Vegetarian, non-alcoholic, *easy* Thanksgiving dish?

[veschke]

My mom is coming to Thanksgiving this year (yay!). She's vegetarian and doesn't drink. I'd like to make a substantial dish for her, rather than have her just nibble on sides; I've got a couple of baked squash recipes that might do, but I worry about having too many things on the menu that require the oven. What do you think?

Additional complicating factor: We're most likely going to be moving a week or two before the holiday. And we have a baby who will be four months old then, but with both grandmas around to fuss over her I expect her to be the least of our worries. :-)

[tperes]

Hi veschke,

I am a vegetarian, and the things I enjoy most about Thanksgiving (and have since I was a kid), are all the side dishes. I love stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc.

The first year my DH and I had Thanksgiving at our house w/ his parents, I made the mushroom and caramelized-shallot strudel. It was good, but honestly, for the extra work, I would rather have not had it and enjoyed more time with the family.

So, ask your mom what she prefers, a veggie main dish, or just lots of yummy side-dishes. Also, you might consider making a vegetarian gravy for her, I know I really appreciate that, and all of our non-veg. guests last year really liked the veggie gravy.

Hope this helps!


Mushroom and Caramelized-Shallot Strudel
From Cooking Light

This recipe makes two strudels; for an eye-catching centerpiece, place them on a large platter, and surround them with fresh thyme sprigs.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups sliced shallots (about 8 ounces)
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon water
4 (8-ounce) packages presliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons dry Marsala or Madeira
2/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
Cooking spray
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs, divided
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400°.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sugar; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with water; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until shallots are soft. Add mushrooms; cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat 20 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently. Add Marsala; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and cool. Stir in sour cream, parsley, salt, thyme, and pepper.

Place 1 phyllo sheet on a large cutting board or work surface (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), and lightly coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons breadcrumbs. Repeat the layers with 3 phyllo sheets, cooking spray, and breadcrumbs, ending with the phyllo. Spoon 1 3/4 cups mushroom mixture along 1 long edge of phyllo, leaving a 1-inch border. Starting at the long edge with the 1-inch border, roll up jelly roll fashion. Place strudel, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Tuck ends under. Repeat the procedure with the remaining phyllo sheets, cooking spray, breadcrumbs, and mushroom mixture. Brush strudels with butter. Bake strudels at 400° for 20 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut each strudel into 4 slices.


Yield: 2 strudels, 8 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 176 (28% from fat); FAT 5.5g (sat 2.7g, mono 1.6g, poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 7.4g; CARB 24.9g; FIBER 2.1g; CHOL 11mg; IRON 2.6mg; SODIUM 314mg; CALC 60mg;

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2001

[michellemseymour]

My sister is a vegetarian, and last year she and I cooked the entire dinner. Here's what I remember from our menu:

Appetizer:
Roasted Onion Soup

Main Course:
Lentil Loaf

Sides:
Honey Wheat Rolls
Herbed Green Beans
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Casserole
Roasted Root Vegetables

Dessert:
Bourbon Pumpkin Pie

Everything was homemade, and most recipes were from CL. I'm happy to post any recipes you need.

[tholbrook]

The Fall 2003 issue of Eating Well had a really good recipe for Roasted Vegetable Galette with Olives. I made it last year for Thanksgiving and it was really good. I made the dough and the roasted veggies the day before and then just popped it in the oven (actually, a convection toaster oven) to finish baking. It was also really pretty too:

http://www.upload4free.com/files/13869.jpg
The recipe is on Eating Well's website here (http://www.eatingwell.com/articles_recipes/recipes/recipes_fall03/roast_veg_galette.htm).

[PattiA]

tholbrook, that looks sooooo good. That does it. It's time to break down and subscribe to Eating Well.

[rljohnsufl]

As a vegetarian who LOVES Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday) I second the post by tperes. My aunt always hosts the dinner and makes lots of side dishes, and I am more than satisfied with that. Just make a mushroom gravy, and if you make the stuffing in the bird, make a veggie stuffing (no animal ingredients and baked separately). Also, watch out for animal ingredients in the side dishes you do make (my aunt puts chicken broth in the mashed potatoes; I put up with it but some vegetarians wouldn't).

Good luck!

[veschke]

Thanks for the good ideas, guys! That galette does look fabulous.

I would normally just ask someone what she wants, but being my mom, I know she's going to say, "Oh, don't do anything special" even if she'd like it. :-) I will have to check my stuffing recipes - I never cook it in the bird. And I have a great mushroom gravy (from last year's CL I think).

Yay, holidays! I love 'em.

[Valerie226]

DH & I are "relaxed" vegetarians. We appreciate the traditional side dishes and may even eat a little turkey if that's the main dish. We wouldn't worry about chicken stock, butter, or milk in the potatoes, especially if someone else is cooking & serving, someone who has a new baby and who has just moved.
But you gotta know your mom. there are vegetarians much more strict than us, who would not touch anything with dairy, cheese, butter, chicken stock, eggs, or even jello or marshmallows. If she eats dairy & eggs I would think standard side dishes would be acceptable. I love a tossed green salad with crumbled goat cheese & some toasted nuts. additions like that make a tossed salad more substantial. Sparkling apple cider like martinelli's comes in lots of flavor variations & fits nicely when everyone else is having wine.

[helene]

I am another 'relaxed' vegetarian.

When I go to someone's house, I eat what they have on the table except the meat. I think it's so nice to be invited by someone that I don't expect them to go the extra mile to find something special to make. They are so busy with cleaning the house, taking care of their kids, making diner that I just show up and say nothing about my food preference. Once I am back home, I can eat whatever I want.

I think people make big fuss when someone goes to their house and are vegetarian. Instead of telling the hosts that I am vegetarian I often offer to bring a dish. Usually people will accept the invitation and you make something vegetarian.

I hope everyone will enjoy their thanksgiving.

[cher48603]

Since tholbrook tempted us ;) I'll post the gallette recipe. It looks yummy.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Roasted Vegetable Galette with Olives

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:45
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Crust
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
Filling
1 1/2 cups diced peeled carrots (3 medium)
1 1/2 cups diced peeled parsnips (3 medium)
1 1/2 cups diced peeled butternut squash (1/2 medium)
1 cup diced peeled beet (1 medium)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil -- divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt -- or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 head garlic
1 cup crumbled goat cheese (4 ounces) -- divided
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water for glazing

1. To prepare crust: Combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse several times. Mix water and oil; sprinkle over the dry ingredients and pulse just until blended. Add olives and pulse to mix. (Alternatively, combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the water-oil mixture, stirring until well blended. Stir in olives.) Press the dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

3. To prepare filling: Combine carrots, parsnips, squash, beet, 1 tablespoon oil, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat. Spread the vegetables on the prepared baking sheet. Cut the tip off the head of garlic. Set on a square of foil, sprinkle with a tablespoon of water and pinch the edges of the foil together. Place the packet on the baking sheet with the vegetables. Roast, stirring the vegetables every 10 minutes, until they are tender and beginning to brown and the garlic is soft, about 35 minutes. (The garlic may take a little longer.)

4. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl. Unwrap the garlic and let cool slightly. Squeeze the garlic cloves into a small bowl; add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and mash with a fork. Add the mashed garlic to the roasted vegetables and toss to mix. Add 3/4 cup goat cheese and toss to coat.

5. To assemble galette: Roll the dough into a rough 14-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the dough on it. Arrange the roasted vegetables on the dough, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Fold the border up and over the filling to form a rim, pleating as you go. Scatter the remaining 1/4 cup goat cheese over the vegetables. Stir egg and water briskly; brush lightly over the crust.

6. Bake the galette at 400° until the crust is golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Test kitchen tip: The vegetables should be cut to a uniform size so they cook evenly. Aim for 3/4-inch pieces.

Per serving: 385 calories; 20 g total fat (6 g sat, 12 g mono); 42 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrate; 10 g protein; 6 g fiber; 658 mg sodium.

Description:
"Vegetables' natural sugar caramelizes during roasting and creates an incredible sweet-savory flavor. Roasted garlic moistens the filling and contributes additional flavor. This is a very adaptable tart: experiment with different vegetables- eggplant,
bell"
Source:
"Eating Well, Fall 2003"
S(Internet Address):
"http://www.eatingwell.com/articles_recipes/recipes/recipes_fall03/roast_veg_galette.htm"
Start to Finish Time:
"2:00"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 93 Calories; 10g Fat (96.0% calories from fat); trace Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 389mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : Tto make ahead: The unbaked crust will keep, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Degree of difficulty: moderate


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[Mander]

It's cruel to tease animals. Please tell us how you make your veggie gravy!

Mander

[Canice]

So many wonderful options for a vegetarian fall feast! You might check this (http://community.cookinglight.com/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=579344&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending) out for more ideas, though I know you have limited time to put into preparations.

[tperes]

HOnestly, I cannot remember which (or if even I used one) recipe I used for the veggie gravy! :o
It may have been something as simple as using veggie stock (homemade w/ mushrooms, etc), seasonings (rosemary, thyme, garlic, bay leaf), and corn starch.

I think I may have winged it!

Sorry I can't be of more help! Basically, you just need to replace the turkey drippings or chicken broth in gravy w/ veggie broth.

[Middydd]

My sister in law is vegetarian, when she came for Christmas dinner we had a "Tofurkey". It was easy to slip into the oven alongside the turkey and came with its own gravy packet.

I think they're mostly sold at natural food markets.

We all had a helping and it was quite good, tasted kind of like rye bread but richer, and the texture was different.

[tigermorris]

can you make the mushroom carmelized strudel in advance?
Sounds great, but too much work to leave for Thanksgiving day since we usually have nearly 30 people!!!!!

[SueK]

I just picked up the new issue of Vegetarian Times and they have some great sounding recipes in it this month, plus a feature on Thanksgiving dinner.

The dishes they are featuring for Thanksgiving are:
Pear and Walnut Salad with Wheat Beer Vinaigrette
Farmhouse Rolls
Cornucopia Compote (this is on the cover and looks great)
Carmelized Sweet Potato and Red Onion Braid
Autumn Apple Cheesecake (this looks delicious, too)

[tholbrook]

SueK,
I'm really tempted to make the Carmelized Sweet Potato and Red Onion Braid for Thanksgiving - it looks so pretty! I thought the Wheat Beer Vinaigrette sounds interesting too. If you make any of these soon, please post a review!

[veschke]

Thanks, everybody! Lots of great ideas. This past weekend I was flipping through my folder of holiday clippings and I kept being snagged by Bon Appetit dishes from two years ago. Everything except for the turkey is or can be vegetarian, so I think this will work well. Even trying to keep it simple, there's so many "must-have" dishes that I think this will keep me pretty busy. Probably ask my mother-in-law to make a few things that will travel - she always does the pies anyway.

Turkey with Herb Butter and Caramelized Onion Gravy
Leek and Wild Mushroom Stuffing
Roasted Root Vegetables with Thyme and Marjoram Vinaigrette
Mashed potatoes
Cranberry relish
Bread

It's a pretty heavy menu, but I guess that's what Thanksgiving is for.... :-)