Thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving is a bit different this year than other years for me, in the past I have always had dinner with my Mom or Grandparents in years before that, when we would all get together and Grandma would cook the big meal with the turkey and all.  Last year I simply made dinner for me and my Mom and prepared lots of vegetarian side dishes along with a turkey for her and a stuffed squash for myself. 

Me, Mom and Grandma celebrating Thanksgiving a few years back

But this year I will be joining my boyfriend Dave and his family at their house this year for Thanksgiving dinner.  But I decided that I still needed to make some sort of meal of my own a few days before the holiday for my Mom and I.  I had this big extravigant dish planned, and it was going to be wonderful.  I spent hours on making the main dish and it ended up being and inedible disaster!  I guess it is not a good idea to experiment on a holiday when you need the meal to turn out!  I was able to make something quick for us to enjoy at least and salvage part of it...but the whole experience was, well...rather humbling.  I felt bad about it, but then I realized what I had know before but forgotten...it is not about the food!  Thanksgiving is about spending time with the ones you love.  Funny I had forgotten because I had spent the week at work helping customers getting bent out of shape about their own holiday feasts, and I remember having a conversation with a coworker about how it is not the food thatt matters.  Instead of  worrying about food, I should be just thankful to have wonderful people around me who care about me, or just the fact that I am able to experiment with different foods (even if they don't turn out) because others have none.  I realize that it is the little things in life I am truely thankful for, like the fact that I am able to run consistently now after a year of battling with injuries and not being able to run for months.  I think I needed that cooking disaster yesterday to be truely thankful for what I DO have.  Now, even though I can't share with you the food I destroyed yesterday, nor do I want to...I decided to highlight some dishes that I think would be perfect for a holiday meal.  Ever since I was a child I have always enjoyed everything else on the table at Thanksgiving far more than the turkey...

(click on the photos for the recipes)

Drinks...





Pumpkin Spice Martini





5 Spice Honey Crisp Appletini

Salads...

Roasted Cranberry and Kabocha Squash Salad



Pear and Spiced Pepita Salad with Chevre

Soup and appetizer...



Creamy Roasted Autumn Root Vegetable Soup with Cornbread Croutons



Roasted Fig and Carmelized Onion Pizzas with Toasted Pecans, Guyere and Mozzarella Cheeses



Rustic Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Bread and Maple Toasted Walnut Butter

 

Mains...



Seitan in Mushroom Gravy with Fluffy Mashed Potatoes and Crispy Brussels Sprouts



Roasted Autumn Vegetable and Pasta Gratin



Roasted Autumn Vegetable Pot Pies

 

 And the most important...Desserts!



Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake with Vanilla Maple Frosting and Spiced Pepitas



Maple Apple Crisp with Crispy Oat and Coconut Topping



Carmelized Autumn Nut and Date Tart

 

Kabocha Squash Ice Cream with Spiced Pepitas

Happy Thanksgiving!