Vegetarian Thanksgiving - ideas/planning/strategies to share

[Guest guest]

I am so motivated because yesterday I read in the newsletter about

Thanksgiving Recipes.

 

Well, as a Brit, Ive never celebrated Thanksgiving but I want to join

in please! Ive got so much to be thankful for. I hope I can be an

Honourary Thanksgiving Person!

 

so I would love it if you would share your ideas with me, as a

Thanksgiving novice. I am definitely going to do sweet potato and

rice stuffing, but need lots more. my daughter requests a

special " traditional " veggie dish.

 

what are your favourite and traditional dishes?

 

Also, what happens if you are a guest for the meal? Do you have any

strategies for dealing with your step as a guest in another household?

Do you plan ahead or go with the flow?

 

what do you do if your usual time for dining is say 1 pm and for the

day you are not sitting down till 2 or 3?

 

Do any of you travel long distances to be with family? how do you

deal with that?

 

and the big one! what about Aunty Ediths famous pie she is trying to

persuade you to eat?

 

looking forward to your stories

mosaic

[Guest guest]

dear mosaic,

See my responses (entries preceded by ***)

 

, " mosaic " <mosaic58

wrote:

>>

> Well, as a Brit, Ive never celebrated Thanksgiving but I want to

join in please! Ive got so much to be thankful for. I hope I can be

an Honourary Thanksgiving Person!

 

***But of course!! I for one would LOVE to have you as my

Thanksgiving guest, even if it's only across the ether. Welcome!

 

My family never really understood Thanksgiving...my parents were

children of Italian immigrants, so we always had our usual holiday

fare of holiday soup (chicken broth, mini meatballs,

spinach/escarole, and a bit of egg), pasta (ravioli, gnocchi)

w/tomato sauce, meat from the sauce, and bread. We

made " concessions " to the American tradition by adding roasted sweet

potatoes, green beans, stuffed turkey, and pumpkin pie.

 

>

> so I would love it if you would share your ideas with me, as a

> Thanksgiving novice. I am definitely going to do sweet potato and

> rice stuffing, but need lots more. my daughter requests a

> special " traditional " veggie dish.

>

> what are your favourite and traditional dishes?

 

***Well, sweet potatoes with marshmallows (ick) is very popular with

some people, but I suspect you won't be making that, LOL! Green

bean casserole is " traditional " with some people, though you

certainly don't get *fresh* green beans this time of year in most

places in the U.S.

 

Hard squash is very traditional and was likely eaten at that first

Thanksgiving meal. I like to use a variety like acorn or butternut

or whatever looks good in the maket. I cut it in half, scoop out

the strings and seeds (roast the seeds w/a little tamari...yum),

cook it and then and stuff with a grain mixed with tofu or tempeh

and cook some more. For years, that was my main course.

 

You could always roast the squash with some seasoning and eat as-is,

or steam it, or make a soup out of it.

 

Some people make Brussels sprouts and/or roasted root veggies. I

love roasted parsnips, fennel, carrot, celeriac (celery root),

potatoes, etc.

 

>

> Also, what happens if you are a guest for the meal? Do you have

any strategies for dealing with your step as a guest in another

household?

> Do you plan ahead or go with the flow?

 

***Plan, plan, plan! T'giving is notorious for whites, especially.

I make sure I have a brown and extra protein with me.

 

>

> what do you do if your usual time for dining is say 1 pm and for

the day you are not sitting down till 2 or 3?

 

***Oh boy, that can be a challenge. And so often the meal is

delayed for some amount of time. I make sure to have a substantial

snack around 11:30 (like a half-meal), have some nuts with me just

in case, and eat a bit less than a full meal at 2 or 3. Or if

there's lots of program-friendly food available & it appeals, i

might have a full meal and enjoy it.

 

>

> and the big one! what about Aunty Ediths famous pie she is trying

to persuade you to eat?

 

***LOL! WEll, there's always the standard: " Aunt Edith, it looks

simply delicious! I'm sorry I'm so full I can't take another

bite. " And, if that doesn't work, " I'll just take a piece for

later, then " and throw it out when you get home. A waste of food,

perhaps (unless you can give it to someone who would enjoy it).

 

I'm looking forward to hearing what you end up doing, mosaic! Cinzia

[Guest guest]

Mosaic--

 

You are *very* welcome to share Thanksgiving with us.

It is an utterly contagious and wonderful holiday: my favorite!

 

To me, Thanksgiving dinner is about really great turkey,

a fine tasty stuffing, and many colorful veggies.

 

I use whole wheat bread, lots of apples, onions, celery, and

butter in the stuffing, along with some walnuts and " poultry

seasoning " .

 

I like having sweet corn, green beans with butter and almonds,

red cabbage, and smashed-up sweet potatoes.

 

I make cranberry sauce by putting whole cranberries in the

food processor with two or three peeled oranges. When it's all

chopped up really small, I add walnuts. Make it ahead because it's

better when it sets awhile.

 

Even more than the dinner, Thanksgiving is about gratitude and

having the opportunity to express and share it. I am grateful for

the hope proferred here in the RR community and wish to thank

you all, especially Kathleen and the leaders, for letting the

light of this good news shine out.

 

Margie