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So what’s a vegetarian to do on the most meaty of all holidays?  I remember my very first thanksgiving 12 years ago, and thinking what the heck am I going to eat?  Like most vegetarians on that day I ate all sides and desserts, to the curiosity and chagrin of my family. While I got pretty full, it didn’t take very long for my body to 1. get hungry again because I really didn’t eat any protein, and 2. feel sick from eating too many sweets – well I guess everybody feels that way. Though, I felt some license to eat more dessert than usual because I had an all vegetable meal. Here are a few tips to help you on your first vegetarian thanksgiving.

An Open Mind Equals a Happy Belly
First – open your mind to the different possibilities of Thanksgiving. For me, this wasn’t so hard because as a Filipino American, our holidays were never the traditional “turkey and sides” fare. We always had a variety of meaty stews, noodles dishes and vegetable sides. Instead of visualizing your dinner as the meat and 2 veg formula think about a thanksgiving-inspired casserole such as a tempeh or seitan Shepherd’s pie, or savory mushroom ragu over herbed soft polenta, or a  lentil and sweet potato stew.

Proctive with Proteins
The biggest myth about vegetarians is that we don’t get enough proteins. While we all know this isn’t true, Thanksgiving can be one of those days that we overlook our possibilities because we can't see past that big bird. Regardless if you’re going to bring your own vegetarian options or choosing to have a sides-only dinner – there are a number of ways to include protein.
Nuts
Nuts are an excellent source of protein and happens to be a mainstay of thanksgiving. Have pistachios in your salad, walnuts in your sweet potatoes, almonds in your green beans. Heck, dive right into that pecan pie.
Beans
Bring a tangy black eyed pea salad as a host gift, or instead of the usual mashed taters, try a white bean mash studded with fresh green herbs and roasted garlic, or start your meal with Cuban black bean dip to have with fresh veggies or crispy crostini.
Whole Grains
Some whole grains are really packed with protein, not to mention flavor! Grain salads are a delicious change on the usual side dish. Grains like quiona and millet are packed with protein and make great Thanksgiving inspired dishes by adding dried fruits, nuts, and even sweet potatoes.

Tempeh, Tofu, Seitan, Oh My!
When I tell people that I’m vegetarian on Thanksgiving, most people envision me slicing into a scary gelatinous tofurkey. Have you ever seen the movie, Enemy Mine? No thank you alien head. But, hey, if you dig the tofurkey, that’s great, but I’m not a fan of the texture or flavor. While most people are usually skittish about eating tempeh, tofu or seitan, they are delicious when prepared correctly.

Tempeh
Tempeh is actually a fantastic immune booster and great source of protein. I’m not big into soy products for myself, but absolutely enthusiastic about soy foods that are fermented such as tempeh, miso and shoyu. First try simmering tempeh in a flavorful broth to really infuse flavor – such as vegetable stock, shoyu, bay leaves, other fresh herbs, pepper corns and lots of garlic. After ten minutes, remove from the broth and while still moist dredge in coarse cornmeal (or polenta) and shallow fry or drizzle with some oil and roast in a 400 degree oven to crisp.

Tofu
I know this is a scary one. Tofu gets a pretty bad rep because it’s not very flavorful and the texture doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. First, you can always purchase smoked tofu. It has a firmer texture, and makes for a great sandwich, such as a meatless bahn mi. If you have some time try this overnight procedure. Begin by squeezing out the moisture by placing the tofu in a colander, cover with a kitchen towel and placing a heavy saucepan on top. After three hours, freeze overnight, then submerge in a marinade for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Freezing creates an even more firm and chewy texture. You can bake the tofu right in your marinade at 375 for about 30 minutes or until the marinade gets thick. Or, thinly slice the tofu and place directly on a hot grill pan. Simmer your left over marinade in a sauce pan until very thick and use a dipping sauce.

Seitan
This happens to be my personal favorite, though I am one of those lucky people that has zero problems eating wheat gluten. (Something to be thankful for on Thursday.) Try pulsing store-bought seitan in a food processor until you have a crumble that resembles cooked ground meat. You can make this into a hearty “meatloaf” with eggs, breadcrumbs, mashed lentils or black beans, herbs, ketchup (yes, ketchup), Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese and caramelized onions. For our vegan friends, the eggs and cheese are absolutely optional. The mashed beans will help with the binding and simply add a teaspoon of your favorite miso to substitute for that cheesy flavor. Bake in a loaf pan at 350 for 45 minutes, and serve with mushroom gravy and roasted brussel sprouts. Woot!
My other favorite seitan dish is a bordelaise that I learned in cooking school. Begin by slicing the seitan into half-inch thick steaks, dredge in flour, and brown in a sauté pan. Remove seitan steaks and to the same pan add vegetable stock, red wine, shoyu, thin-sliced mushrooms, and fresh thyme and simmer until thickened. Place the steaks back into the gravy and serve with mashed potatoes and sautéed greens! Yum! 

I’m reading this but I’m not a vegetarian
Great! I realize that you may be reading this because you have a veggie guest coming over and you’d like some ideas. So where are you getting your turkey this year? Local turkeys are some of the most delicious turkeys you can find and, of course, less cruel and better for our environment. Purchase them through your local natural foods shop or farmer’s market. If you can’t find one, try online at www.dartagnan.com. D’Artagnan offers organic and free range meats with a commitment to sustainable farming.

There’s plenty of recipes to be found on the internet, but feel free to contact me for specifics for the recipes above! Have a wonderful thanksgiving and thank you for reading my blog!

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