Some ideas for Vegan Thanksgiving main dishes

 https://simple-veganista.com/apple-fennel-sage-lentil-loaf/

https://www.delish.com/cooking/a26963648/vegan-meatloaf-recipe/

And some sides:

I followed this recipe and used a blender to make it very smooth:

https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-garlic-mashed-cauliflower/

CAULIFLOWER

• 2 heads cauliflower
• 4 Tbsp vegan butter* (or olive oil)
• 3-4 cloves garlic* (minced)
• ~1/2 tsp sea salt (to taste)
• 1 pinch black pepper
• ¼ - ½ cup unsweetened plain almond milk (to help with pureeing)

FOR GARNISH optional

• Fresh parsley or chives
• Vegan parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Cut cauliflower into even florets and steam in a large pot with a steamer basket (covered) until very tender - about 15-20 minutes depending on size of pot and cauliflower florets. Remove from heat and set aside uncovered to cool slightly.
• In the meantime, sauté the garlic in the vegan butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or until just slightly browned (be careful not to burn). Or, you can keep your garlic raw for a punchier, stronger garlic flavor! Turn off heat and set aside.
• Transfer half of the cauliflower to a food processor (or use an immersion blender to purée cauliflower in a pot or saucepan) and process until puréed. (The amount of cauliflower you’re able to purée at once will vary based on the size of your food processor). Then add half of the garlic butter as well as half of the salt and pepper and process until well combined.
• Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt and pepper to taste, garlic for intense garlic flavor, vegan butter for buttery flavor, or almond milk to help the cauliflower purée. Note: You could even blend in a little nutritional yeast to add cheesy flavor, or vegan cream cheese for more creaminess (optional).
• Transfer to a mixing bowl or serving platter and cover to keep warm. Then repeat this blending and seasoning process until all the cauliflower is whipped and seasoned.
• Garnish with herbs and vegan parmesan cheese (optional), and another sprinkle of salt and pepper and serve hot. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days, or 1 month in the freezer. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a saucepan until hot.
  
  

Green Beans

I took my green beans that were washed and trimmed and did a quick par boil.

I heated olive oil in the pan, added almond slivers to brown, added garlic and ginger. Added cut green beans as well as a touch of red wine vinegar, Briggs liquid amino‘s and garlic powder and tried to get some color on the sauté.

Gravy!

I made vegetable stock a vegetable stock using "Better than Boullion" Garlic Broth, added some miso and puréed cannellini beans, nutritional yeast, a touch of Braggs liquid amino‘s, and some flour and olive oil to thicken up. I ended up blending in a blender to really thicken the gravy and smooth.

We've made this mushroom gravy in the past:
https://scoffingescoffier.blogspot.com/2011/12/mushroom-and-miso-gravy.html

https://yupitsvegan.com/vegan-gravy/

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil (increase to 2 tbsp for a richer flavor and texture)
• 1 yellow or white onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning (see note)
• 1 tbsp miso (dark miso is best, but you can use any kind)
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth (I use all-natural vegan "chicken" flavored broth)
• 1 and 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans (1 standard can) rinsed and drained (or use other white beans such as great northern)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion when the oil is hot. Cook the onion, stirring intermittently, until the onion is well-browned. (This adds color and flavor to the gravy!)

2. Add the garlic and poultry seasoning and stir to combine. Add the miso and nutritional yeast and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the soy sauce, vegetable broth, and cooked beans to the pan, stir, and bring to a gentle boil, taking care to scrape any solids from the bottom of the pan; then turn off the heat. The purpose of this step is just to heat the mixture, so don't cook it for longer than needed, or some of the liquid will cook out and your gravy will be too thick.

3. Remove from the heat, transfer to a blender, and blend until smooth. You can also use a food processor or immersion blender, but may need to blend for more time to get the beans fully processed. Add more vegetable broth if needed to thin to your desired texture. This vegan gravy is designed to be thick but pourable.

4. Serve warm, with mashed potatoes, biscuits, or whatever dishes you desire!

Bedfordshire Clangers

I fell in love with these watching the Great British Baking Show. Awesome handpie perfect for a day of hard work or a long hike.


I made mine veganish with some homemade "pork-ish" seitan — I still used an egg glaze but you can brush with olive oil to get a similar color crust.


https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pork-and-apple-bedfordshire-clangers

Ingredients

PASTRY:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• Ice water

FILLINGS:

• 1/2 pound ground pork shoulder
• 1/4 cup finely ground fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• Freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 2 Honeycrisp apples (1 pound total)—peeled, cored and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Almond Croissants

 https://www.thespruceeats.com/french-almond-croissants-recipe-1374853

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons instant dried yeast
• 1/2 cup water, lukewarm
• 3 1/2 cups strong bread flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup frangipane (or sweet almond filling)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/3 cup ​almonds, sliced)​​
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water for 5 minutes.

3. Add the bread flour, milk, sugar, melted butter, and salt to the dissolved yeast and water and mix the dough on medium speed for about 2 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of extra flour at a time, until the dough is just firm enough to hold a shape.

4. Shape dough into a ball and loosely cover it with plastic wrap. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

5. Roll the dough into a 10-inch by 15-inch rectangle, and then cover it loosely and allow it to rise for 40 minutes.

6. Brush the rectangle with the softened butter and then fold the dough into thirds, like a letter. Roll the long, thin rectangle back into the original 10-inch by 15 shapes.

7. Fold the dough into thirds, again, and then cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Repeat this process one more time.

8. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough diagonally to make 20 triangles.

9. Pull the tip of each triangle taut, spread a small spoonful of frangipane across each triangle, and then roll the croissants up from the base curving the ends slightly to make a crescent shape.

10. Arrange each finished croissant on a lightly greased baking sheet with at least 1 1/2 inches between each pastry. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour until they are nearly doubled in size.

11. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

12. Whisk the egg and 2 tablespoons milk together to make an egg wash.

13. Brush the egg wash across the surface of each pastry and then sprinkle them with the sliced almonds.

14. Bake the croissants for 14 to 16 minutes, until they are puffed and golden brown and the almonds are toasted.

15. Sprinkle the powdered sugar over the tops of the warm croissants.

Classic French Boule

 https://www.abeautifulplate.com/classic-french-boule/

INGREDIENTS

•  3 cups warm water
•  1 tablespoon + 1.5 teaspoons Active Dry yeast
•  1 tablespoon + 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
•  4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
•  2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
•  cornmeal for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Day Before: In large container (with non-airtight lid), whisk together warm water, yeast, and salt. Slowly add in flours, mixing with wooden spoon. When dough becomes too difficult and thick to stir, mix together with hands until all the flour comes together and dough is uniform. The dough should be very wet and sticky. Do not knead. Cover lightly and allow to rise at room temperature for at least two hours. Place in refrigerator and cover lightly for up to two weeks.
2. Before Baking: Dust pizza peel lightly with corn meal, remove about half of the dough and “cloak” and shape loaf in a round in about 30-60 seconds—stretch the surface of the dough ball around to the bottom of the loaf, rotating the dough ball as you go, so that it is relatively smooth on the surface. The bottom will flatten out during baking. Allow to rest at room temperature for 45 minutes. **Note: If you do not have a pizza peel, place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  If using pizza stone, allow to preheat for at least twenty minutes.
4. Once oven is ready, dust loaf with floor and using serrated knife, slash a scallop (seen below) or tic-tac-toe pattern about 1/2” deep on top of the loaf.
5. Place baking tray in oven or slide loaf onto pizza stone and bake for 35-50 minutes, or until internal temperature (taken from side of loaf) reads between 190-200 degrees Fahrenheit. Even if the loaf appears cooked from the outside, the easiest way to tell if it is fully cooked is using a digital instant-read thermometer. **Note: Steam allows bread to develop a crusty, crisp exterior. One way to incorporate steam into your oven at home is to place a broiler tray on an oven rack and fill it with very hot water immediately after placing the loaf in the oven. Close the oven door immediately.
6. Allow baked loaf to rest on rack until it comes to room temperature or for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing.