It’s that time of year again… The time many of us are trying to figure out what eat for thanksgiving… and what to feed the vegan! Last year was my first year celebrating Thanksgiving as a vegan.

My family has southern roots. They have turkey, dressing, collard greens, mashed potatoes, gravy the works. Last year they were very supportive of my dietary choices and they let make me the sides so I would not be starving. I decided to take my family recipes and make them vegan.

Vegan Mashed Potatoes

I LOVE mashed potatoes I simply took my family’s recipe and substituted almond milk for regular milk and used vegan butter in the blending process. Steps are simple

You’ll need

Large pot, large bowl, hand mixer

3 large potatoes washed (I leave the skin on🤷🏾‍♀️)

1 cup of almond milk to start (I add a splash more to get the consistency right when mixing)

3/4 cup vegan butter

1/4 vegan sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbl spoon garlic powder

Next

Cut potatoes evenly so they all cook at the same rate.

Fill pot with water add potatoes!

Boil potatoes till soft. Once potatoes are soft drain the potatoes place them into large mixing bowl. Add milk, butter, sour cream use a mixer on low to mash the potatoes! Get them to the consistency you like. Salt and pepper to taste.

Vegan Mac and Cheese

I made an INCREDIBLE Vegan Macaroni and Cheese using So Delicious brand Cheese.

I have to drive to the town over and spend $5.99 a bag for the cheese but it’s worth it. It taste the closets to real cheese. It melts like real cheese so it cooks in recipes like real cheese. My Mac and cheese always comes out so rich and delicious when I cook with So Delicious Dairy-free products check out their site to see where you can pick up the cheese. (I purchase mine at Sprouts in Temecula.)

Deep Fried Mushrooms and Cauliflower

Last year I made deep fried mushrooms for my main protein. This year I plan to be healthier but this was a delicious option last year.

For this recipe

You’ll need

Large bowl / large skillet or fry daddy.. I used a fry daddy.

About 10-15 cauliflower florets

1 large portabella mushroom sliced into strips

2.5 cups of almond milk in a bowl large enough to dip the cauliflower and mushrooms in (set aside)

3 cups of flour

3 table spoons garlic powder

3 tablespoon old bay season

2 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoon salt

2-3 table spoon black pepper (my family likes black pepper)

(Tip: add sarracha to make them hot 🙌🏾)

Next

Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

Next coat the a piece of cauliflower and dip the cauliflower into the almond milk. You want to coat it completely.

Next dip that cauliflower into the flour. Coat completely.

Dip the cauliflower back into the milk and then again into the flour mixture. Repeat until all the veggies are coated.

DEEP FRY THE VEGGIES🙌🏾

Fry the veggies until they are golden brown and serve.

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Now this beauty I actually made for Christmas but it’s been on my mind and in my thoughts the last few weeks. I went all out for this casserole! I even made my own mushroom soup!

It really wasn’t that hard to do so I’ll explain what I did. I didn’t have a recipe to go by…this was all from my head so here goes!

Vegan Cream of mushroom soup

You’ll need:

Pre heat oven to 350

1 container of mushrooms washed set aside

4 cups of veggie broth

2 cups diced onion

1.5 cups rice milk (I use rice milk because it doesn’t have a real taste.. coconut and almond have distinctive taste but I find that rice milk is close to skim milk when I cook)

1 tablespoon spoon nutritional yeast (I got it at Trader Joe’s!)

.5 cup flour ( we add this sparingly to thicken the soup later)

3 tablespoon olive oils

3 tablespoon garlic powder

2 tablespoon vegan butter

(I used a food processor for a portion of this… you can use a blender if you don’t have one)

Next:

Coat a medium skillet with oil. You want to sauté the HALF onions and mushrooms just a bit. Next I placed the rice and the sautéed mushrooms and onions into the food processor

I gave it a whirl till it was chopped nice not puréed just a couple whirls!

Next heat oil in a large Dutch skillet and SAUTÉ the other half of the mushrooms and oils turn heat to medium

Add the processed mushrooms, onions and milk to the dutch skillet

Now you add your seasoning and constantly stir.

Add the flour.. slowly.. and stir.. you want it to be thick but not too thick!

Slowly add your broth, keep stirring and tasting. Adding the flour sparingly. Add broth till gone. Let this simmer together about 30 minutes covered. Checking and stirring often. Don’t forget to taste! You can add more broth if you like a thinner soup. After your soup is done set it aside

What you need for the casserole:I used two kinds of fried onions. I picked them up at winco food in Temecula. After you made the soup you’ll need fried onions and green beans I purchased fresh.

Cooked them while I cooked the soup.

Next you’ll drain your cooked green beans and layer them into a casserole dish. Coat the green beans with the mushroom soup. Layer with onions. I stir mine repeat the process and pop it in the oven bout 30 minutes or till the top gets brown.

This was a family favorite that I can’t wait to make again! It is time consuming but it’s worth it.

This Thanksgiving my vegan protein choices are changing.

I want to try a more healthy option than deep fried mushrooms 😅 I’ve been leaning toward these Gardein Turk’y cutlets they look so delicious and I can just imagine the playing already😍 I eat with my eyes first and these just look like they would heavenly!

I’m also a bit curious about the Field roast celebration roast once again.. it looks like it would be pretty to plate 🤣 I’m always trying to take the perfect holiday food photo so I plan for everything! Taste! Looks! Price! I take thanksgiving seriously as a vegan because people think we don’t have opinions.. we do! We can have a whole turkey if we want to!

(Yep that’s a vegan turkey.. it’s $60.. and out of stock I checked.. and then cried because I can’t eat that alone🤣.. one day I’ll have enough friends to have a vegan thanksgiving with all the trimmings🥂 that’s my dream… anyways)

Gardein also makes a Holiday Roast but im planning to make my own stuffing and gravy so I don’t really need a pre-stuffed roast🤷🏾‍♀️

I plan to make a vegan cornbread stuffing. I have to practice first but this picture came from a recipe from Fatfreevegan.com

I’m just going to vegan up my Nana’s recipe👀

I’m so excited for thanksgiving!! Are there any ideas you have for menu so far? I know what I’m eating… now I have to plan for the those meat eating folk🙄☺️😂

Learn me a comment and let me know what you think of the recipes🤗