Suggestions for a first timer at Thanksgiving?

[bmd0617]

I am the only vegetarian in my family and by Thanksgiving I plan on being vegan. This is my first year as a veg. My family wont make any vegan friendly foods, not even the veggies as they smother them in butter.

I was thinking I'd just make my own meal. Any suggestions as to what might show my family that there are better alternatives to the traditional 10 pound ham and turkey?

Or - What did you eat for your first Vegan/Vegetarian Thanksgiving?

[Beachbnny]

For my first vegan Thanksgiving I wanted to kave everything I normally have just vegan. My BF at the time was also vegan so we shared. I did a tofurky, gravvy, stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, and made something for dessert that I don't remember cause the rest of the meal was so good.

There are tone of things you can bring though. Like a musroom/ nut loaf, raosted veggies like squash and asparagus, bean salads, pot pies. Anything really.

When it come to these big holidays as a new veg*n I always suggest to bring more than you think you'll need because inevitably people will want some. Enjoy being with your family and whatever you bring will be great. :)

[journey]

I tend to bring several dishes to holiday meals with the family. That way even if there is absolutely nothing vegan they serve at all, which has happend, I still have a full plate, a full stomach, and that helps a lot, even if you end up eating only what you brought. It's a pain sometimes to bring that much, but...most folks won't notice you're eating only what you brought so that cuts down on some of the comments you'd get if you had a mostly empty plate.

Depending on your situation, you might be able to ask if they could just have the butter on the side for the veggies and each person adds their own on their plate. (I've always wanted to ask that, but haven't gotten up the nerve...sigh...) Of course someone would probably announce that the veggies aren't buttered because you're vegan so everybody has to butter their own, which may or may not be annoying to you.

I usually just pick at the sides, if there's anything, and the food I've brought - an incredible salad, vegan bread, etc. Once I brought a fresh pineapple - cut the top off and sit in the serving bowl, cut up the pineapple and put the chunks around the pineapple top in the bowl, and add a few garnish fruits or veggies (kiwi, pomegranate seeds, black olives, something to contrast with the yellow) - looks really impressive, and is really yummy. (I don't cook much)

It's also great if you can bring a dessert - it's nice to have something for dessert with everyone else and a good way to show that vegans are not deprived.

Good luck

[vigilant20]

My first thanksgiving was last time around :) I just bought a tofurky along with me and we made room for it in the oven. The instructions include making roasted veggies with it, so that might be enough on it's own. Or maybe see if you can help in the kitchen and reserve some for yourself before they throw the fixing on the veggies.

[Amy SF]

This is what I posted in another thread about Thanksgiving a couple months ago. I like it because it's completely vegan and works as both an entrée and a side dish. As it turns out, my sister is hosting Thanksgiving at her house this year, and she plans to make it as both (an entrée for us two and a side dish for the turkey-eaters).


Quote: Originally Posted by Amy SF
I like recommending something like the Three Sisters Stew. It's so called because the main ingredients are corn (maize), beans and squash, the three crops considered most important to Native Americans. If done right, it has a good, hearty flavor that makes it work as a main course (or even as a side dish for omnis and the main course for the veg*ans). It's perfect for Thanksgiving because of the history of the holiday, being that those who celebrated the First Thanksgiving would not have survived without the help of the Native Americans. It has plenty of vegetables to fill you up, plus it's perfect for the fall season, not only because of the ingredients, but also with its colors, texture and flavor. It looks like something the Native Americans would have brought to the First Thanksgiving.

If you google around, you'll find different versions of the recipe. The one I've had was the one my sister made for probably my first vegetarian Thanksgiving (we were both vegetarian back then; now she's a pescetarian); it came from this book: http://www.amazon.com/Moosewood-Rest...9502681&sr=8-1 (The Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favorites). If you make this recipe, or a similar one, be careful how much liquid you add. My sister used a little too much and it was more of a soup than a stew. It was still pretty good, though.
ETA: oops. Apparently the link in my original post doesn't work anymore. Here's the correct, current link for the cookbook. http://www.amazon.com/Moosewood-Rest...5414893&sr=1-4

Posting this again. :D

[fadeaway1289]

I can't get either link to work :(

[rabid_child]

Are you sure that they wouldn't be willing to use Earth Balance instead of Butter for the veggies?? Volunteer to cook all the sides, and make them vegan. They may just not be able to conceptualize how to do that, and by volunteering to do it for them, you get a great meal, and they don't have to worry about catering to your diet!

[Amy SF]

http://www.amazon.com/Moosewood-Restaurant-Low-Fat-Favorites-Flavorful/dp/0517884941/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226357766&sr=1-1

If that doesn't work, either, go to Amazon and enter Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites.

Although I believe I bought a used copy for $12 from either BN.com or Alibris.com.

[vigilant20]

http://www.amazon.com/Moosewood-Restaurant-Low-Fat-Favorites-Flavorful/dp/0517884941/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226357766&sr=1-1

If that doesn't work, either, go to Amazon and enter Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites.

Although I believe I bought a used copy for $12 from either BN.com or Alibris.com.

A lot of the recipes are online, if that helps. Here's one collection of them:
http://www.recipezaar.com/cookbook.php?bookid=82856

[bmd0617]

Are you sure that they wouldn't be willing to use Earth Balance instead of Butter for the veggies?? Volunteer to cook all the sides, and make them vegan. They may just not be able to conceptualize how to do that, and by volunteering to do it for them, you get a great meal, and they don't have to worry about catering to your diet!

I could see if they'd use Earth Balance, but I'm not sure if they would. About half of my family finds it annoying and offensive that I choose to not eat meat, etc. The other half just think that I'm anorexic and that i'm using a vegetarian diet to have an excuse to not eat fatty things. It's not true but I have been unsuccessful at changing their opinions.

As for cooking the sides, I'd love to take that on. I love to cook and being able to make the dishes the way I like would be the ultimate treat, I think.

Thank you all for all the input, :D, I'm much less apprehensive now.

[jessicarose]

This is my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian and I am pretty lucky because my family has turkey but that's the only thing I won't eat. All the other sides are "safe" I was wondering though if anyone had any good veg gravy recipes for me to put on my mashed potatoes and stuffing. I don't really like mushrooms and all the ones I seem to find are for mushroom gravy.

Thanks!
Jessica

[rabid_child]

I could see if they'd use Earth Balance, but I'm not sure if they would.

If you don't ask they definitely won't. At worst you'll be in the same position you started in.


This is my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian and I am pretty lucky because my family has turkey but that's the only thing I won't eat. All the other sides are "safe" I was wondering though if anyone had any good veg gravy recipes for me to put on my mashed potatoes and stuffing. I don't really like mushrooms and all the ones I seem to find are for mushroom gravy.

Thanks!
Jessica

I heat up about 1 1/2 cups of vegetable or unchicken broth with about 1/2 - 1 tsp of poultry seasoning and a couple tbsp of tamari. Once it's boiling, I add 2-3 tbsp of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water and whisk until it's smooth and thick, then I add a splash of rice milk and whisk til it's smooth again.

[ripvanfish]

For Thanksgiving, I'm making a vegetable pot pie.. It's pretty simple. I roast up some fresh veggies (potatoes, carrots, green beans, colorful peppers, mushrooms, etc), throw'um in a vegan pie crust, top with an easy sauce made of sauteeing some onions, then adding veg stock, poultry seasoning, and cornstarch, cover with more pie crust, and bake it up. This is so delicious, even omnis don't miss the meat... It's perfect for Thanksgiving.

Other things... Home made cranberry sauce, absolute necessity! I can't imagine how to make that un-vegan. Add orange and ginger and cinnamon to make it mind-blowing.

[Tofu-N-Sprouts]

OK, some of these recipes may not be "first-timer" sort of stuff... but I got some GREAT ideas here, they've compiled a list of "standard" Thanksgiving recipes (all vegan of course):

http://veganbits.com/vegan-thanksgiving-recipes/

[bmd0617]

I asked about the earth balance and i was told that what food goes on the table is not my concern and its not anyone elses concern whether or not i can or cannot eat that food. Either i eat whats there or go hungry. When i suggested that i bring my own stuff, i was told i could so it looks like i'll be cooking.

Thank you Tofu-N-Sprouts for the link. a few things look very tasty.