Thanksgiving is just around the corner and what could be more satisfying than stuffing your face with delicious food! For those vegetarians out there, I’d like to give you some quick, easy and yummy substitutes for traditional Thanksgiving platters so you can stuff your face just as much as the next carnivore.
I’ll be listing recipes for gravy, stuffing, and turkey, so no vegetarians feel left out.
Turkey is the most difficult to substitute for obvious reasons. If you live near a Superstore, you can easily pick up a Tofurky in the health aisle and pop it in the oven no problem. If there are multiple vegetarians coming to dinner, this would be a great substitute for turkey! Keep in mind, it’s pretty big for just one person. You might be like me and just skip the fake turkey altogether, since I find that there are so many other plates where I can get my fill. If you still want a substitute for the main meal try Bite me’s Maple-Marinated Stuffed Tofu Cubes.
You’ll need:
– 1 block firm tofu, frozen, then thawed
– 3/4 cup stuffing
– 1/4 cup maple syrup
– 1/4 cup vegetable broth
– 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
– 1 clove garlic, minced
– 1/2 tsp. onion powder
– A pinch cayenne pepper
- Squeeze as much water as you can from the tofu while still keeping it in tact. Cut tofu into four cubes. Use a small spoon or apple corer to hollow out the middle of each cube to within 1/4 inch of the cube’s bottom.
- Combine syrup, broth, oil, garlic, onion powder, and cayenne, and pour this mixture over the tofu. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour, then drain.
- Spoon stuffing into the hollow of each cube, and bake at about 425o F for about 25 minutes or until tofu is golden.
Stuffing is my favourite Thanksgiving dish. If yours is cooked with meat, try replacing it with F****Yeah Vegan’s Sourdough Stuffing.
You’ll need:
– 1 large sourdough loaf, crusts removed and cubed
– 1 tsp. avocado or olive oil
– 1 onion, diced
– 2 cups diced celery
– 1 cup button mushrooms, brushed clean and diced
– 1 cup tempeh, or seitan, cubed and pan-fried until golden
– 1/2 cups pine nuts, lightly pan-toasted (optional)
– Soy sauce
– Fresh grated ginger juice (optional)
– Small handful flat leaf parsley-minced
– Spring or filtered water
- Preheat oven to 300o F and arrange bread cubes on a baking sheet. Bake until bread dries slightly
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet and saute garlic and onion for 2-3 minutes. Add celery and mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Combine bread cubes, sautéed vegetables, fried tempeh, pine nuts, soy sauce and ginger juice to taste and parsley. Slowly add water, while mixing until a soft stuffing forms. Allow to cool completely.
Gravy. Thanksgiving would not be complete unless your plate is drowned in gravy (or not). I like this mushroom gravy even more than my mom’s and that is saying a heck of a lot. So, if you’re looking out of necessity, or just want to try something a little bit healthier give this easy Mushroom Gravy recipe a go!
You’ll need:
– 1/4 cup butter or vegetable oil
– 1/2 pound of sliced mushrooms
– Salt to taste
– 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed
– 1 cup vegetable broth
– 1 pinch ground black pepper to taste
- Heat butter over medium heat in a saucepan until it foams. Stir in mushrooms. Season with salt. Simmer until liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the flour, cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes. Add about 1 cup of beef stock, stirring briskly until incorporated, then pour in the remaining stock and mix thoroughly. Season with black pepper and thyme.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring often.
Don’t hesitate to search the web for more vegetarian Thanksgiving alternatives! Even if you are not personally vegetarian it can be fun to try new twists on old favourites. Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the food!
Photo credits:
http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr03/2012/11/16/12/enhanced-buzz-4519-1353085268-3.jpg
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