We are celebrating our 7th Thanksgiving this year as plant-based lifestylers! What a blessing it is to experience freedom from so many health issues and doing the best we can to avoid others. Every Thanksgiving, we have A LOT to be thankful for!
For the holidays, I will admit our menus are not 100% whole foods plant-based oil-free. We do try to healthify recipes, but honestly, our line is drawn at animal foods. We will only eat foods made from plants, but some of it is not as healthy as we would eat most days. Some of the food we eat is homemade and some is store-bought. So, I am going to give you a basic idea of how we've done it in the past and will probably continue to do Thanksgiving for years to come.
For the TURKEY REPLACEMENT, we like to either have one of these three options:
1) Gardein Savory Stuffed Turk'y Roasts - They come 2 to a pack and one is plenty per person. They are stuffed with a delicious stuffing. This is a processed plant-based meat alternative, so it is not a health food. But, we do indulge in these at Thanksgiving. They are great for people transitioning to a plant-based diet and also for omnivores--who will be blown away at how good they are. Just make sure to bake them in a preheated oven at the temperature recommended. These can be found at Sprouts, Kroger, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods, and several other places around the holidays.
2) Gardein Turk'y Cutlets - These are our kids' favorite. They're thinly sliced turk'y cutlets that are breaded with a crispy coating. They come with rosemary gravy packets. DELISH! The serving is 2 cutlets with gravy and there are 2 servings in the bag. These can be found at Sprouts, Kroger, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods, and several other places around the holidays.
3) Turkey-Less Soy Curls and Gravy Over Savory Cornbread - Last year, I came up with this recipe in order to serve something a bit more homemade and less processed. It was delicious! If you're looking for something to stay closer to your whole foods plant-based food plan, this is a better choice!
Another MAIN DISH idea is:
Instant Pot Vegan Soy Curls Pot Pie with Oil-Free Sweet Potato Drop Biscuits
SIDES are easy! You can usually convert most of your favorite Thanksgiving sides without issue. Here are some of our favorites:
Green Bean Casserole
Savory Fall Feast
Homemade Pressure-Cooked Applesauce
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (NOT the kind with marshmallows!)
Oil-Free Sweet and Salty Maple Carrots - From p. 105 in Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Unlike the recipe, I like to steam my carrots for about 5 minutes first, then place them in a foil-lined pan covered with more foil. Add some maple syrup and kosher salt and roast until tender. They are literally fabulous!
Beet and Beet Greens Salad - This is one of our FAVORITE salads! It's fabulous ANY time, but also a perfect dish for the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter!). A version of this salad is also in the Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease cookbook.
Fire Brigade Stuffing - This makes a HUGE batch, so reduce if necessary. Go with no more than 1/2 cup of the tawny port wine. It can be overpowering.
And DESSERTS, too!
Pumpkin Pie Snack Balls
Chloe Coscarelli's 5-Ingredient Apple Pie - You can easily sub the Wholly Wholesome whole wheat crust (or make your own!) and use whole wheat flour in the recipe.
Peanut Butter Caramel Apples
PlantPure Chef's Mom's Refrigerated Chocolate Pie - This recipe is STUNNING! It's our absolute fave! You can add homemade natural peanut butter to it for a "Reece's" effect! I would leave out the cinnamon either way.
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