Vegetarians or Vegans Attending Your Thanksgiving Dinner?

Usually it's not a big deal for my vegetarian/vegan husband, sister, brother-in-law, and I to find something to eat when attending holiday dinners. There are generally many side dishes with out meat or other animal products. Occasionally we'll eat a salad and/or a healthy snack before attending a meal at a household that we know isn't vegetarian/vegan friendly, such as my husband's grandmother. However, if you're catering to a non-animal food eater or if you just want some healthy food ideas for the big meal, here are some no-fail recipes. Preparing whatever you can the day before makes the holiday less stressful. Luckily, the gravy and pumpkin pie need to be prepared the day before serving.

My mom prepared these loaf and gravy recipes the past two years and is making it again this year. We all love it.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Loaf

2 eggs
2 T soy sauce
1 box firm tofu
¾ c walnuts
1 packet onion soup mix
2 t oil
1 1/2 c chopped onion
¾ c chopped celery
2 c chopped mushrooms
¾ c chop carrots
1 t each of oregano, basil, and sage
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ¼ c breadcrumbs (preferably whole grain)

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender until smooth. Sauté vegetables in oil until onions are transparent. Add herbs, salt and pepper. Next, add the mixture from blender and combine with breadcrumbs. Press into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour and 15 minutes. Cool slightly, turn out, and slice.
Serve with gravy (recipe follows).

Vegan Gravy
(Makes 4 cups)

8 T Trans fat-free margarine
4 cloves garlic, minced
One small onion, chopped
8 T flour
4 T soy sauce
2 ½ cups water
½ t ground sage
½ t balsamic vinegar
6 sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté garlic and onion until onion is translucent. Add flour and soy sauce to make a paste. Gradually add water, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and let thicken. Add the remainder of the ingredients. Tastes even better refrigerated overnight and gently reheated before serving.

Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
(Makes 6-8 servings)

10-12 garlic cloves (to taste), unpeeled
4 lbs. potatoes (preferably Yukon gold), peeled and cut into cubes
2/3 cup soy milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice
Salt and white pepper, to taste
2 T freshly snipped chives
Paprika, for garnish

Place the unpeeled garlic cloves in a pie pan and bake at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cloves are soft. Remove the pie pan from the oven and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a large pot, place the cubed potatoes, cover them with water, and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes, saving the cooking liquid for use in the mashed potatoes, and the remaining cooking liquid can be used in soups or sauces. Transfer the drained potatoes to a mixer (or return to the large pot if using a hand mixer or potato masher) and set aside for 5 minutes to dry. Using your fingers, squeeze the cloves of garlic from their skins, and place them in a small bowl. Using a fork, mash the cloves of garlic to form a paste. Add the mashed garlic, soy milk, sprinkle with a little salt and white pepper, and whip the potatoes until smooth. Add a little of the reserved potato cooking liquid, if needed, to achieve a creamy consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings, as needed. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large bowl, sprinkle with the snipped chives and a little paprika before serving.

Of course you have to save room for dessert. This pie needs to set overnight in the refrigerator, so make it the day before you serve it…one less thing to worry about on Thursday.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie
(Makes 8 servings)

Crust
1/2 cup unbleached flour
7 Tbs. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar or sucanat
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 Tbs. canola oil
3 Tbs. soymilk plus 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
3 to 4 Tbs. water

Filling
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup low-fat soymilk or rice milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar cane syrup or 1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 Tbs. dark molasses or maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine flours, salt, sugar and baking powder. In a small bowl, combine oil and soymilk/juice mixture.

Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients and mix with a fork until it holds together in a ball. If it is too dry, add some water, a little at a time, until dough is moist enough to roll. (If time allows, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.)

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin forming an 11-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough. Flute or crimp the edges with your fingers or a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In large bowl, mix Filling ingredients until smooth and blended. Pour into prepared crust and smooth top. Bake 10 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until filling is set, about 50 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool, then refrigerate overnight.

NOTE: If using fresh pumpkin for the pie, don't use the large jack-o-lantern type which is too watery and stringy. Instead, use small pumpkins, often called pie pumpkins or other varieties of winter squash. To bake, cut pumpkins in half and remove seeds. Set, cut side down, in a lightly oiled baking pan. Bake at 400F for 30 to 40 minutes. Scoop out the cooked flesh and purée.