Highlights: Non-Traditional Thanksgiving

Last night, as the first decent snow of the season fell outside our house, Brian and I found ourselves catching up on the growing collection of television episodes on our Hulu queue.  We’ve been watching the new Michael J. Fox show and this moment definitely struck a cord:

 

My husband is one of those people for whom canned cranberry sauce is a must on Thanksgiving.  That’s completely fine with me, I’m a pretty big fan as well.  I’m a big fan of most of our families’ traditional Thanksgiving foods, which luckily overlap to a large degree.  But I also think a lot about what it would be like to host Thanksgiving myself.  Would I make the same recipes my mom always uses?  Her sausage stuffing is one of the highlights of the day for me.  Would I make the awesome sweet potato casserole my mother-in-law always brings?  Maybe.  As someone who rarely eats meat, I’m not even sure I’d feel obligated to make a turkey.  Every year the blogs I’m subscribed to seem to be filled with more and more amazing and unique dishes to add to the Thanksgiving menu, whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free.  Just because your diet is different doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the holiday.  I may even do a faux Thanksgiving on my own next month so I can try some of the recipes out.

Regardless of the type of meal you’ll be serving, you’ll probably benefit from this awesome infographic and list of tips my friend Julie put together.  The infographic will help you plan the perfect Thanksgiving menu, the tips will help you make it happen.

Don’t Fear the Vegan – Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s take on hosting a vegan for Thanksgiving dinner (+ recipes!), from CNN’s Eatocracy

What Do You Serve a Raw Vegan for the Holidays? Great links and comments from Offbeat Home and Life

Trashing the Turkey: Meeting the Challenges of a Vegetarian Thanksgiving (+ recipes) from Table Matters

Four Ways for a Vegetarian to Approach Thanksgiving, courtesy of Slate

Mostly Mains

8 Bite Sized Thanksgiving Recipes (The Kitchn)

21 Vegetarian Mains for Thanksgiving (Serious Eats)

Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes for Every Course (Oh She Glows)

Vegan Stuffed Thanksgiving Burger (Post Punk Kitchen)

Butternut Squash Quiche (Endless Simmer)

Lentil Mushroom Walnut Balls with Cranberry-Pear Sauce (Oh She Glows)

Mostly Sides

Thanksgiving Vegetable Sides (Food Republic)

Fresh Orange-Cranberry Sauce (The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie)

17 Salads for Your Thanksgiving Table (Serious Eats)

18 Festive Thanksgiving Soups (Serious Eats)

Wild Mushroom Quinotto Recipe (Food Republic)

Roasted Cauliflower Soup (Ari’s Menu)

Cauliflower-Pumpkin-Ricotta Gratin (Endless Simmer)

Coconut-Pecan Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes (Simple Bites)

Baked Brie with Roast Vegetables (Healthy.Delicious)

Twice Baked Stuffed Butternut Squash (Tasty Kitchen)

Spicy Garlic Green Beans (What’s Gaby Cooking)

Ginger-Glazed Carrots (Savvy Eats)

Dessert

No-Bake Recipe: Gluten-Free and Vegan Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Bars (The Kitchn)

The Serious Eats Guide to Making Gluten-Free Pie

Beyond Pie: 8 Other Desserts to Make for Thanksgiving (Serious Eats)

Loaded Sweet Potato Cheesecake Cups (Ari’s Menu)

Vegan + Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Squares (Oh She Glows)

Individual Half-Pear Crisps with Salted Bourbon Caramel (Kitchen Vignettes)