• Mash until almost everything is creamy.
  
  
  
  

Next up, sweet potatoes fit for your Thanksgiving table, or a Wednesday night supper!

Usually people think mashed sweet potatoes go hand-in-hand with the holidays.  These, though, are so subtly spiced you can serve these any time of the year (but especially during the holidays)!  Feel free to half the recipe to accommodate for a simple supper.

Simply Spiced Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Serves 12

Active time: 15 minutes

Cook Time:  15 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Serving Suggestions: Eat this lovely side dish with a dinner like lentil-loaf along with some green beans.

What you'll need:

• 8 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes OR unpeeled for a more rustic and nutritious texture
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

What you'll do:

• Cook your sweet potatoes either in the microwave, in the oven, or in a pot of boiling water, until they are soft and tender.
• Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients.
• Mash until smooth and ingredients are all incorporated.
• Add a little water if they are too dry.

Slightly Glazed Carrots & Seasoned Red Potatoes

Thanksgiving is 10 days from today, people!  Do you know what you're having?  Here are two suggestions if you're looking for easy and healthy sides to fill the table out.

So incredibly simple and oil free!  A lot of times, glazed carrots and gooey and sticky, and I just don't like that.  These babies and just ever so slightly glazed.  The glaze gives them just a little oomph for a special dinner if needed, or, if you have kids (or a husband) who isn't fond of carrots, maybe this will be the turning point without compromising on health.

I got the idea over here, but tweaked it pretty well.

Slightly Cider Glazed Carrots
serves 4-6 sides

• 1 lb baby carrots (3-4 cups)
• 2 TBLS packed brown sugar
• 1 TBLS apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp paprika 

-- Cook or roast carrots.  Drain if needed.

-- Mix remaining ingredients together until sugar dissolves.  Simply pour over carrots and stir to coat well.  You can also heat it all together in a small sauce pan (preferred if there is time). 

----

These red potatoes are such that you could eat them in the summer next to a burger, or next week alongside your turkey (or stuffed acorn squash).  My boys love these, and since I buy white potatoes so rarely, this is my preferred way to eat them when I do buy them for another recipe (read: soup) and have leftovers. Like most dishes involving balsamic vinegar, they're even better after a few days.  I've even eaten these cold, and they're fabulous!

Seasoned Red Potatoes

Serves: 6 (1 cup portions)

Active time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total time: 13 minutes

Serving Suggestions:  With pretty much any main dish that you would serve potatoes with.  Grilled chicken, green beans, and/or a small bowl of soup.  

What you'll need:

• 6 cups small cubed red potatoes
• 1 TBLS olive oil
• 3 TBLS balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp crushed spices: thyme, basil, and oregano are our favorite OR Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

What you'll do:

• Boil, roast, or microwave potatoes until “fork tender”.  
• Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients in a small bowl.
• Once potatoes are done, drain if necessary, and place in serving bowl.  Pour "sauce" over the potatoes and stir to coat.

Alternative: Add 3 cups chopped and cooked green beans (12 oz frozen bag).  Increase Balsamic Vinegar to ¼ cup and herbs to 1 TBLS.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Green Beans with Mushrooms

The next few posts are all going to be good solid sides in preparation for Thanksgiving!  I figure everyone is either going to be eating Turkey or Stuffed Acorn Squash or delicious Lentil Loaf and just need some sides to fill in the gaps between the rolls and dessert!

These green beans are very simple and easy to put together, but for whatever reason, the addition of mushroom and thinly sliced sauteed onions all sauteed with some very dry sherry or white wine just makes them seem so much more elegant.   If I want them to be extra fancy, I will use the fancy "thinner" green beans (not French!).  Everyone loves these and I love their simplicity. And really, they are so much better for you than the creamy green bean casserole!

Green Beans with Mushrooms
serves 6-8

• 1 large sweet onion, cut in half and sliced thin
• 1 lb fancy green beans -- either frozen or fresh
• 8 pk sliced mushrooms, either white or baby bellas
• 1/4 cup very dry sherry or white wine

-- Start by satuing the onion for 3-4 minutes.

-- Add in the remaining ingredients and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until green beans are cooked through and mushrooms are soft and onions starting to turn brown, about 15 minutes 

White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Bark

Disclaimer: there is nothing healthy about these babies.  They are delicious and we're all about moderation over here, so a little indulgence is just wonderful!  Also, it's a very easy treat to whip up to add to any cookie plate you may be handing out to neighbors.

I made the entire thing in under 10 minutes while talking on the phone...so I mean it when I say it's easy!  I liked the idea of white chocolate dipped pretzels and then dipped in candy cane shards, but I realized that would be too labor intensive with 2 little boys running around, so I thought this up.  I'm sure it's not original with me, I just figured if you can do peppermint bark, why not add broken up pretzels?  I'm glad it worked!

I used all white chocolate because, for this, I think it's prettier, but I think it would look good with layers, too.  You would just have an extra step thrown in there and it would take longer, though just as easy.

Anyway, here's the simple "recipe".  Have fun and enjoy!

White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Bark

12 oz almond bark
12 oz white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups broken small pretzels
1 cup (or more!) broken candy canes (I used the mini ones.  more unwrapping, but easier smashing.  I could have used the food processor, I guess, but I was having fun smashing...)

--In a large microwave safe bowl, follow direction for melting the chocolate and almond bark.  I put mine together in for 2 minutes.  Stirred, and then popped it in for one more minute.
-- Stir in the pretzel pieces and candy cane shards until everything is evenly coated
-- Spread evenly onto a lightly greased, or non-stick, tin foil and flatten to your liking.
-- Chill for 20-30 minutes until firm and ready to crack.

If you want it extra pepperminty, add a teaspoon or two of peppermint extract.

It's not too late

I went out this morning to get our healthy treats for our stockings in lieu of candy.  If you're confused by this statement, unconfuse yourself here!

So I ended up getting:

• huge, succulent, Medjool dates
• dried (sugar free) mango slices
• dried (sugar free) papaya spears
• dried pear sliced
• dried sweet cherries

I still need to get the Cuties (shopping trip on Thursday for that and other things for Christmas Eve and Christmas day -- not looking forward to the crowds of people who are thinking the same way I am, but hey -- you gotta do what you gotta do, right?) and Poms, but otherwise, all other stocking stuffers are accounted for and wrapped.

 Speaking of wrapping, I was quite pleased with the way these turned out.  I am SO. NOT. CRAFTY. so I know these could be wrapped so much cuter, but this is me we're talking about here, so I was actually fairly impressed that they don't look horrible.  At least they're not in sandwich bags, right?

You laugh, but sandwich bags were what I was planning on using, or plain Saran Wrap with ties, if I hadn't remembered I had these goody bags and ties laying around.

Chocolate Peppermint Bark

These little chunks of pepperminty goodness were so easy to make my three-year old helped me!  They are pretty and fairly inexpensive to make a big batch to break apart and give as gifts or put in stockings.  I made one batch and was able to fill an entire paper plate and six little goody bags for neighbors.  Gotta love that, right? 

The recipe I followed called for more candy canes than I think is necessary, so while I followed their directions, the amount on here is what I think would be better.  Less chunks falling off and wasted. :)

Chocolate Peppermint Bark

• 2 12 oz bags of chocolate chips - I used one milk and one dark and that was perfect
• 2 t peppermint extract
• 16 candy canes, unwrapped, put in a large ziplock bag, and smashed!  (so fun for a 3 year old!)

-- In a glass bowl, melt the chocolate chips in your microwave until smooth and creamy (4-5 minutes on medium)
-- Stir in the extract and about half of the crushed candy canes (I used a spoon to get the larger chunks into the chocolate, saving the smaller pieces and pretty dust for the top)
-- Spoon the chocolate mixture onto a wax paper-lined cookie sheet or jelly roll pan (preferred) and spread it as evenly as possible
-- Sprinkle the remaining candy canes on top and gently press them into the chocolate to prevent from falling off
-- Stick in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until hardened and then break into chunks and enjoy the "crumbs"

Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake

I'm not really sure what defines   a coffee cake.  The ability to eat it in the morning ... with coffee?  The cinnamon?  The wonderful streusel topping?  I'm really not sure. 

Since I'm really not sure what exactly constitutes a coffee cake, I'm not really sure what to call this dessert.  Light cake with a hint of cinnamon and a layer of apple with a streusel topping?  Yeah - probably not.

Any way you look at it, here's a recipe for a deliciously light cake perfect for Christmas morning, an after-dinner dessert with ice cream, or with mid-morning tea with friends.

Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping

• 1/2 c flour
• 3/4 t ground cinnamon
• 3 T chilled butter - cut
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/4 old fashioned oats

Cake batter

• 1 c flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/8 t salt
• 1/4 c butter - room temp
• 1/2 c white sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 t vanilla
• 1/3 c milk (almond or regular)

• 2 large Granny Smith apples - peel, core, cut into thin slices

-- In a small bowl, combine all the steusel ingredients and cut together with a pastry cutter until it's coarse and crumbly.  Set aside
-- Make the batter.  Combine the flour, baking powder and salt - set aside.
-- In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth.  Add the sugar and cream until combined.  Now add the egg and vanilla and cream some more.
-- Slowly add the milk and flour mix to the creamy bowl and mix until all wet and smooth.
--  Pour into a greased 8 or 9 inch spring-foam pan.  ( i put parchment or wax paper down and that helped out quite a bit).
-- Layer the apples on top of the batter in a circular pattern.  I did a double layer and it was perfect!
-- Sprinkle the apples with the streusel topping and pop in the oven for 45-50 minutes at 350 - until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.

Sweet Potato Casserole

This is by far the best sweet potato casserole I have ever tasted.

Ever.

The topping is sweet and crunchy.  The creamy insides have just the right spices to shout "Autumn" at you as you shovel bite after bite into your mouth.  Ahh...it was sweet potato casserole at its best.

And with Thanksgiving only THREE WEEKS away, I thought I'd share it with you all so you could enjoy it just like I know I will be.

I got the idea for this from Angela and I have decided that I just can not for the life of me follow a recipe to the T.  It's beyond me.  So here's my rendition.  Non-vegan but very easily made vegan if you want.

Sweet Potato Casserole

• 4 large sweet potatoes cooked and mashed (I always leave my skins on due to the nutrient factor, but you could peel the potatoes before cooking, too)
• 1 T unsweetened applesauce
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/4 c packed brown sugar
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1 t cinnamon

Topping

• 1/4 c chilled butter
• 1/2 c packed brown sugar
• 1/3 c flour

-- Once your potatoes are cooked (either boil them or cut them and put the in the microwave until soft) and mashed, preheat your oven to 350 and grease a 2 QT baking dish
-- Add the apple sauce, vanilla, brown sugar, salt and spices tot he potatoes and mash until they are all combined and the potatoes are even creamier than when you started.  Transfer to the baking dish.
--In a small bowl, combine the sugar and flour and with a pastry cutter, cut in the chilled butter until it looks like coarse crumbs.
-- Sprinkle evenly over the mashed orange goodness and pop it in the oven for about 50 minutes.  It should be golden brown on the top.

Once you bite into this, you'll think you're having dessert for dinner.  Ahh, you'll want to just take your fork and eat only the crust (although the mashed potato part of the casserole is just as good).  Or am I the only one who reacts this way?