Vegetarian/Vegan Thanksgiving Plans

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littlechiaseed
littlechiaseed Posts: 489 Member
edited November 2016 in Food and Nutrition
So what your plans if your veg? I have three thanksgivings I have to go to. I already did one, was pretty hungry and I did not like my tiny gardein loaf. I'll make a tofurky at my parent's thanksgiving which I like better. But I still have a work one I have to go to and have to bring something, ugh I hate making a meal out of sides. Anyone else feel the pain or do you get alot of comments about not eating turkey and ham at thanksgiving? Or people just say 'eat the sides'. Do you have any go-to sides you make that are veg and more 'mealy'?

Also have you hosted a thanksgiving meal without meat? I might have to next year. Personally, I do not cook meat and thanksgiving will not be an exception. I was thinking about maybe doing a non-traditional meal like doing a mexican meal of enchiladas and sides.
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Replies

  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,646 Member
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    Taco Bell. :laugh:
  • AngryViking1970
    AngryViking1970 Posts: 2,847 Member
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    I'm not vegetarian, but I do like to make this at Thanksgiving. It's pretty filling, but it does have cheese and eggs, so...lacto-ovo?

    makingthymeforhealth.com/spinach-artichoke-quinoa-casserole/
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    I love making a meal out of sides...my fill-up side is baked mac & cheese...1 lb gluten free noodle, 2 lb various cheeses, some cashew milk, a couple eggs, and bake...it's totally filling like a meal!!!
  • krwjohnson
    krwjohnson Posts: 46 Member
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    Field Roast Celebration Roast is pretty good as an alternative to meat.
    http://fieldroast.com/product/celebration-roast/
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited November 2016
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    While I make meat for my husband and son all the time, none of us like traditional Thanksgiving food all that much.

    I know we're having ravioli since the kids asked for it (they usually want it every Thanksgiving), and I'm thinking about coming up with some potato/Beyond Beef casserole thing. I'll make some sides to go along like a salad and maybe some roasted Brussel sprouts. I'm also making a Triple Caramel Cheesecake for dessert. We'll probably have some nibbles like veggies and hummus (I make my own) and various cheeses and olives.

    I'm a lacto/ovo vegetarian who's soy intollerant. No Tofurkey or Gardein stuff here.
  • littlechiaseed
    littlechiaseed Posts: 489 Member
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    We got the tofurky feast with the vegan brownie and gravy. I might bake another dessert since I can't eat traditional sweets most of the time due to my IBS not liking eggs or dairy. My sister makes some good vegan sweet potatoes. It's just easier if it's my family oppose to at someone else's house since it just puts me in a pickle.
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
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    You lost me at tofurky :|
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    Sweet potatoes are something I usually make. Last year I boiled them in their jackets, then peeled them, sliced them in big chunks, drizzled with maple syrup and baked them until the syrup was bubbling. They were delicious.

    I'm just not in the mood for them this year.
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
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    appetizers and sides all day for me. truthfully, mostly the appetizers and then i'm full. i'll have some broccoli and potatoes and salad during the main course, and tell myself that all the cheese i loaded up on in the beginning is my source of protein. lol.
  • littlechiaseed
    littlechiaseed Posts: 489 Member
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    dbanks80 wrote: »
    You lost me at tofurky :|

    Had it before? I don't like the marinade it says to make so I add brown sugar.
  • AngryViking1970
    AngryViking1970 Posts: 2,847 Member
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    I'm not usually a lentil fan, but I'd totally try this. It's vegan, even!

    makingthymeforhealth.com/mushroom-lentil-loaf/
  • AprilDrezlin
    AprilDrezlin Posts: 3 Member
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    I always think Thanksgiving is easy as a vegetarian -- there are some many dishes, and only one of them is turkey! Trying to not think of them as "sides" but as simply delicious foods to eat, and maybe that will help?
  • vegan4lyfe2012
    vegan4lyfe2012 Posts: 1,128 Member
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    I have a wonderful cookbook called Vegan Comfort Foods by Veronica Grace. She has the BEST stuffed acorn squash recipe. This Thanksgiving will be my 5th one as a vegan and this will be my 5th one of making this squash. It is totally the MAIN dish! I make this, along with home made mashed potatoes and gravy, baked sweet potatoes (plain...not with that nasty sugar goop), steamed carrots and warm rolls (I buy those pre-made and heat them up). My mom and 16 year old daughter are not vegan, but definitely plant strong vegetarians. They love the meal. My 19 year old daughter is all about the taters and gravy and my 21 year old meat strong son is actually satisfied with the meal. This is an absolute winner!

    http://lowfatveganchef.com/vegan-holiday-stuffed-acorn-squash-with-wild-rice-mushrooms-and-cranberries/
  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 1,049 Member
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    I make meals out of sides often at family gatherings, not because I don't eat meat, but because I don't like the main course. It's never been a problem to eat enough of the other non-main dish.
  • chocolateluvr80
    chocolateluvr80 Posts: 64 Member
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    I have been veg for long enough so I have a few go to recipes. I make a sweet potato dish with candied pecans, mashed potatoes, vegan green bean casserole, and a cranberry stuffing. They all go pretty fast. I found all the recipes online.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    edited November 2016
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    AprilDrezlin wrote: »
    I always think Thanksgiving is easy as a vegetarian -- there are some many dishes, and only one of them is turkey! Trying to not think of them as "sides" but as simply delicious foods to eat, and maybe that will help?

    That's what I would have thought. But OP has digestive issues with dairy and eggs, so that eliminates a bunch of common sides. Pretty much everything we serve for Thanksgiving has at least a good dose of butter. Most has butter and eggs or milk/cream.

    At my family's Thanksgiving, poor OP would be stuck with just a side salad, cranberry sauce, and rolls!

    Oh, and apple pie if we make one that year.
  • PennWalker
    PennWalker Posts: 554 Member
    edited November 2016
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    littlechiaseed wrote: »
    So what your plans if your veg? I have three thanksgivings I have to go to. I already did one, was pretty hungry and I did not like my tiny gardein loaf. I'll make a tofurky at my parent's thanksgiving which I like better. But I still have a work one I have to go to and have to bring something, ugh I hate making a meal out of sides. Anyone else feel the pain or do you get alot of comments about not eating turkey and ham at thanksgiving? Or people just say 'eat the sides'. Do you have any go-to sides you make that are veg and more 'mealy'?

    Also have you hosted a thanksgiving meal without meat? I might have to next year. Personally, I do not cook meat and thanksgiving will not be an exception. I was thinking about maybe doing a non-traditional meal like doing a mexican meal of enchiladas and sides.

    Vegetarian here. I'm a widow and am usually invited to two Thanksgiving meals at the houses of my meat eating friends. I take a butternut squash/lentil dish to share and then eat their vegetable dishes, have coffee and a desert. Everybody's happy.
  • ChicagoVeggie
    ChicagoVeggie Posts: 18 Member
    edited November 2016
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    Quinoa? The red is a nice vibrant, festive color, and you can add seasonal things like cranberries and pecans. It's also one of those foods that can work well as a real main for you and a decent side dish for the others, without clashing with more traditional food.
  • ClareMillsRoberts
    ClareMillsRoberts Posts: 28 Member
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    I made this last Christmas and it was so good - even my husband's very traditional meat-and-two-veg-eating uncle liked it and took a piece home: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/mushroom-and-squash-vegetarian-wellington/
  • AngryViking1970
    AngryViking1970 Posts: 2,847 Member
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    Ooooh, that Wellington looks so yummy!

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