Bring this

As Thanksgiving approaches, more and more emails requesting veg-friendly recipes have been trickling in.  The common concern seems to be making plant based dishes that are yummy & hearty, and don’t scare off meat eaters.  As a vegan, I totally understand the anxiety that comes with meat-centric gatherings.  When I first went veg, dining with my immediate family wasn’t a problem, but at larger group meals I frequently found myself limited to bread and salads.  It didn’t take long for me to realize that I had to take matters into my own hands.  My suggestion to new (or seasoned) vegetarians is bring what you want to eat. 

 

Other email concerns I’ve gotten revolve around how family members will react to you passing on the turkey…

If you are worried about snide remarks or subtle jabs, remember why you have made the choices you have made and be confident with these decisions. 

If you are scared that the host won’t know how to accommodate your diet, offer to bring something and remember he/she is probably just as nervous about having enough food to please you.  Preparing a meal for a huge get-together is hard enough, so anything you can do to ease the host’s burden will be greatly appreciated. 

If you are fretting about bringing something that others will enjoy, just choose something you love.  If it’s yummy to you, others will sense your pride in the dish and want to try it.  Here are a few suggestions…

 

I brought this dish (mixed grains with sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes) to a gathering last year.  It was a nice side dish because it wasn’t too heavy.  It’s hard to make carb-ladden meals light, but this one was good enough to enjoy next to mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and roasted root veggies. 

I brought this soup (curried yellow split pea soup) to another family meal and it was a huge success.  Spices like curry complement comfort food wonderfully.  And everyone seemed to enjoy it.

 

This is what my mom and dad made for Thanksgiving last year.  The post has all my mom’s traditional recipes made vegan friendly, including vegan stuffing, green beans with roasted walnuts and cherry vinaigrette, cranberry/blueberry pie & spicy pumpkin pie.  And if you are looking for vegan mashed potatoes, here’s the post with the play by play.

I brought this vegan cheesecake to a work function and everyone raved about how delicious it was.  If I weren’t known as “the vegan” by all my coworkers, nobody would have had any idea it was made without dairy. 

 

Other winning meal ideas?  How about creamed kale with quinoa for a spin on a comforting side dish.  Or an asparagus and mushroom strata – good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  An orzo and spinach salad could be a lighter option.  Whereas, this green bean casserole offers a vegan twist on a holiday classic.  Or a hearty butternut and chickpea casserole.  I know this vegan cassoulet has major wow factor. 

In any event, you can continue your recipe search here. 

Or here, if you’re thinking of winning your family over with vegan desserts.

 

This year I’m going to two Thanksgivings, so I’m in charge of roasted root vegetables (I’m thinking butternut squash, carrots, and brussel sprouts) for one, and a kale salad for another.  Maybe I’ll surprise everyone with vegan cookies too though.  Who knows. 

No matter what though, remember that the most important thing is being with loved ones.  Delicious food is obviously worth looking forward to, but celebrating the holidays is all about togetherness, so try and set your anxiety aside and appreciate who you are with as opposed to what you’re eating.

Hope this helps!  🙂