Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I’ve been planning my menu for a couple of weeks now. I have to admit, I’m a bit anxious about what to serve as my family is quite traditional and they’re really looking forward to some turkey and gravy. But, I’ve given it some thought, and have come up with a few alternatives to the Thanksgiving staples that I think everyone will enjoy and it does NOT include Tofurky! Here are three delicious vegan thanksgiving dinner ideas.
Swap Turkey With Seitan
My biggest problem with Thanksgiving is the turkey. Of course, it’s the central part of the meal that a lot of people look forward to every year, so it’s a bit difficult to replace. What I’ve decided to do is swap it out for some sliced marinated seitan and a savory reduction sauce. This way, they’ll get that hearty, satisfying bite when they chomp down on the seitan and be filled up by all that healthy protein.
Nix The Meat In Your Stuffing
My grandma always made her stuffing with ground beef. My mother-in-law makes hers with sausage. How am I going to do it? With roasted oyster mushrooms! Oyster mushrooms pack that umami punch and have a nice chew to them that’s really satisfying. Plus, roast them until just a little brown and crisp on the edges, and you’ve got yourself quite a treat!
Take Pumpkin pie for an egg and dairy-free spin
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie, but many recipes use a lot of eggs and dairy in both the crust and the filling. What to do? Find yourself a tasty vegan recipe. I bet you no one will even notice the difference. You can swap out the dairy for a soy or nut alternative and use a thickener like arrowroot in place of the eggs. Delish!
Oh, and since you’ll be saving a few bucks by going turkey-less, why not participate in Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt A Turkey Project? You can find more info here on how to participate. Gobble gobble!
