Have A Happy, Healthy, and Green Thanksgiving!

No, I don't mean you should celebrate Dr. Seuss-style and dye your Thanksgiving turkey green. There are less extravagant ways, though, to green up your table this holiday season - specifically your holiday dinner table. The central focus of Thanksgiving is always the turkey (how about a tofurkey this year?), but the vegetable side dishes and desserts can be just as attention-grabbing and delicious as the main course. Below are some of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes and desserts that focus on local, in-season foods - and just happen to be vegan! Don't let that fool you though, a pumpkin pie with tofu in it can be just as scrumptious as one with dairy. Give these a try this holiday season, and your family and friends (and the earth!) will all be thanking you.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

2-3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch thick slices
2-3 turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch thick slices
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch thick slices
A few handfuls of Brussels sprouts, halved
5-7 smallish white, red, or purple potatoes, cut into 1-inch thick slices
1-2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Enough olive oil to fully coat vegetables
Sage, thyme, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper, to taste

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a shallow, large baking dish with olive oil. Place all sliced vegetables in a mixing bowl and add desired herbs and spices. Fully coat vegetables with olive oil, tossing together well. Transfer the vegetables to the baking dish, spreading out evenly. Roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring the vegetables once or twice.

Vegetarian Gravy
Courtesy of vegweb.com
1 vegetable bullion cube
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
few good dashes garlic powder
2 heaped tablespoon nutritional yeast
few good dashes of soy sauce or tamari (add more or less for your tastes)
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/4 - 1/2 cup flour (start with less until it's as thick as you would like it. I use brown rice flour in mine.)
1 tablespoon vegan butter (this adds to the richness)
sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Combine all ingredients in pot, and bring to boil. Cook on medium low heat until done.

Apple Pie
Courtesy of ‘The Joy of Vegan Baking’
1 package pre-made pie crusts (or you can make your own crust if you have the time!)
5-6 medium-large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼-inch thick*
½ cup sugar
2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons nondairy butter, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons sugar (for sprinkling on crust)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for sprinkling on crust)

*Certain apples are much better than others for baking. I suggest using Empire, Golden Delicious, Gravenstein, Newton Pippin, Winesap, Crispin, or Granny Smith apples. Fuji, Gala, Braeburn, McIntosh, Pink Lady, and Red Delicious are usually the most common in grocery stores, but do not do very well in pies.

Directions: Roll out your bottom dough into a 13-inch round and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the overhanging dough to ¾ inch all around. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling. Roll out the dough for the top crust, fold it in half, cover, and place in the refrigerator as well. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Combine your sliced apples with the sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes while the apples soften slightly. Pour the mixture into the bottom crust and gently level it with the back of a spoon. Dot the top with the pieces of nondairy butter. Brush the overhanging crust with cold water. Cover with the top crust, and tuck any excess pastry under the bottom crust. Crimp the edges using your fingers or a fork. Using a sharp knife or skewer, make 5 slits from the center of the pie out toward the edge of the pie to allow the steam to escape. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake for 30 minutes. Slip a baking sheet underneath (to catch the juices), reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake until the fruit feels just tender when a knife is poked through a steam vent, or 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 3 to 4 hours before cutting. This allows the filling to thicken properly. If you’d like to serve it warm, place it in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes. Though it will keep for a few days (on the counter – not in the fridge), I think it’s best served the day it’s baked.

Pumpkin Pie
Courtesy of ‘The Joy of Vegan Baking’

1 pie crust
16 pecan halves (optional)
12 ounces silken tofu (firm)
2 cups pumpkin puree
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your pie crust or remove a store-bought crust from the freezer/refrigerator. Spread the pecans, if using, on a cookie sheet. Toast for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the smell of nuts fills the kitchen. Set aside for a garnish. In a food processor, blend together the tofu, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. You may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times. Pour the filling into the baked crust, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and the outermost inch of the filling is set. Don’t worry if the center is still soft; it continues to firm up as the pie cools. Transfer the pie to a wire rack. Gently press the 16 toasted pecan halves into the filling in any design you like. Cool to room temperature and then chill until set, 1 to 2 hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Broccoli

Broccoli is an extremely versatile vegetable, and is a good addition to almost any recipe. Below are some of my personal favorite recipes - the broccoli soup is an especially excellent dish for the coming cold winter months!





Broccoli Soup
Adapted from the Food Network test kitchens

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 russet potato, peeled and diced
a pinch or so dried thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups vegetable stock
about 1 lb. fresh broccoli, roughly chopped
2-4 tablespoons cream, optional

Directions: Melt/heat the butter/oil in a deep pan and add the onion and garlic, cooking about 5 minutes until translucent. Then add the potato, thyme, salt and pepper, and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Decrease to a simmer and cook until the potato is tender when poked with a fork, about 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and simmer until broccoli is also tender. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender. Return soup to to the pot and add the cream. Return to a simmer, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with optional toppings like shaved parmesan cheese or toast points.

Oven-Roasted Broccoli

1 lb. broccoli, trimmed
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon or so sea salt
pepper, to taste
1/3 cup bread crumbs, preferably panko if you have them on hand
1/4 grated cheese, preferably parmesan or cheddar

Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, and mix well in a bowl with the olive oil, garlic, sea salt, and pepper. Spread the bread crumbs on a large baking sheet, and lightly toast in the oven until brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the crumbs from the oven and add to the broccoli mixture, tossing again. Put the entire mixture baking on the baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes, until broccoli is slightly tender. Remove from the oven, toss in the cheese, and serve immediately.

Leslie's Broccoli, Wild Rice, and Mushroom Stuffing (just in time for Thanksgiving!

courtesy of Leslie Eikhoff-Davis, allrecipes.com

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 16-oz. package herb seasoned stuffing mix
1 14-oz. can vegetable stock
1/2 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Directions: Bring rice and 1 1/2 cups water to boil in a pot. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes. Place broccoli in a pot with enough water to cover, and boil 5 minutes, or until slightly tender. Remove from heat, and drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking dish. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the mushrooms and onion until tender. Mix in cooked rice, cooked broccoli, stuffing mix, stock, and almonds (if using). Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Swiss Chard, Sausage and Ricotta Pie

This recipe is from our Homewood CSA member Julia Galeazzi! It was a hit at her recent dinner party.

From the September/October 2009 issue of "Tastes of Italia":

As soon as there is a cool breeze in the air, you will love this "green" pie. Of course, you may use spinach, but try this with cooked Swiss chard. Serve it hot, although it is delicious at room temperature also. This is a conversation piece. your family and friends will want to know what's inside the pie.

1/2 pound Italian sausage
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 cups cooked Swiss chard, drained well*
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 prepared pastry crusts, such as Pillsbury
1 egg white, beaten

Remove sausage from casing and crumble it in a large saucepan with the olive oil. Brown it 8 to 10 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

There should be about 2 to 3 tablespoons fat in the pan; if there is more remove and discard or reserve for another use. Saute onions 5 minutes until they turn color.

Remove pan from the heat, and add the cooked Swiss chard. Mix it with the onions. Then, add the Parmesan and ricotta cheeses, 4 beaten eggs and the sausage meat, and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fit one pastry into the bottom of a 10-inch pie dish. Brush the inside of the pastry, including the sides, with the beaten egg white, reserving a bit for the top pastry, and fill the pie. Cover with the second pie crust, merging the 2 crusts into a decorative pattern, and brush the remaining egg white over the top. With a sharp knife, make 4 or 5 small slits in the top pastry. Bake for about 40 minutes until a rich golden color is achieved. Remove from oven, rest a few minutes and slice.

Makes 8 servings.

*To cook Swiss chard: discard overgrown leaves, remove white stems and peel them (as if destringing celery stalks) and cut into 1-inch lengths. Chop leaves into 1-inch square pieces and cook in salted boiling water with stems. Drain very well and finish them off in 2 tablespoons olive oil with 2 garlic cloves. Remove cloves and cool and then add to the other ingredients in the filling.

Julia's notes: I omitted the salt, and it came out fine. The part that takes the longest is washing and cooking the swiss chard. If you don't have all day or the patience to prep, I suggest you buy pre-washed spinach and skip the cooking in boiling water. You can just go to the "finish in olive oil and garlic" step, which I did in a saute pan. (Spinach leaves wilt quickly in a saute, unlike swiss chard, which requires the boiling first.) Also, when the recipe says to "rest a few minutes", I'm pretty sure that means to rest the pie, but it is also a good time to take a rest yourself before digging in! Enjoy :)

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi is a relatively unknown vegetable in the Americas, so good and easy recipes can be hard to come by. Luckily, though, kohlrabi is a surprisingly versatile food to work with. You can substitute most dishes with broccoli, potatoes, or turnips with kohlrabi to change up some of your normal meals, or add it to soups or sautes. It sure is an odd thing to behold, but once you try kohlrabi for the first time, you'll be wanting more. The following recipes are ones that I've been able to try out in the short time I've had since discovering it. Feel free to respond with some of your favorite kohlrabi dishes - I am also looking for more to try!


Easy Roasted Kohlrabi

1-1 1/2 lbs. kohlrabi, skinned and diced
a tablespoon or so of olive oil (enough to coat the kohlrabi)
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt to taste
good vinegar

Directions: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Toss the diced kohlrabi in the olive oil, adding the garlic and salt as you mix (feel free to add additional herbs and spices to your taste). Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, stirring every once in a while. Kohlrabi should be tender when poked with a fork. Sprinkle with a good vinegar right before serving.

Kohlrabi Puree
courtesy of http://www.foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com

4 kohlrabi bulbs with leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces mushrooms, quartered
3 tablespoons cream (or milk, water, stock, or olive oil - whatever you have on hand)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: Trim the kohlrabi bulbs, peeling them if the skins seem tough. Rinse the leaves (discarding any that are yellow) pat them dry, and coarsely chop. Set aside. But the bulbs into 1-inch chunks. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil, and add the kohlrabi chunks. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, another 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let garlic brown. Add the mushrooms and the reserved kohlrabi leaves to the skillet. Cover, and cook 5 minutes. Then uncover, and cook, stirring, until all the liquid has evaporated, 3 minutes. Set the skillet aside. Drain the kohlrabi chunks and place them in the bowl of a food processor. Add the mushroom mixture and all the remaining ingredients. Purée until smooth. Transfer the purée to a saucepan and reheat over low heat, stirring, 2 minutes.

Kohlrabi & Apple Slaw with Creamy Coleslaw Dressing
adapted from A Veggie Venture blog

1 pound kohlrabi, peeled and grated
2 apples (or enough to equal the quantity of the kohlrabi), peeled and grated
1/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon good mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh mint, chopped
about a handful of craisins

Directions: whisk cream into light pillows, about a minute. Stir in all other ingredients, including the kohlrabi and apple. Serve immediately.

Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are really fun vegetables to cook with, offering many tasty combinations and possibilities. Their color keeps beautifully when cooked, and their shape allows for some really creative and fun serving options. Below are some of my favorite bell pepper recipe. They are delicious and each use peppers in a completely different way. Happy cooking!

Creole Stuffed Peppers

courtesy of Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

4 large bell peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 jalapeños, cut in half, seeded, and finely sliced

1 cup carrots, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 dried bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 teaspoons paprika

3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon salt

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes

2 15-oz. cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with a little olive oil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Cut the peppers in half lengthwise through the stem end. For aesthetic purposes, try to leave the stem intact on one side; if you can't manage it, no love lost. Remove the seeds and membranes. Submerge the peppers in the boiling water and cover. Let them boil for 5 minutes, then drain them immediately and rinse with cold water to cool them down a bit.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, jalapeños, and carrots for about 10 minutes. You want the veggies to brown, especially the carrots. If it looks like they are steaming rather than browning, then raise the heat a bit. Add the garlic about 5 minutes into the cooking process.

Add the bay leaves, the other herbs and spices, and the salt; saute for 1 more minute. Add the tomatoes and peas, stir and cover, and cook for 10 minutes. If it seems too liquidy then remove the cover and cook long enough to reduce some of the liquid. Mix in the parsley.

Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. The mixture will be hot, so we find it's easier to just remove the herbs while filling the peppers; just be on the lookout for them.

Spoon a little less than 1/2 cup of the veggie mixture into each pepper half. Again, the filling will be hot, so be careful while you are handling it. Place the pepper halves in the casserole dish and bake for about 25 minutes.

Lemon-Garlic Chick Pea Dip with Bell Peppers

courtesy of Rachael Ray

1 15-oz. can chick peas, drained
1 clove garlic, cracked from its skin
1 lemon, zested and juiced
4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems
coarse salt and pepper
a few drops hot sauce, to taste
1/4 or so of olive oil

Directions: combine all ingredients except olive oil into a food processor. While processing, stream in olive oil. Transfer to a dish, and serve with slices of raw bell pepper (and any other veggies you have on hand)!

Homemade Bell Pepper Pasta Sauce

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 bell peppers of assorted colors, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning, coarsely pureed by hand (just mash with a fork)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
fresh or dried basil, tarragon, parsley

Directions: Heat olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add diced onion and saute until translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, cooking until the garlic is fragrant, about another minute. While this is cooking, take the mashed diced tomatoes and add to it the tomato paste, herbs, pepper flakes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture into the onions, and simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the diced bell peppers, and continue to cook until the peppers are tender. Serve over pasta of your choice.

Winter Squash

The following recipes were submitted by one of our CSA members, Allison Hauspurg. Winter squash are an especially versatile vegetable, and these recipes include more delicious fall and winter foods as well. Enjoy!

Apple Stuffed Squash

Preheat oven to 350. Slice the top off of your acorn squash, and scoop out all the strings & seeds (save the seeds!). Pour about 1/2 an inch of water into a casserole or pie dish or what-have-you, and place your squash top-down in the middle. Allow the squash to steam in the oven for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, slice up 1/2 of a Gala apple (or other crunchy-sweet variety)–make sure to cut it into small, thin, slices (think overgrown confetti). Toss with some maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a spoonful of Earth Balance or canola oil. Carefully remove the squash from the oven, and use a spoon to pack all your filling into the center. Place on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet and bake another 30-45 minutes (until it smells so good you can’t stand it).

Roasted Squash Seeds

Preheat oven to 350 or so. Wash your squash seeds (I used acorn squash, see previous recipe) really really well until there’s no pulp left. Pat them dry and place them in a small bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until they’re all covered. Spread them out on a baking sheet (or on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet) and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring one or twice, until they’re all nice and brown looking. I’m not sure how to store them, because they never last that long!





This last recipe is a favorite of mine from Food Network, and takes advantage of your butternut squash and your swiss chard at the same time in one delicious meal.

Penne with Braised Squash and Greens

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces cubed tofu
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
crushed red pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces whole wheat penne, rigatoni, or fusili
1/2 parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking pasta. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add onion to the pan; cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Return the tofu to the pan and add broth and squash; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add chard and stir to immerse. Cover and cook until the squash and chard are tender, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Add the squash mixture, Parmesan, salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Eggplant

Eggplant is one of the heartiest vegetables out there, and makes Meatless Monday that much easier every week since it's so easy to make into a filling, satisfying main course. The first thing most people think of when they have eggplant on the brain is, of course, Eggplant Parmesan. I'm sure that many of you already have your favorite Eggplant Parm recipe, so I won't add my own today. Instead, I have a few recipes that try to veer away from frying and sauteing. Eggplants soak up much more fat than other vegetables when cooking in the aforementioned ways, so if you're trying to eat on the healthier side you should stick to baking, broiling, or grilling it. Believe me, I love fried food as much as the next person, and these other options are equally delicious and easy to make - you won't be disappointed.

Roasted Eggplant with Basil and Lemon

1 large eggplant
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried basil, thyme, and/or Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions: Cut the eggplant lengthwise into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Place slices on a paper towel and salt each one. Let sit for 30 minutes to drain excess moisture, then pat with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Add the garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper to the oil and mix thoroughly. Then, brush each eggplant with the oil and herb mixture. Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until soft and golden brown. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with lemon juice, and serve.

Honey Glazed Roasted Vegetables
courtesy of eggplantrecipes.net

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt, pepper, dried thyme, to taste
4-6 cups mixed halved red potatoes, sliced zucchini, thickly sliced onions, red peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes, sliced eggplant (any vegetables you have on hand, really)

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine honey, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Arrange the cut vegetables in a roasting pan and brush the honey mixture over the vegetables, incorporating well. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Eggplant "Steaks"
courtesy of Alton Brown, FoodNetwork.com

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup thick steak sauce
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
8 (1/2 inch) eggplant slices, purged with salt (see first recipe for directions)
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, optional

Directions: In a small bowl whisk together the teriyaki sauce, steak sauce, olive oil, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Pat your eggplant dry with paper towels. With a pastry brush apply the sauce to both sides of the eggplant. Place eggplant rounds onto a sheet tray fitted with a rack. Place the tray under the broiler for until eggplant is nicely browned, approximately 2 minutes. Turn slices over and place back under broiler to brown the other side. Generously sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan over all of the slices. Place back under the broiler for 1 minute to nicely brown the cheese. Serve plain or sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs. (Not everyone has a tray with a fitted rack and/or a broiler option in their oven, so feel free to grill the eggplant slices instead of the above option. )