Vegetarian Thanksgiving ~ Vegan Dishes To Enjoy For Thanksgiving (689 hits)
Make these delicious and easy-to-prepare vegetarian dishes and serve it at your next Thanksgiving family gathering or, any time of the year as part of dinner.
1. Cranberry Sauce
• 4 cups frozen cranberries • 1/2 cup raw agave nectar • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon • Pinch fine sea salt
Place the cranberries in a small saucepan along with the orange juice, cinnamon, agave and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until mixture has thickened. Serve immediately or allow to cool and store refrigerated for up to 10 days.
2. Herbed bread stuffing
Preheat oven to 350°F • 8-inch square glass baking dish, greased • 1 tbsp ground flax seeds • 3 tbsp hot water • 3 tbsp grape seed oil • 2 small onions, finely diced • 6 ribs of celery, finely diced • 2 small carrots, finely diced • 1 tsp fine sea salt • 3 minced garlic cloves • 25 cups of stale bread, cubed, about 1 loaf (see Tips, below) • 2 cups freshly squeezed apple juice • 1 cup chopped sage • 1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme, rosemary
In a small mixing bowl, whisk ground flax seeds and hot water until well combined. Cover and set aside to soak for 10 minutes so the flax can swell and absorb the moisture. In a large skillet, heat grape seed oil over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrot and salt. Cook until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, toss cubed bread with sautéed vegetables, apple juice, fresh sage, fresh thyme and soaked flax seeds until well combined. Mixture should be slightly wet and stick together when pressed between tow fingers. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown on top and hot in the middle. Serve immediately or allow to cool and store refrigerated for up to 1 week
Tips • Allowing bread to sit out at room temperature after it has been cubed for a day will allow it to become stale which will allow it to pick up more flavor
3. Miso Mushroom Gravy
• 2 tbsp grape seed oil • 1/2 cup finely diced onion • 3 cups mushrooms, quartered (see Tips, below) • 3 minced garlic cloves • 2 tbsp white wine, optional • 2 cups water • 3 tbsp wheat free tamari • 1 tbsp cornstarch • 1 tbsp cold water • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme • 1 to 2 tbsp unpasteurized brown rice miso
In a small pot, head grape seed oil on medium heat and add the onions, cook until lightly golden, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Deglaze with the white wine and cook until no liquid remains. Add water and tamari and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and cold water until no lumps remain. Add cornstarch slurry to pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in fresh thyme and miso paste. Serve immediately or allow to cool and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Makes about 6 portions
Tip • To bring back from cold, put gravy in a small pot with 2 tbsp cold water and heat gently, do not boil as you will kill healthy bacteria in miso.
4. Spiced Sweet Potato Mash
This healthy take on mashed potatoes is especially delicious served in the fall months when it begins to become cooler and we crave warm foods. The trick is to use high quality coconut oil and organic ground cinnamon.
• 6 cups cubed sweet potatoes, about 1 to 2 large • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil • 2 tsp ground cinnamon • 2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
In a small soup pot add the sweet potatoes, 1 tsp of salt and just cover with water. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and discard the remaining water. Place back into the pot with the coconut oil, ground cinnamon and remaining salt. Using a whisk or a potato masher mix the potatoes well with the coconut oil, cinnamon and the remaining salt.
Tips • Do not cover the sweet potatoes with too much water or boil too long, they will become water logged. You can add a little more coconut oil if you wish for a richer sweet potato mash.
5. Lentil Millet Meat Loaf
Pre-heat oven to 400°F • Greased loaf pan or shallow baking dish • 1 cup millet (see Tips, below) • 7 cups water, divided • 2 cups green lentils (see Tips, below) • 2 to 3 tbsp grape seed oil • 1/2 cup medium dice carrot • 1/2 cup medium dice celery • 3 to 5 minced garlic cloves • 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves, about 2 or 3 sprigs • 1/4 cup wheat free tamari • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast • 1/2 cup brown rice flour • 1/4 cup whole golden flax seeds, ground • 1/2 cup ketchup, optional
In a small pot, add millet and 3 cups water, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until soft and tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. In another small pot, add lentils and 4 cups water, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer, cook until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. In a medium size sauté pan, heat grape seed oil, add onion, carrot and celery, cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until fragrant. Remove pan from heat and add tamari and nutritional yeast. In a food processor add millet, half of the carrot celery and onion mixture and half of the cooked lentils, process until smooth. In a large bowl combine processed millet mixture, vegetables and remaining lentils with brown rice flour and ground flax seeds until well incorporated. Transfer mixture to a greased loaf pan and top with ketchup, bake at 400°F for about 30 minutes or until hot in the middle and a light crust has formed on top. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Makes about 6 portions
Tips • Substitute 4 cups of cooked quinoa for the millet in this recipe. Substitute an equal amount of black lentils for the green lentils in this recipe
Variation
Holiday Lentill Millet Loaf: Add 1 cup diced apple to the carrot celery and onion mixture and add 2 tbsp of roughly chopped fresh sage and 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary in step 5 above.
