Thanksgiving

[TheGreenBird]

Is it too early to be thinking about this?

I am already because my lovely mother in law let us know they are coming to visit/stay with us via her email confirmation of her plane tickets

Anyway...
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Childhood memories of my mom always making the same foods, etc. Now I make it and my parents come here. So I am going to have to make (or have mom make) some of the traditional "crap", but i want to also have some AMAZING vegan/McDougall food too.

So...what are your favorite Thanksgiving/holiday dishes that will thrill even my meat eating, fat loving Atkins worshiping (at times) in laws and make Thanksgiving still special for me? What's will be on your table?

[nomikins]

Check the October 2009 McDougall newsletter. It has Mary's Thanksgiving menu and recipes.

[TheGreenBird]

Thanks, I will search for it

[vgnwitch]

Is it too early to be thinking about this?

Considering that here in Canada, Thanksgiving is next Monday, I would say no, it's not too early at all.

As usual, I have no idea what I am doing. Last year, I think I planned my menu Thanksgiving morning. Oy. Because it's just me and my daughter at home now, the meal will probably be very simple. I will do some browsing in my cookbooks and get back to you.

[Pacificfords]

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2009nl/oct/holiday.htm


That link was fun. I am going to try some of the recipes. It is definitely time to start planning for the holiday otherwise we will end up with someone else planning and inviting us and leaving us little options for eating.

[SactoBob]

We like the Lentil Loaf, page 253 of Dr. Esselsty's book Prevent and Reverse Heart disease. It is really tasty. We also like the various fruit cobbler recipes of which there are many.

I also try to spend some time each Thanksgiving giving thanks for my restored health, and thinking how foolish it would be express my gratitude by eating foods that would destroy the gift I have been given.

[ETeSelle]

It's a feast day for me (i.e., off plan) but since I'm vegan anyway it's not MUCH off plan. My stepbro and his family are all vegan and my stepmom and father mostly go along, so there's TONS of vegan options available. I usually bring a Tofurkey b/c I love them. Of course they are NOT McDougall legal, but if anything qualifies as a feast day, T-giving does, right?

I find that most meat eaters like Tofurkey. Make plenty of stuffing (no oil--easy to keep pretty McDougally) and gravy (in addition to what comes w/ the Tofurkey, Hain makes a nice dry gravy mix that is good. Then just serve lots of veggie dishes and try to keep those McDougall-legal. That way you won't get TOO far off. If they want to make a few non-McDougall items (i.e., meat/dairy esp), let them--you don't have to eat any of that stuff.

Here's how I look at it: If the celebration is at MY HOUSE, it's done MY WAY. If I let you make something you want to eat and I don't you should be grateful. Otherwise, just shut up and eat.

[lydia]

I found myself in this blog and found these pictures of stuffed pumpkin.....now I may need to get another cookbook...

http://1000veganrecipes.blogspot.com/20 ... mpkin.html

[Jillann]

I also try to spend some time each Thanksgiving giving thanks for my restored health, and thinking how foolish it would be express my gratitude by eating foods that would destroy the gift I have been given.

Bob that is exactly what I have done the past 8 Thanksgiving gatterings I have had with my family. (some of which basicly don't speak to me much and how ever strange it may seem it really is to do with the eating style I have choosen to do the past over 10 years)

I truly do feel more blessed when I leave the gathering (although many pokes will be made at me and the food I bring even if some like it they will never admit it, well to me later they do... LOL)
because I know I am not ill nor will I be the next day or the ..next..ect.
many of them suffer with heart problems and other illness, sighhhhhhh...
my life is a gift, my health is my gift to it...

oh & I totally agree on the Lentil Loaf in Dr. Esselstyn book...

[MaryW]

Here's the link to our holiday recipe discussion from last year.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13613&hilit=thanksgiving&start=15

Lots of really good ideas I'll probably still make the cranberry rice and brussels sprouts that I did last year. They are too of my favorites! I also tried making the impossible vegan pumpkin pie from the fat free vegan site. Very good. I did see a recipe in the Vegan Lunch Box for a dish with brussels sprouts and chestnuts in it that sounded good. Would it be wrong to make two dishes with brussels sprouts in them?

[Autumn]

There is a sweet potato casserole recipe I have in my documents folder that someone posted on this board if you want it I can search for it tomorrow. Someone posted a few stuffing recipes on here a few years back but I havent tried them yet.