Thanksgiving Menu 2010

This year we tried new dishes for our vegan Thanksgiving menu. Hope you enjoy the inspiration. I will post the individual recipes so don't forget to check back soon. I think this would also make great menu for any other winter holiday. Enjoy

Appetizer:
Mushroom pate with crackers

Soup:
Cauliflower bisque

Salad:
Kale with Cranberries and toasted Almonds

Main Menu:
Stuffed Hazelnut Cranberry Roast by www.fieldroast.com
Tofurky by Turtle Islands Food Inc. www.tofurky.com

Sides:
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds
Oven Roasted Rosemary Potatoes (Mix Sweet & Regular)
Cornbread dressing
Mushroom Gravy

Desserts:
Vegan Carrot Cake
Pecan & Pumpkin Pie

Vegan Wurst Goulash

2 tbsp oil
2 large onions
5-6 potatoes
1 pckg Vegan Veggie Dogs
2 Tofurky Sausages
3 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Caraway seeds
3 Bay leaves
1 cube Veggie Broth or salt to taste
3 cups Water (You can go fancy and replace some water with bottle of beer)
2 tbsp flour

Chop up the onions and saute over oil till onions get translucent.
Peel and cube the potatoes. Add to onion.
Add the spices and mix to coat the potatoes.
Add the veggie dogs and sausages cut to little circles.
Add the water (save about 1/2 cup for later) and cook till the potatoes are soft.
Mix the 2 tbsp with the remaining 1/2 cup of water and add to the goulash mix thoroughly. Cook for another 3 minutes mixing it.
Serve with warm bread
Enjoy

Margaret's Dog Cookies

Here is a great vegan recipe for dog cookies from my veg friend Margaret M.
Check out vegnod.org to support our local veg group :-)

3 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 cube vegetable bullion
1/3 cup of margarine
2 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacement

Dissolve bullion in soy milk.* If you heat soy milk, do not boil. Melt margarine.

Mix flour and Egg Replacement in a large bowel and then add bullion, soy milk, margarine. Kneed (did I spell that correctly?) dough for about 2 minutes.**

Roll out dough to abut 1/3 inch on floured surface and cut with a dog bone cookie. Place cookies on a lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake in pre-heated 320 degree oven for 50 minutes. Watch the cookies for the last 5 minutes so they don't burn. Cool on a rack before serving. Makes about 15-18 biscuits. Doubling the recipe works out well if you want more cookies.

* If you want to dissolve bouillon in a little water, subtract that amount of water from total soy milk to compensate.
**Dough should hang together and be smooth when rolled out, but must not over handled or it will get tough.

Cabbage & Seitan Stir Fry

1/2 Cabbage head
1/2 Onion
2-3 cloves of Garlic
4 leaves of Kale
1 pck 8 oz Seitan
Oil for saute
3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbsp Say Sauce
1/4 cup Raisins

Cut the onion into stripes and saute over oil.
Cut the 1/2 cabbage head into 1/2 and cut into tin stripes. Add to the pan.
Cut out the hard Kale stems then cut into small strips. Add to the pan as well.
Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and soy sauce and raisins. Toss together and turn the heat off.
Serve over rice or with some naan, or stuff it in a pitta bread.

Quick White bean Salad

I love this one. It's quick and tasty and great to bring for gatherings with friends.

2 cans white beans
1 can corn
1/2 jar roasted red bell peppers
3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
5 olive oil (I half it with flax seed oil for some omega 3s)
Salt & Pepper to taste but optional

You can sprinkle some fresh or dry cilantro or parsley or whatever ... your choice :-)

Rince all the beans and corn in a colander with cold water to get the slime off.
Put all the liquids in the salad bowl and whisk it together. Fork will work just fine. Add the beans and herbs and toss together. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Cocoa Frosting

This weekend we made this fabulous chocolate cake. I found the recipe in VegNews Magazine. Yummy! Very easy to make.
---------------

This chocolate cake might be the easiest cake in the world to prepare, and it’s incredibly versatile, lending itself to a layer cake, bundt cake, or cupcakes.

By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Makes one cake or 8 cupcakes

What You Need For The Cake:

• 1-1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 cup cold water

What You Do For The Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch spring form pan or cupcake tins.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the vanilla, oil, vinegar, and water. Mix until just combined.
3. Pour into prepared pan, and bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If making cupcakes, check for doneness after 15 minutes.
4. Cool on a wire rack. To remove the cake from the pan, run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake. Cool completely before frosting with Cocoa Frosting. You may also dust with sifted confectioner's sugar and top with fresh raspberries.

What You Need For The Frosting:

• 1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 3 to 4 tablespoons non-dairy milk

What You Do For The Frosting:

1. With an electric hand mixer, cream the margarine until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add the sugar, and mix for about 2 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons more non-dairy milk if it's too dry.
3. Cover the icing with plastic wrap to prevent drying until ready to use. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, and re-whip before using.

You can find it here:
http://www.vegnews.com/web/articles/page.do?pageId=1301&catId=11

Homemade Tortillas

This recipe is from VegNews Magazine Recipe Club. I am going to try them tonight and let you know how they turned out.

Serves 4

What You Need:

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

What You Do:

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and let stand for 20 minutes.

2. Form dough into a ball, then place onto lightly floured countertop. Divide into 1-inch balls. Flatten each ball into a round, and, with a rolling pin, roll out lightly on one side.

3. Over high heat, place cast-iron skillet. Cook tortillas in ungreased skillet for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip once and cook other side until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Serve warm.

Tofu Egg-less Salad

I pack Firm Tofu - Drain and water squeezed
2 stalks Celery finely chopped
4 pc Green Onions finely chopped
3 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1/3 c Vegan Mayo (We love Vegenaise)
2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Garlic powder

Mix & mash all together with fork. Chill and serve on a toast or in sandwich.

Vegan Corn Bread Muffins

1 c Corn meal
1 c Flour
1 1/2 tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
4 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp Flax Meal
1 1/2 c Soy Milk
3 tbsp Oil

Mix the dry ingredients first. Add the Milk and oil.
It'll make 12 large Muffins.
Easy and tasty :-)

Vegan White Bean Chili

1 onion diced
3-4 stalks Celery diced
1 c Corn Kernels (Frozen works fine)
1 tbsp Oil

1 1/2 c Water
1/4 c Flour
3-4 tbsp Veggie Broth Powder
2tbsp Nutritional Yeast

4 c Cooked White Beans

1/2 tbsp Sage
1/2 tsp Paprika
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Fresh Dill

Heat the oil in a large pot and add diced onions and saute for several minutes.
Add Celery and Corn Kernels.

Mix Water, Veggie broth powder, Nutritional Yeast in a cup and pour into the veggies. Stir well so the flour doesn't make clumps.
Add Beans and bring slowly to simmer. Mixing occasionally so it doesn't burn on the bottom.
At the end add all the rest of spices adding vinegar last. Turn off.
Serve with chopped dill on top. Then fold it in on your plate. The dill is a fabulous touch.
Great with Corn Bread Muffins. (Recipe follows)

This chili is children friendly. We adults added some hot chili sauce on our plates. We love the Rooster Sauce, but Tabasco will do just fine. :-)
It's pretty fast cooking once you have the beans cooked ahead.

Spinach & Beets Salad with Cranberry Dressing

Vegan Seitan Fajitas

Vegan Biscuits

2 c Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
5 tbsp Margarine
3/4 Soy Milk

Mix all together with fork and your hands. Work it in a ball and roll into 1 inch thick slab. Cut out Biscuits with a round cookie cutter or a glass.
Preheat oven to 350. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes till golden.

Vegan Breakfast Pancakes

1 c. Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
3 tbsp Sugar
Pinch of Salt
2 tbsp Flax Seed Meal (Ground Flax Seeds)
2 tbsp oil
1 1/4 c soy milk
1 tbsp Apple cider Vinegar

Mix all the dry ingredients.
Mix all the liquids.
Mix both mixtures together fry on iron skillet and Voila: Pancakes :-)