The Vegetarian's Thanksgiving

Since giving up meat three years ago, I have been more than willing to try a multitude of new foods in order to receive appropriate nutrients. Of course, for many of us vegetarian converts, the biggest struggle appears in the consumption of tofu. I gained a taste for the white bean curd substance (made with a coagulating soy milk) after realizing that if I douse it with my favorite teriyaki sauce, I completely forget the mushy consistency and rather enjoy the high-protein food.

For years I have only eaten side dishes on Thanksgiving, since the main course is obviously unsuitable for my diet. To my surprise, my mom told me the day before our big holiday, that we were making a Tofurkey. I have heard jokes about this veggie-friendly dish but I have always been a bit turned off purely on my imaginative idea of what this would look like; something brown, shiny and jiggly like jello. Putting my disposition against tofu-turkey aside, I helped my mom in what would become one of our greatest cooking feats yet.

Vegetable Stuffing: onion, celery, and mushroom.

Sauté with spices

Meanwhile, drain crumbled tofu in colander to create mold

Mom and I, basting the Tofurkey with special sauce (flavor!)

Bon Appetit!

This "my-size" tofurkey took over 2 hours to make and 2 more hours to cook, but it was well worth it. Come dinner time, the whole family wanted a bite of our delicious creation! This is sure to be on the menu for many holidays to come.

Find our tofurkey recipe here!

Also, my roommate just surprised me with this! A famously delicious cookbook from the best vegetarian chef, Mollie Katzen.