Thanksgiving is a wonderful reason to get together and count blessings. However, when many of the dishes, including the famous turkey, are traditionally meat-derived, it can become a little tricky to enjoy the holiday when it seems like there’s little to nothing for vegetarians and vegans to enjoy.
This week, columnists Shreya Aiyar and Regina Napolitano offer solutions to the meatless-Thanksgiving quandary and explore the vegetarian and vegan options available to a host or dinner guest.
BY SHREYA AIYAR (Going Out)
A&E; contributor
saiyar@media.ucla.edu
I hail from a fairly traditional Indian immigrant family that, in some ways, still sticks hard to its roots. For us, Thanksgiving is a concept entrenched in a different culture and especially because all of us are strict vegetarians, there hasn’t ever been a strong reason to set aside one single night to give thanks and eat a special and symbolic meal.
However, many Americans do celebrate Thanksgiving, and their celebrations likely involve the iconic turkey that has come to represent plenty and gratitude. And here is where a problem arises: what do you do when you, a strict vegetarian, are invited to a more traditional Thanksgiving dinner?
In high school, one of my friends invited me to a beautiful sit-down dinner complete with a massive turkey in the middle of the table. I wasn’t used to the American Thanksgiving tradition and I also wasn’t going to touch the turkey.
I was severely disappointed, however, when I found out nothing was vegetarian except for a green bean side dish. I spent the rest of the evening nibbling at a small bread roll and a couple of string beans.
I think that was the first and last American Thanksgiving dinner I went to. Now, though, I realize I should have been more proactive about bringing my own dish to share or asking my friend to accommodate.
If you’re planning to attend a traditional meat-filled Thanksgiving dinner but need to be provided with vegetarian or vegan options, just ask your host. Chances are – and I learned this lesson very late – your host will be more than happy to accommodate your dietary needs and you’ll be able to enjoy the evening with a full and happy stomach.
For vegans and vegetarians, Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be a day full of worry about the availability of dinner options. With the right mindset and attitude, you’ll be able to give hearty thanks for your friends, family and the food.
By REGINA NAPOLITANO (Thanksgiving at home)
A&E; Contributor
rnapolitano@media.ucla.edu
Thanksgiving is a challenging time for vegans and vegetarians. After all, a synonym for the holiday is Turkey Day.
And while I’ve heard stories about entirely vegetarian Thanksgiving dinners, I have yet to experience one. For vegetarians and vegans who are the only herbivores in their family, wondering if there will be food you can eat can be a real concern.
You can hope all you want that your host will remember about your diet and accommodate you, but it’s best to just stay on the safe side and make a dish that you know you can eat.
Luckily, there are a lot of vegan and vegetarian Thanksgiving dishes that are very simple and delicious. Sauteing any vegetable with garlic, olive oil and salt packs it with enough flavor for it to earn a place at a Thanksgiving feast.
Or as my friend said about my sauteed spinach, “This is literally the best thing I have ever put in my mouth.”
Vegetarian staples like apple pie and mashed potatoes can also be easily tweaked to be vegan compliant by replacing regular milk with soy or almond milk and butter with olive oil or vegan margarine.
You don’t have to stay true to the traditional Thanksgiving dishes either. Salads are sometimes forgotten on the Thanksgiving table, but are usually welcome guests. A simple green salad made with a vinaigrette, lettuce and other veggies you have lying around is a great palate cleanser after eating too many servings of mashed potatoes. Less conventional salads made with grapefruit, avocado and red onion are also easy and refreshing.
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can even make a vegan or vegetarian entree. I’m planning to make a savory carrot pie for my Thanksgiving dinner this year. A huge pot of homemade minestrone soup is also hearty, extremely tasty and vegan.
With just a little bit of effort, you can add a delicious vegan dish to your Thanksgiving table and enjoy the holiday just as much as your meat-loving relatives.
Recipe: Vegan Mashed Potatoes & Vegan Apple Pie
Mashed Potatoes
3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
1) Cut all potatoes into quarters.
2) Place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. When water boils, bring water to simmer. Cook for 12 minutes.
3) Drain potatoes and add to large mixing bowl. Mash potatoes with fork.
4) Add almond milk and olive oil and stir. Add salt and pepper and enjoy!
Vegan Apple Pie
6 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 pre-made vegan pie crusts
Soy or almond milk (optional)
1) Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9-inch pie pan.
2) Mix apples, cinnamon, sugar and flour in a large mixing bowl until evenly coated.
3) Put one pie crust onto a floured surface and use a rolling pin to flatten it to 1/8-inch thick. Place the dough into the pie pan, leaving 1 inch hanging over the sides.
4) Add apple mixture to pie pan.
5) Cut second pie crust into eight 1-inch strips. Use the strips to weave lattice on top of the pie.
6) Brush the top of the pie with soy milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Enjoy!