2 c. Raw cashews
2 lbs. potatoes, evenly cubed
0.5 c. Vegan cream cheese
0.25 c. Vegan margarine (optional)
Water
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2T. Dill
Salt and pepper
For this recipe, you need to make the cashew milk first. The raw cashews need to soak in 2 c. Water for at least 6 hours, I like to let mine soak overnight.
The next morning, drain off the water, rinse the cashews and add 2 c. Fresh water with the cashews in a blender. Pulse on high until smooth and creamy. My blender has a "frozen drink" setting, and I've found that by doing that cycle twice I get great nut milk.
While you're fussing with the blender, you should be bringing a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Add the cubed potatoes, and cook at medium heat for the desired tenderness. I like my potatoes to be not too mushy, so I find they're just right when I can easily slide a fork's times into each piece.
Drain the water, and return the potatoes to the pot. Add the garlic, about 1 c. Of cashew milk, and the cream cheese and margarine, if using, and mash it all together with a potato masher or an electric mixer. Personally, I prefer the hand masher, leaving some lumpy bits of potato! Add dill, and salt and pepper to taste.
Stuffing
For this recipe, I use pre bagged crumbs, just because it is easy. Feel free to use fresh bread. Just read your ingredients. If you're buying pre bagged, the cornbread flavor is often the vegan one!
Cook time: less than 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 bag stuffing bread crumbs
0.5 c. Vegan margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
1 c. Mushrooms, chopped
1 c. pine nuts (toasted)
2 c. Vegetable broth
1 tsp each: parsley, sage, salt, black pepper
I like to sautée my veggies first, and melt the butter with the spices in a saucepan. Meanwhile, I stir the broth into the bread crumbs. Then I add it all together and pop in the oven for about 15 minutes.
Cranberry Orange Sauce
Adapted from Anna Thomas' New Vegetarian Epicure
This is one of the things I make for Thanksliving each year that Mia loves. She generally starts talking about it in October!
Cook time:15 minutes, plus time to cool.
Make ahead: easily done the night before!
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs fresh cranberries
1 c. Orange juice
0.5 c. Water
0.5 c. Red wine (whatever I will drink during dinner- but remember, I am a fan of the drier wines)
1.5 c. Sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
0.5 tsp ground cloves
Put everything in a pan over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool before serving.
Sauteed Kale
This is my own invention, and is addictive. I never liked kale or any cooked greens growing up, they always seemed so slimy. Then later, when I went vegan, I tried to like them, but it seemed like there was so much oil they didn't taste healthy. I decided since kale was so darn good for you, I was bound and determined to eat it. I concocted this recipe and everyone in my family loves it. On top of this, it is super easy.
Cook:prep time: about 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1-2 lbs Kale
1 vegetable bouillon cube (to make 2 cups vegetable broth with)
2 c. water
Optional: fresh ground black pepper, sliced garlic (1-3 cloves) to taste
I drizzle the tiniest bit of olive oil in the bottom of the pan, then stuff as much kale as possible in the pan. I traditionally make this dish in my large, 3 inch deep, glass lidded pan. Sometimes, the only kale you can get has a lot of thick stems. If there are a lot of these, I would trim some of the woodiest parts away. Generally, if you buy a large bag of kale, the stems therein will cook just fine.
On top of the kale, I place the bouillon cube, and pour the water. Then I cover the pan with the lid, turn on the stove top to a medium heat, and cook for 10-15 minutes. The longer you let it cook, the softer and gooier it will get. Mia prefers it when I cook it for 15-20 minutes, but Rob likes it better on the raw-er side, approximately 10 minutes. 15 seems to be a nice compromise.
Try to resist lifting the lid. Keep that steam in! Stir when you're ready to serve!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
This has been such a hit in my house lately that we needed to include it in our celebration!
Cook/prep time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
8 c. Brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed, and sliced in half if large
3 t. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T. Nutritional yeast
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, place the sprouts on a cookie sheet, and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast, toss, and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Sweet potato pie parfait
Listen, I love me some pumpkin pie, but I haven't had the best of luck with vegan recipes for one. This year, I am bypassing the scorn, and for dessert, the vegan option will be a recipe from No Meat Athlete Matt Frazier's new book.
Cook/prep time: less than 2 hours
Make ahead: this is great to make the night before and keep in the fridge.
Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes
0.5 block firm tofu, drained and rinsed
1 t. Cinnamon
0.25 t. Ginger
0.5 t. Nutmeg
2 t. Vanilla extract
Pinch or two of salt
1-2 t. Agave nectar
0.25 c. Rolled oats
2 T. Chopped almonds
2 T. Cacao nibs
2 dates, pitted and chopped
Bake the sweet potatoes for an hour at 400 degrees for 1 hour, then let them cool for 30 minutes.
Scoop out the insides of the potatoes, and add to a blender with tofu, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, agave, and a pinch of salt. Purée untill completely smooth, and chill.
Combine the remainder of the ingredients to make the topping in a sauté pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to toast. Remove and allow to cool.
To serve, place a half a cup in a bowl of the sweet potato mixture, and sprinkle topping on. This will serve 5 vegans, or one vegan and 10 veg curious people who will also be eating pie.
Biscuits
If I am so inspired, I will make Lindsay Nixon's 3-ingredient biscuits (
see her video here), but if I'm short on time, Bisquick is vegan, and will make up biscuits in a pinch.
I anticipate that these dishes will be eaten by vegan (me), vegetarian (Mia), and mostly veg curious omnivores (Rob & family). I want to make enough for me to have leftovers on Friday for a midnight sandwich, but not any more than that. So, I need to think about non-veg appeal and portion sizes when I do my shopping.
I would be remiss if I didn't note here that Thanksgiving this year falls on the first night of Hanukkah, something we celebrate in my house. We will talk about latkes next week, I promise!
