Round mound sounds good. As long as we can slice it, we can present it as a viable turkey substitute - wouldn't wanna miss out on the whole carving fiasco, erm, experience.
Round mound sounds good. As long as we can slice it, we can present it as a viable turkey substitute - wouldn't wanna miss out on the whole carving fiasco, erm, experience.
No Gods, No Masters.
Mysh,
I know two ways to make vegan gravy.
First
Brown whole wheat flour in olive oil. Careful not to burn. Then add veggie broth and stir like mad. Season with salt, pepper or other stuff. You may subsitute soy milk for the broth for a cream gravy.
Or saute onions in either/or olive oil or tamari sauce. In a separate container mix kudzu root with some cold water. (about 2 tablespoons to one cup water) then add to the onion mixture. Kudzu root is a great thickener. You can add herbs, salt, pepper or other stuff.
I envision a lot of practicing over the next few weeks!
Melissa - where do you get the tofurkey? Is it available at normal grocery stores, or just health food stores?
No Gods, No Masters.
This is what I have planned thus far for Thanksgiving Day:
Appetizers:
Hearts of Palm, Heirloom Tomato & Brazil Nut Pate Stacks with a Mirin Garlic Basil Oil
Bruschetta with Olive Tapanade and Cashew-Pimiento Pepper Cheeze
Raw Salad:
Beets and Carrots with Walnuts and Pomegranate in an Ume-Lime Vinaigrette
Entrees:
Spicy Coconut Curry Vegetables (Japanese Eggplant, Zucchini, Sweet Onions, Red Potatoes, Yams, Peas & Spinach) with Lemongrass, Corriander, Coconut Milk and Lime
Roased Red Pepper Quinoa with Currants, Cranberries, Carmelized Pecans & Artichokes
Spanikopita (Phyllo Dough, Rainbow Chard, Onions, Garlic, Tofu, Nutritional Yeast, Braggs and Earth Balance)
Red Lentils with Sliced Tofurkey "Sausages", Cashew Butter, Onions, Garlic, Braggs, Cayenne and Nutritional Yeast
Desserts: ??? I am not sure on this yet. Maybe none? Maybe just Organic Chocolate
That does it: I'm scrapping my plans and going to CC's for Thanksgiving! You don't mind, do you?
No Gods, No Masters.
Come on over! I love to cook for everyone...
The tofurkey roasts are at almost every whole foods market I have been in...they run aroun $11 for the normal one without the gravy and dumplings (this is the one we get cause it's a wee smaller and i make my own gravy! A lot like mentioned above I might add) Or around $19 for the full kit. They take around 2 hours to cook and there are great roast ideas for basting and veggies.
This is the fourth year for Thanksgiving tofurky and fifth for the Christmas.
~Mel
~Mel
"Sweet songs the youth, the wise, the meaning of all wisdom...to believe in the good in man" - Legend
We had Canadian Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago, and I had the Tofurkey Roast. I bought the full kit and thoroughly enjoyed it!! Very tasty. There was lots of leftovers as I found it very filling.
Sure! I have a recipe for Tofu Whipped Cream also, but I had a bad expirience with Tofu Sour Cream and don't want to run into the same problem. Bleh.mysh
-JK
How about some strawberries dipped in melty vegan chocolate?
Seriously, though, I think I saw somewhere a recipe for vegan fondue style eating. That would be romantic and different.
What about going 'raw' for the night? I am not a raw foodist, but some of the recipes I have seen are absolutely amazing. They seem to require a lot of work though.
Go to www.living-foods.com/recipes
Boy, that Fondu, looked Great!
It sure is tough to be at work looking at all this food!
From a couple of past experiences with fake cheese, I would warn you to try it first prior to the big night.
Me, I would do a slap-up 4-course Thai meal, or a big Indian meal - both kinds of cooking are generaly vegan or almost vegan, and the almost ones are easy to veganify without sacrificing flavour.
I don't know where to find such recipes online, but I have a Thai recipe book, "Real Vegetarian Thai", by Nancie McDermott (see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...l/-/0811811514 ). This book also talks about eating habits, meal structure, etc. For example, that the soup course goes with the main meal, not before.
For Indian cooking, you can look at let_me_view's website, and I would also recommend the book "Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking", by Julie Sahni (see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...l/-/0688049958 ). Sahni's books again talk about a lot of the cultural aspects of Indian food, explaining how geography has affected the flavours, and what spices are common where.
Your library might have one or both of these books, or another book by Julie Sahni.
No Gods, No Masters.
Anything cooked in Phyllo Dough would qualify as "Special", I'd say... Spanikopita and Baklava with a Raw Watermelon-Cardamom Soup and a Hearts of Palm and Artichoke Avocado Cucumber Salad with the Fondue mentioned above?
...Something rich and tasty as a starter - have you tried to make your own dukkah? I think it is mediterranean - a mix of warmed seeds and ground nuts with a touch of salt that you use for dipping warm crusty pieces of bread dipped in warm virgin olive oil. For an interesting contrast, squeeze a little lemon into the oil or balsamic vinegar - it makes an attractive dual layer.
For the dukkah, in a blender, whizz up some almonds, pepita's, sunflower seeds, fresh walnuts, brazilnuts and even some cashews until they are the consistancy of breadcrumbs.
Mix in poppy seed and freshly toasted sesame seeds with ground natural salt / vege salt or even a little generic vege stack powder - not too much - the salt can over-power and detract from the flavors. Omit poppy seeds if the thought of them in yours or your partners teeth will take the edge off the romantic moment...
Dip torn or sliced pieces of the bread into the oil then the seed mix for a delicious starter - care should be taken that you don't get carried away - it is very tasty.
"if compassion is extreme, then call me an extremist"
Dessert suggestion- Lemon Teasecake from the 'Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook'. My own family loved it, and it was quick to make.
Just got my official invite to the workplace Christmas luncheon. I emailed my boss and explained I was a vegan and what that meant. I asked whether I needed to call the place we're eating or would he like to.
For Thanksigivng we are having hotdogs in house. I signed up to bring slaw so I could make it with vegan mayo. I'll be bringing my own dogs.
This should be an ineteresting holiday season. How are others handling this annual occupational ritual?
Calling the restaurant to make sure they can make something vegan for me (that is, in addition to a small salad). If not, then I don't go.
And I'm done going to "hog roasts" and the like, "celebrations" that are centered around eating an animal.
Whats up,
This thanksgiving i am hosting dinner, i am serivng an all vegan/homemade dinner to my family( including me it is 1 vegan 2 veg, and 5 meat eaters)
I have not made up my mind what to make totaly, Should i;
A) make all new dishes, stuff they never seen before or;
B) all traditonal thanksgiving diner but vegan, i.e. Tofurkey, stuffing with veg stock, vegan pumpkin pie..
I dont know any input or stories???
Thanks Dave
Last edited by Korn; Nov 9th, 2004 at 11:25 AM. Reason: This was the first post in another thread about the same subject
I say a bit of both...I feel you have a better chance of providing them with a meal that they can truly enjoy and have a good experience with if you don't do the whole "Tofurkey" thing...For those who eat animal products or have recently eaten them, the "faux" products often are dissimilar enough to the "real" thing that they are often turned off by the idea of Veganism, in my experience...
Mashed potatoes are always a winner when made Vegan...throw in a few dishes you as a Vegan know to be decadent, delicious and delightful (or all three!) and nutritious if possible! Do you like to cook? Are you creative with it?
I usually ring a restaurant a couple of days before, requesting a vegan option. These days though I cannot abide being with corpse eaters around me and the smell of cooked flesh, yuk!!!!.
VeganMechanic, I was going to make food for my family, sort of gourmet dishes, until I realized that they wouldn't have appreciated the effort that I was going to put forth. This is what we were going to have (people could choose between two things, but both would have been prepared):
Spinach or romaine salad w/ sunny dressing
Fresh fruit
Green velvet soup
Roasted apple, onion, and sweet potato soup (awesome!)
Thai green curry eggplant stacks
quinoa, rice, and lentil timbales w/ roasted red pepper sauce
zucchini muffins
banana bread
chive biscuits
pumpkin pie
apple pie
cashew cream (topping)
rice milk whipped cream (topping)
I think I would go for the 'traditional' type thing - I usually do a gorgeous Nut Roast, Roast Potatoes, a few different Veggies, 'Sausages' wrapped in 'Bacon', stuffing balls and gravey, and 'Swedish Glace' vegan ice-cream (or whatever equivalent is where you live).
MMMMM, I had lost my appetite lately (v.strange for me), but now I feel hungry again!!
Artichoke47
arti; recipe for roast apple, onion and sweet potato soup please!
Sure! I'll post it in about an hour! It is soooo good and colorful!
My family's full of meat-eaters, but I'm making vegan versions of things for myself and a quasi-veg cousin (Tofurkey with potatoes and carrots, mushroom gravy, kale, brown sugar and cinnamon-roasted acorn squash, frozen cranberry salad) and desserts for all (sweet potato pies and oatmeal cookies...but I'm not telling that they're vegan....mwah ha ha ha ).
I have questions concerning the Tofurky, though:
Does anyone have experience making it?
Are you supposed to baste throughout the cook?
If so, how often?
Is it better cooked in a baking dish or in foil?
How is the baste on the package? Any other suggestions?
here's what i'm making, there maybe more there depending on whether or not my mom is fixing anything thats vegan.
entrée:
stuffed acorn squash (we decided to stay away from the tofurkey this year)
sides:
mashed tators
cranberry cabbage thingy (i don't know the exact name, but it's fucking good)
green beans
possibly stuffing
homemade mushroom gravy
desert:
pumpkin pie
No, i believe all you have to do with it is baste it before you put it in the oven with an orange juice/soy sauce/brownsugar baste and let it cook in that. i've always wrappeed it all in foil as well, i just can't remember if the directions on the box call for that.Cyan
Here's what I am making for the American Thanksgiving this Thursday:
Reservations at my favorite veg*n restaurant (www.veggieworksworld.com) at 4pm for me, hubby, babies and hubby's 93-year old grandmother. I also invited a vegan acquaintance who will be all alone for the holiday but she has declined so far.
Besides fake turkey (and other faux meats), what are some vegan christmassy things that you can make to serve? Normally all the veggies are roasted with the turkey (ewww ) so I can't really eat that!!!! Any suggestions on what to bring???
I make a lovely chestnut roast. I always ask or cook myself the veg, separately to go with it. Dont forget a good vegan gravy as well!. I usually take vegan 'bush tucker' with me. Ie gravy powder, vegan soya cream my own christmas pud and anything else I think I need.
I have to work extra long hours this week to have Thanksgiving and Friday off meaning no time to cook. I'll take fresh veggies to hubby's grandma's house to steam and maybe find time to make stuffing. Maybe some fresh fruit for dessert. I'm dreading this family dinner. My job requires me to interact with people a lot which is exhausting for an introvert like me. (I'm looking for a different kind of job) Then I have to go to the inlaws and "make nice." I'm taking some medication to help me sail through the day!!
I think that for christmas (which I don't celebrate), as the community organisations close down, I'll simply take out a few extra books from the library, a couple of good videos, and look after my pot plants! I don't have any family in Queensland, and my friends have their own families plus they are not vegan. They know that I am, but that's just me being 'different'. I hope that everyone who does celebrate will spare a thought for the poor turkeys once again.
Eve
I am glad that this year, neither my family nor my "out-law" family (my boyfriends father likes to refer to me as his daughter-out-law, in a good way) will be killing a turkey this year. My mother is travelling to Indiana to be with her mother, and I don't think she'll be cooking. Both fathers are coming here for a trip to move us to Baton Rouge. Everything's packed up, so there will be no cooking. If we go out for a holiday dinner, I might get them to agree to go to a veggie restaurant, because other will probably not have suitable options for us. If not, maybe I can at least ask them to spare a turkey (or any other animal) dinner as a favor to us in the spirit of Thanksgiving.
I am relieved this year, only buying for my son, no cards whatsoever, and only one (Vegan) meal to cook for 3 of us!!
1 plastic tree to decorate, one costume for school play to make (my son says he hopes they do something different this year, everyone's getting bored with that story about Jesus!!!!!) - couple of cakes to bake, and that's me done with Christmas!!
whats up, it is 9 am here in chicago, it is about 20 deg outside, we have about 3 inches of snow!!!!
My 8 course all vegan homemade dinner is underway and it looks great!!!!
How is everyone else doing today.
Dave
I'd rather be there but here it's two turkey's, ham, butter, pies, etc. and even though I've been careful not to mention being a herbivore, everyone knows and the hostility is just below the surface.
No one ate any of my bean dish.
Not even my niece's newly diabetic 12 year old boy. He did scoff up a huge plate of noodles though. They don't suspect that diet could even play a role here and I know better than to bring it up today. The complex carbs might have helped. They discussed an insulin pump instead.
I'm trying very hard to sit and keep my mouth shut since I am totally outnumbered. My dog is happy to get the scraps though.
Thanks V_M. At least it is nice to know that somewhere out there it's different. I'm suprised they still even invite me here. Well, I'm family. Black sheep.
I think people are more sympathetic at work and none of them are veg.
Keep the faith baby.
I am a tangerine ;)
Sorry to hear that, but it is not easy, i rember a family party a few years ago when all i could eat were pickles, PICKLES!!!. That sucked, but just be strong, you are a better person for it.
Maybe I'm not looking hard enough, but for sure I'd thought people would be discussing what they had for Thanksgiving this year (well, at least those of us who are American, anyway...)
This year, just to start the thread, we had a Field Roast brand "Celebration Loaf" (which I like better than the Tofurkey version), mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, yam and apple casserole, gingered carrots, cranberry sauce made from fresh cranberries apples and tangerines, and a pumpkin pie. Oh, and topped it of with a good local cabernet.
Last edited by Korn; Dec 2nd, 2004 at 10:15 AM. Reason: This was the first post in another thread about the same subject
"I intend to live forever. So far, so good."
OK, I think it's time for me to change my sig...
"I intend to live forever. So far, so good."
Oh, now I see... my post seemed to have moved itself to this section; I had it under the general section, and when I saw it went missing, I figured it might have moved over here. OK now, so this is where people are talking about holiday dinners. Um, carry on now...
"I intend to live forever. So far, so good."
For Christmas Eve dinner, I am contributing:
Macadamia Nut Roast with vegan gravy
Spicy Mixed Daal with brown rice
Rich Fruit Cake (as a Christmas cake)
For Christmas day I am whipping up:
Three bean salad
Fruit and nut coleslaw
and adding some vegan patties for the bbq (to be cooked before the meat, of course . . . or on something completely different).
It's going to be VERY hot here at Christmas (we have heat waves every year - three years ago it was 46 degrees at my parents place and we spent the whole day in the pool under a shadecloth!), so salads are the go!
I like proving to the distant relatives that a vegan diet is interesting, delicious and filling! Yum!
Hopefully I get out of Christmas lunch this year...if not, I don't know what I will be doing
i think ill be making this for christmas:
http://www.boutell.com/vegetarian/nut-roast.html
i tried a tofu turkey a week or so ago, and oh god it wasnt edible, even after taking all the advice from people that commented. yuck. id rather have roast.
im excited to eat roast sandwiches for lunch on christmas day. my mom and us always had a tradition to eat turkey sandwiches for lunch after opening presents, but this year ill be eating the roast in place of turkey with vegan mayo and cranberry sauce. yum!
"you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb
My office Christmas party was yesterday, I didn't attend. The planner offered to order me, the other vegan, and a few vegetarians some falafel. Instead of us having to pay $22.00, we'd only pay $10.00. Gee, I can go directly to the falafel place and buy one for $2.00. I passed. Plus, I don't want to participate in the "glory" of eating a line of assorted corpses.
I love my Christmas Dinner at home!
We have Nut Roast, Roast Potatoes, Sausages, Stuffing Balls, Sprouts, Cabbage and Gravey.
Mmmm, followed by Ice-Cream, and for tea homemade Bread and Carrott Cake.
MMM-MMMM!!
We had our annual Christmas do-dah at work today. Went off to the country club for a buffet. When the invitations came out I emailed my boss's boss (who is in charge) explaing I was a vegan and what that is. He emailed back that veggies and bread would be on the buffet!! I ate my beans and rice before going and just ate the veggies and fruit off the buffet. The only bread and rice available on the buffet were refined which is bad for my blood sugar. I asked for herbal tea and the waiter brought me English tea. I let it steep only a minute and drank it as he meant well. Afterwards the big boss tells me he was worried I wouldn't have enough to eat. Co-workers didn't give me a hard time though one friend good naturedly tried to tempt me with her ice cream It did make me want to go out and buy some soy ice "cream."
Glad you survived without too much hassle!
How's the eating going, Andie?
This week I have started exercising and now I feel drawn towards good food, too!
Being around the desserts was hard!!!!!
Bookmarks