Thanksgiving with Vegetarians

Thanksgiving past!

We are thrilled this Thanksgiving because some of our vegetarian relatives will be joining us.

I’m not sure if they’ve ever been with us on this holiday that centers around eating turkey.

Menu aside, it’s about time we got together!

As in so many things, we’re all trying hard to accommodate each other’s needs, which include finicky toddlers, nursing moms with allergy issues, adults with blood sugar issues and family memories.

That’s a lot to put on one dinner!

So what do vegetarians eat at Thanksgiving?

Negotiations were conducted via email and here’s the menu:

Stuffing–cooked outside the birds so the vegetarians can eat some

Mushroom gravy–made without flour for the wheat allergy problem

Regular gravy–for the mashed potatoes

Lots of homemade rolls–a specialty of a bread maker

Sweet potatoes— made with my mother-in-law’s recipe but hopefully with at least half the butter removed and a lot of the brown sugar.

Relish tray–a tradition made this year by a woman just in from Hawai’i

Green salad–because everyone likes it

Fantastic vegetable–roasted Kabocha squash glazed with a pomegranate-rosemary reduction

Dragon Kale to round out the vegetables

Scrumptious-sounding tofu dish–I think. Maybe that will be Friday’s dinner!

Home made cranberry sauce–made by an astronomer

Mashed Potatoes–my brother-in-law’s specialty.

What about Dessert?

2 traditional pumpkin pies

1 vegan pumpkin pie–an experiment by an experienced baker

1 pecan pie–a love gift for a first time mom

2 apple cakes made with Fuji apples for those who aren’t keen on the other pies

2 chocolate tarts–because everyone in the family adores chocolate

Infamous green bean casserole–a tradition from another family

Whipping cream–hoping a quart will be enough

Martinelli’s cider–long a family staple, but the majority of diners will be adults this year, so

plenty of Sonoma County‘s Pinot Noit!

Tofu Recipe

3 pounds firm tofu

1/2 c lemon juice

1/2 cup braggs

1/4 tsp cayenne

4 cloves garlic

oil for baking.

My niece marinates the tofu overnight with water added just to cover. During the last hour, she marinated egg plant cubes, then drained and salted the eggplant a little.

Baked for 1 hour at 375 degrees in a greased pan (because she likes tofu with dry edges).

She also noted “I’m generous with olive oil and serve it with rice.”

Vegetarian Cook Book coming!

My sister-in-law is an exemplary vegetarian cook and her website is full of great information. Her newly revised cookbook comes out soon. Here’s the link: Conscious Cookery 101.

 Happy Thanksgiving!