Thanksgiving for veggies

[Deleted User] · November 2009

So I'm a veggie myself and I eat everything but the turkey, I'm about side dishes on T-day. FI and I are throwing a Thanksgiving dinner next Sat in London as we have to work Thursday.

FI thinks his veggie friend will not have enough to eat. I pointed out the sides, but FI thinks because everyone besides me and my friend is English and Thanksgiving virgins the friend will be hungry.

Am I looking at this the wrong way because I am used to Thanksgiving?

The menu stands at:

Apps:

cheese and crackers

veggies

Dinner:

Turkey

gravy

stuffing

mashed potatoes

green salad

green beans

glazed carrots

candied sweet potatoes

rolls

cranberry sauce

Pumpkin pie, apple pie, cherry pie, brownies

Thanks ladies.

Nebb · November 2009

It looks like he will be well fed, but not a very balanced meal. Is there any way to make something with protein in it for him? I dunno if that means adding tofu, beans or nuts or something to it, but that might help.

kate51485 · November 2009

A few questions first:
Is your gravy meat based? Does your stuffing or anything else have chicken stock in it?

danieliza1127 · November 2009

Yeah, I would try to go with some hardier sides like casseroles. Maybe a green bean casserole instead of just green beans. And maybe a broccoli cheese casserole or a corn casserole instead of just carrots.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · November 2009

I'm usually good with sides on t-day, as long as I know they haven't been made with chicken stock.

Do you have tofurkey in the UK? Last year I had thanksgiving sides and tofurkey sandwiches and hosted a thanksgiving lunch. You could also do a Quorn roast (I know that's a UK brand) with some mushroom gravy, but don't expect anyone except you two to eat it!

I'd also do a casserole or gratin. Maybe a butternut squash anf gruyere gratin? I made one last year (recipe on allrecipes.com) and it was good.

I wouldn't worry too much about the balance of dishes, unless he has health issues. It's just one day, and you'll hardly be the only people carbing it up on thanksgiving.

[Deleted User] · November 2009

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_thanksgiving-veggies?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:10ae8d5e-68c1-4fad-9936-3d37d6609200Post:bbd86391-5a78-4410-8025-3abb2b628b6e">Re: Thanksgiving for veggies</a>:
[QUOTE]Yeah, I would try to go with some hardier sides like casseroles. Maybe a green bean casserole instead of just green beans. And maybe a broccoli cheese casserole or a corn casserole instead of just carrots.
Posted by danieliza1127[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>I forgot about the broccoli cheese casserole, I am making that as well. </div><div>FI is making the stuffing, I hate stuffing so I didn't think about how he's making it.
</div><div>
</div><div>Should I do Mac and cheese too?</div>

sucrets4 · November 2009

I'm fine with sides, but I'm not picky about stuff being cooked in stock. I just don't do chunks of meat. However, I have nuked a fake chicken patty in the past and had that with the sides.

Good call on the casseroles and mac and cheese, though!

[Deleted User] · November 2009

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_thanksgiving-veggies?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:10ae8d5e-68c1-4fad-9936-3d37d6609200Post:36795cba-f08d-45ff-9901-5be99c9894e0">Re: Thanksgiving for veggies</a>:
[QUOTE] You could also do a Quorn roast (I know that's a UK brand) with some mushroom gravy, but don't expect anyone except you two to eat it! I'd also do a casserole or gratin. Maybe a butternut squash anf gruyere gratin? I made one last year (recipe on allrecipes.com) and it was good. I wouldn't worry too much about the balance of dishes, unless he has health issues. It's just one day, and you'll hardly be the only people carbing it up on thanksgiving.
Posted by msmerymac[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>I LOVE carbs, I have a problem actually I should join a support group. </div><div>I love butternut squash, that's a great idea. I will look into the Quorn as well.

</div>

britne28 · November 2009

definitely do mac n cheese. You could also do a Ploughman's lunch platter. Bread, cheese, pickled onions, etc. That can be pretty hardy. The traditional cheese are cheddar, stilton, and brie.

ofeliaknits · November 2009

I'm a vegetarian, so I do all sides, too. I wouldn't want mac and cheese on Thanksgiving. I'm very wary of everything on Thanksgiving though. If you're a veg, you'll probably already know this, but make sure the mashed potatoes doen't use chicken stock and that the green bean casserole doesn't use chicken stock either. Most canned cream of mushroom soups use chicken stock in them. My mom made a zucchini casserole for me last year. It had sliced zucchini, cheese, and tomatoes. My FMIL is making some kind of crazy loaf. She's chopping up nuts and grating veggies and then forming it into some kind of loaf. I'm sure there are recipes for a veggie nut loaf somewhere, and that would be a good main course.

To be honest, though, I'm mostly concerned about desserts on Thanksgiving.

ofeliaknits · November 2009

Oh, also, make sure that the candied sweet potatoes don't have marshmallows. I'm not sure if that's something that you usually include, but I always get so sad when there are marshmallows on the sweet potatoes, so I can't eat them.

[Deleted User] · November 2009

I'm doing most of the cooking, so it will all be stock free.

I love Ploughman's, I eat them all the time.

ffmaid · November 2009

I an not a veggie but I host thanksgiving every year to 2 veggie. I make them as a main dish pumpkin gnocchi with walnut pesto. This recipe I got off eppicurious a few years ago and is quite tasty even the carnivores will try some as a side but substantial enough as a main dish.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · November 2009

I want to come over to your house ffmaid! That sounds good. I'll look up that recipe.

ffmaid · November 2009

I have my recipe book online here you go MS MeryMac

Pumpkin Gnocchi

3 cups pumpkin puree
1 12-ounce container fresh ricotta cheese, drained in sieve 2 hours 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 3/4 cups (about) all purpose flour

transfer 3 cups pumpkin puree to large bowl. Add ricotta cheese; blend well. Add Parmesan cheese, brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and nutmeg; mash to blend. Mix in flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto floured surface; divide into 6 equal pieces. Rolling between palms and floured work surface, form each piece into 20-inch-long rope (about 1 inch in diameter), sprinkling with flour as needed if sticky. Cut each rope into 20 pieces. Roll each piece over tines of fork to indent. Transfer to baking sheet.

Bring large pot of water to boil; add 2 tablespoons salt and return to boil. Working in batches, boil gnocchi until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer gnocchi to clean rimmed baking sheet. Cool completely. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Walnut pesto:
2cups basil leaves
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup walnut oil

Blend in blender till basil all chopped to pesto consistency

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · November 2009

Thanks ff!

jajph1974 · November 2009

That looks like plenty of food.

One of our guests for Thanksgiving is a veg and she's perfectly fine just eating the sides. I offered to make her something special, but she said she just eats the sides every year.

Maybe you could make some cheese ravioli?

Thanksgiving for veggies

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