Vegetarians- What do you do for Thanksgiving?

Well thanksgiving is about a month away, but its never too early to start planning. I have made the choice to become vegetarian (well, I dont really claim the title, I have cut out all poultry and red meat, although I do eat seafood once in a greeeeeaaaat while-one thing at a time) in the past month. I am still learning to cook different recipes and find different things I can eat.

Im looking for thanksgiving suggestions. Im VERY worried Im going to slip up. (I love turkey and feel a little left out). Does anyone have any suggestions for some replacement dishes I could make for myself that would blend in well with the rest of the thanksgiving stuff? (mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, etc) Im not neccessarily looking for a fake turkey or anything, just something hearty so my plate wont be completely empty

Im mostly asking for advice for the long term vegetarians and vegans out there..what do you guys do for this special day so you are not the weirdo in your family who isnt participating in the big dinner?

Thanks!

Heh, I'm not exactly vegan or vegetarian, but I do have a group of about five or six friends who are all vegan, and I know they do something for thanksgiving, so I'll be sure to ask them.

Of course, when I was at Whole Foods last, I encountered something called Tofurky, which I know nothing about, and the whole idea of it sounds bizarre. Hell, it could be tasty, who knows?

<<< A "V-gun".

I eat with the family. My mom will adapt that which is easilly adapted, and then I will make an alternative entree. We usually have:
1. Mashed potatoes made with soymilk and earth balance margarine.
2. stuffing (with veggie stock and earth balance), a portion cooked outside of the turkey-carcass.
3. cranberry sauce (vegan from the get-go).
4. carrots (easy).

Lately, I've been doing tofurkey, but that can be kind of expensive (cheapest at trader joe's). Also, DO NOT expect it to actually taste like turkey (although I think it's good in its own right, if you like meat-analogs). Other times, I've made baked tofu with veggie gravy.

ebola

Last year was a mess for me, actually. I made a terrific sweet potato casserole, totally vegan...and then found that and some corn was all I'd have to eat. I finally started trying all these great new foods and now loooove veggies...and I felt like I was the picky eater kid again with only corn and applesauce on my plate.

It's really not difficult if you can coordinate things with your family. And, since you're not vegan it's likely to be much easier. You won't have to tweak your recipes for: mashed potatoes, casseroles (yum for green beans), stuffing (as long as it's not sausage stuffing or some such thing), and certainly you'll be able to indulge in pumpkin pies!

If you'd really like to, you might try a Tofurkey. I've never had one, but the only meat substitute I've ever enjoyed were Veggie Burgers. All the other pre-packed meat subbies taste a bit like the way Beggin' Strips (a dog treat) smell.

Good luck!

You definately do NOT need to eat a dead animal to celebrate family unity and thanks for what you have.

Thanksgiving, for me, is a bloody pigout fest. And, when contending for a heavyweight title in food eating, I certainly do not want to consume any food that will slow me down. This means plenty of water to help, and tons of vegetables for the main course. When you don't eat meat, you'll realize how much food you can keep down while still staying moderately hungry.

Awesome! Give me the rolls & bread (making sure they're egg-free.. dairy isn't such a worry for me), sweet potatoes, cranberries, asaragus(!), some bean cassarole stuff, corn, carrots, eggplant, squash.. I could eat so much of that, why bother with a dead carcass? Of course, you can always fry up some tofu the way you want, or maybe some falafel (mashed chickpeas). Also, pita and hummus are always great appetizers.

Oh, and mashed potatoes, and lots of them! You can easily make a very nice batch with simply some oil (or margerine.. but I like soy oil), peeled red potatoes, and your seasonings (garlic & rosemary.. mm). Add a splash of soymilk if you want. Whip for a minute.. food processors don't work.

Maybe make some pie for dessert? Egg replacer can be found @ Whole Foods, or you can just use some warm water and corn starch. Another option involves low microwaving flax meal & water until you get a sticky substance. All work well, and you can easily make a crust with graham crackers. I recently made a delicious cheesecake with tofu & fruit jam. Consult vegweb.com for some ideas submitted and reviewed by anyone.

Lots of good ideas! Thank you guys! Your making me glad I am not a vegan though..lol sounds too hard for me. I love butter and cheese. Ill look into the tofurkey.

^^ If there were more vegans, we would see a lowering in the price of soy and soy manufacturing.. thus soy cheese would be much more prevalent, inexpensive, and yummier. Butter has been acheived through margerines (smart beat is very much like butter).

I'm just having everything besides turkey/eat. I'm only vegeterian though not vegan. I just recently tried the tofurky lunch meat and I was too say the least not impressed and it made me even more sad when I learned that it was the best-tasting meat substitute voted by the veggie awards.

I'm not even a huge fan of eating. I think most things taste like crap and arn't worth the effort to go out of my way to get. I'm eating for the sake of eating not because I enjoy it per se. I don't really like vegetables too much and fruit is OK. Anyone got any recommendations for some food I can eat? I like noodles but not too much pasta.

Ummm...I dunno what would taste good....

I [heart] eating! It tastes good!

ebola

>>..lol sounds too hard for me.>>

eh...not too hard, I'd say...well, eating at home at least...

ebola

It always sounds really difficult going vegan until you've tried it. Usually the biggest hurdle for most people is giving up meat. I know the majority of people are relatively health conscious anyhow, so most of them don't use real butter to begin with. It's simple to switch to using vegan margarines (the generic Wal-Mart margarine is vegan ingredients). And egg replacer is awesome and a lot cheaper to use than eggs for baking (healthier, too). Milk is really easily replaced with soymilk. And honestly, adding the dash of vanilla flavoring that you get with vanilla soymilk just makes cereal rock that much more. There are a few good vegan cheeses, too. It's just a matter of searching them out. It's because there's not such a huge high demand for them that they're not so readily available in every grocery store yet.

And honestly, if you just absolutely can't give up cheese and milk....don't just yet. Just do what you can by giving up what you can, yeah?

Oh yeah...reference to above mentioned vegan deli turkey voted best meat substitute by veggie awards....I've got the magazine from the veggie awards and they definitely voted boca burgers... Dunno how anyone could taste the Smart Deli vegan deli ham and not feel highly nauseous...so icktastic.

I just dont really have any desire (or reason) for me to go vegan. I admire those who do I just think its a bit too far for me, at this point in my life. WHo knows for the future though..

Fake ham sounds nasty! Then again I think real ham is disgusting too.

>>I know the majority of people are relatively health conscious anyhow, so most of them don't use real butter to begin with. It's simple to switch to using vegan margarines (the generic Wal-Mart margarine is vegan ingredients).>>

Actually, butter is healthier than most margarines (hydrogenated oil and all).

ebola

Tofurkey, of course. It' s killer!

Personally, I hate meat subs- I consumed about 1/20th of a 'not-chicken' nugget- I've never eaten enough more processed tasting, it was barely food.

I think stir fry's are great, they can easily be vegetarian or carnivore, which is good for me as I'm a vegetarian soon to be living with meat eaters.

I think the best incentive not to eat meat over christmas is the same one which makes you not eat it otherwise. Dead animal, nuff said

Pumpkin Soup
Warm Potato Salad
Butternut Squash Risotto

PM me if you would like the recipes or come to dinner.

salad, mashed potatoes , corn and peas with lots of sour cream . Corn bread some wine , but mom and dad are no longer with us so i'll go with a nice frozen pizza and good beer. I'm working till 1 p.m. anyway.....:

Personally, I hate meat subs- I consumed about 1/20th of a 'not-chicken' nugget- I've never eaten enough more processed tasting, it was barely food.

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You'd be surprised how much processing the "real" meat goes through..

willow11 said:

Personally, I hate meat subs- I consumed about 1/20th of a 'not-chicken' nugget- I've never eaten enough more processed tasting, it was barely food.

I think stir fry's are great, they can easily be vegetarian or carnivore, which is good for me as I'm a vegetarian soon to be living with meat eaters.

I think the best incentive not to eat meat over christmas is the same one which makes you not eat it otherwise. Dead animal, nuff said

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I dont like some meat subs either..I like veggie burgers, and I like the fake ground beef, for tacos and stuff, or cassarole recipies...stuff thats usually blended with a lot of other ingrediants or strong flavors so you cant taste the *fake meaty* taste too much (I cover my veggie burgers in A1 sauce and its damn tasty).

Stir Frys are definately my favorite veggie food.

I cant even imagine being a vegetarian on thanksgiving. Props