the Vegan Thanksgiving Spread

Happy Thanksgiving! I am grateful for a successful Thanksgiving meal created in our new kitchen. The renovated space improved work flow in a tremendous way. And the dishwasher–a game changer. Here are the food highlights:

A flavor-packed stuffed seitan roast, mashed potatoes, apple pomegranate pumpkin rice, and creamed corn.Check out these amazing recipes from other vegan people. They made it easy for me.

Stuffed Seitan Roast

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Stuffing:
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
4 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
generous grinding of pepper
2 slices whole wheat bread cut into small cubes
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon whole chia seeds
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup water (more as needed)

Sauté the onion and celery in a non-stick skillet until onion is translucent.
Add the mushrooms, thyme, sage, and a generous grating of black pepper and cover and cook 3 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients along with enough water to moisten the stuffing but not make it soaking wet.
Set aside.

Seitan Roast:
2 cups vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon marjoram
1/3 cup quick oatmeal
1 teaspoon ground flaxseeds
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 cup great northern beans, cooked or canned
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon tahini

In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (vital wheat gluten through flaxseeds).
Place the 1 1/2 cups of broth, white beans, soy sauce, and garlic in blender and process until liquefied.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the bean mixture, and stir until gluten is completely moistened.
Drizzle the tahini over the top and knead it into the dough.
Keep kneading until dough holds together in a ball. Set aside while you make the broth.

Baking Broth:
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil (optional)

Heat all ingredients until hot but not boiling. A microwave works well for this.

Assembly / Cooking:
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil a rectangular baking dish, 11-13 inches long and 6-8 inches wide.
Line your work surface with parchment paper.
Place the dough in the center, cover it with plastic wrap, and roll out the seitan, making sure that it is the same thickness in all places, until it’s about 9×13.
Spread the stuffing evenly, leaving a 1-inch margin on all sides.
Lift up the plastic wrap on one of the long edges and roll the seitan up like a jelly roll.
Pinch the ends sealed first and then pinch well to seal the long seam.
Lift the seitan roll carefully and place seam-side down in the prepared casserole dish.
Pour the baking broth over it, add rosemary, and cover tightly with two layers of foil.

Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven, baste with broth, recover tightly, and bake for another 25 minutes.
Baste again and return to oven uncovered for about 30 minutes.
Baste 2 or 3 times as it’s cooking.
Seitan is done when top seems firm and brown and the broth has evaporated.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Transfer carefully to a cutting board or serving platter and cut into 1/2-inch slices.

This was the most flavor I’ve ever experienced in a seitan. Glorious!

Pumkin Apple Harvest Rice

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1 3/4 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 small Honeycrisp apple, diced
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
2 tbsp Pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup walnuts, unsalted
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fine pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Prepare brown rice – set aside in large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin, maple syrup, cider vinegar, spices. Mix well.
Add this mixture to the warm brown rice. Fold until well distributed.
Prep your apples and onions by dicing.
Fold into the rice mixture: Pomegranate, apples, onions, walnuts, olive oil, parsley flakes and salt to taste.

The pomegranates were from a bulk club store. 6 for 9.99. Now, what to do with the others???

Mashed Potatoes

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3 pounds yukon gold potatoes
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk at room temp
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt (plus more for the water)
Several dashes fresh black pepper

Cut potatoes into about 1 1/2 inch chunks.
Place in a pot and cover with cold water.
Spinkle about a teaspoon of salt into the water. Cover and bring to a boil.
Once boiling lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 12 minutes, until fork tender.
Drain potatoes, then place back in the pot.
Do a preliminary mash with a potato masher, just to get them broken up.
Add milk, oil, salt and pepper and mash until fluffy.
Taste for salt and pepper.

Creamed Corn

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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, saute 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.
Pour this pureed mixture into the leftover whole corn kernels.

This creamed corn recipe took the prize for “thee best.” Coconut milk makes a perfect ‘creamed’ for this creamed corn.

And a marble banana bundt for good measure… now I was ready to go. 

A selfie with my new glasses

And some giddy fun with Ebenezer. Can’t believe it’s that time already…