VegInDC

Last year, I found a recipe that did the Tofurkey in the slow cooker. Not only did it come out moist and delicious, it saved precious oven space for the various other dishes I made. This recipe also provides you with a nice side dish and gravy as well, so you can think of it as a one pot thanksgiving option!

It's hard to believe, but this is my fourth year doing VegInDC Thanksgiving post. Time flies!  You can see my previous Thanksgiving posts here: 2014 , 2013 , and 2012 . This year, I am planning on making the Tofurkey in the slow cooker which I did last year. It frees up the oven, and comes out really well. Besides that, I think I will be sticking to some of my standard Thanksgiving recipes. As I have said before, Thanksgiving is a time to meld tradition with adaptation, and I am so excited to share with you what I am truly thankful for: awesome vegan eats. Enjoy!

Pecan pie is usually a pretty simple thing. Pecans + sugar + lots and lots of eggs. This recipe keeps the first two, and uses on a combination of silken tofu, almond milk and cornstarch to substitute the egg/custard texture. I have never been a high fan of pecan pie, but this is quite tasty.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite, if not my very favorite holiday. ​ Thanksgiving 2014 will be the third Thanksgiving cataloged on VegInDC. As I said last year , I think people who cook love this holiday because it allows you to meld tradition alongside adaptation. For me, that adaptation means turning a meal that is linked with turkey into a compassionate (and mostly gluten free) gathering. 

I helped my mother at her synagogue's annual craft fair last year. We worked in Cafe Shalom feeding the hungry artists and patrons of the fair. In addition to the chili, sandwiches, and salads we had a delicious butternut squash soup. My mom sent me the recipe to tweak for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite, if not my very favorite holiday. Generally speaking, I think people who cook love this holiday because it allows you to meld tradition alongside adaptation. For me, that adaptation means turning a meal that is linked with turkey into a compassionate (and mostly gluten free) gathering.  And, let’s be honest, it’s just fun to make a whopping feast of food. Vegetarians (and vegans where the sides are safe) are used to being relegated to a plate of side dishes at Thanksgiving, and the sides are often the best part. But I also think it’s important to have a main dish, so this plan reflects that. I have had the luck of being able to cook our Thanksgiving meal for the past two years, so I have some of this process already down.  As the author of a food blog, the challenge is coming up with something new for you--tradition and adaptation! Organizing a Thanksgiving meal is a ton of fun, but it requires plenty of thought, planning, and advanced ...

I think people make fun of the Tofurky a bit too much. It is, after all, a really important part of the Thanksgiving menu. This preparation is adapted from Turtle Island Food's recipe, which is a great starting point. There are innumerable ways to prepare this roast, but I like this one for its simplicity and traditional flavor. Tofurky's should always be thawed before cooking, so be sure to leave it in the fridge for at least 24 hours before you intend to cook it.

I feel a little silly writing a mashed potato recipe, after all it is pretty easy to make them. However, most people rely on milk, chicken stock or butter, so a veganized recipe is good to have. Plus, I promised to make a recipe out of the entire Thanksgiving menu, so here goes!

I don't know when my palate matured enough for me to enjoy Brussels Sprouts, but I can't believe now that there was a time I didn't like them. They are such a delicious vegetable, and frankly, if you prepare them this easy (and very traditional) way, you will earn some new fans of the petit chou. These are easy to make a bit ahead of time, though they might get soggy if the steam gets trapped. I like to make them to the point where they are almost crispy.

Another GF necessity at Thanksgiving this year was cornbread. Many recipes of cornbread are not gluten free by default, even though the main ingredient is corn. That is because many variations of corn breads have flour in them to make them a little more cakey. This variation is inspired by this recipe , and I have enjoyed it so much that I have made it again since Thanksgiving! It goes great with chili, which is how we enjoyed it last night.

Green bean casserole is not something with which I am too familiar.  I do know that the easy way of preparing involves pre-made cream soup, but that doesn't sound too appealing to me. I googled around today and came across a few recipes here and here . I decided to take some parts from each of these, and I am pleased with the results. This recipe can be made the day before and warmed in the oven before eating. Make sure you wait to add the fried onions until you are ready to bake.

Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without Pumpkin Pie. Last year I made a vegan pumpkin pie for the first time and it came out precisely as I remember non-vegan pumpkin pies of years past- creamy, smooth and just the right amount of spice. I would have gone the same route this year, but having to make it gluten free for Anne to enjoy caught me off guard a bit! While I did buy the Gluten Free Pantry Pie Crust mix (and am using it for apple pie), I wasn't quite satisfied with using it for pumpkin pie.

This recipe also comes from my mom, who taught me much of what I know in the kitchen. The name, "Mama's Jelly", originates from a family story that actually has nothing to do with this recipe at all - but because its Thanksgiving, and this holiday has a lot to do with family and food, I will recount the tale here before we dive into the recipe.

This is essentially the same recipe my Mom uses for her delicious applesauce that I grew up eating. Applesauce is something that can be made ahead and even frozen.

A few weeks back I outlined by 2012 Thanksgiving Plan. Now that the big day is just around the corner, here are some links to the recipes (some modified to be Vegan friendlier than written) I am going to be trying this year: Tofurkey roast from Turtle Island Foods Mashed potatoes (garlicky, perhaps) Gluten free, out of the bird stovetop stuffing Roasted brussel sprouts Mushroom gravy Steamed green beans with almond slivers "Mama's" Cranberry jelly "Mama's" Applesauce Pumpkin pie with pecan crust Apple pie with streusel topping Skillet Cornbread I will be posting the recipes for the cranberry jelly and applesauce in the next few days! Stay tuned.

Ahh, November. The leaves are crunching beneath our feet, the weather is turning downright chilly, and apple cider is crisp and delicious. I have always had a soft spot for autumn, and November is really the peak of this fantastic season. With just a few weeks until my favorite secular holiday (Thanksgiving in case you didn't guess it), I am already well underway in planning the feast we will enjoy that afternoon. Last year we traveled to Durham and I cooked some items before we left, and made some other items upon arrival. It was an exercise in planning ahead and I had everything organized in a Google spreadsheet.