A Very Veggie Thanksgiving

“What do Vegetarians eat for Thanksgiving?” That is a question I get asked when the fall season arrives. My answer is, “We eat all the side dishes that are usually served with the dinner”. They are the inviting comfort foods that have a delectable charm to them. I put a few of these favorite holiday recipes in my book, How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian. I love Thanksgiving. It is one of my favorite holidays.

I have a large family and dearly love getting to see them and catch up on what everyone is doing. With everyone coming over, the house will smell fabulous with the aroma of freshly, baked breads and casserole dishes. Since we all want to nibble a little while we are waiting for everyone to arrive, I will have some nut pate stuffed celery sticks as appetizers and some warm spiced, apple cider.

When it is finally time for our meal and the blessing, we will be filling our plates with a variety of delicious foods. People traditionally like to have a chewy, meaty type of main dish for Thanksgiving that would be in place of the traditional turkey. So, I make a Seitan Stroganoff, which is an old recipe of my mother’s that I have remade to be vegetarian. It is very hearty with a kind of gravy type of flavor and sauce. I would have a big, mixed green salad and the side dishes would be my squash casserole, Tom Spicer’s brown rice and chestnuts, stuffed tomatoes, green peas and Sweet potatoes with cranberries and apples. Then of course we have to have the traditional cornbread dressing. I make mine with my homemade cornbread recipe that is combined with vegetable broth, celery, sautéed onions and some herbs to create a wonderful cornbread stuffing.

Traditionally, for the last 27 years, my mother would divide her dressing when she was making it and make one with chicken broth for everyone else and then one with a vegetarian broth for my family and me. I always appreciated that from my mother. She is so thoughtful about trying to make sure everyone is able to enjoy a festive Thanksgiving Dinner together.

Then for the bread, I make my Great Aunt Katherine’s homemade yeast rolls, which are always a favorite and are the traditional bread at our holiday family feasts. Then for the grand finale, there would be pumpkin and pecan pies for dessert.

I am so thankful for my family and our meals together. This Thanksgiving I will be eating these comforting foods that are my special veggie Thanksgiving feast.

I hope this gives you some idea of what to serve the vegetarians that grace your table.

Bless you and your family and have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!