kind classics: my thanksgiving menu
Last year we had a huge crowd over, and while I love to cook, there was a ton of family in my home and lots of commotion. I wanted to be present and not run around like an insane woman. I can't cook and talk at the same time - I get very focused while cooking, and can't answer questions. I just lack that ability! So, my solution was to do some cooking and some ordering in - a nice balance that allowed me to hang out with my family.
Christopher's mom Candy helped me a ton with the set up and keeping things warm. I asked my mom to be in charge of tea making - as that is her specialty!
This was my menu for Thanksgiving 2010:
Cheese from LEAF - this is sooo good! If you haven't tried it, you must get it, it's like cream cheese and it comes with yummy chips. It's all raw, but I still love it for the cheese taste - definitely something to win the hearts of meat eaters!
Field Roast Apple Smoked Sausages - always a hit with vegans and non-vegans alike!
Pecan-crusted Seitan - from my book (p. 154-155)
Wild Rice Cornbread Stuffing -we made this yummy recipe from Rachel Spurr!
Mashed Rutabegas & Potatoes from M Cafe
Tofurky Gravy - it's easy and good!
String Beans- I made these with my husband's step mom, Carol!
Sweet Potoatoes With Suzanne's Ricemellow Creme- Made these with Carol
Plain Biscuits from M Cafe- these are delicious!
Winter Salad from M Cafe -really good! Has a light crumble "cheese" on it with pears.
Cranberry Sauce - from my book (p. 162)
My Pecan Pie 
Pumpkin Cheesecake - from my friend Mark, whom I wrote about here. I served it with a little vanilla "ice cream"
Mulled Wine - from my book (p. 210)
Hot Apple Cider - so good with cloves and cinnamon sticks!
Organic Beer, and a little Champagne for dessert
Cucumber-Mint Water- a nice way to fancy up plain 'ol water for a special meal!
That's it! What are you planning to eat this Thanksgiving?
Related Stories:
My Thanksgiving Dinner
My Thanksgiving Videos!
Amazing Pumpkin Pie
21 comments
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For our first vegan Thanksgiving, we will be having flaky harvest vegetable squares (see the November cover of Vegetarian Times) instead of turkey. I like that they look like a proper main course instead of just another side. A nice, lighter option if you live somewhere warm, like us in Hawai'i! -
I think I would like the Pecan pie and Pumpkin cheesecake in particular, Miss Silverstone, now go and have a lovely day. You deserve it, xo. Have a great day, everyone! -
Hey Alicia, thanks so much for coming out to UCLA and answering our questions, your fielding the superhero question I asked was enlightening. I'm glad you could bring the positives of a plant-based diet into perspective as well as the negatives of not going plant-based.
I've been getting into Erin Red's RED RADIO - she just started it out of NY, she's an MMA enthusiast too and I think you would dig her, one thing I got out of her podcast is that somantics are important... for example Animal Meat is only one kind of meat, there is also nut meat, coconut meat, avacado meat - etc. So for "fake meats" they really aren't "fake" - they're just plant based. Neat, huh?
I want you to start your own podcast!!!! You know so many intriguing folks - and you already have the perfect name for it - The Kind Cast with Alicia Silverstone!!!! - get Woody as your first guest and it would blow the fuck up! :)
can't wait for The Kind Baby too, though I still haven't decided whether or not I can handle more kids than my two canine loved ones.
love ya!
-z
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My Thanksgiving menu this year consists of home-made seitan, rutabaga-potato mash (never tried this before, thanks for the idea!) Alicia's corn bread, green beans, Alicia's cranberry sauce, home-made apple sauce, oven-roasted parsnips and carrots, roasted brussels sprouts and pumpkin pie for dessert. Can't wait to make this.....and eat it!!!
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This is our first vegan Thanksgiving! We just made the switch in September and are loving the changes; but sadly my mother refuses to come to our house this year for the holiday. We did invite her to bring her meat and we would take care of side dishes, but she is still saying no. BUT we are getting our menu together and it will be a feast! Cranberry sauce, tofurkey (because we want to try it), greens, sweet potatoes, mac N soy cheese, green beans, dressing, vegan gravy, and banana frozen smoothies with strawberries and vegan chocolate sauce. And as a group effort we will try our first attempt with peanut butter cups. Happy Thanksgiving!
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These are the recipes my meat eating fiance and I have picked out to cook together so that I will have some yummy/healthy Thanksgiving food to eat at his Aunt's house (NONE of their food is ever healthy)
Traditional Vegan Stuffing -
http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/vegan-stuffing.php
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes -
http://people.bu.edu/salge/recipes_salad_sweetpotato.html
Lemon-Walnut Green Beans -
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnparecipe/RecipeDetails.aspx?RecipeId=599&Search=&PageNumber=1&SortBy=TA&PerformOrSearch=-1&Fruits=&Vegetables=216&MealTypes=25
High Protein Garlic Mashed Potatoes -
http://ohsheglows.com/2010/09/08/high-protein-garlic-mashed-potatoes/
Basic Vegetarian Gravy Recipe -
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/saucesdipsspreads/r/basicveggravy.htm
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Thanks to you we're skipping the cooking fiasco altogether and indulging in Madeleine Bistro's gorgeous vegan Thanksgiving dinners to go...this way we can enjoy something truly special and kind without the fuss, or mess. :) But looking at your menu, I wish we were neighbors so we could pull a Kramer and stop by! lol
This site is a treasure, and you are an angel for creating this space, it is entirely inspiring.
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Hmmm with all these yummy reminders, I might just make a Thanksgiving dinner...even though I'm Canadian and already had one..(shameless plug for my Thanksgiving menu here: http://www.marystestkitchen.com/2011/09/vegan-thanksgiving-project-2011/)
I really want to try that pumpkin cheesecake! Looks good
mary
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I have looked at the back of the stovetop stuffing boxes. I couldn't find one that didn't have either chicken broth and/or chicken bits. I don't want to know what the chicken bits are. Gross! I thought by eating the savoring flavored one it was better, it isn't.
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We are in the midst of ravenous carnevours during the Holidays....so our menu is limited unless we bring our own food. We have decided in the coming years to begin hosting our own Holiday get togethers.
Our main dish will be store bought - Field Roast Hazlenut En Croute, but we are making Roasted Red Curry Squash to bring as well, along with other yummy sides and sweets.
One of our favorite appetizers is Roasted Almonds with EV Olive Oil and spices.
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Wow-that menu looks so scrumptious! I love that Field Roast sausage too and find it always passes with the non-veg's. I've been working on my "kid-friendly + vegan" TGiving menu for some time now so I'm excited to see how it all goes down next week!
-Sarah with Veggie-Kids.Blogspot -
wow, can someone tell me where I can find a recipe for the "loaf" in the picture!!
drool worthy!!! Menu looks excellent
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I have been flirting with the vegan lifestyle for over a year now and have decided to go full force and really stick with it after all of my reasearch and reading. I love that there is a website here to give me ideas as I live in an area that is a hunting and meat and potatoes community. Unfortunately, I live about 4 hours from the nearest Whole Foods or any other type of health food store and do not have access to alot of the brands and foods that are in vegan cookbooks. Our local grocery store carries about 3 aisles of organic food and it is very over priced because they are one of the only stores in the area that offers it. I have been searching high and low on websites to see if there are any places to order online, but I am really having a hard time. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!
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Wow! I'm going to a vegan pot luck at some friend's of our's house and I am so excited. They own The Wild Cow in Nashville and the food is always amazing.
I'm bringing vegan mac and chese made with pumpkin puree - it is absolutely amazing and I can't wait.
I hope our spread ends up being as good as yours!
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We are going to have a ton of food and each family is contributing their favorites. We will be bringing my mom's cranberry sauce (made with cranberries, pears, orange juice and sweetener all cooked down), and I will be making the vegan and gluten free apple and pumpkin pies. My husband is also a sucker for stovetop stuffing (not GFree) and I usually make it with low sodium veggie broth and add celery, onion, and mushrooms.
I will also be bringing some vegan sour cream so my mom can make some of her famous ambrosia vegan for us.
Gretchen
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Sounds and looks awesome!! I am trying Match vegan stuffed holiday roast this year, cant wait to try it!!
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:) These are really great ideas
Could someone please tell me if the pasta that's under the pecan crusted seitan is the same pasta from alicia's book, the "Rustic Pasta" ?
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