Tried and True Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

My brother is a vegetarian, my sister abstains from any dairy products, and I am constantly watching my weight. Throw into the mix several finicky nieces and nephews, and you can imagine how difficult it can be to plan our family's Thanksgiving meal, a day characterized by turkey, creamy pies and fat-laden meat gravies. One way that we have been able to meet everyone's dietary needs and still get the kids to eat is by finding healthful vegan recipes that not only look like traditional holiday foods, they taste delicious. Whether you need an entirely vegan Thanksgiving meal or simply want to incorporate some healthier options, you will love these tried and true recipes.

Stuffed 'Furkey

If you do not think tofu faux-turkey can taste good, you have not tried this recipe yet. While this recipe does take some time and work, the crisp, skin-like crust and savory stuffing is so worth your while. We found the original recipe in a Healthy Living magazine and tweaked it just a bit, substituting some items we did not have on hand for those we did. Serves 8 - 10.

Ingredients:

5 pounds extra firm tofu
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 ½ cups celery, diced
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons sage
2 teaspoons thyme
½ cup soy sauce, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups prepared herb stuffing (we use good old Stove Top!)
2 tablespoons miso paste
5 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon mustard

Directions:
Line a colander with cheesecloth. Crumble tofu into colander and cover with another cheesecloth. Set on a bowl to catch liquid. Place a heavy pot or other weight on the tofu to compress it. Refrigerate for three hours. Sauté onion, celery and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of oil until tender. Add garlic, sage, thyme and ¼ cup soy sauce. Heat for five minutes, stirring often. Add the prepared stuffing and remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the remaining sesame oil with the soy sauce, miso paste, orange juice and mustard.

Remove the weight from the tofu, and scoop out the center of the tofu, placing it in a bowl. Leave about an inch of tofu lining the colander and brush it with the sesame oil/soy sauce combination. Place the stuffing mixture into the tofu in the colander. Cover with the remaining tofu and turn onto baking sheet. Press together gently into an oval shape. Baste with the sesame oil/soy sauce mixture and cover with foil. Bake for 2 - 3 hours, basting every 30 minutes.

Creamy Taters

If you love mashed potatoes, but think they cannot be creamy without milk or chicken broth, these will win you over. This recipe was created by trial and error.

Ingredients:
2 lbs potatoes (red or Yukon gold are best)
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Rinse potatoes and cut into chunks. Place in saucepan and cover with cold water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until tender. Remove potatoes from pan and reserve a cup of the water in the pan. Add olive oil to the pan and heat until warm, and then remove from heat. Rice the potatoes (you can find a ricer here) into the liquid, folding together. Season with salt and pepper.

Tasty Gravy

Got gravy lovers? They will love this savory sauce, never missing the meat. This was shared with us by a friend.

Ingredients:
½ cup vegetable oil
5 cloves of garlic, minced finely
¼ cup chopped onion
½ cup flour
4 teaspoons nutritional yeast
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups water
½ teaspoon sage
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Pour oil into small pan and add garlic and onion. Cook until tender and translucent. Add flour, yeast and soy sauce, stirring to make a paste. Stir while gradually adding water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, allowing gravy to thicken. Add sage, salt and pepper and serve hot.

Zesty Green Beans

This one was dug up by a family member who loves green bean casserole. While by no means an exact duplicate, the flavorful combination of the green beans, onion and lemon will be a hit.

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh green beans, snapped
1 red onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice and zest of one medium lemon
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Place green beans and a tablespoon of water in a microwave-safe dish and cover with plastic wrap. Heat for four minutes. Peel and dice onion and garlic. Heat garlic and onion in olive oil until lightly browned. Add green beans and lemon juice, cooking until tender. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and lemon zest.

Mushroom Wild Rice Pilaf

Another scrumptious side dish is this pilaf, which as a bonus is simple to make.

Ingredients:
½ cup uncooked wild rice
3 cups brown rice, uncooked
3 cups vegetable broth
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 celery stalks, diced
½ tsp sage
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup almond slivers

Directions:
Boil vegetable broth in a large pot. Add wild rice and cook for 15 minutes. Add brown rice, cover and cook on low for 45 minutes. Saute onions and garlic in a large pan until onions are carmelized. Add mushrooms, celery and spices and cook for 5 minutes. Add rice and almonds and stir well, heating for about 2 minutes.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

It would not be Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie, and this favorite will be loved by everyone who takes a bite.

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) can pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (12 ounce) package soft tofu
1 9 inch vegan pie shell

Directions:
Cream together pumpkin and sugar. Processed tofu in blender until smooth and add to pumpkin mix. Stir in salt and pumpkin pie spice and mix well. Pour into crust and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. Chill and enjoy!