A Vegan Thanksgiving 🍽️ (2021) -

I really enjoy traditional Thanksgiving dishes. So last minute, I decided I’d go hard for my family’s Thanksgiving get-together. For easy reference for years to come, the collected recipes of my most favorite vegan holiday eats.

Process the Pumpkin

Pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350℉. Prepare heavy-bottom casserole pans by filling with 1/4″ water.
Cut pumpkin into large pieces, putting aside the seeds for another use.
Put the pumpkin pieces face down in the water of casserole pans. This will help them steam themselves in the pans. Cover them loosely with foil and place on the middle rack to bake. You want them to be fork-tender… mine took about 55 minutes.
After, discard foil and let them cool in the pan for a bit once out of the oven.
Once they’re cool enough to handle, scoop their innards into a food processor. If you can’t easily peel the skin away from the flesh (ew), simply scoop it out with a large spoon.
Start processing! Drizzle in some water to help things along. But don’t add too much. You may have to stop and shift things around in the food processor if larger chunks are avoiding the blade.
Repeat until all the innards are processed and smooth.

Make the Creamed Corn

1 1/2 pounds organic sweet corn, frozen
1 cup light coconut milk
1/4 cup sweet onion, diced
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, adjust to taste
freshly ground black pepper, adjust to taste

In a medium hot skillet, sauté sweet onion and garlic in coconut oil until translucent.
Add sweet corn and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until the corn starts to caramelize with the onions and garlic- add coconut milk here.
Add remaining seasonings and adjust to taste.
Transfer 1/2 of the corn into a food processor and puree–or use an immersion blender..
Pour this pureed mixture into the leftover whole corn kernels.

Make the Sweet Potatoes

6 medium sweet potatoes
5 tablespoons vegan margarine
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1 and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Marshmallow topping:

2/3 cup aquafaba (liquid drained from one can of chickpeas)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400℉.
Poke potatoes with a knife in several places and place directly on oven rack with a baking sheet below to catch drips. Bake until completely tender, about 1 hour.
Cut a slit lengthwise in each potato and scoop out all but 1/2″ of potato. In a medium bowl mash sweet potato until smooth.
In a small skillet, melt margarine over medium heat. Add rosemary and cook 1 minute or until fragrant.
Stir margarine into sweet potato along with sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Divide mixture between sweet potato shells and top with Dandies®. Place on baking sheet and bake until browned on top, 15-20 minutes.
Make vegan marshmallow fluff for topping! Drain the aquafaba directly into a glass measuring cup. It should be about 2/3 cup. Pour the aquafaba into a small saucepan and keep the measuring cup next to the stovetop. Simmer over a medium heat until it has reduced to 1/3 cup.
Pour the reduced aquafaba into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup of the sugar and the vanilla and whisk until well combined. Then add the rest of the sugar and whisk at high speed until it is glossy and thick like marshmallow fluff.

Make the Stuffing

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 large onion, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
2 Tablespoons rosemary, minced
1 Tablespoon minced sage
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 cups vegetable stock
1 loaf ciabatta bread, diced (about 8 cups)
1/4 cup goji berries
2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9×13 casserole dish.
In a large sauté pan on medium heat, preheat olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook until they are lightly browned. Add the onions and celery to the mushrooms cook 10 minutes, until soft and translucent.
Add the rosemary and sage to the pan and cook 2 minutes until aromatic. Season with salt and pepper.
Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the pumpkin and vegetable stock to the vegetables and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine bread and pumpkin/vegetable mixture. Add the goji berries and pumpkin seeds and mix well. Pour the stuffing into the prepared pan and flatten into an even layer.
Place the stuffing into the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is browned slightly.

Make the Cupcakes

Recipe from VCTOTW

Wet:
1 cups of that pumpkin purée
1/3 cup of canola oil
1 cups of granulated sugar
1/4 cup soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry:
1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cups chocolate chips, or as much as desired

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup of vegan cream cheese (an 8 oz. container)
1 Earth Balance vegan butter
4-5 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare 3 cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
In large bowl, stir pumpkin, oil, sugar, soy milk and vanilla.
Combine all dry ingredients, excluding chocolate chips, into a large bowl and stir to combine.
Sift dry into wet, stirring with a fork by hand. Don’t overmix.
Once all dry is incorporated, fold in chocolate chips.
Fill liners with batter 2/3 full.
Bake for 22-24 minutes.
Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Make frosting. With handheld mixer, beat cream cheese and Earth Balance until smooth and incorporated.
Lower the speed and add half the powdered sugar. Turn up mixer once it’s incorporated and beat until smooth. Then add the remaining sugar and, once again, beat until smooth.
Add the vanilla and beat until well incorporated.
Pipe the cupcakes and decorate as you wish.

Make the Fried Tofu

Adapted from Sweet Simple Vegan here.

2 package of extra firm tofu, frozen and then thawed

4 cups of vegetable broth

3 cups unsweetened plant milk

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoon poultry seasoning

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon mustard powder

1 tablespoon garlic salt

2 teaspoon celery salt

2 teaspoon ginger

2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon white pepper

2 cup corn flakes

Vegetable or canola oil to fry

Once the tofu is fully thawed, press to remove as much liquid as possible.
Tear the tofu into medium sized cutlets.
Place the tofu pieces in casserole dish and pour in 4 cups of broth. Set aside to marinate while you set up the breading station.
In a medium bowl, add in unsweetened plant milk and apple cider vinegar to make a vegan buttermilk. Mix together and set aside.
In another medium bowl, mix together the all purpose flour with all of the spices listed in the ingredients.
In a line, arrange the marinated tofu, buttermilk, and seasoned flour mixture. Place a large plate on the end for the breaded tofu.
One by one, take a piece of marinated tofu and gently squeeze any excess broth from it. Dunk it in the buttermilk and then dredge it in the seasoned flour, coating it on all sides. Set on a plate, and repeated process with all of the tofu pieces.
After the first round of breading, take one cup of corn flakes and use your hands to crumble them into the seasoned flour mixture. Mix through to evenly distribute the corn flakes and the flour.
Now it’s time to preheat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Let it get to 350-375 as you start your second dredge. Line a plate with paper towels nearby to but pieces on after frying.
Repeat the process of coating the tofu by dipping each piece again in the buttermilk and then dredge in the flour and corn flake mixture. Repeat until all of the tofu is coated.
Place tofu pieces into the hot oil and deep fry until golden brown on all sides. Should take between 4-7 minutes, flipping as needed. Place finished pieces on a paper towel lined plate to cool.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Vegan Thanksgiving 🍽️ (2021)