What can a Vegan bring to a Thanksgiving dinner?!
What can a Vegan bring to a Thanksgiving dinner?
I have been invited last minute to a dinner party tonight and I will be the only vegetarian. There probably won't be anything there that I can eat and I don't want to come off as being rude for not eating what they prepared. Does anyone have any ideas for something that I can bring that we all can share?
Answers:
Ambrosia
3 bananas
3 apples
4 oranges or 2 oranges and 3 tangerines.
? cup coconut
About 1/4 cup pecan pieces (optional)
All you have to do is peel and slice the apples and bananas. Section oranges stir in the coconut and pecans and you have a delicious Thanksgiving favorite.
Green Beans with almonds.
Buy a bag or two of frozen fancy cut green beans and prepare normally. Sauté about a half cup of slithered almonds in a little butter or whatever butter substitute you prefer and add to green beans. Makes a very nice side dish.
Stewed apples would be simple and delicious. Just peel and slice apples simmer on medium with a little water, cinnamon and brown sugar and raisins and a bit of butter or substitute if you don’t use butter. You can also add a bit of nutmeg.
Mac and chesse or baked ziti!
mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. Asparagus with hollandaise sauce.
Baked sweet potatoes - Try serving with a dollop of a creamy blend of tofu or soy margarine, brown sugar and Cinnamon. A meal in itself!!
There will be tons of food that you can eat , most of thanksgiving side dishes are vegetarian so bring a sweet potato pie ot that wonderful green bean caserole
I"m sure they knew when they invited you that you wouldn't eat much of what is provided. Heck, they probably have a question going here, too, asking WTH to serve w/ a vegan coming for dinner!
Here are some ideas. Obviously, you would sub margarine for butter.....
Butter Pecan Sweet Potatoes
8 med. sweet potatoes (5 lbs.)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1/3 cup pecans
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 400oF. Peel potatoes. Halve lengthwise, slice crosswise into ?” thick slices. On a baking sheet, toss potatoes w/ olive oil and salt. Transfer half the potatoes to a 2nd baking sheet. Bake until tender about 25-35 min., tossing occasionally. Toss potatoes with butter, brown sugar, pecans, and cayenne pepper, dividing evenly between both baking sheets. Bake again until sugar is caramelized and hard, about 10 minutes. Gently toss and serve. Serves 8.
--Everyday FOOD
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CONFETTI RICE
1 cup rice
1 1/3 cups water or broth
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup carrots, very thin 2" long strips
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 cup cut zucchini, 1/4 inch squares
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 Tbsp thyme or marjoram
Place rice, water, salt and garlic powder in a pot with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer. After 10 minutes, add carrots and onion. Steam another 5 minutes, then add remaining vegetables. Remove from heat, leaving lid on another 5 minutes. Fluff rice and distribute vegetables throughout rice. Sprinkle with herbs and serve.
Serves 8-12.
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LEEK AND WILD MUSHROOM STUFFING
The porcini mushroom soaking liquid moistens this stuffing from Rochelle Palermo Torres. (The egg is not really vital to the success of this recipe, so omit for vegans.)
1? cups hot water
? oz. dried porcini mushrooms*
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups dry white wine
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1? ( 8oz.) French-bread baguettes, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 large egg, beaten to blend
Combine 1? cups hot water and dried porcini in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to work surface; chop finely. Pour mushroom soaking liquid into small bowl, leaving any sediment behind, and reserve.
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add shiitake and button mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes. Add leeks and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, thyme, and porcini mushrooms. Cook until almost all wine evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover mushroom mixture and porcini soaking liquid separately and chill. Reheat mushroom mixture to lukewarm before continuing.) Transfer mixture to very large bowl. Mix bread into mushroom mixture. Season with salt and pepper; mix in egg.
To bake stuffing in turkey:
Loosely fill main cavity and neck cavity of turkey with stuffing. Add enough mushroom soaking liquid to remaining stuffing to moisten slightly (1/4 cup to 3/4 cup, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Generously butter baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish ― alongside turkey or while turkey is resting ― until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover stuffing in dish. Bake until top of stuffing is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.
To bake stuffing in dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough reserved mushroom soaking liquid to stuffing to moisten (3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cups). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Bake uncovered until heated through, about 40 minutes.
* Dried porcini mushrooms are available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and many supermarkets.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
--Bon Appétit, November 2002
I know this going to sound sarcastic, but it's not meant to be. Vegetables!
Take something festive that you can eat and others will be happy to share.
Perhaps some pasta salad would be good.
Fairly easy, quick and you probably have most the items in your pantry.
Make mashed potatoes, add two cloves of garlic per pound of potatoes to the cooking water. Mash the spuds using veggie broth and Earthbalance or whatever butter sub you like (Olive oil works well with red potatoes).
Make a vegan gravy using your veggie broth, cornstarch to thicken and the secret to get the meateaters to *love* your gravy is to add a dash of bourbon to the boiling stock before thickening! The alcohol boils off BTW. My mother-in-law hated it that folks would go for my gravy over hers
yummy roasted veggies or twice baked potatoes with soy cheese or curried pumpkin soup or carrots with lemon and dill. The list is endless, just cook your favorite and dig in
some sort of vegetable dish
Take a green salad in a great looking bowl...Take bread sticks in a basket......eat what you bring.......
his flying saucer