What? No Turkey on Thanksgiving?

Usually around this time of year with Thanksgiving fast approaching I get asked, "So, what DO you eat on Thanksgiving if you don't eat turkey?" With a smile on my face I respond to this question, a question I get asked every year, with the answer "Food. Delicious food!"  Okay, so I will not be participating in the carving of the turkey nor the pulling apart of the turkey's wishbone (it is the wishbone, right?!), but, that does not mean that my Thanksgiving is markedly less of a gastronomic holiday.  Weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, food is undoubtedly the main topic of conversation.  Some people spend weeks planning their menu, from the main course to the side dishes to the desserts *{Drooling}*! Oh, and the wine, let's not forget about the wine!

A vegan Thanksgiving is abundant in a variety of tasty foods.  The only noticeable difference in a vegan Thanksgiving dinner spread is the centerpiece - the absence of the turkey.  There are many vegan dishes that can be prepared that are not only palatable but visually appealing as well.  Listed below are just a sampling of what you may find at a vegan Thanksgiving:

Appetizers: At most holiday gatherings you can pretty much be guaranteed that there will be a veggie platter. You may have to skip the dip in favor of humus (if available - if not, there is nothing wrong with plan veggies) but other than that, snack away.

Side Dishes:

Main Course Options:

Desserts:

     Sounds delicious, right?! This will be my first Thanksgiving since going vegan.  I was trying to figure out what to make that not only sounded good, would taste good and would require very little culinary skill.  So, I did what anyone would do when faced with a dilemma , I Googled for help! In my search I came across some recipes on the care2 website. Recipes for stuffing, stuffed butternut squash, herbed roasted vegetables, mushroom gravy, candied yams and pumpkin pie. These tasty dishes will be what I will be feasting on this Thanksgiving.  Even if you are not vegan I say give one of these recipes a try. You just might like it and might even create a new holiday meal tradition.

     If you need a bit more inspiration in creating a vegan Thanksgiving I recommend watching Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's video, A Vegan Thanksgiving.  I wish all of you a lovely Thanksgiving and may you be surrounded by the love and happiness of family and friends.

* Oh, here is a little Thanksgiving song for you to enjoy. WARNING: It's catchy!