How To Prepare A Vegan Thanksgiving Feast

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and for many people it is a time to spend time with family and friends and reflect on what we’re grateful for. This is also a wonderful time to celebrate in a loving and compassionate way by enjoying a feast that is rich in plant-based food. Not only are these foods rich in fibre and other healing nutrients but reflect a choice that is cruelty-free. 

In this blog, you will learn how to make a delicious plant-based meal that even the most hardcore meat-eater will love.

If you choose to make any one of these dishes I would love to see your pictures! Share your pictures on Facebook or Instagram and tag me so I can see, and celebrate, your creations.

I hope you enjoy this meal as much as my family and I do! 

Nasturtium Salad

Serves 8

This is one of my mother’s recipes. I wanted to share it with you today because it is a very delicious, and pretty, salad that is the perfect fit for Thanksgiving. 

Nasturtiums are very easy to grow and they keep certain bad bugs away from your garden.  The petals and leaves are edible.  I only recommend eating home grown, organic flowers.  They add a subtle but spicy tang to the taste of this salad but it’s still great without.  Nasturtiums also make very pretty bouquets as they come in a variety of colours and patterns from pale yellow to pumpkin orange to fire truck red.  They’re perfect for the dinner table because they have short stems; you can easily see over the flowers.

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

• 4 cups spinach or romaine lettuce
• 1 avocado peeled and cut into ½” (1.5 cm) cubes
• 1 large (or 2 small) tomatoes, cut into ½” cubes
• 3 green onions, chopped
• ½ long English cucumber, remove seeds and chop into 1 cm pieces
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ cup pine nuts
• ¼ cup washed Nasturtium petals (optional)*

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING:

• ¼ c extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of half lemon
• 1 small clove or ½ large clove minced garlic
• 1 tsp seasoning, your choice.  I have used:
  • Victorian Epicure “Spanish” (original flavour of this salad), or
  • Victorian Epicure “Herbes de Province” (mix of basil and oregano)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• In medium bowl, mix together the salad ingredients and let sit at room temperature. 
• Prepare the dressing. 
• You can either pour the dressing on top of the salad, toss and serve or serve the dressing on the side so your guests can choose how much to put on themselves. 

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Serves 8 

This was a recipe I developed many years ago for my book The Magic of Living Nutrition. I have made this dish at a few family gatherings and it has been a big hit!

INGREDIENTS: 

• 4 acorn squash, halved lengthwise; seeds and membrane removed (see note) 
• 1 cup organic brown rice 
• 1/2 cup wild rice 
• 4 cups vegetable broth or water 
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 
• 1 TBSP olive oil 
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 3/4 cup diced celery 
• 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped (you may use any nut of your preference) 
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, diced 
• 1/2 cup cranberries 
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 
• 2-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/8 teaspoon each ground black pepper 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

• Preheat oven to 375º F. 
• Cook both varieties of rice together in broth or water with ¼ teaspoon of salt (omit salt if broth is already salted). 
• Meanwhile, place squash halves, cut side down, into a large shallow baking dish or cookie sheet (you may need two). Bake for 30 minutes. 
• In a skillet, sauté onion in olive oil until it becomes transparent. Add the celery and sauté a couple of minutes. Remove from heat. Using a large mixing bowl, blend this mixture together with the cooked rice, cranberries, nuts, apricots, and remaining seasonings. 
• When done, remove the partially baked squash from the oven. Spoon out some of the cooked squash and mix it with the rest of the ingredients. Be sure to scrape only a little; you want to leave squash in the shells, too. 
• Press the rice mixture into each squash cavity, mounding rice as much as possible. (Depending on how large the squash are, you may end up with some leftover rice mixture, which makes a great side dish by itself.) 
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until squash flesh is thoroughly tender. 
• Note: Don’t discard the nutritious squash seeds. Instead, rinse the seeds and remove the membrane. Pat dry. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil and spread the seeds evenly on the sheet. Spray seeds lightly with olive oil or with mix with Earth Balance and sprinkle with sea salt or any other favourite seasoning (optional). Bake the seeds in a 375º F. oven for about 15 minutes, or until they’re golden brown. Enjoy immediately as a warm snack, or store them in an airtight container for up to one week. 

Pumpkin Spice Tart

Serves 24

This raw dessert is a nice replacement for pumpkin pie. It is lighter and just as delicious. This dessert was a favourite amongst many of my clients when I offered these tasty treats for purchase during the holidays season.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CRUST:

• 1 1/2 cup coconut
• 1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup pitted dates

DIRECTIONS FOR THE CRUST:

• Place all ingredients in food processor and process moist and sticky. 
• Spoon mixture into muffin tins and press firmly coating the bottom and sides of the cups. 
• Refrigerate about 1 hour.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING:

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked 2 hours or more
• 1 cup coconut meat
• 1 cup carrot juice, freshly juiced
• 1/8 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 3 fresh Medjool dates, pitted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

DIRECTIONS FOR THE FILLING:

• Blend all ingredients in Vita Mix or high-speed blender until smooth. 
• Pour mixture on top of tart crust. 
• Chill for 2 hours or more until set.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CASHEW Cream:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked
• ½ cup cold water
• 1.5 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp agave nectar
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cloves

DIRECTIONS FOR THE CASHEW CREAM:

• Place all ingredients in a high speed blender
• Chill for an hour.
• Place a dollop of cashew cream on each tart.
• Serve immediately

As you can see this is pretty easy Thanksgiving meal to make as the ingredients and directions are simple. This meal will not have you slaving in the kitchen or waiting for a turkey to cook all day so you will have more time to spend visiting with your loved ones. Once you eat this meal you won’t feel overstuffed nor will you need a nap…unless you want one!

Please share your comments and questions below and share your vegan Thanksgiving recipes and meals with us on our Facebook Page @livingmeatlessnow.