The KInd Life Community Forum

A. Gardein's Turk'y and Stuffing or Field Roast Celebration Roasts are pretty good. Just make sure you keep them moist by basting often. The other thing you can make is a seitan loaf (dress it up like a ham).

B. 1) They know you're vegan right? Would they expect you to serve them non-vegan fare? 2) Don't say anything about turkey! I wouldn't. Since thanksgiving is a happy, family time, I would save the "save the turkeys" talk for after dinner or another time.

Last thing, make awesome side dishes! There are so many delicious, exciting things that have nothing to do with dead birds.

I'm Canadian, so we did our Thanksgiving dinner last month. I made a bunch of things; here are the recipes: http://www.marystestkitchen.com/2011/09/vegan-thanksgiving-project-2011/ The crowd favourite was the roasted eggplant with cornbread stuffing & everyone loved the mushroom gravy too.

Hope that helps,

Mary

http://www.marystestkitchen.com

Thanks so much for all the awesome tips!!!!! And Happy Belated Thanksgiving to you Mary!

I made this last year and it was a huge hit. Even with my dad who eats meat and very few veggies:

http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/10/seitan-roast-with-wild-rice-and.html

Gravy is key:

http://www.theppk.com/2010/10/savory-mushroom-gravy/

Another option is to make a pot pie or stuffed acorn squashes. There are tons of recipes and I've never made any of them but I think omnivores like naturally vegan meals and it avoids the stigma of the tofurkey (even though they're delicious)

I have mixed feelings about fake meats in general. I like them, they're fast and easy, but.... I feel like serving them to non-vegetarians is tricky. It seems to reinforce this idea that vegans are just pining away for meat, and cheese, and dairy and all of that. I tend to like to serve other things just to dispell that thinking.

This year I am making a chard and sweet potato torte (recipe from Vegetarian Times). It's pretty and will look very fancy, and yet its super easy (I am on-call for work on Thanksgiving and don't want to get stuck having to leave things half done!). The original recipe has Taleggio cheese in it, but I'm going to replace it with a tofu "ricotta". I'm going to do mashed potatos and gravy, my own green bean casserole, baby carrots, and pumpkin pie.

I wouldn't apologize for the lack of turkey. Its your home, your vegan, they really shouldn't expect turkey! When I go to other people's houses for holidays, I never expect them to make something special to accomodate me! If someone offers to bring it, let them, but otherwise I just wouldn't even mention it!

And by the way - our family also adopted Victoria the turkey at Farm Sanctuary!!

I make dressing with veggie broth and home made vegetarian gravy. A typical vegetarian Thanksgiving menu when I am cooking for vegetarians would be mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, a green salad, roasted vegetables, sweet potatoes, relishes, a broccoli and rice casserole, home made rolls, cranberry sauce and two or three pies. I've never had anyone complain about not having any turkey.

Thanks.
John Smith
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