Growing up, Canadian Thanksgiving was one of my favourite holidays. Since it wasn’t marred by Black Friday shopping sales, the focus could strictly be on the vast array of food: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, ham, buttered corn, sweet potato casserole and the turnip that never seemed to find space on my plate. The gluttony confirmed at dessert with fresh apple and/or pumpkin pie with a “healthy” scoop of vanilla ice-cream. My mouth still waters…
However, after becoming vegetarian, the Thanksgiving feast that I knew and loved was gone. Sadly, I grieved the loss of my Canadian Thanksgiving. Gratefully, I accepted Ligeia’s family tradition of their American Thanksgiving. The vegetarian spread was a selection of all their favourite dishes: macaroni and cheese, three-bean salad, popovers, mashed potatoes still made an appearance, pickled beets and eggs (which couldn’t find place on my plate either), and of course, the star of dessert, a sweet potato pie.
Happy Vegan Thanksgiving!
But now, as vegans, Ligeia and I are forced to create a brand new tradition. Perhaps, we’ll call it our Thai Thanksgiving. We didn’t celebrate it here over a holiday long weekend, but rather at the end of an ordinary work day with friends. With access to an oven and a gas stove – a major improvement from the single electric griddle in our apartment – I was able to create a varied and delicious menu for our vegan Thanksgiving.
Vegan Nutloaf
The main dish was a vegan nutloaf, accompanied by the required mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy. A traditional favourite of Ligeia’s, multi-bean salad, easily made it to the spread as the standard recipe is already vegan. I also prepared a cranberry rice pilaf and a vinegary cucumber salad to round out the side dishes. Finally, for dessert, I went all out and baked a vegan sweet potato pie, as well as a vegan apple crisp. Both were scrumptious, and definitely crowd pleasers.
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie and Apple Crisp
Since our Thai vegan Thanksgiving I’ve been thinking of new dishes that could be added to the next feast and I’m already excited.
Mary R
I always make a green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole. I’m not vegan, but I do love the idea of adapting recipes to at least reduce the amount of animal products in them…
I love that you decided to carry on the tradition of Thanksgiving while living in Thailand. I have lots of experiences doing the same in other countries, and it’s fun to come up with unique substitutions based on the ingredients available wherever you are!
Mindy & Ligeia
Hi Mary,
We completely agree that finding substitutions for things can be fun. And sometimes we discover that we enjoy the substitutions even better! Guess that’s how cookbooks are made. 🙂 But Ligeia always says that there is no substitute for her mother’s sweet potato pie! Some things are sacred I guess.
Your green bean and sweet potato casseroles sound great! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving.
Claire | Traveling Light
Looks yummy. Happy Thanksgiving! =)
Mindy & Ligeia
Hi Claire,
Mindy cooked up a feast and it was very yummy indeed. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday – must be because of all the delicious food. 🙂
Nicole Rossetti le Strange
Oh, yum!
Nicole Rossetti le Strange
Oops, pressed ‘send’ before I’d finished! Doh!
Could you use oil instead of vegan margarine for the apple crumble? I really don’t like vegan margarine, and TBH, margarine is just icksome IMO – it’s so unnatural! I wonder what it would be like with virgin coconut oil, for example?
BTW, the link to the nutloaf doesn’t work – just shows an expired domain page. 🙁
Mindy
Hey Nicole! I’m sure coconut oil would be delicious! Next time I make the crumble, I’ll try that instead of margarine. Thanks, also, for the note about the nutloaf link. I guess that means I’ll just have to develop my own recipe and make it an internal link! 🙂