5 Turkey-free Thanksgiving dinners
Hosting Thanksgiving doesn’t mean you have to include turkey at your gathering. This year, we invited our team of chefs to come up with meatless recipes worthy of commanding the starring role at the table. (Photo source: Debbie Hudson)
As we approach the end of a year like no other, we here at Stone Pier Press are reflecting on our hopes and aspirations for the holiday season. Some of us are seeking new traditions as we find it harder to travel to visit loved ones. Others are bent on fuss-free holidays after months of being, and cooking, at home. Many of us are craving the comfort of holiday kitchens filling the house with nostalgic aromas and flavors.
But there are two things we all share in common. First, the belief that the true spirit of the holiday season remains unchanged this year: coming together, giving thanks, and celebrating. And second, the conviction that the environmental challenges we face rival those of the current pandemic, and that by eating more plants and fewer animals this holiday season, we can be part of the solution. We hope our stories and the vegetarian and vegan dinner recipes we share here inspire you to create your own holiday table like no other.
The new holiday roast
“I’m not going to be stuck eating some sad, pale, afterthought of a faux-meat product. I’m still an eater.” - Jared Kent
As a new plant-based eater, I knew I’d have to steer away from the traditional turkey and beef and opt for a roast that would provide all the grandeur and satisfaction of a holiday centerpiece, with none of the meat. I found it in a whole roasted brassica that perfumes the air with savory aromas. Carve it tableside and serve it with a voluptuous vegetable gravy for a main course that will satisfy both vegetarians and omnivores alike. Read on for the recipe
holiday eating for a world on fire
“I know my decision to become a chef was influenced by my mom’s freewheeling creativity and passion.” - Lee Carter
In the aftermath of massive West Coast fires, my pod in California stopped buying meat, a habit helping to fuel global warming. So I set out to make a dish to replace the traditional roast turkey that my mom and I have always cooked together, while honoring her boundless culinary creativity. I found inspiration from the cutting-edge Danish chef René Redzepi to create a wicked new vegetable twist on familiar holiday flavors. Read on for the recipe
Taking a pass on the groaning holiday table
“Instead of chaotic excess, I’ll be setting my holiday table with what I think we are all craving right now: the time and space to really be together.” - Susan Miller-Davis
The Thanksgiving meal has always reminded me of some gluttonous medieval feast, creating chaos in the kitchen, on the table, and even in the belly. (And yes, I know, that roiling tummy is part of the ritual too, right?) Considering the problems with our industrial agriculture system, having a turkey at the center feels anachronistic too. After too many long hours in the kitchen this year, I’m ditching the usual menu in favor of a fuss-free, elegant vegetarian casserole. Read on for the recipe
Celebrating a family tradition of turkey-free Thanksgivings
“I haven’t abandoned the holiday. I’ve just changed how I practice it. I focus on curating a meal that deepens my connection to the area that I now call home.” - Dená Brummer
Long before “plant-based eating” was a thing, my mother created vegetarian holiday meals for our military family on the move, combining her Southern heritage with the local cuisine of the country we were living in. In that spirit, I’m showcasing ingredients once gathered by the local Tongva tribe near my current home in Southern California, and shining a light on how indigenous groups were able to find a better balance between humans and nature. Read on for the recipe
A more humane Thanksgiving
“Turkeys are intelligent and emotional beings capable of being stressed out by difficult situations, just like us.” - Heather Cohen
I can still remember the moment I decided to never eat another animal. I was 14, and had just watched a video divulging what happens in a slaughterhouse. Whenever I remember that video, the image most vividly burned into my mind is that of two turkeys nuzzling each other in a cramped stall. It was the animals’ fear and emotional intelligence that really captured my attention. I’m grateful that my family has embraced my concern, and takes pride in showing me new vegan recipes they’ve discovered. Together, we’ve uncovered a world of delicious turkey-free substitutes to make Thanksgiving more humane. Read on for the recipe