Hi Friend! And special friends from a 4 day Tony Robbins Unleash Your Power Event! Over the next few days, I want to make sure you have ideas and recipes to do a Plant Based Thanksgiving. Feel free to reach out to mm@chefmarian.com for any questions you may have after reading this and free free to spread the love through your social media.
Let’s start with Turkey. There’s a company called UnReal Deli that makes good tasting slices. They sell at Whole Foods and several other markets. Look it up online. Several friends that are also Chefs have told me this is what I should try this year instead of the pre-done stuffed Tofurkey and the owner was actually on Shark Tank and I think she got Mark Cuban (who tasted it and liked it) for a partner. So that’s what I’m doing!
UPDATE: I couldn’t find UnReal Turkey in time…. Don’t worry. I’ll still teach you about the other entree I was going to make and you can use any of the Vegan Turkey Slices to make it. But I want to give you an option that I am picking: Meatloaf with Gravy brought to you and me by Well Vegan. Looks great and I think it will make a perfect Thanksgiving ‘main’.
Have you ever made or eaten a main course that is rolled with something inside, like a Cordon Bleu?
Well, here’s the Plant Based version that’s a cross between a Cordon Bleu and a Roulade (rolled entree). Start with Vegan Dough.
You can find it in the freezer section. Wholly Wholesome is the Brand I like. You can use one piece for this main dish and the second that comes in the box, for the top and bottom of a Pumpkin Pie, by slicing it up and creating a ‘lattice’ of sorts. But more about that in a minute.
If you picture using dough to rollup your dinner, then slicing it up, that’s the concept of this entree just like the picture at the beginning of this blog (but probably better looking than that based on this new creation).
Inside we’ve got UnReal Turkey, Stuffing that we make using perhaps Gluten Free Bread and a beautiful mixture of vegetables that you sauté in Earth Balance, Salt and Peppa.
Remember: this is Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme TIME! If you include potatoes or sweet potatoes all of that works well. Think of your Thyme as lemon. What veggies can use that pop of flavor? As a matter of fact, let’s make blends. Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Salt and Pepper goes with carrots. You may want to add some maple syrup or coconut sugar and balance the amount of sugar with salt. This is a side dish.
And then Kale, Rainbow Chard and Spinach all go with garlic and olive oil. But do remember, less is more. So you will be ‘prepping’ small amounts of everything. I like buying dried mushrooms and then adding them to water warming a pot over the stove for 10 minutes or so. The ‘tea’ left after re-hydrating them not only is great for you, but it also is great to put into a ball jar in the refrigerator to cook all your rice, quinoa and vegetables in. Any time you use broth, you add flavor. I even cook pasta in vegetable broth these days. lol One quick tip: either strain it through a cheese cloth or gently, mindfully pour it into that jar, reserving the last 4 or 5 tablespoons in the pan. That’s where all the ‘grit’ ends up. Simply take that last quarter cup of liquid and pour it down the drain!
Let’s see …. what else can we put into the roulade? Let’s think about colors and flavors. You’ve got stuffing, then green with kale or chard or spinach, or a combination of what you like best, and there are the mushrooms we talked about that we add into our stuffing of Celery, Onion and Carrots – – it’s called a Mira Poix (pronounced mira-pwah) and the start of any good stuffing but also the beginning of any soup or dinner, if you have nothing in mind to cook. So now we’ve got brown, orange, yellow, white or red in the onion and green. And who could forget the cranberry sauce? That completes the color arrangement inside, with red and a more tart and contrasting flavor profile! Since we eat with our eyes, that’s what I would roll. If not, any leftover veggies can be incorporated into this dish. Call it your ‘covid special’!
The thing about veggies is they require salt and pepper. Now I have found some salt free combinations that are pretty good. But it’s a little late in the game to go searching, and I would really prefer a stressless, more joyful experience. So I would say use what you have and what you like. Good?
Next, you will roll the stuffed dough, by bringing in the sides after the first roll and then tightly rolling to the end. It’s like a round burrito of sorts! Then just follow the directions on the dough. I like to put it in a 400 degree oven and watch it till it browns. You can make it brown quicker if you paint some earth balance or a healthy oil on the outside. And I always cook it on a mesh pizza pan so that it cooks both over and under. This also is great in a convection oven. When it’s done, let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes then slice it up. Gravy? Learn how to make a roux (half flour, half healthy fat on the stove top), then add coconut cream instead of milk and cream. Here’s where you can add more mushrooms and broth as well.
Ok. I’m still hungry for side dishes.
Aaaah! The infamous green bean casserole! Did you know that Imagine Brand 
has boxed leek and potato creamy broth that is way better than Campbell’s because there’s no milk or cream and can be easily substituted in that casserole? And if you have a Trader Joe’s nearby, their French Fried Onions are ‘da bomb’! So it’s fresh cut green beans, ends trimmed and if you like, cut in half, into a cup of the soup, topped with French Fried Onions, into a 350 oven. Now, I would steam or even par boil (partially cook and then dump into ice to stop the cooking) the green beans, so that the casserole is mostly cooked and only needs a half hour in the oven, to marry the flavors. What else are you craving at Thanksgiving that you thought you couldn’t have?
Well, you know you can always make cranberries on your stovetop. 
Ez peasey. Just grab a bag, add a cup of water and a half cup of orange juice, with a couple of pinches of salt, topped with the rind and juice of lemon and put the top on, low and slow.
But what am I forgetting? Hmmmm…..
Sweet potato pie! Now remember: we are doing portion control and your fist closed is the size of your stomach. I know you think you are the exception, but trust me. You’re not! lol And I have solution. Think in terms of bites. 1st bite? Mmmmm that’s goooood. Second Bite? Wowowow! That’s incredible! 3rd Bite? Satisfied and done. If you do that with each item on the menu, practicing my 3 bite rule, what’s the worst that can happen? You will mindfully take an extra bite? Baby steps. Crawl your way into the new you!
If you do want to create a Sweet potato pie it’s a no brainer. Peel and boil sweet potatoes in water. Cut them up before you place them into the food processor (or you can use a ricer) add a tablespoon of cinnamon, two pieces of nutmeg, salt and pepper. Less is more. Spray a pan. Add the blended sweet potatoes. Then….. here’s the good news! They make….. wait for it…..
VEGAN marshmallows! I can hear the music coming up now! Shut up and dance with me! lol I like the small marshmallows because you eat less and it melts perfectly. You can dot it with earth balance on top, and place into that oven with your other items and since it’s already cooked, you’re just waiting for the marshmallows to brown.
Dessert anyone? If you are doing Pumpkin Pie, (and then you might want to substitute roasted garlic mashed potatoes for the sweet potato pie), there’s a couple of choices: You can take a regular recipe from online, substitute flaxseeds or egg replacement for eggs, (they actually do call it egg replacement at the store), coconut cream for milk and cream and you are good to go! Don’t forget the Vegan Almond whipped cream from a can. Just spray it into your mouth and call it a day!
I’ve been cooking Vegan Thanksgivings for quite some time now. And I will say this:
It’s wonderful to feel satisfied by flavors, and not fall asleep on the couch. I actually will get to converse with my daughter and son-in-law and give a nice rubbie to their dog named Mama’s. Aaaah life is good. A great family meal … flavorful, pretty and easy to make. Life is good.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Holiday experience. By the way, this all goes between 2 small pieces of quality bread for a small sandwich the next day! I just discovered Spelt bread. A Mazing. Don’t forget the cranberry sauce! Delish!
Healthy Happy Cooking,
