This stuffing by Rachel Spurr is sooo good. I loved serving it to my Thanksgiving guests last year! It's pictured here inside of Rachel's Tofu Roulade.

To find out more about Rachel's catering offerings, you can contact her at rspurr1@aol.com. Here's the recipe for the stuffing - enjoy!
 
Wild Rice Cornbread Stuffing
 
Serves 6-8
 
Ingredients

• 2 tbs olive oil
• ¼ onion
• 1 rib celery, cubed small
• ½ apple
• 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 3 cups vegan corn bread, pre-cooked
• 1/2 cup wild rice, pre-cooked
• 2 tbs pecans
• 2 tbs dried cranberries
• 1/2 tsp poultry spice
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbs parsley
• ½-1 cup vegetable broth

Steps

1. Add the first 7 ingredients to a sauce pan and cook 10-15 minutes or until apples and celery begin to soften.
2. Meanwhile, crumble precooked vegan cornbread into a large bowl.
3. Add wild rice, pecans, dried cranberries, poultry spice, sea salt and parsley.
4. Mix in sauteed mixture, stirring well.
5. Adjust seasonings as desired.
6. Add vegetable broth.
7. For a moisture dressing, more vegetable broth can be added.
8. Place in a well oil pyrex dish or casserole.
9. Bake covered at 350 for 1 hour, uncovering in last 20 minutes of cooking.

Yum! What kind of stuffing are you going to eat this Thanksgiving? Be sure to share your tasty recipes in the Recipe Gallery!

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This is an amazing tofu pumpkin pie recipe that I shared a couple years ago, courtesy of Kind Lifer Megan Lipshultz. It’s so good and perfect for Thanksgiving – your non-veg friends will be amazed, I promise!


Megan says this pumpkin pie recipe was originally submitted by vegweb.com user Robin, and it’s hands-down the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever had…ok, maybe 2nd to that insane pumpkin pie they make at Urth Caffe in LA, but still…considering it’s beyond easy to make, it’s freakin’ delicious. 

I’ve served this time and time again to tofu-haters and they have no clue it’s filled with it. Then, once the pie is safely in their bellies, I smile and tell them that it was super high in protein because of the tofu content. Gotta love that. I feel very 007 every time I make this.

It’s a must to top the pie slices with Rice Whip or Soy Whip by Soyatoo! (exclamation point included in the brand name, just fyi) They sell these at Whole Foods and other specialty stores. If they don’t have this near you, ask your local grocery store to carry it! And careful, because some other brands of non-dairy whipped creams contain milk!! I know, crazy, right? It says non-dairy on the bottle, but you look at the ingredients and it says milk. Not sure how they get to advertise that as non-dairy, but oh well. Just be sure to check the label.

A few more notes:

• For the tofu, I’ve found the Organic Firm Silken Tofu by Mori-Nu works the best.
• For the pie crust, get one from your grocer’s frozen section. Try for one that’s sugar-free. You don’t need a sweet crust because the pie is the bomb all on its own.
• I’m a spice freak, so I always use all the optional spices.
• I think the pie is best after it has been chilled (which is good because you can make it for a dinner the night or morning before), but it’s still awesome warm. 

All right, that’s enough on the pie. Go make it! Serve it to everyone you know. And if you’re really feeling crazy, pair it with some non-dairy vanilla ice cream, or if you are weird like me, pair it with the carrot cake ice cream from Rice Dream…yummmmm!

Tofu Pumpkin Pie

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 can (16 ounces) pureed pumpkin
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
• 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch to firm up the pie filling
• 1 package (10-12 ounces) silken/soft tofu
• 1 9-in unbaked vegan pie shell

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. 
2. Blend the pumpkin and sugar.
3. Add salt, spices, cornstarch and tofu, mix thoroughly. 
4. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350 F and bake for another 60 minutes. 
5. Chill and serve.

NOTE: Don't use the low fat tofu, then the pie tastes like it was made with tofu.

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Last year we had a huge crowd over, and while I love to cook, there was a ton of family in my home and lots of commotion. I wanted to be present and not run around like an insane woman. I can’t cook and talk at the same time – I get very focused while cooking, and can’t answer questions. I just lack that ability! So, my solution was to do some cooking and some ordering in – a nice balance that allowed me to hang out with my family.

Christopher's mom Candy helped me a ton with the set up and keeping things warm. I asked my mom to be in charge of tea making - as that is her specialty!

This was my menu for Thanksgiving 2010:
 
Cheese from LEAF – this is sooo good! If you haven’t tried it, you must get it – it’s like cream cheese and it comes with yummy chips. It's all raw, but I still love it for the cheese taste - definitely something to win the hearts of meat eaters!


Field Roast Apple Smoked Sausages – always a hit with vegans and non-vegans alike!


Pecan-crusted Seitan - from my book (p. 154-155)

Wild Rice Cornbread Stuffing – we made this yummy recipe from Rachel Spurr!

Mashed Rutabegas & Potatoes from M Café

Tofurky Gravy - it's easy and good!

String Beans – I made these with my husband’s step mom, Carol!

Sweet Potoatoes With Suzanne’s Ricemellow Creme – Made these with Carol

Plain Biscuits from M Café – these are delicious!

Winter Salad from M Café – really good! Has a light crumble "cheese" on it with pears.

Cranberry Sauce – from my book (p. 162)

My Pecan Pie


Pumpkin Cheesecake – from my friend Mark, whom I wrote about here. I served it with a little vanilla “ice cream”

Mulled Wine – from my book (p. 210)

Hot Apple Cider – so good with cloves and cinnamon sticks!

Organic Beer, and a little Champagne for dessert

Cucumber-Mint Water – a nice way to fancy up plain ‘ol water for a special meal!
 
That’s it! What are you planning to eat this Thanksgiving?

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A couple of years ago before Thanksgiving, my friend Mark had me over for a super yummy Thanksgiving meal. He made the best cheesecake ever – the recipe came from the Vegetarian Times, and it's a great option for your Thanksgiving menu this year. Check it out, and if you have any great recipes for Thanksgiving, please post them in the Recipe Gallery!

This cheesecake is adapted from a recipe in the Nov/Dec 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and was originally submitted by Kathryn Hostettler who won honorable mention in the recipe contest in that issue.

To make it a bit easier, Michael uses a pre-made graham-cracker crust, and also uses Whole Foods Market Organic Pumpkin Pie Filling as part of the cheesecake filling.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Candied Cranberries

For the candied cranberries:

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups sugar substitute (either maple syrup or agave nectar, whichever you prefer)

Steps

1. Prick each cranberry several times with straight pin.
2. Bring sugar substitute and water to boil over medium heat.
3. Cook until sugar reaches 230 F on candy thermometer.
4. Add cranberries, and cook ten minutes or until syrup gels a bit.
5. Remove berries with slotted spoon and lay out on plate.
6. Save in refrigerator for adding to top of cheesecake later.

For the crust:

Ingredients

• Pre-made organic vegan graham-cracker crust (for ease)

Or, if you prefer to make your own:

• 10 sheets vegan graham crackers
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 oz Earth Balance butter

Steps (if you aren't using premade)

1. Process crackers and salt into fine crumbs in food processor.
2. Add Earth Balance and pulse to combine.
3. Press mixture into bottom and half way up sides of 9 inch spring form pan.



For the cheesecake filling:

Ingredients

• 12 oz. silken tofu
• 8 oz. vegan cream cheese
• 3/4 can Whole Foods Organic Pumpkin Pie Filling
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Steps

1. Puree all ingredients in food processor until very smooth, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Pour into crust and bake at 350 F for 50 minutes.
3. Chill completely in refrigerator at least 3 hours, up to overnight.
4. Garnish with candied cranberries, slice and serve.

What are your fave Thanksgiving desserts?

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This Thanksgiving pizza from Chef Chloe looks yum! I haven’t tried it, but if you do, let me know how it turns out.
 
Ingredients

For the pizza dough:

• 1 (¼ ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour), plus extra for rolling
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar or maple syrup

For the Garlic White Bean Puree (can be prepared up to 2 days in advance):

• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Pizza Topping:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups (½ -inch) cubes peeled butternut squash
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced (preferred: honeycrisp, gala, or fuji)

Instructions

To make the Pizza Dough:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
2. Let stand until bubbles form, about 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, oil, salt, sugar, and the yeast mixture.
4. Using lightly floured hands or an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix until a stiff dough has formed.
5. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle extra flour 1 teaspoon at a time as needed. Place the dough in a large well-oiled bowl and rotate the ball of dough so it is completely covered with the oil. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl as it rises.
6. Cover with a dry kitchen towel and place in a warm part of the kitchen until it has doubled in volume (about 1 to 1 ½ hours).
7. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface, shape into a disc, and knead for five minutes.
8. Use dough immediately or cover tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze for a later use.
9. Thaw to room temperature before using.

To make the Garlic White Bean Puree:

1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

To make the pizza topping and assemble the pizza:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat and sauté onions until soft and lightly caramelized, about 20 to 30 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3. In the meantime, toss remaining 2 tablespoons oil with squash and season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 30 to 35 minutes until squash is fork tender, turning once or twice with a spatula. Remove from oven and set aside. Turn heat up to 450 degrees F.
4. Brush a large rimmed baking sheet (approximately 9- x 13- inch) with oil.
5. Stretch pizza dough into a rectangle and fit it into the prepared baking sheet.
6. Spread a layer of the Garlic White Bean Puree evenly over the rolled-out Pizza Dough. You may not want to use all of the puree, just enough to coat the dough. On top of the dough, arrange the spinach, caramelized onions, roasted butternut squash, and apple slices. Season with salt and pepper, and brush the edges of the crust with olive oil.
7. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, rotating midway, until the crust is slightly browned or golden.

Let cool, slice, and devour!

What are your favorite pizza toppings?

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I use maple syrup to sweeten the cranberry sauce in The Kind Diet (p. 162), but you can sub agave or rice syrup – whatever you prefer. I love this recipe because it’s so easy, and sooo much yummier than canned cranberry sauce.

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 cups raw cranberries
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• Juice from 1 orange

Instructions

1. Rinse and clean berries well.
2. Transfer to a large saucepan, and add the syrup, orange juice, and 1/4 cup of water.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and boil gently until the berries pop, about 10 minutes.
4. Chill for 1 hour before serving.

Enjoy! What’s your favorite way to eat cranberry sauce?

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For the past two years, I've posted a bunch of kind takeout menus from vegan-friendly caterers in the Los Angeles area. Here is this year's updated edition!
I have been using Kristina Brindley's Seedling Catering for a while, and they are great. They also helped with my book launch party! 

They have so many amazing dishes right now that would be perfect for Thanksgiving.  Check out how great these sound:

• Zinnia - Ripe plantain fritters stuffed with cashew cheese
• Orchis - Potato blini with eggplant "caviar"
• Salad of black mission figs, roasted red pepper and fennel
• Squash, Fennel and Apple Soup – a sweet blend of squash and apple with a little accent of fennel
• Seedling Galette - seasonal apples, pears or a delightful combination of both on a flaky baked crust.

You can see the menu here and email Kristina to place an order.


Another great place to order a kind Thanksgiving dinner from in LA is Madeleine Bistro, a great vegan restaurant. They have a whole Thanksgiving-To-Go menu, and everything on this menu looks so good, and perfect for Thanksgiving.

• Salad - Baby spinach, quinoa, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, pomegranate vinaigrette
• Soup - Butternut squash bisque
• Entrée includes - rustic mashed potatoes, pan gravy, coconut yams, pan-roasted veggie medley, and cranberry relish, as well as:
• Choice of Protein: Seitan - Grilled lemon-rosemary or Herb crusted or Tempeh: Braised or Herb crusted
• Choice of stuffing - Sourdough-sage OR Wheat-free quinoa
• Dessert - Choice of: Pumpkin pie or French apple tart or Both

You can check out the menu here and call 818.758.6971 to order.



M Café also has a Thanksgiving Holiday menu that looks soo good. So many great vegan options!

• Spiced Butternut Bisque
• Winter Field Greens Salad with Fennel, Cranberries & Bosc Pear
• Holiday Roast Dinner: Savory Sliced Seitan, Herbed Bread Stuffing, Pan Gravy and Cranberry Relish
• Whipped Potato & Rutabaga
• Mashed Pumpkin with Couscous & Raisins
• Maple-Glazed Acorn Squash, Brussells Sprouts & Chestnuts
• Sauteed Brocolini with Garlic & Red Chile
• Green Beans Amandine
• Herbed Bread Stuffing
• Wild Rice Pilaf
• Cranberry-Ginger Relish
• Whole Apple Pie (from Babycakes NYC)
• Pumpkin Cheesecake

You can download the menu here, and call 323.543.1192 to order.

In addition to being vegan, Real Food Daily’s Thanksgiving menu is organic and gluten-free. Here are this year’s offerings:

• Kobacha, Corn & Coconut Bisque
• Faux Turkey Breast
• Corn Sage Stuffing
• Garnet Yams topped with marshmallows
• Mashed Potatoes &Parsnips
• Herb Roasted Vegetables
• Mushroom Gravy
• Cranberry Relish
• Pumpkin Pie
• Southern Maple Pecan Pie
• Pumpkin Tofu Cheesecake

Order here or call 310.289.9910 in West Hollywood or 310.451.7544 in Santa Monica.

***

Will you be cooking your Thanksgiving meal from scratch, ordering take out, or doing a combo of both?

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As you know, millions of turkeys suffer terribly at this time of year. Happily, Farm Sanctuary's Adopt-a-Turkey Project provides several ways you can celebrate turkeys and combat the cruelty. This year, Ellen DeGeneres is returning as spokesperson for Adopt-a-Turkey, encouraging Americans to save, not eat a turkey this year - here's how you can get involved:

Sponsor a Turkey
 
Participate by sponsoring a turkey and telling all your friends about it on Facebook and Twitter. To see a gallery of Farm Sanctuary’s adoptable turkeys, go here. Depending on how much you’d like to give, you can sponsor a single turkey or an entire flock! You can also make a simple donation to Adopt-a-Turkey here.

Help With Media Outreach

If a donation isn’t possible, you can help with media outreach by writing letters to the editor of your favorite publication. Farm Sanctuary provides tips and tricks for how to effectively do this here. You can also reserve ad space in your local newspaper, then contact Farm Sanctuary. They’ll send your newspaper the correct size camera ready ad. A third way you can reach out to the meadia is by asking to have a PSA aired in your community. Read how to do that here.

Host a Potluck
 
Get all of your friends together for a delicious, cruelty-free feast and share heart-warming turkey rescue stories. Make it a fun affair that veg and veg-curious friends alike can enjoy. A pre-holiday potluck is also a great opportunity to test recipes for Thanksgiving…stay tuned for more on that soon!
 
How are you planning to help turkeys this Thanksgiving?

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Here is a video that I shot on Thanskgiving day! In it, you’ll see me picking some sage from my yard – I’m not positive that sage doesn’t need water after a year, but the idea is that once established and happy, sage hardly needs any water. So it’s a major water saver!
 
The “Amazing Grace” scene makes me laugh, because I’ve never sung the song before, so I didn’t know the words! Our singing was quite pathetic, but it was fun!

And you can check out the blog I wrote about that night here, that has some more photos of the evening.