I cook a feast on Thanksgiving, with the keyword being feast. Every year, without fail, I make way more food than I (and my guests) could ever eat. I can’t help it. I also stuff myself to the point of total discomfort trying to eat it all. (Maybe I’ll learn my lesson next year!)

Although Thanksgiving is about gratitude, it’s also the biggest food holiday of the year. Thanksgiving is practically synonymous with turkey, leaving open the question: what do vegetarians and plant eaters . . . eat?

Thanksgiving is the one holiday my beloved Herbies get a little stressed over (I start getting frantic e-mails about the big day in July!) and I get why. I, too, was scratching my head my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian (I simply ate all the sides). I’ve since created my own lavish menu, and as the years have passed, I’ve come to love my family’s plant-based Thanksgivings even more. Not only is our Thanksgiving about family and gratitude, it’s about compassion and health, too.

Even better, our dinner plates have transformed into works of art, with so many different textures and brilliant colors. Beige is out! Vibrant is in!

Interestingly, my parents had their first plant-based Thanksgiving at my house, when they were still omnivores. I was up against more than sixty-five years of tradition, and endless teasing about going to the neighbor’s house to sneak some turkey, but both of my parents were pleasantly surprised by their experience.

“I don’t feel that we missed any of the traditional meal,” my mom said. “It had all the flavors and taste of a traditional meal but it was healthy and fresh and vegan.”

After going for seconds, my dad remarked, “I had no idea you could have everything we’d always had, just healthy and vegan. . . . It was a really good replica. I don’t feel like I missed anything. It was really good!”

I find that the more years I’m plant-based, the more I move away from “traditional” replicas and into more edgy, “plant-proud” dishes like Stuffed Acorn Squash (p. 24). On the other hand, there’s a certain comfort and enjoyment in familiarity, especially when you’re serving others, so I always keep one or two traditional dishes in the mix, such as mashed potatoes or stuffing for sides and pumpkin pie for dessert.

On the next page you’ll find my basic, crowd-pleasing menu for Thanksgiving. It features a celebratory centerpiece (the Thanksgiving Loaf) with all the sides and trimmings you expect and love! No bird? No problem!

THE TRADITIONAL MENU

APPETIZER

Butternut Soup (p. 12)

MAIN DISH

Thanksgiving Loaf (p. 15)

SIDES

mashed potatoes (p. 18)

Everyday Mushroom Gravy (p. 16)

Thanksgiving Gravy (p. 16)

Skillet Green Bean Casserole (p. 19)

Cornbread (p. 19)

Traditional Stuffing (p. 20)

Cranberry Sauce (p. 23)

Sweet Potato Casserole (p. 23)

DESSERT

Pumpkin Pie (p. 24)

Pumpkin Cheesecake (p. 26)

MENU FOR ONE OR TWO

Here’s a special menu for those times when you’re invited to a Thanksgiving potluck or celebration with omnivores and need to make your own plant-based Thanksgiving meal—or when it’s an intimate Thanksgiving with just you and another.
Stuffed Acorn Squash (p. 24)
steamed vegetables or mashed potatoes and gravy (p. 18)
Mini Pumpkin Pies (p. 27)
For your side dish, steam some green beans or broccoli. Alternatively or in addition, whip up a small portion of mashed potatoes (see “Mashed Potatoes a Dozen Ways,” p. 18) with Thanksgiving Gravy (p. 16) or Everyday Mushroom Gravy (p. 16).

Butternut Soup

SERVES 2-4 | GF | SF | MA | P |

I can’t help myself. I have to include a butternut soup in every cookbook I write. This recipe is my new favorite, and it’s a little edgy for Thanksgiving. If you want to go a bit more traditional, skip the chilies and lime, and add cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice) to taste with a light drizzle of maple syrup. Or if you don’t want a sweet, pumpkin-pie-tasting soup, add mild curry powder to taste—yes! Just three ingredients! Ka-pow!

1 butternut squash

2–4 c vegetable broth

1 4-oz can green chilies

1–2 limes

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Slice squash in half lengthwise and place cut side down on a cookie sheet. Bake until fork-tender and skin is starting to brown (about 30–40 minutes).
3. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out and discard seeds. Then scoop flesh away from skin and transfer to a blender, working in batches if necessary.
4. Blend squash with broth as necessary to achieve a silky smooth soup consistency. Then blend in green chilies.
5. Reheat the soup on low on the stovetop if necessary.
6. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Squeeze fresh lime juice over top before serving.

Per serving (serving 2): 133 calories, 0.2g fat, 34g carbohydrates, 4.3g fiber, 7.8g sugars, 2.2g protein

Thanksgiving Loaf

SERVES 4 | GF | SF_* | MA | PA | P |

I’ve never had Tofurkey, and while my family has become pretty adventurous over the years, no amount of persuasion is going to get them to eat tofu shaped into a turkey mold. (Just sayin’.) If you want a centerpiece to your meal that doesn’t pretend to be turkey, this Thanksgiving Loaf is where it’s at. While this loaf doesn’t taste anything like meatloaf (or turkey), it captures all the Thanksgiving flavors that we know and love.

1 15-oz can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 c mashed potatoes (p. 18)

1 carrot

1 parsnip (optional)

2 celery stalks

1 small onion

2½ tbsp poultry seasoning (not powdered)

½ tsp rubbed sage (not powdered)

2–3 tbsp nutritional yeast

2–3 tbsp yellow miso*

¾ c instant oats (uncooked)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and set aside a standard loaf pan.
2. Pulse beans in a food processor or mash in a bowl with a fork so no whole beans are left, but mixture is still chunky with some bean parts. Transfer to a mixing bowl along with the mashed potatoes and set aside.
3. Grate, chop, or pulse vegetables in a food processor until finely minced, but do not puree. Add to mixing bowl with seasonings, nutritional yeast, and miso, stirring to combine.
4. Stir in oats and taste, adding additional nutritional yeast or miso if desired. STOP
5. Transfer combined mixture to your loaf pan, pat down firmly, and bake for 30–40 minutes until firmer and crisp on the top (make sure it’s not still wet).
6. Let cool in the pan for 10–20 minutes before serving out of it (while keeping it perfectly intact).

CHEF’S NOTES:

• One-use aluminum loaf pans that have ridges on the sides make the prettiest loaves, and it’s easier to pop the loaf out of that (and keep it perfectly intact) than a traditional metal pan. While normally I’d prefer not to use something that creates waste, I like a perfect, magazine-looking loaf at Thanksgiving.
• If using a regular pan, run a knife along the edges, put a plate or cutting board over top, flip over, and pat (bang) the bottom of the pan until your loaf slides out onto the plate or cutting board.

Per serving (¼ loaf): 259 calories, 2.5g fat, 48g carbohydrates, 11.5g fiber, 3.9g sugars, 13g protein

Everyday Mushroom Gravy

MAKES 1 CUP | Q | GF_* | SF_* | PA |

This recipe from Everyday Happy Herbivore is, hands down, the fan-favorite gravy. Because this is also the gravy my parents serve at their Thanksgiving, I’m including it here as an alternative to the Thanksgiving Gravy.

1 c water

2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce*

2 tbsp nutritional yeast, divided

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp ground ginger

8 oz white or brown mushrooms, sliced

Italian seasoning as needed

½ c nondairy milk

2 tbsp cornstarch

a couple of dashes of ground nutmeg

(optional) (see note)

1. In a skillet, whisk water with low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, and ground ginger.
2. Bring to a boil and add mushrooms, sprinkling them generously with Italian seasoning (a good 10 shakes).
3. Continue to sauté over medium-high heat until the mushrooms are brown and soft, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk nondairy milk with cornstarch and remaining 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast. Add a very light dash of nutmeg, if desired.
4. Pour nondairy milk mixture over mushrooms, stirring to combine. STOP Reduce heat to low and continue to cook until thick and gravy-like, about 5 minutes.
5. Add black pepper to taste (I like it really peppery) and a few more shakes of Italian seasoning unless you were very generous before. Taste again, adding a pinch of salt if necessary.
6. Set aside for a few minutes to let the flavors merge before serving.

CHEF’S NOTE:

For a smoky-flavored gravy, substitute smoked paprika for the nutmeg, adding more to taste.

Per serving (¼ c): 60 calories, 1.4g fat, 8.9g carbohydrates, 1.4g fiber, 1.2g sugars, 5.6g protein

Thanksgiving Gravy

MAKES 1 CUP | Q | GF_* | SF_* | PA |

I designed this gravy specifically for Thanksgiving when I wrote my first cookbook, The Happy Herbivore Cookbook. It captures all the Thanksgiving flavors you know and love while complementing basic sides like green beans, mashed potatoes, or grains.

¼ c nutritional yeast

¼ c white whole-wheat flour*

1 c nondairy milk

1 small onion, diced

8 oz white mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce*

1 tsp rubbed sage (not powdered)

1. Whisk nutritional yeast and flour together with nondairy milk and set aside.
2. Line a large frying pan with a thin layer of water and cook onion and mushrooms over high heat until the mushrooms start to soften and turn brown and most of the water has evaporated.
3. Add milk mixture, soy sauce, and sage to the pan, stirring to combine. STOP
4. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until thick.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving (¼ c): 70 calories, 1g fat, 10.9g carbohydrates, 2.6g fiber, 3.3g sugars, 6.1g protein

MASHED POTATOES A DOZEN WAYS

No one really needs a recipe for mashed potatoes (you just mash up some potatoes!), but since mashed potatoes are, quite possibly, my favorite food, I’ve learned a number of different ways to make them.

Before I was plant-based, I made mashed potatoes with milk, as most people do, so when I went plant-based, I started making my mashed potatoes with soy milk (or almond milk) and happily discovered it worked just as well.

If I’m not going to drown my mashed potatoes in gravy, I find that generous amounts of garlic powder and onion powder (the finely granulated kind, not the coarse mince or powdery-floury kinds), makes them plenty flavorful, without adding butter or a vegan butter substitute like margarine. (I add salt and black pepper, too, of course!)

I also (and trust me on this one!) love adding Dijon mustard to plain mashed potatoes. In fact, anytime I’m serving Portobello Steaks (p. 86) or asparagus, I make my Dijon mashed potatoes. (A little goes a long way, so add Dijon to taste and omit other spices.)

Another option is adding nutritional yeast, which makes the potatoes a bit cheesy. My latest discovery, however, is vegetable broth. I ran out of both soy and almond milk on Thanksgiving last year and, not wanting to forgo serving mashed potatoes to my in-laws, I used vegetable broth and found it makes for an incredible mashed potato. (Broth and nutritional yeast are even more amazing coupled together! My No-Chicken Broth [p. 168] or the powder base really kicks it up notch!)

I shared my broth discovery on Happy Herbivore’s Facebook page and learned of yet another delicious trick from my fans: use the cooking water from boiling the potatoes! The starchy cooking water makes mashed potatoes even creamier.

If you’re looking for a less starchy mashed potato experience, use cauliflower. Or find a middle ground and use both cauliflower and potatoes. I often oven-roast garlic and cauliflower (place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway), and then slip that into my mashed potatoes for a more “rustic” mashed potato.

You can also add beans! Try whipping a can of white beans into your mashed potatoes, with (or without) a little fresh rosemary. A pinch or two of lemon zest and/or a little bit of lemon juice makes this version perfect for a spring meal.

Speaking of spring, for Passover specifically, mix prepared white horseradish into plain mashed potatoes to taste and garnish with fresh chives.

Cooked parsnips are another great addition to mashed potatoes (double veggie points!) and if you slip in some cooked cabbage or kale, you have colcannon, a traditional Irish dish.

For mashed sweet potatoes, use soy or almond milk, plus cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice) to taste. Or make Sweet Potato Casserole (p. 23).

Potatoes not to use: waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold potatoes, especially if you plan to use an electric beater—you’ll end up with glue! My go-to choice is the little red-skin potatoes (they’re a touch sweet!) or Idaho or russet potatoes, though if you want a smooth mashed potato consistency, steam the latter instead of boiling them.

Skillet Green Bean Casserole

SERVES 2 | Q | GF | SF | MA | P |

I didn’t grow up eating green bean casserole, but I remember it being advertised on television. This ultimately led me to asking my mom to make it every year, which then led her to say, “Why? You don’t like mushrooms. Or onions. Or creamy things, Lindsay!” (I happen to love all those foods now and this casserole, too!)

1 c vegetable broth, divided

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 c mushrooms, thinly sliced

½ lb green beans, trimmed

1 tbsp poultry seasoning (granulated, not

powdered) (see note)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp rubbed sage (not powdered)

dash of nutmeg

½ c nondairy milk

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tbsp cornstarch

toasted bread crumbs (optional)

fried onions (optional)

1. Line a large skillet with a thin layer of broth and sauté the onion and garlic over high heat until onion is translucent, about a minute.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining broth plus mushrooms, green beans, poultry seasoning, Dijon mustard, thyme, sage, and a dash of nutmeg, stirring to coat the mushrooms with seasonings.
3. Continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft and the green beans are cooked but still crisp, about 7 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a measuring glass or small bowl, whisk nondairy milk with nutritional yeast and cornstarch.
5. Once green beans and mushrooms are cooked, pour in the nondairy milk mixture. Stir a few times and allow the mixture to thicken.
6. Once it thickens slightly, turn off heat. Add salt and pepper to taste, then spoon the casserole mixture into bowls and top with toasted bread crumbs and fried onions if desired.

CHEF’S NOTE:

In a pinch, you can use Italian seasoning instead of poultry seasoning.

Per serving: 145 calories, 2g fat, 26.9g carbohydrates, 8.5g fiber, 5.1g sugars, 9.2g protein

VARIATION

Asparagus Casserole: Replace green beans with asparagus for a tasty alternative!

Cornbread

SERVES 9 | Q | GF_* | SF | MA | P |

You may recognize this cornbread recipe from my previous cookbooks. It’s a favorite and for good reason: you need only a handful of pantry staples to make it happen, and it’s foolproof. You can also get a little fancy pants by adding corn (fire-roasted is my favorite), sliced jalapeño, or diced bell pepper in the batter or sprinkled on top.

1 c yellow cornmeal

1 c white whole-wheat flour*

1 tbsp baking powder

1 c nondairy milk

¼ c unsweetened applesauce

¼ c pure maple syrup or agave nectar (see note)

2 tbsp raw sugar (optional)

Your choice of add-ins (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and set aside a 9-inch glass dish or nonstick square baking pan. (I also love a springform pan for this recipe.)
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, and baking powder together.
3. Add nondairy milk, applesauce, maple syrup or agave nectar, and sugar, if using.
4. Stir a few times, add in optional ingredients, if using, and then stir until just combined.
5. Pour batter into pan and bake for approximately 20 minutes—you want it to be golden, starting to crack, and firm to the touch.
6. When a toothpick is inserted in the center, it should come out clean.

CHEF’S NOTES:

• Replace 2 tbsp of the maple syrup with 2–3 tbsp of additional nondairy milk for a less sweet cornbread.
• For a gluten-free cornbread, substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the whole-wheat flour.

Per serving: 131 calories, 1g fat, 28.7g carbohydrates, 1.6g fiber, 6g sugars, 2.6g protein

Traditional Stuffing

SERVES 8 | Q | SF | PA |

I created this recipe for the two men in my life who live and die for stuffing at Thanksgiving. (I’m talking to you, Dad and hubby!)

6 slices of whole-wheat bread

1 c vegetable broth, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

4 celery stalks, sliced or diced

2–3 tbsp Italian seasoning

1. Leave bread out overnight so it becomes stale (if you forget, toast it, but stale is best).
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Cube bread.
4. Line a skillet with a thin layer of broth and sauté onion and celery until onion is translucent and all the liquid has cooked off. Set aside to cool.
5. In your casserole or baking dish, toss bread cubes with 2 tbsp Italian seasoning. Stir in cooked onion and celery and add more seasoning if desired. (Go on, give it a taste!) STOP
6. Drizzle with ¼ cup broth and bake for 30 minutes.
7. Check every 10 minutes and add more broth as necessary to prevent stuffing from drying out. (I find the preferred “wetness” of stuffing varies from family to family—do what you like!)

Per serving: 70 calories, 1.7g fat, 10.8g carbohydrates, 1.7g fiber, 2.2g sugars, 2.9g protein

Cranberry Sauce

MAKES 2 CUPS | GF | SF | MA | P |

We always had cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving when I was growing up, but it was the gelatin, tubular-looking kind that came from a can. Years later, after I was married and cooking my very first Thanksgiving dinner, I picked up a bag of cranberries. The bag said to boil the cranberries with water and add sugar. I looked at my husband and said, “That’s it? That’s all you do? Why do people buy it in a can?” Indeed, a real head-scratcher.

12 oz fresh cranberries

sweetener (see note)

1 orange (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries with 1 cup water; cover and bring to a boil.
2. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 10–15 minutes, until the cranberries have all popped and it looks like cranberry sauce.
3. Add sweetener to taste (see note), plus a pinch or two of orange zest for a hint of citrus, if desired. Chill for several hours before serving.

CHEF’S NOTE:

You can use agave nectar, maple syrup, or stevia as your sweetener. When using agave nectar or maple syrup, I tend to add 2 tbsp at the end of cooking, then another 1–2 tbsp to taste once it’s chilled. (That’s the beauty of those liquid sweeteners; they combine right in—even if it’s a cold food—unlike sugar, which only dissolves into hot contents.) If you’re using stevia, add it to taste, a very light sprinkle at a time, once the sauce has thoroughly chilled.

Per serving (¼ c, without sweetener): 20 calories, 0.1g fat, 5.2g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 1.7g sugars, 0.2g protein

Sweet Potato Casserole

SERVES 4–6 | GF | SF | MA | P |

Sweet potato casserole has been around all my life (it is a favorite of my parents’) but I didn’t try it until a few years ago. While most recipes call for lots of sugar, I use carrots to make mine naturally sweet (double veggie points!).

5–6 carrots, chopped

4 sweet potatoes, cooked and skinned

cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, to taste

2 tbsp cornstarch

FOR THE CASSEROLE TOPPINGS:

brown sugar

cornflakes

vegan marshmallows

pecans

1. Fill a large pot with about 2–3 inches water. Bring to a boil and add carrots.
2. Cook until carrots are very tender, about 5–8 minutes. Drain, but reserve liquid.
3. Use electric beaters to whip cooked sweet potato and carrot together, adding carrot cooking water as necessary. (You want a creamy whipped-potatoes consistency.)
4. Add cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice as desired.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. When potato-carrot mixture is cool, stir in cornstarch.
7. Transfer to a shallow casserole dish. Spread evenly.
8. Top with brown sugar, cornflakes, vegan marshmallows, pecans—or whatever you like.
9. Bake for 30 minutes until thoroughly warm and toppings are toasted.

Per serving (serving 6, with 5 carrots, no toppings): 90 calories, 0.2g fat, 20.9g carbohydrates, 4.1g fiber, 7.3g sugars, 2g protein

Stuffed Acorn Squash

SERVES 2 | GF | SF | MA | P |

This recipe from Happy Herbivore Abroad works as an easy, fuss-free (but delicious) meal on Thanksgiving for solo diners or couples!

1 acorn squash

½ c quinoa

1¼ c vegetable broth

¼ tsp mild curry powder

about tsp ground cinnamon

¼ c raisins

1 c spinach, finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cut acorn squash in half, place cut side down on a cookie sheet, and bake for 30–35 minutes, until fork-tender.
3. Meanwhile, combine quinoa, vegetable broth, curry powder, a few dashes of cinnamon, and raisins in a pot. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes, or until liquid evaporates. If quinoa is not fluffy after 15 minutes, add more vegetable broth and cook longer. (Sometimes the raisins will absorb the liquid also, so more broth may be needed to cook the quinoa. I find this is particularly true with electric stoves.)
4. After quinoa is done, stir in spinach, add another dash or two of cinnamon, plus salt if desired, then cover and set aside, away from heat.
5. Once acorn squash is done, flip it over and scoop out seeds. Then use a sharp knife to cut the point off each base so the acorn bowls sit upright and don’t fall over.
6. Spoon quinoa mixture into squash and serve warm.

Per serving: 302 calories, 2.8g fat, 65.8g carbohydrates, 7.2g fiber, 11.4g sugars, 8.4g protein

Pumpkin Pie

SERVES 9 | GF_* | SF_* | MA | P |

This pie is incredible. It’s totally crustless but still firms up like the real deal so you can cut individual slices without it falling apart. It’s like a little Thanksgiving tofu miracle.

½ c silken tofu* (see note)

1½ c nondairy milk

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 c canned pure pumpkin

½ c whole-wheat pastry flour* (see note)

2 tsp baking powder

½ c brown sugar

¼ tsp fine salt

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Set aside a shallow 9-inch glass pie dish.
3. In a blender or food processor, blend tofu, nondairy milk, cornstarch, and vanilla until smooth, stopping to scrape sides periodically.
4. Add remaining ingredients and blend for about a minute more until the mixture is uniform and well combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the pie dish and bake for 1 hour.
6. Allow the pie to cool on the counter, away from the hot oven, until it’s at room temperature.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.

CHEF’S NOTES:

• Mori-Nu extra-firm silken tofu works best in this recipe.
• For a soy-free dish, try using ½ cup raw cashews (soaked overnight so they blend well) instead of tofu.
• To make this gluten-free, brown rice flour may be substituted for the pastry flour.

Per serving: 77 calories, 0.6g fat, 16.4g carbohydrates, 1.9g fiber, 10.8g sugars, 2.5g protein

Pumpkin Cheesecake

SERVES 9 | MA | P |

If you’re looking for a pumpkin pie that even the pickiest relative will devour, this is it. Since this recipe calls for vegan cream cheese and a graham cracker crust, it isn’t as wholesome as my other recipes, but I’m okay with making a few nutritional compromises on big holidays.

1 15-oz can pure pumpkin

1 8-oz container vegan cream cheese

c light brown sugar

1–2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 graham cracker pie crust (see note)

6 oz plain soy yogurt or vegan whipped cream (optional)

ground nutmeg or cinnamon for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine pumpkin and vegan cream cheese in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape the sides as necessary.
3. Add sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and cornstarch and blend again for 3 minutes, periodically stopping to scrape the sides as necessary.
4. Pour batter into prepared crust and use a spatula to evenly distribute and smooth out the top.
5. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until fully cooked. The pie will rise during baking and should be about ½ inch higher than where it started.
6. Remove from oven and place on counter, away from heat.
7. Allow pie to cool to room temperature, about 2–3 hours. The pie will fall as it cools; do not be alarmed.
8. Cover and chill overnight or for at least 10 hours.
9. Before serving, slice into 9 pieces and add a dollop of soy yogurt or whipped cream to each, if desired.
10. Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon for garnish.

CHEF’S NOTES:

• If you don’t have a strong blender or processor, leave the vegan cream cheese out for 20–30 minutes to soften it up.
• Most prepared graham cracker pie crusts are vegan. If you can’t find one, or you’d like to make your own to make it a smidgen more healthy, crumble up 2½ cups whole-wheat graham crackers (into the consistency of coarse sand). Add 7–8 tbsp apple-sauce and stir. Using your fingers, press mixture into a glass pie dish to form a crust. Bake for 8 minutes at 350°F. Allow crust to cool completely before using. Add pie filling and bake normally.

Per serving: 156 calories, 4.6g fat, 27.3 carbohydrates, 1.6g fiber, 16.2g sugars, 1.8g protein

A GRACIOUS TOUCH

Set name displays by each place setting with the person’s name plus a short note why you’re thankful for them (let them know they’re appreciated!) or why you’re thankful in general. To display it nicely, roll up the note and then tie a ribbon around it and leave it on the person’s plate. I like finding creative ways to make the day about Thanksgiving—giving thanks—instead of “Turkey Day.”

Mini Pumpkin Pies

SERVES 2 | Q | GF | SF | MA | P |

This recipe makes two individual servings of pumpkin pie, which, without a crust, is a bit more like pudding or a custard—but still delicious! It’s also a great way to use up leftover sweet potato or pumpkin puree. Serve as a snack, treat, or even breakfast. You can also serve these mini pies at dinner parties—just glam it up with garnishes!

c nondairy milk (see note)

2 tsp cornstarch

½ c canned pure pumpkin or mashed sweet potato

2–3 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a small saucepan, whisk nondairy milk with cornstarch until combined. Then whisk in remaining ingredients.
3. Bring to a low boil (just bubbling) until it thickens, about 3–4 minutes.
4. Pour mixture into two small ramekins or other oven-safe dishes.
5. Bake for 25–30 minutes until pies set. (Watch out for cracking, which is usually a sign it’s overbaked, and the top will get chewy.)
6. Let cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

CHEF’S NOTES:

• Bake time will vary if your dishes are larger or smaller.
• If you’re using sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin, use ½ cup nondairy milk rather than cup.
• You can halve this recipe for a single serving.

Per serving: 72 calories, 0.6g fat, 16.7 carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 10.8g sugars, 0.9g protein