The Lusty Vegan: 4 Dishes to Feed the Omnis This Thanksgiving

Zoe Eisenberg, iEG sex/lifestyle

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us! For most Americans, T-Day means two things: food and family.

As many vegans know, food-focused holidays–which, let’s be honest here, typically means all of them—can be stressful when your family doesn’t totally get down with your  your diet. Things can get even more wonky when you’re eating with your sig o’s fam. Your family is forced to love you despite the resting bitch face you pull when the turkey comes out. The boyf’s fam? Not so much.

The first three recipes are hearty and savory, two critical components for satiating those still accustomed to eating meat. The fourth is the perfect combo of sweet and savory, with just a bit of crunch. And, of course, all the recipes are from our book The Lusty Vegan, because, shameless self-promotion. Recipes by my friend, co-author and culinary mastermind, Ayinde Howell.

1. Savory Shiitake and Parmesan Bread Pudding

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons safflower oil, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
• 3/4 cup vegan Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons Ener-G egg replacer powder
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups bread, roughly torn apart into pieces (whatever kind you have)
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, for garnish

Preparation.

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, until hot. Add the onion and sauté until it becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In large bowl, combine the soy milk, parmesan, nutritional yeast, egg replacer, sage, basil, red pepper flakes, and salt. With a handheld emulsion blender or in a high-speed blender, slowly blend 3/4 cup oil into the soy milk mixture until the consistency becomes thick and custard-like.
3. Fold in the sautéed mushrooms and onion. Add the bread pieces and fold together until well combined. Pour the mixture into a lightly oiled casserole dish and let it sit for 7 to 10 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot. Serve garnished with chopped scallions.

Ingredients:

• 1 double pie crust, storebought or homemade (recipe follows)
• 3 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
• 1 cup chopped leeks, white and light green parts only
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced habanero chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium wheat-free tamari
• 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
• 2 cups asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 1/2 cups diced seitan

Preparation.

1. If making your own pie crust, make a double recipe (below). Arrange the bottom pie crust in a pie plate and set it in the freezer. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the vegan butter and coconut oil. Add the leeks, celery, carrots, garlic, habaneros, sage, basil, and thyme. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk in the flour, mixing constantly. This should brown into a light roux. Add the broth, tamari, and soy milk, whisking until thickened. Fold in the asparagus, peas, and seitan. Cook for an additional 5 minutes on low simmer.
3. Add the mixture to the pie shell and top with your second pie crust, crimping the edge to seal. Brush the top crust with a little oil. Poke a few holes in the top to vent the steam. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. You can tell when it’s done when it’s a golden brown color and smells like pot pie! Remove from the oven and allow to sit for several minutes before serving.

Pro-Tip: Use gloves when cutting the habanero chile, and wash your cutting board with soap and warm water afterward.

Homemade Pastry Dough
Makes 1 crust

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup cold vegan butter
• 6 to 9 tablespoons ice water

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a large fork or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour. Working quickly, lightly rub the flour and butter through your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly.
2. Start mixing the dough gently with a wooden spoon as you add cold ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add water until the mixture becomes a firm yet crumbly ball. Wrap this ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 60 minutes. Remove the ball 15 minutes before you are ready to roll it out.

Bonus: Watch Ayinde make this on Access Hollywood!

3. Classic Tofu Loaf

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes |Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon grapeseed or safflower oil
• 1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, well-drained
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup low-sodium wheat-free tamari
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For garnish: ketchup; chopped fresh parsley

Preparation.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with the oil and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, crumble the tofu into bite-size pieces. Add the oats and mix well.
3. Stir in the parsley, onion, and garlic. Add the ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, tamari, and salt. Mix well, until all ingredients are incorporated.
4. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. Serve garnished with ketchup and fresh parsley.

Pro-tip: Try cooking this recipe in muffin cups for individual serving sizes, ideal for brown-bagging your lunches during the work week.

4. Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Medjool Dates

Prep time: 8 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1 (10-ounce) package shaved Brussels sprouts (see Pro-tip)
• 2 cups pitted dates, torn into quarters
• 3 tablespoons grapeseed or safflower oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

Preparation.

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish combine the Brussels sprouts and dates with the oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to make sure all the pieces of dates and Brussels sprouts are covered evenly. Sprinkle the garlic on top.
2. Roast for 20 minutes or until the garlic has caramelized and the dates and Brussels sprouts have browned on top.

Pro-tip: If you cannot find shaved Brussels sprouts, take the Brussels sprout and cut from top to bottom; lay flat and then slice thin shreds as if it were an onion.

Want more from Zoe?  Follow her on Twitter and  Instagram, and don’t forget to check out her book, The Lusty Vegan.