I love vegan food but sadly food photographers tend to feature dishes that look shlubby and unappetizing thereby giving vegan food a bad rap. The same with this article unfortunately. The pumpkin pie and the truffles look decent, but the rest, I'll take a pass. Most of it looks too close to brown glop. Forget the weird soup. Just eat plain, beautifully cooked vegetables (green beans, brussels sprouts, carrots or yams, mashed potatoes). Do a tofurky (or similar) vegan roll with tofurky (or similar) vegan gravy. Simple and when nicely plated entirely appetizing. You could make the pumpkin pie here or buy one. Baked apples or pears with coconut vanilla vegan ice cream also work. You're welcome.
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Making Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s vegan pumpkin pie this year. Looking forward to it!
Have been making the pecan pie truffles for years. These are phenomenal to eat, bring to parties, and, in a small box, the truffles make delicious holiday gifts. Grand Mariner is a terrific alternative for the bourbon. For those of us who are vegan *and* gluten-free: check out the Gluten-Free Graham Cracker recipe at Oh She Glows...would love to see a NYT version! Kudos :-)
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This may come across as a bit “off point” to the article, but I can’t help but wonder if we all went vegan, then health care usage would go down to the level of free health care and, simultaneously, we’d be getting a head start on the Green New Deal - all au natural. Of course the food lobby would have a myocardial infarction, just like they did when Michelle Obama suggested this.
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Thank you NYT! Help us save this holiday!
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These dishes look beautiful thank you NY Times and a very Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
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About 10 years ago I became a vegetarian after years of Viking feasting. I had no idea that the change would not be so much about giving something up and loss but the key to opening up of a whole new culinary world of pleasure.
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These recipes look delicious! A big thank you to the NYT from those of us who choose to eat a plant-based diet, as well as those who want to serve dishes that are free of meat, eggs, and dairy. Most of all, on behalf of the baby birds who are served up as Thanksgiving turkey each year, thank you. Not eating them is the pardon that matters.
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I would like to add to side dishes a classic vegan (not purposefully so) dish from Italy -- braised escarole with pine nuts and raisins. The bitterness of the greens, balanced with the sweetness of the nuts and raisins, makes it perfect for the Thanksgiving feast.
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Last night our son ordered a meat lovers’ pizza. I call it the “anti-vegan” pizza. Reading these extraordinary vegan recipes inspire my wife and I to “do the right thing” as we inspire loved ones to do the same this Thanksgiving.
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This is something to be thankful for, thank you NYT. A celebration that centers around plants and life is a happy one!
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Thank you for this. Became vegan 2 years ago and never looked back. Best change I have made in my life. Thank you NY Times for supporting your vegan readers.
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Totes agree! This should be a weekly contribution!
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Re: carbhydrates triggering inflammation
I think you need to qualify what type of carbohydrate. Complex carbs in whole foods may not be the same as carbs from white bread or sugary cereals. I’ve recently switched to a vegan diet because it may slow the progression of osteoarthritis. From a health perspective a vegan diet isn’t only about avoiding animal products. It’s about what you are eating instead. The recommendations are often that a diet based on a broad variety of unprocessed vegetables, grains, legumes and fruits and avoiding vegetable oils may decrease the inflammation that is associated with some chronic health issues. So far I’ve found eliminating vegetable oils to be the biggest challenge. What’s surprised me is the deep relief I felt once I decided to eliminate all animal products from my diet.
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I'm contributing David Tanis's delicious Venetian Cauliflower to a Thanksgiving dinner at the home of vegan friends. Check it out. So good.
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Thank you for printing all these vegan Thanksgiving recipes! Much appreciated because I'm a vegan and a reader of the NY Times!!!
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I’ve found it interesting that NYT is constantly talking about climate change and the merits of veering towards a more plant based diet but more often than not posts heavy meat or dairy recipes.
This is a good start, but y’all are woefully insufficient. Keep going.
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This almost makes up for the NYT article a few years ago that recommended serving vegetarian guests a roasted beet.
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Probably better if NYT states upfront that an additional paying subscription is needed to access these recipes.
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Vegan Thankgiving, AKA how to ruin the best food day of the year. So sad.
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@Todd - It is telling that you would post such a response to something that clearly does not concern you. Happy Thanksgiving and I know what I am grateful for. Pass the Tofurkey, please.
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The mushroom wild rice casserole is NOT vegan!
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@Almost vegan It is if you leave out the optional Parmesan and use vegetable stock.
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@Almost vegan, I always substitute nutritional yeast for parmesan. It usually tastes better with vegetables than cheese, so it's a gift.
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@Almost vegan
Ugh. Like when I say I am vegan and the people respond - it's gluten free. Ugh
Whole Foods know carries a great vegan parmesan. It may be available else where, but that's where I found it.
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Quite useless and a waste of time to read the article, as no recipes are provided unless one pays $60 In addition to regular subscription fees.. Fortunately the other newspapers I subscribe to don't require extra fees to access recipes. Joe Yonan of the Washington Post and Yotam Ottolenghi of The Guardian both have wonderful vegetarian and vegan recipes. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Thank you! I'm not a vegan and don't have much experience with vegan cooking but I decided to make an entirely vegan Thanksgiving meal for our family and your article came just in time.
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The stuffing and casserole looks so luscious, I'm not going to wait for Thanksgiving. Both items will be on our Sunday dinner menu. Not sure if my husband will like them but then I don't think I'm going say anything except place both dishes on the dinner table. I'll be he won't even notice nor care what their ingredients are, he is just interested in great tasting food.
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Climate change is coming y’all. And quitting meat is the single biggest way for us to help fight it.
The biggest reason we don’t break our meat habit is cause we don’t know what to eat instead. THE NEW YORK TIMES CAN HELP! Thank you for this article. Please do what you can to spend the word on eating LESS meat. Quitting meat is difficult- just eating less is a start.
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As a vegan for the animals, I can testify that cooking meals free of meat and animal products is easy, varied and delicious. Beans, seitan, tofu, tempeh. With many vegetables. One of my favorite suppers is a multi bean casserole (three or four kinds of beans which I think taste best when cooked from dry, not canned) which I make using a rich homemade Italian tomato based sauce, using green peppers, mushrooms, onions, etc. and I pour that on top of baked white and sweet potatoes. Spinach, broccoli or other vegetables on the side, as many as you like. Easy, make the casserole in batches, delicious and so healthy.
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@SP I thought it would be difficult, but Google is the World's Biggest Vegan Cookbook!
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Thanks so much for sharing these recipes. Will be sure to incorporate some of them this Thanksvegan.
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Wonderful! How better to celebrate and show our thanks than through a cruelty-free, environmentally-friendly feast!
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@ Hillary Rettig Kalamazoo, MI
I agree with the general tenor of your comment, but I do not see veganism as "inclusive". It is culinarily divisive, and it separates the Manicheans and Cathars of old, the Jains, and the Buddhists from the panphages or omnivores.
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@Tuvw Xyz
The only thing "culinary divisive" are attitudes (such as the one expressed in your comment) which arbitrarily divide people into different categories such as religion, politics - or whether they choose to eat meat or not. When it comes to eating many of us instead choose to focus on what we have in common, not what separates us.
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@ PJ USA
Agree with you, when eating in a group at a table, we "choose to focus on what we have in common". The common includes the food served and topics of conversation. The former is perhaps the more difficult one of the two, because neither the host nor the guest may be familiar with the culinary preferences of each in advance.
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@ Tuvw XYZ, You don't understand. Veganism is not "divisive ". It's all about compassion and recognition of the equal rights of all animals. Is being anti-slavery "divisive "?
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Thanks for this great article!
Aside from the elimination of animal cruelty, a plant based diet has been proven to be healthy as opposed to the standard American diet.
I came upon the NYT pick “How Not to Die,” by Michael Greger, M.D. with Gene Stone. Bottom line, there are no lobbyists for broccoli.
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@-tkf Dr. Greger is my hero. I wish these recipes weren't so heavy on the oils.
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Thank you for these recipes, and for reminding everyone that vegan alternatives are accessible and delicious during the holidays!
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Lots of great options here - thank you!
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In observance of gastronomic-ecumenical harmony before Thanksgiving, I shall not object to an article praising vegan dishes, even though I distrust the political inclinations of their proponents.
@Tuvw Xyz
"I shall not object to an article praising vegan dishes, even though I distrust the political inclinations of their proponents."
Believe it or not, vegans come in many different political persuasions. I'd rather eat with a vegan that someone who afheres to such hoary and generalist stereotypes.
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@Tuvw Xyz
Vegans choose to not commit acts of cruelty (or pay others to do so) in order to feed themselves. They care about suffering, the environment, and world health. Yup— that’s suspicious all right. Wouldn’t want to trust people who sacrifice every day in the name of love.
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@Tuvw Xyz
Are you implying animal-free cooking is untrustworthy? Why would you ever object? Veganism is simply a choice to exclude animal products...not a political statement, nor an imposition, nor a fallacy.
In fact the article advises about vegan dishes without ever disrespecting cooks/eaters who don't adhere to strict veganism.
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Reminder that these lovely recipes won't just work for people concerned about animal cruelty and environmental sustainability, but for those with dairy and egg allergies, religious dietary restrictions, health concerns (no cholesterol in vegan food), etc. Veganism is lovely and inclusive.
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@Hillary Rettig - What is the vegan matter with cholesterol?
The recipes in this article are fine and wholesome, albeit high carbohydrate recipes. Carbohydrates, they trigger off inflammation.
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Don't forget, though, that coconut products are sky high in saturated fats, as is palm oil!
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@Hillary Rettig
Exceptional point re: the various allergies many folks have. Also, you meet the nicest people around a vegan and/or vegetarian table.
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Hooray! Recipes for the rest of us. These sound delicious and fitting for a special occasion. :-) May you all have a peaceful Thanksgiving.
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