About Vegetarian Food

All about vegetarian Thanksgivings

2009-11-23T06:10:31Z

Even if you're not a vegetarian, there are lots of great reasons to avoid turkey this year by celebrating with a vegetarian meal! Or, if you are expecting vegetarian guests, you will want to make sure to have plenty of vegetarian sides and, of course, plenty of sweet potatoes and a homemade vegan apple pie.

If you're new to vegetarian cooking, or aren't sure what to prepare, this handy guide to easy vegetarian substitutes specifically for Thanksgiving will help you prepare a hearty meal suitable for vegetarians and vegans without too much trouble at all.

If you'll be preparing a mock-turkey roast this Thanksgiving, why not follow recent food trends and go all-out by preparing a deep-fried Tofurky? Remember though, just because it's vegetarian, that doesn't mean it's healthy! Sure, your deep-fried Tofurky will have less cholesterol than the meat version, but it sure won't have less fat if you deep-fry it!

No matter what you're preparing this holiday, you'll need a vegetarian gravy as well as a traditional and festive recipe for vegetarian stuffing. It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without stuffing and gravy! Stuffed acorn squash, baked with beans and maple syrup makes an impressive centerpiece for your vegetarian or vegan guests, yet is simple to prepare. There's plenty more vegetarian and vegan Thanksgiving dishes to choose from - a vegetarian or vegan Thanksgiving can be just as abundant and traditional as others!

Pictured: Homemade Tofu Turkey

All about vegetarian Thanksgivings originally appeared on About.com Vegetarian Food on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 06:10:31.

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Sharing your holiday table

2009-11-21T06:13:12Z

Most of us will be sharing our holiday meals with friends and family that would rather have a turkey than a Tofurky. How will you be handling Thanksgiving this year as a vegetarian? There's nothing worse than showing up for a fancy meal and having nothing to eat but bread and salad while your tablemates heartily dine away on plates filled with meat dishes. The most important tip I can share to make sure that this doesn't happen to you this Thanksgiving is to be prepared in advance. Make sure your table is big enough for both a turkey and a Tofurky - both literally and figuratively!

How to be the perfect vegetarian Thanksgiving guest
If you are a new vegetarian or worried that Aunt Sue won't have a thing you can eat at her Thanksgiving table this year, here's a few tips to help you be the perfect, polite, and prepared vegetarian guest.

Sharing the Table: Simple Vegetarian Substitutions
On the other hand, if you dread having to cook two separate meals - one for the veggies and one for the non-veggies, check out my tips for making traditional Thanksgiving dishes vegetarian and vegan friendly by making just a few simple substitutions. No need to prepare two separate meals!

Hosting Vegetarians at Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving and the holidays are about coming together with family and friends and sharing a meal together, right? Remember this as you try to accommodate your vegetarian guests. No need to stress! Here are some tips to help you accommodate your vegetarian and vegan guests at Thanksgiving.

Sharing your holiday table originally appeared on About.com Vegetarian Food on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 06:13:12.

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Where to find Tofurky

2009-11-19T06:56:16Z

So you've decided to venture into the unknown and try one of those birdless birds with the funny name that you keep hearing about. Its not a bird, it's not a plane...it's Tofurky! But where to find one of these mysterious boxed creatures? Read on for my Tofurky shopping guide to find out where to buy a Tofurky. Obviously, Tofurky has the most ingenious brand name ever, but if you're curious about other brands of vegetarian turkeys, check out this guide to vegetarian turkeys.

Photo courtesy of Tofurky.com

Where to find Tofurky originally appeared on About.com Vegetarian Food on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 06:56:16.

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Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

2009-11-17T06:36:22Z

Don't panic! There's still plenty of time to plan your vegetarian Thanksgiving menu. Check out this complete list of ideas for what to cook for your vegetarian Thanksgiving, including entree ideas, gravies, sides, stuffing recipes, and of course, lots of desserts, too! Or, if you're more of a visual type than a reader, scroll through this image gallery to check out dozens of pictures of vegetarian and vegan Thanksgiving menu ideas. There's links to the recipes as well, of course, but you can also just salivate at the pictures without reading the recipes.

Pictured: Vegetarian Quinoa Stuffing (above left) and vegetarian lentil Loaf (right)

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas originally appeared on About.com Vegetarian Food on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 06:36:22.

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Tofurky-flavored soda has arrived!

2009-11-15T18:23:49Z

Every once in a while, a vegetarian milestone so big comes along that I feel like I can hang up my hat and retire in peace. It was a happy day for vegetarians back in 2002 when Burger King added a veggie burger to their menu nationwide, but that's been the only momentous moment in nearly ten years. Until now.

I'm speaking, of course, of the new Tofurky-flavored soda that Jones soda, which has long offered a Turkey-flavored soda has officially introduced in honor of soda drinking animal lovers just in time for the holidays. Wow. Jones Soda has long been introducing bizarre soda flavors into pop-culture (you like that pun?), particularly around the holidays, when you can scout for green bean casserole and latke-flavored soda.

I should mention that this is a limited-edition soda, so enjoy it now while you can. It also comes in a gift pack, which includes a nifty Tofurky lunch box. Even cooler, they'll be donating a portion of each sale to animal charities. What a great gift idea!

Link: Tofurky-flavored soda ordering page
Related links:
What is Tofurky?
Tofurky Recipes

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Tofurky-flavored soda has arrived! originally appeared on About.com Vegetarian Food on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 18:23:49.

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Chinese Sesame Noodles with Tahini

2009-11-13T06:00:30Z

These easy sesame noodles have a nutty tahini and peanut butter sauce along with sesame oil and ginger for a tangy Asian flavor. Add a few diced veggies if you like, such as broccoli or snow peas or toss in some tofu to make it more of a full meal, if you're craving some protein. I added some red bell pepper and a handful of extra scallions to the mix. Super yummy!

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Chinese Sesame Noodles with Tahini originally appeared on About.com Vegetarian Food on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 06:00:30.

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Baked Tofu, Nine Ways

2009-11-10T06:09:51Z

Baked tofu is one of the simplest ways to prepare tofu, and makes an easy and quick protein boosting snack, salad topper, or an addition to a stir-fry, noodle or rice dish when prepared with diced tofu. Or, slice your tofu into triangles or slabs, and eat your baked tofu as an entree. Just whisk a few ingredients together, marinate for an hour or two and bake! Baked tofu is easy to make using a variety of dressings, sauces or marinades. Try using your favorite barbecue sauce or salad dressing, or, try one of these nine easy baked tofu dishes.

Each of these baked tofu recipes is low-fat, low-carb, vegetarian and vegan, and of course, high in protein, as well.

Pictured: Lemon Basil Baked Tofu

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Baked Tofu, Nine Ways originally appeared on About.com Vegetarian Food on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 06:09:51.

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Easy Vegan Tofu Lasagna Recipe

2009-11-07T06:30:13Z

This is a basic recipe for a vegan tofu lasagna. With a ricotta-like filling made with tofu and layered with spinach, this basic tofu lasagna is oil-free, making it very low in fat, as well as healthy and of course, delicious. I usually add a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast to the tofu filling to make my vegan lasagnas a bit more cheesy, but then again, I like to add nutritional yeast to just about everything! You could also smother the top of this lasagna with a layer of vegan cheese if you miss cheese.

If you like this vegan lasagna recipe, you might also want to scroll through these other vegetarian and vegan lasagna recipes.

Easy Vegan Tofu Lasagna Recipe originally appeared on About.com Vegetarian Food on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 06:30:13.

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Sweet and Sour Tofu and Veggies

2009-11-04T06:03:32Z

If you've ever had a sweet and sour dish at a Chinese restaurant and wondered how they made it, this recipe is for you! This easy sweet and sour tofu with veggies will have your family thinking you picked up Chinese take-out! Steam some rice to go along with the sauce, or try it over cooked noodles. If you like sweet and sour tofu, you might also want to try this recipe for sweet and sour tempeh.

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Sweet and Sour Tofu and Veggies originally appeared on About.com Vegetarian Food on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 06:03:32.

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The Conscious Cook will seduce you

2009-10-31T15:00:33Z

It's a small world. Renowned vegan chef and cookbook author Tal Ronnen (also known as Oprah's personal chef during her 21-day vegan experiment) and I once worked for the same company. But, as fate would have it, I never actually met him, as he was never in the office. He was always out and about at food conventions, or working with his fellow superstar celebrity chefs to help them develop their vegetarian and vegan menu items. What a busy man! He also catered Ellen DeGeneres' vegan wedding, and, well, you know how I feel about Ellen!

Knowing what his usual schedule is like, I can't imagine how he managed to find the time to create such an amazing new vegan cookbook. And just in time for the holidays, too! With such beautiful classy photos in a hardback edition, this one would make a great gift book. Check out my review to see why I am in love with this new cookbook. Also, try out one of Tal's gourmet recipes for fingerling potatoes with crisped dulse

I'm not sure how long I'll be able to hang on to it though, as I've been having trouble keeping it out of the hands of my omnivorous friends who keep asking to borrow it so they can salivate over the sensuously enticing photos. A fellow About.com writer (and omnivore) Donna also reviewed this cookbook, and gave it a fabulous review! Read her review here.

And if all that doesn't whet your curiosity or your appetite: Oprah endorses it. Nuff said.

Related links:

Cookbook Review: The Conscious Cook, by Tal Ronnen

Shop Online for The Conscious Cook

Sample Recipe: Fingerling Potatoes with Crisped Dulse

Another About.com review, from the perspective of an omnivore

The Conscious Cook will seduce you originally appeared on About.com Vegetarian Food on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 15:00:33.

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