Thanksgiving for vegans

The traditional image of a family Thanksgiving meal includes turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes with butter, green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup, buttered biscuits, and pie made with eggs and milk. It’s all food full of animal ingredients. So, is there any room at the Thanksgiving table for vegans, who ethically eat nothing containing animal products?

Absolutely.

I say this from experience, being a vegan myself. Sure, there were times in the past when Thanksgiving dinner with relatives could be a challenge for me, but not these days. In fact, it doesn’t have to be a problem for anyone. There are not only lots of ready-made products in the supermarket that can replace the classic fare, but there are literally hundreds of creative recipes for sumptuous dishes that will make you forget about the turkey entirely.

Why vegan Thanksgiving?

One reason to eat a vegan meal, or even just substitute certain foods, is to save a bird. Turkeys are gentle, social creatures who form strong bonds and show affection to their feathered fellows and humans they trust. They’re curious and inquisitive and like to explore. They enjoy music and often sing along. They purr like cats when petted. Their personalities are as varied as humans. So, give one a break, eh?

There are also health benefits to a vegan diet. They include reduced risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and some cancers. You can improve your digestion and lower blood pressure. Anyone who thinks vegans aren’t healthy can rest assured. My mother is 71 and doesn’t look it.

So, what is there to eat?

Someone on the vegan section of Reddit asked, “What do you guys eat for Thanksgiving?” Someone else responded, “I still make everything I used to make…but now it’s vegan.”

If you want the traditional dishes, there are vegan versions of them all: green bean casserole (with veggie broth, mushrooms, and coconut milk), mashed potatoes (with plant-based butter), gravy (made with mushrooms or caramelized onions), bread stuffing, and even pumpkin pie (with almond milk and egg substitute). Trust me, you won’t know the difference.

But you can broaden your fare with other favorites, such as vegan meatballs, vegan meatloaf, vegan macaroni and cheese, and vegan cheesecake. For more exotic dishes, try brown-sugar BBQ whole-roasted cauliflower, butternut squash curry, roasted beet salad with horseradish-cashew cream, pumpkin soup with Thai red curry paste and lemongrass, Owamni sweet potatoes with maple-chile crisp, or nutty Baklava pie.

The Main Course

“That’s all great,” you say, “but what do I eat instead of turkey?”

Well, this year, my mom is serving Gardein stuffed roast for the entree. But that’s far from the only alternative. How about Portobello Wellington with red wine gravy, or vegan lentil shepherd’s pie with parsnip and potato mash? If you want something less turkeyish, there’s vegan lasagna with roasted vegetables, zucchini verde enchiladas, and nutty veggie burgers!

It takes no more effort to prepare a plant-based Thanksgiving meal than it does to cook a dead bird for half a day. So, go vegan this year, even if just for the holiday. Your stomach will thank you. Your heart will thank you. Your soul will thank you.