A Vegetarian’s Guide to Thanksgiving

It’s that time of year again. With Halloween gone and Christmas a month away, everyone is in a mad dash to prepare for the holly-jolly season. However, we mustn’t forget the holiday that always seems to sneak up on us in the midst of the Christmas madness – Thanksgiving. Most people look forward to sinking their teeth into a juicy piece of turkey, shoveling in some home-made stuffing, or stuffing their faces with potatoes drowned in steaming gravy. But not me. Being a vegetarian can be difficult, especially during the holiday season. You may think I’ll just sit there munching on some lettuce, reminiscing about my carnivorous  days and wishing I could take a bite of that turkey – but I won’t. There are quite a few things I can’t eat during the holidays like stuffing (cooked with chicken broth), gravy (made with fat), turkey (for obvious reasons), and so much more. This can make it difficult for someone like myself to feel included when celebrating thanksgiving. Luckily, there are tons of vegetarian-friendly options for me to have! (They’re pretty delicious!)

For stuffing: Vegetarian stuffing is extremely easy. All you have to do is replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth! It’s quick, simple, and will hardly affect the taste!

For Gravy: Have no fear, fellow vegetarians. You don’t need to eat dry potatoes this Thanksgiving! I’ve got a simple recipe for some vegetarian gravy! First, put 3 table spoons of margarine in a pot and saute 2 table spoons of chopped onions and 2 minced garlic cloves over medium-high heat. Reduce heat back to medium after onions and garlic have become a golden brown color. Make a sauce by gradually adding 3 table spoons of flour, while continuously stirring to avoid lumps. Still stirring, add 2 table spoons of soy sauce and 1 cup of water to the mixture. Add salt and pepper based on your preference. Once the gravy has reached your desired thickness, turn off the stove and it’s done!

For turkey: Turkey is a hard thing to replace on Thanksgiving. Some people may buy tofurky (turkey made with tofu), but if you’re like me and absolutely hate tofu, there are some other alternatives. There are many more options, so if you don’t like the example here, you can go check it out on google. One of the several non-animal turkey alternatives is Gardein’s Turk’y. If you’ve had vegetarian food before, you know it can taste like meat without actually being an animal. This “turkey” even comes with vegetarian stuffing inside! You can check it out here: http://gardein.com/products/holiday-roast/

There are tons of vegetarian foods you can make for Thanksgiving from a tasty green bean casserole to a sweet fruit salad. It’s all up to you!  Even if you’re not a vegetarian and you’re just interested in what we eat for thanksgiving, try them! They taste delicious!