Thanksgiving is right around the corner! I’d hoped to share a few new recipes with you this year, but, life happens. Or, job relocations happen. Between spending so much more time commuting – and checking out everything vegan Uptown Charlotte has to offer at lunch – I haven’t had the time or inclination lately to tinker around with new recipes when I FINALLY get home!
So I’ve gathered together some of my favorite recipes from over the years that I think are especially appropriate for Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy them and are inspired by them.
PLEASE NOTE: To view the original post/recipe, click on the link – the name of the recipe that’s in bold and underlined. From reviewing my stats, it seems some readers are doing this and some are clicking on the photo.
The Classics
Asparagus casserole … a family tradition.
Asparagus Casserole. My family didn’t “do” green bean casseroles – we did asparagus casseroles! No Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter would have been complete without one (or several, so there would be plenty of leftovers). This was one of the very first family recipes I “veganized.” It is a little more involved than many of my recipes, but sooo good! At the time I posted, I noted this casserole was “like the perfect man – extremely rich, extremely satisfying, and only comes around three times a year.”
Waldorf Salad. Apples, nuts, celery, and raisins or grapes in a light mayo coating. This is perfect for any big holiday meal because it is so light and refreshing – a good balance to the rich casseroles.
Baked Sweet Potatoes. I never liked sweet potato casserole – TOO sweet! – but I do love baked sweet potatoes. It’s such an easy way to add “one more thing” to your Holiday smorgasboard, and the simplicity balances out the fussier dishes.
Other Sides
Green Beans Almondine. A great alternative to green bean casserole, and so easy.
Collard Greens. Collards were essential at Christmas, but many consider them essential at Thanksgiving, too. If you’ve never made collards before, be aware that they do take some time – both to wash and to cook. It’s worth it, though.
Orange Ginger Glazed Carrots. So pretty, so easy, and not too sweet. And we can all be thankful how much my food photography has improved since this picture.
Appetizers
Olive Cream Cheese Dip. This was considered a Christmas dip in my family – perhaps because of the festive red and green and white? However, Bean Vegan Cuisine serves a similar dip every year at their annual Thanksgiving “dinner at the diner”, so I’ve started trotting this dip out on Thanksgiving, too.
Soup And …?
Maybe you want something different from the usual Thanksgiving feast, something lighter, especially if there’s only going to be a few of you. Why not start out with a first course of soup?
Pumpkin Curry Soup, with basil and lime. Leans more toward Thai than Indian.
Apple Butternut Squash Soup. This one is Indian-inspired, with cumin, coriander, garam masala, and red chili pepper, then further jazzed up with some ginger! Save a lot of time and effort by purchasing pre-peeled, pre-chopped butternut squash.
Best Vegan Mushroom Soup Ever! Seriously. It bears zero resemblance to Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup.
What about your second course? Maybe something like this Autumn Tempeh “Chicken” Salad. It’s a take on Waldorf salad, and yes, it really does taste a lot like chicken.
Or maybe stuffed acorn squash?
Acorn Squash stuffed with apples and raisins, with a touch of garam masala and cayenne pepper. It’s a little sweet and a little spicy!
Or …. Acorn Squash stuffed with wild rice and cranberries. This recipe is a total cheater one – it uses rice mix and dried cranberries. Plus, it is so easy to steam-bake an acorn squash. Ridiculously simple – yet looks and tastes so elegant!
And Now For Something Completely Different
Sweet and Spicy Curried Butternut Squash. Want to shake things up a bit? Try this! This is based on an Indian pumpkin dish that I worked to make more accessible to Americans. There are still a few ingredients you may not have on hand, so you may want to save this one for next year. It is, however, a “WOW” dish.
Dessert
I am not a big fan of desserts, but I do love tinkering around with the basic “Krazy Kake” formula. This was one of my more inspired creations. You’ve heard of “Better Than Sex” cake? Well, this is Chocolate Orange Orgasm Cake, and it lives up to its name.
Happy Thanksgiving to all if I don’t post again before Thursday! I want to let you know I am truly thankful for everyone who has taken the time to read my blog and support me over the years. I hope my advice, reviews, and recipes have, in some small way, made your life just a little bit better. Thank you again for letting me be a part of it.
VegCharlotte 
Great ideas for Thanksgiving!!
Thank you!