A Meatless Thanksgiving

[obamanut2012]

Another thread prompted me to post this.

Who here is having a Meatless Thanksgiving, and what are you having? Tofurkey gets giggles, but they taste fine, and other meat analog "turkeys" are even better (field roast).

I put this in GD, because many people I know would like to consume less meat, or eat something different, but don;t want to do a Tofurkey or field roast. And, it has been discussed in here today.

Most of my family will be eating the usual Turkey Thanksgiving, and my niece and I will partake of (and share with the others): pumpkin ravioli with nutmeg butter, roasted veggies (root vegs, red and yellow peppers, onions, a bit of fennel), and a salad. Not vegan, but vegetarian. I will probably carb out and eat some some mashed potatoes, too!

We have pumpkin and apple pies and gingerbread gelato for dessert.

[etherealtruth]

1. Two of my three children are vegetarians

We have a turkey and tofurky (which I actually think is really good) ... I could do without the turkey, but my 75 year mom would be upset.

I, personally, am in it for the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie!

[obamanut2012]

8. We are having the "side by side" dinners, too

Whenever I make mushroom gravy, my father also eats half of it.

[snooper2]

22. I've never seen it before so I had to google pictures...

I'm sorry

[etherealtruth]

29. Tofurky honestly tastes pretty good

A couple of years ago I wanted to make lasagna (vegetarian is the only way "we" like it) for Thanksgiving .... the reaction from my family was the equivalent of what one would expect had I proposed that we kick puppies and pinch babies for the day. I made Turkey and Tofurky that year ... I will make Turkey and Tofurky every year ....

[RebelOne]

39. I am a vegetarian. I tried Tofurky a few years ago and did not like it.

I will be going to my son's house tomorrow. They always cook a turkey, but his wife also prepares lots of vegetables for me even though my son thinks I am sort of weird because I refuse to eat meat.

[snooper2]

118. I just got done mixing the

brown sugar, mustard seed, onion powder and black pepper for my rub

[villager]

2. I will probably move up the food chain for the Day itself, but like a meatless "turkey"

...at home for the days (and leftovers) that follow. Thinking of trying Trader Joe's new house-brand meatless roast/loaf this year.

Any other suggestions?

[obamanut2012]

9. Let me know how that TJ's roast is

I also make pumpkin gnocchi sometimes, and a quinoa/feta/kale dish everyone likes.

[DoBotherMe]

3. Yum!

I just copied your menu for my Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you! Dana ; )

[msongs]

4. go meatless on T Day and be a hero to the turkeys of america nt

[liberalmuse]

5. We're doing a Mexican Food buffet at home this year.

And we'll try the Veggie Turducken recipe that was on Huffpo last week for Christmas.

[PatSeg]

6. There are so many choices

on Thanksgiving, I never felt the need to substitute the actual turkey. I've been a vegetarian for almost twenty years and I really don't miss the turkey.

[obamanut2012]

12. My nephew says turkey is "incidental" to the meal

Because he prefers all of the sides!

[PatSeg]

109. Exactly!

I realized it was mostly the other dishes that I enjoyed. The turkey smelled good, but it was so messy.

[RC]

7. Meatless?

[MineralMan]

10. I've prepared a couple of meatless Thanksgivings.

I would never, however, put a piece of factory-made fake turkey on the table. What would be the point of that?

I have served my lentil mushroom loaf as the centerpoint of the meal, though. It slices up nicely, has plenty of that good old umami flavor, and satisfies with texture, mouth feel, and robust flavor.

It's always amusing for me to see vegetarians putting meat look-alikes on the table, when there are so many wonderful vegetarian main dishes that can be served. It seems....I don't know.....silly.

[CrispyQ]

79. I love lentil loaf!

I pour A-1 sauce on it just like I did with meatloaf.

[MineralMan]

110. I don't use A-1.

I use some soy sauce in mine. Lentils, onions, three kinds of mushrooms, including shitake mushrooms, along with garlic, salt, pepper, a bit of agar-agar to help keep it together, and carrots, celery, and a few other ingredients that vary. Everything is sliced and sort of woven together to create a loaf that stays together and can be sliced neatly. It's delicious.

[Luminous Animal]

112. Some of those meat look-alikes are pretty tasty and thus wonderful and add to the

conviviality of the event. I remember when tofurky arrived on the market to smirking and mirth but the company has vastly improved on the recipe over the years and most of my meat eating friends admit that it has good flavor. Granted, not flavor that they are looking for in meat, but good flavor nonetheless.

After moving to San Francisco and eating many amazing fake meat dishes in Chinese restaurants that Buddhists had refined over many hundreds of years to replicate favorite meat dishes, I grew to understand the difference between vegetarians who do not like meat and vegetarians who may or may not like meat but eschewed it for health and/or ethical reasons.

Some vegetarians like the flavor of meat that plants, in all their glorious versatility, can provide. I find that reflects on the ingenuity of human beings, the breadth of the human palate and not silly at all.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

11. I do mostly sides --

Mom will roast herself a turkey leg to share with the kittehs but I will indulge in mashed potatoes, crescent rolls, cranberry jelly, corn on the cob, stuffed celery, marinated olives -- and key lime pie for dessert!

[upaloopa]

13. I am vegetarian and am meatless everyday.

I just have an aversion to eating anything that had a mother or has a face on it.
I don't feel that being a vegetarian is better than not being as far as everyone else is concerned. It is better for me. I am 66 and don't have any of the health problems people my age get. I think that not eating meat has a lot to do with that.
It is none of my business what other people eat. It is a personal choice.

[obamanut2012]

15. Okay, what are you cooking for Thanksgiving?

[upaloopa]

21. Corn casserole, green beans & onions

yams, mash potatoes, cranberry sauce. I cook for others, one of them does a turkey. I eat only the not meat items.
When I fix dinner I think of combinations like rice and beans rather than picking a meat dish and then adding sides. I don't have sides.

[CrispyQ]

81. Would you PM me that corn casserole recipe, please?

Pretty please?

[Big Blue Marble]

14. This is our 20th meatless Thanksgiving.

We enjoy a Quron roast basted in herbs and butter and all the traditional fixings.

Thanksgiving turkey was the last meat that I ate. At first, it was hard to imagine
Thanksgiving without it. Now it would seem strange to serve it.

[brooklynite]

16. I -hate- "fake" meat...

...plenty of harvest season vegetables to build a meal around. If you're having a vegetarian meal, have a real one...

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. We are dong duck

it will be torture for the birds. They like it, and it takes longer to roast than turkey.

We don't do meatless, but refer a smaller bird.

[obamanut2012]

18. My grandmother loves duck

She always has it for New Year's Day dinner.

[Jazzgirl]

27. I'm having muskovy duck breasts.

My side is roasted root vegetables with baby carrots, celeriac, fingerling potatoes, onion, garlic, parsnips, and something else all tossed with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper with olive oil poured on it. And I AM GOING TO MASTER A CHEESECAKE IF IT KILLS ME!!!

[Johonny]

53. +1

Beijing Duck >> Turkey

[DollarBillHines]

71. We're having Mary's Duck

Mary's gasses (CO2) their free-range ducks before they kill them, so there is no adrenalization or terror for the animal.

They are then air-chilled and the breasts are wonderful.

But they'll set you back on the cash end - $20/lb.

Mary sells her chicken through Whole Foods, but the duck is just sold locally.

[trotsky]

19. I doubt I will ever go full veg.

But when I buy a turkey, I make sure it is a free-range organic one. That is my compromise.

[obamanut2012]

20. That's what my parents do, too

They even get it from a local organic farm, so it's also local.

[trotsky]

23. Yup, my turkey comes from the same guy who provides my eggs!

Great feeling knowing who you are getting your food from.

[obamanut2012]

24. They've talked to the farmer

About doing a meat and dairy share.

[glacierbay]

37. I will never buy a turkey from the store

we hunt our own turkey, got a 23-26 pounder a few weeks ago and my wife is, as we speak, preparing it for tomorrow.
I can hardly wait.

[johnp3907]

25. Raviolis

Homemade raviolois stuffed with homegrown swiss chard. Green beans from the garden. Pumpkin pie from scratch. Last years Butternut squash lasagna was great, too.

[myrna minx]

100. Welcome to DU, johnp3907.

That sounds delicious!

[Luminous Animal]

26. I'm cooking a turkey but I'm not eating it!

I'll cook it for my guests but I am going to eat the following:

Butter lettuce salad with mandarin oranges, roasted chestnuts, pears, and shaved pecorino; dressed with an orange vinaigrette
Sauteed bok choy seasoned with mushroom broth, soy sauce, dark sesame oil & sesame seeds.

Mashed potatoes with roasted garlic & mushroom gravy
Glazed carrots with grilled figs and balsamic vinegar and goat cheese
Sweet potatoes seasoned with orange, ginger, walnut oil & a bit of cayenne.
Mushroom dressing & apple relish
Turnips roasted with garlic, shallots and rosemary.

Pumpkin pie with whipped cream
Plum and persimmon cobbler

I started cooking on Sunday.

The sweet potatoes are done, the vegetables are sauteed for the dressing, the garlic and chestnuts are roasted, the mandarins are peeled and separated, the stocks are done for the mushroom and turkey gravies, the apple relish is done. the sauce for the bok choy is done, the turnips are done, and the pie dough is done.

This evening, I'll make the vinaigrette, the cobbler and the pie, grill the figs and glaze the carrots.

Tomorrow all I'll need to do is roast the turkey, make the gravy, the mashed potatoes, the whipped cream, and assemble some dishes. But tomorrow my husband and daughter will help so I won't have much to do.

[obamanut2012]

28. I am making that carrot dish this weekend

YUM.

[Luminous Animal]

45. It is delicious!

[byronius]

30. Artisan makes an incredible 'field roast', which I'm having.

Baked with potatoes, carrots and onions.

Mmmmm. I do not miss meat, ever.

[Starry Messenger]

31. Any leftovers you can all mail to me.

My poor veg. brother is married into a family that "forgets" every year that he's not a meat eater. Several years he's gone home hungry because everything has meat products in it. I don't know why he and his wife don't just cook at home for their own celebration.

[obamanut2012]

35. That sounds possibly passive-aggressive

[Starry Messenger]

44. Just a tad.

This is the father in law who actually witheld permission when my brother asked if he could marry his daughter. Charming family.

[MuseRider]

32. The only vegetarian here but

I cook for all and then I eat what I can and am as happy as I ever was. I save out stuffing without the meat products just for me, sadly the gravy is out for me but for my kids I make gallons of it. Still, happy with what I eat and thankful that it makes me healthy in body, mind and spirit

Edit to add: I forgot, sheesh! I have spent the last few days making veggie broth so I can have gravy! I totally spaced that out, hope I don't forget to make it for myself. I now have a freezer full of veggie soup and broth that I spent the last few days making as I recover from this nasty pneumonia.

[RepublicansRZombies]

51. !yikes! "as I recover from this nasty pneumonia" !you need to relax and take care of yourself!

nt

[MuseRider]

56. :-)

Sweet! I am better just weaker than normal, was down for a month. Bad case but now I am in recovery mode and doing much much better. Thank you Have a wonderful holiday .

[uppityperson]

33. We have had Meatless Feasts as well as including some meat. There are lots of great foods

to eat, lots of wonderful recipes to make. I'm making basic and with apple stuffing today as this is one big reason for a Feast. And homegrown pumpkin pie (though without the crust). Freshly picked and fried brussel sprouts also.

[MuseRider]

34. I always insist that we have brussels sprouts!

Since I am the lone cook it is my prerogative! They are not freshly picked this year but local and organic.

[uppityperson]

36. Small ones and NOT overcooked as then they are blech.

[MuseRider]

58. There is little worse than a mushy brussels sprout! Blech is right! n/t

[Luminous Animal]

52. I love them roasted with small potatoes.. both cut in half.

[MuseRider]

64. That sounds very good!

Hmmmm, maybe next year. My boys are very insistant that every year I do the same thing, they love it. I am no cook really but there is something about the way our Thanksgiving meal has transformed that about 5 or 6 years ago they decided this was it, the best ever. They complain when we have to go elsewhere (I dread the day they both finally marry. Poor girls). In fact we are not having ours until Monday because their Grandmother had hip surgery so we are going to her place tomorrow where she will have a catered meal.....hmmmmmmm. Good for when you can't do it but my boys are pretty skeptical.

I may try that this year though. Our weather is so wonderful that I could probably roast them out on the grill. Today it is in the 70's!

[Luminous Animal]

67. We've had the same group of friends over for 10 years or so (with some additions now and again)

For the 1st five years or so, I had about the same menu. One year I tried to mix it up and they were whining, "Where's the borscht? Where's the cornbread? Where's the mince"meat" pie? Jeesh! Now they are used to me making changes but I stick with many basics but tweek the recipe and swap out a few of the sides.

The potatoes and brussel sprouts are very good. Coat with olive oil, add salt and pepper and any herbs that you like. I like to add a good smoked paprika at the end.

[MuseRider]

84. Smoked paprika

is to die for. I added some to a potato soup I made yesterday, never had done that and it was just fabulous!

[lastlib]

38. Meatless Thanksgiving--what would be the point??

Meat and potatoes made America great, ferchrissakes! I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to eat tofu!!

[obamanut2012]

40. The point is, some of us are vegetarians or vegans

[Flaxbee]

108. oh please. Thanksgiving isn't about what you eat.

[longship]

41. Oh! And don't forget yummy yams!

Very traditional, delicious, and good for you.

My mother would bake them with a sprinkle of brown sugar -- No marshmallows, puleeze!! They were melt in the mouth good.

I am not a vegetarian, but sweet potatoes are damned tasty.

[War Horse]

42. Not a vegetarian myself

although I totally respect those who turn vegetarian for ethical reasons.

What I can't wrap my head around, though, is why emulate "meat dishes" at all? I mean, there's so much great vegetarian food out there that's more than tasty enough.

[obamanut2012]

47. I eat very little of it

I always keep some of the good quality stuff in my freezer for an easy dinner when I'm tired, just like how everyone has their quick dinners. Some people like the taste, or it helps them ease into eating veggie.

I don;t get how anyone, ever, eat Steak-Umms.

[Luminous Animal]

50. Because some people like the taste. It's just another flavor to savor.

Buddhists perfected the art of fake meat a 1000 years ago and many of the fake chicken and duck dishes that I have had at vegetarian Chinese restaurants are very good.

[War Horse]

68. Fair enough (both replies above)

I guess when I envision "vegetarian 'meat dishes'" it just conjures up childhood images of the various dishes we had to prepare - and eat - at the Rudolf Steiner/Waldorf school. "Roast based on nuts"... gah.

[Luminous Animal]

75. I rarely eat fake meat at home.

but if I am going to a BBQ, I'll bring my own veggie sausages because the are easy to add to the grill.

I do eat veggie burgers but not the ones that taste like beef - a flavor that I can't stand.

I'm not sure what that roast based on nuts that you prepared and ate but this one from the Greens Cookbook is unbelievably delicious (and also doesn't taste like meat.) I've brought it to some very very meaty BBQs and it's gone within minutes.

Nutloaf
serves 6 to 8

1 onion, medium chopped
butter or oil
2 cups mushrooms, finely chopped (see note)
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon each dried thyme, marjoram, basil, tarragon, sage
red wine or sherry
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups walnuts, finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor
1 cup cashews, finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor
5 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
3/4 pound grated cheese: Parmesan, Gruyere, cheddar, fontina, smoked or any combination
1/2 cup mixed fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, oregano, thyme
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.

Sauté the onion in oil or butter until it begins to soften. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms release their juices and become soft. Add the garlic and dried herbs and continue to cook. When the pan begins to dry out again, add a good splash of the red wine or sherry and cook until it is reduced some. The contents should be moist but not swimming in liquid. Remove from the heat and let cool a little.

Prepare your pan while the mushrooms cool. Butter or oil a 9-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper or foil. Butter the parchment/foil again.

In a large bowl, toss the brown rice and nuts together. In a separate bowl beat the eggs with the cottage cheese. Add to the rice/nut mixture along with the mushrooms, grated cheese and fresh herbs. Mix well. Taste for seasonings and adjust. (If you're worried about the raw egg, you can fry up a little patty to taste.)

Fill the loaf pan with the nut mixture, rap a few times on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles and smooth the top with a spatula. (The nutloaf can be kept, well wrapped, in the refrigerator at this point for no more than a day.)

Bake for about an hour or until the loaf is firm (maybe longer if the mixture was refrigerated.) Remove from the oven, rest on a cooling rack for ten minutes, then remove from the loaf pan. Peel off the parchment or foil and serve on a platter, garnished with fresh herbs.

Serve with a mushroom gravy or a thick tomato sauce.

[obamanut2012]

80. I take black bean burgers to cookouts

[Luminous Animal]

83. My favorite veggie burgers.

[GoCubsGo]

43. Possibly.

It's just me and the cat, and I have not yet decided on what to make, although it will not be turkey and all the usual trimmings. I am thinking about making a veggie pizza, which I would much rather have than a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

[RepublicansRZombies]

46. As a vegetarian that always felt the turkey was the side dish, I still make stuffing-potatoes-gravy

but now as a vegetarian I have learned to make Chocolate pie and cheesecake with blocks of soft tofu in them, which makes them healthier, a solid protein food. and now an appropriate breakfast food for several days afterward

[FarCenter]

48. Cheese lasagna one year, due to circumstances beyond my control

I'm not sure what the point of fake meat vegetarianism is. You may as well have clearly non-meat foods in a vegetarian meal.

[Liberal_in_LA]

49. I eat sides

[danimich1]

54. This is my 25th meatless Thanksgiving!

I've been a vegetarian for 25 years. Sure don't miss the turkey! We are having
Carrot souffle
Broccoli casserole
Cranberry salad
Mixed green salad
Scalloped potatoes
Butternut squash
Apple cranberry pie

We tried the fake turkey one year but we didn't really care for it.

[dionysus]

55. as a steak eater who buys multiple veggie products because i love them for the taste...

how is fields roast?

i like morningstar burgers, boca chikn patties, corn dogs, ect, all the gardein stuff. i have fields roast in the freezer, havent tried it yet.

[obamanut2012]

57. Some are really tasty

Trader Joe's has a new one this year, and someone upthread said they are trying it this week.

Gardein is my favorite of the "fake meat" products. The price tag shows how good they are!

[dionysus]

59. the "chicken scallopini" is to die for

[obamanut2012]

61. I LOVE that!

Had it for dinner last night.

I like the little crispy "chicken" mandarin ones.

[dionysus]

65. my weakness is the morningstar corn dogs and buffalo wings...

i've eaten crates of them...

[obamanut2012]

69. The buffalo wings are a guilty treat for me

Often on a Sunday while watching Top Chef marathons!

[dionysus]

70. man, i'm about to go buy more now.. crispy goodness....

[obamanut2012]

73. I may be changing what I was going to eat for dinner!

[RebelOne]

74. I love Morningstar products,

but the barbecued ribs are delicious. I also like the sausage patties.

[Luminous Animal]

77. Spicy black bean veggie burger... YUM!

[GoCubsGo]

63. Yep.

That's my favorite. I just had some of their beefless cubes for lunch in a stir fry. They are pretty good, too. But, not as good as the scallopini "chicken". I like it with buffalo wing sauce.

[dionysus]

66. as someone who loves to pound down a steak, i can't get over how good

a lot of those products are. i had a vegetarian roomate once, and i just got into trying different stuff... fantastic.

although i think gardenburger products were a big stinker...

[GoCubsGo]

72. I prefer the Morningstar Farms and Boca "sausages" over the real thing.

They are also more likely to have coupons, which makes them affordable. Speaking of that, there are some "blinkies" coupons out for Gardein. I found a dispenser of them at Kroger. I usually grab one every time I'm there, and use them wherever there's a sale. Otherwise, they're way too pricey for me.

I used to be a vegetarian back when I was in grad school. It has gotten a whole lot easier now with these sorts of products. They taste so much better than the fake meat of even 20 years ago. I eat far more of these products than I do real meat.

[jsmirman]

98. Field Roast products, imo, are simply amazing

delicious, high-quality, filling stuff.

[obamanut2012]

106. yes

[justiceischeap]

60. Having our fifth hosted vegan thanksgiving

My last 2 roommates and I hosted 2 of these and this will be the third my 2 new roommates and I are hosting.

Our menu:
"Ham" and "cheese" toast points for appetizers
Tofurkey (for the traditionalists)
Thanksgiving croquettes ("turkey", stuffing and mashed potatoes lightly fried and covered in gravy)
Mashed potatoes
Garlic kale
Green bean casserole
Dinner rolls
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip "Cheesecake"
Soy ice cream

[Warpy]

62. Thanksgiving was one day all the veg heads would get together

and hide from their families and we'd eat some sort of bird and feel weird the rest of the day. We were all poverty vegetarians, not morality vegetarians.

I've always done my feasts buffet style, veg and non veg main dishes and nobody looks at what anyone else is eating. They're too busy eating it, themselves. Everything is always gone.

[CrispyQ]

76. Open faced Tofurky sandwiches with mashed potatoes, gravy & stuffing.

Oh, & some fine, fine looking green beans! Not in a casserole.

And apple pie.

[Cleita]

78. I eat around the turkey myself. I find all the side dishes make a fine meal.

When no one is looking I sneak the turkey into a container I keep in my purse and feed it to my cat.

[obamanut2012]

86. My kitties also get some of the turkey

And a teeny bit of the gravy. My mother makes them a little care package.

[Luminous Animal]

82. Thanks for starting this thead, obamanut2012!

It is refreshing to see a positive vegetarian conversation on DU.

[obamanut2012]

85. I am so surprised it's gotten so many responses!

And, some great recipe ideas.

[MuseRider]

87. Yes, thank you!

Great ideas here. And a good conversation

Happy Thanksgiving!

[obamanut2012]

88. You too, Muserider!

[Luminous Animal]

89. Kick for veggie goodness!

[myrna minx]

90. I'm a vegetarian and I'm bringing a wild rice dish that is delicious.

Yum!

[Luminous Animal]

91. I love wild rice. My husband and I got our grocery list circuits crossed

and we've ended up with way too much celery but I found a great chunky celery, tomato (I am substituting for the carrots) and wild rice soup. Fortunately, in San Francisco, I can still get pretty good organic tomatoes.

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/chunky-celery-soup-recipe.html

[myrna minx]

95. *Drooling* - that looks heavenly!

My dish is a local Minnesota favorite - the creamy wild rice casserole or as we call it - "hot dish" - with toasted almonds (or water chestnuts for crunch), sage, thyme, caramelized onions, celery, garlic, dry sherry (optional), and for more starch and color - corn (optional). I cheat and use Imagine's potato-leek soup as the binder instead of eggs and flour or "cream of mushroom" soup. I"m not a vegan so, I add parmesan and/or smoked gouda -whichever I have on hand.


I was thinking about this recipe too, but I don't have enough pearl onions. I think I'd substitute cranberry "craisins" instead of raisins.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/glazed-pearl-onions-with-raisins-and-almonds-2/detail.aspx
Glazed Pearl Onions with Raisins and Almonds



Thanks for the recipe! I'll have to try it. It sounds delicious!

[obamanut2012]

96. yum

[myrna minx]

101. Thanks for the thread - it's fun to see the delicious options!

[obamanut2012]

107. It really is!

A lighthearted GD thread in amongst all the Gaza and McCain threads!

[Luminous Animal]

97. One thing I love about this thread is that it displays some fantastic vegetarian creativity!

Happy Thanksgiving!

[myrna minx]

103. Thanks for posting all of the

delicious recipes in this thread. I'm bookmarking for future kitchen fun!
Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

[Doremus]

92. Me!

Family is having free range organic turkey but I'll be enjoying bok choy stir fry with peanut sauce. I'm also whipping up a batch of delicious and dairy-free almond raspberry thumbprint cookies and trying a vegan chocolate cake mix for the first time.

Count me among those who can do without fake turkey, and any and all meat substitutes. I much prefer fresh whole foods to cardboard-like matter processed to within an inch of its life, lol.

Happy Thanksgiving to all, whatever's on the menu.

[HopeHoops]

93. Totally meatless - Sugar pumpkin, butternut squash, our own home grown taters,...

... probably our own home grown beets, stuffing, apples, homemade pies, cranberry sauce, mushroom gravy, and homemade bread. We'll probably add a few things, but that's the basic stuff.

[obamanut2012]

94. I love butternut squash so much

In any form.

Are you making the pumpkin into pies, or roasting it (or something else like soup)?

[HopeHoops]

104. We're baking both (stuffed). The kids found a REALLY nice sugar pumpkin!!!

I didn't know if we'd find one this year (weird weather). The one the found is large, firm, and "thumps" like it's thick with meat. The butternut squashes are also good, but we'll probably only do the middle-sized one for the meal. The other two will end up being soup. Shit. Now I'm hungry.

[Bryan]

99. Going to a meatless Friendsgiving this year

The New York Times has a terrific collection of vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes every year (I'm bringing the mac & cheese with butternut squash):

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/11/12/health/20121111_vegetarian-thanksgiving.html

[Marrah_G]

102. My cousins and I are making a traditional thanksgiving dinner

My plan is to just skip eating the turkey

[hypergrove]

105. It's the beef too!

Suggest we try to reduce our beef consumption also -- make it a delicacy, kinda of like abalone (which has been fished close to extinction).

[sekha68]

111. I have been vegetarian for years.

My co-workers are awesome; every year, when I exit the building on Thanksgiving-Eve, they always say, "Happy Tofurky Day!"

I grew up on a cattle farm. My job was to bottle feed the calves. I bottle-fed and raised a calf one year who was special and didn't quite fit in with the others. When he was a full grown steer, I still went out and hand-fed him greens. I became a vegetarian the day my father came home and said, "Guess who's for dinner?" I joke about it now, but it really was a turning point in my life.

[Warren DeMontague]

113. I had about a year where I ate no meat. Did a tofurkey that year.

Had my wife's sister & BIL over.

He has not been back since.

[Beaverhausen]

114. Field roast and all the traditional sides

[Zorra]

115. Vegetarian all the way for me, making a veggie stir fry with vegetarian steak strips

mashed potatoes, biscuits and butter, cranberry sauce, crackers and brie, apple and pumpkin, fresh fruit, and good winter ale.

Found out a few hours ago that I am getting stood up for a Thanksgiving dinner/date that I was really looking forward to, so I'm winging it.

[Luminous Animal]

116. Your winging it looks pretty damn good!

I hope that it, even a little bit, makes up for the disappointment.

[XemaSab]

117. Tofurkey with some bomb peach sauce that I made from fresh peaches back in early August

I bought them off the farm in Glenn County.

[LeftyMom]

121. Putting some rum in the peach sauce was one of my better ideas.

[XemaSab]

122. Putting rum in anything is always a good idea

[obamanut2012]

129. lol

[trailmonkee]

119. we didn't go meatless this year... organic and non gmo is about it

[LeftyMom]

120. Wild rice and lentil loaf, balsamic mushroom gravy, rum glazed yams, stuffing and mashed potatoes.

Oh, and some pumpkin walnut bread.

[Blue_In_AK]

123. We do vegetarian Wednesdays,

So I'm good for turkey tomorrow.

[Luminous Animal]

124. No meatless side dishes that you'd like to add to the conversation?

Something that your veggie guests would love to eat and your sister DUers would be interested in?

[Blue_In_AK]

126. Just the usual

Sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, cranberry-cherry relish. I'm afraid my dressing has sausage in it.

Homemade apple pie with walnut crust. Mmm...

[Care Acutely]

125. We make a quinoa and veggie pot pie for the main course

And all the usual veggie sides. Fresh, home-baked bread.

[KansDem]

127. I'm having a pepper and garlic pizza...

Poblano peppers and roasted garlic cloves with veggie cheese!

My family is spending the day with the in-laws. I don't do the "Norman Rockwell" Thanksgiving anymore...

[tblue]

128. 10 years I'm a veg! And I LOVE IT!!!

Mashed potatoes
Homemade cranberry sauce
Pumpkin pie from scratch
Cream of carrot soup
Greens (soul food!)
Brussels sprouts
Breaded green beans

YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM!

Thanks for posting and God bless the turkeys.

[alp227]

130. Not the poor people being served turkey et al at food banks.

I'm not calling anyone snobs here, but I've heard of philanthropists giving away as many as THOUSANDS of turkeys to the poor. As I'm reading all these awesome recipe ideas I wonder: who is stepping up and serving vegan meals at food banks? I wish that the other side of America living in food deserts had the opportunity to eat as health conscious as people here are.

[LeftyMom]

132. Food Not Bombs serves veg*n meals all the damned time.

I used to work at a small health food company, and we sent tons of food over to our local chapter. Never wrote up a press release or called the media, we just did it because we could and it was the right thing to do.

[alp227]

133. Then those efforts deserve more publicity and awareness.