Recipes for a vegan Thanksgiving

Just because you or your guests are vegetable-first when it comes to feasting, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy classic Thanksgiving dishes and flavors such as pumpkin, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and even decadent desserts. As more home cooks get creative with mixing vegetables and flavors these meatless and dairy-free dishes have colors, tastes, and textures that surprise and delight the palate. From soup to nuts, we've got your vegan Thanksgiving table covered.

The Restless Palate
Roasted eggplant stuffed with chai infused quinoa.

1. Curried butternut squash soup

The Garden of Eating
Roasted butternut squash infused with spices and coconut milk. It doesn't get much better than this nourishing soup!

 By Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating

About 2 lbs. butternut squash (or substitute with acorn squash, delicata squash, sugar pumpkin, etc.)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable stock
1 can of coconut milk
3 teaspoons curry powder or garam masala
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, or more, to taste)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp with a spoon. Save for another use or discard. Spread about 1 tablespoon vegetable oil on the bottom of a roasting tray and place the squash halves cut side-down on the tray. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until the flesh feels soft when poked and it has shrunken away from the skins a bit. Flip over and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out all the flesh and reserve in a bowl.

2. Meanwhile, heat a heavy-bottomed pot with another tablespoon or so of oil and saute the onions over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the curry powder, optional cayenne, chopped tomato and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, another 4-5 minutes.

3. Add the roasted squash, coconut milk, and vegetable stock. Stir to combine thoroughly and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes or so.

4. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to a smooth consistency (this can also be done by transferring the soup in batches to a food processor or blender.) Taste for seasoning. Add additional stock or coconut milk if it’s too thick to your liking. Once the soup is to preferred taste and consistency, stir in the lemon juice to taste and serve.

Read the full post on Stir It Up!

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