Turkey Trouble

I can’t believe Thanksgiving is only days away! I haven’t even finalized a menu, so I’ve spent the whole day poring through recipes. I’ve also compiled a list of vegetarian features from 2010 to share with you. Many of them showcase pies and gratins as a main dish and utilize seasonal vegetables and legumes. Just click on the list of links below to view the recipes.

How do you handle Thanksgiving as a vegetarian or vegan? I’ve been a vegetarian for over ten years, and my family still frets about what I’m going to eat. I’ve never even really liked or eaten turkey, so I don’t see why it’s still a problem. My main dish usually consists of lasagna, pot pie, or a meat substitute. Meat subs that I’ve used in the past have been Morningstar Chik Patties, Quorn products, and of course, Tofurky Roast. I love Tofurky products, but I am not a fan of the roast. Quorn makes two gourmet Chik’n Cutlets that come in Cranberry & Goat Cheese and Gruyere. I’ve tried the Gruyere cutlet, and boy is it rich and decadent. I might try the Cranberry & Goat cheese one this year. The cutlets are topped with the filling and coated with crunchy bread crumbs. Quorn also makes a Turk’y Roast, but it is not vegan. It has 77% less fat than the real thing! Gardein made a seasonal product called Savory Stuffed Turkey, but I doubt it’s available in El Paso. Let me know if you find it!

What are you making, or what are your favorite Thanksgiving recipes?

My favorite past main dish has been a Roasted Butternut Squash, Rosemary, & Garlic Lasagna from Gourmet magazine. It’s super rich and filling, especially with its savory whipped cream topping. Get the recipe here.

Pumpkin Pies (left is vegan)

Veggie Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup:

Bon Apetit’s Hearty Vegetarian Dinner for 4
Legumes rule this menu.
Main dish: Mushroom & Lentil Pot Pies w/Gouda Biscuit topping.
View the recipes>>

Chef Tal’s Thanksgiving Menu
Completely vegan and uses a Gardein product.
All of the recipes sound amazing, especially the Sage & Pumpkin Encrusted Chick’n w/Cranberry Cabernet sauce and the Oven Roasted Banana Rum Cheesecake.
View the recipes>>

Cooking Light’s A Feast with no Beast
Lentils & mushrooms also star in this menu, but in separate courses.
Main dish: Mushroom & Caramelized-Shallot Strudel
View the recipes>>

Martha Stewart’s Meatless Thanksgiving
Cheesy and bready recipes dominate.
Recipes that piqued my interest: Twice Baked Butternut Squash, Roasted Cauliflower & Manchego Hand Pies, Pumpkin & Pecorino Gratin, Sweet Potato Cannelloni, Swiss Chard Pie.
View the recipes>>

Vegetarian Times’ A Greens Thanksgiving (restaurant in San Francisco)
Lots of seasonal vegetables are featured in this menu. The soup is on the cover of the current issue. Main Dish: Wild Mushroom & Carmamelized Onion Sheperd’s Pies w/Mushroom Pinot Noir Sauce
View the recipes>>

Food Network’s Thanksgiving Menu
Another Sheperd’s Pie, but it looks really good.
View the recipes>>

Foodie Finds: Tofurky Gourmet Sausages

Tofurky® doesn’t usually invoke feelings of gourmet foodiness, but their new line of sausages will definitely change your perception of these tofu turkey creators. Turtle Island Foods, Inc. has turned their Tofurky® Roast into three sausage flavors ready for the grill and more:

• Kielbasa (Polish for sausage)
• Beer Brats (made with Full Sail Ale!)
• Italian Sausage (flavored with sun-dried tomatoes & basil)

The Beer Brats first caught my attention at Sun Harvest, because of the inclusion of Full Sail’s Amber Ale. I’m guessing they chose Full Sail because they are also headquartered in Hood River, Oregon. So far, these have been my favorite. The beer really gives them a rich and smoky flavor. They’re a bit salty on their own, but the saltiness subdues once combined with bread or other ingredients.

The Kielbasa flavor was good, but not great. These were even saltier and had a flavor in the background that I didn’t like. Perhaps it was a pungent garlic taste? I’m not sure. Both of the sausages had a soft yet chewy texture, and were great on the grill. I also tried slicing them up and sauteing them up in a pan, and that was really good, too (recipe follows). They are also microwaveable. I can’t wait to try the Italian flavor!

These sausages contain 50% less fat than real sausage. Their sodium content is a bit high (620-660 mg), but they have zero cholesterol. They also pack 26-29 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber, and only contain 12 grams of carbs. Best of all, they are vegan and hexane-free.

Besides grilling them up and eating them on a bun with spicy mustard, I made this quick sausage and peppers sandwich. The variations on this sandwich are endless. I would have loved to use bell peppers, but I only had yellow peppers from the farmers market on hand. Garlic would’ve been nice as well, but I was too lazy to add it. Use caution with the yellow chili peppers. They’re just like jalapenos, some are HOT and some are mild! You might want to deseed and devein them.

Sausage & Peppers Sandwich for One

1 Tofurky Gourmet Sausage (any flavor), sliced
¼ onion, thinly sliced
2 yellow chili peppers, thinly sliced
1 tomato, roughly chopped

dried oregano, salt, & freshly ground pepper to taste

Any type of bread (I used whole wheat hot dog buns)
Any cheese or no cheese (I used Kraft’s Triple Cheddar Cheese)
Any condiments (I used spicy mustard & creamy horseradish sauce)

1. Drizzle a bit of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
2. Saute onions for a few minutes, then add peppers & cook for another few minutes or until browned.
3. Add sausage & cook for a few minutes or until browned.
4. Add tomatoes & oregano. Season with salt & pepper if needed. Cook for another few minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
5. Serve on toasted bread with cheese and condiments.

Day 1

Day 2. Yeah, it was that good.