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Dear Zelda, HELP! This is the first Thanksgiving where I'm in charge, and three of the six people coming to my home are vegetarians. What can I serve in lieu of turkey? Troubled by Turkey Dear Troubled by Turkey, This whole who-eats-what thing can get very confusing, so a quick crash course before you go serving the main course might be in order. First step: are they vegetarians or vegans? Like vegetarians, vegans don't eat meat, but in addition, vegans will not eat any foods or ingredients derived from animals, including butter, eggs, and dairy products (no dairy = no ice cream - that's a tough one to swallow). For all our sakes, we'll just assume that they're regular vegetarians. Now, just because three of your six guests are vegetarians doesn't mean you need to jettison the giblet gravy or toss the turkey from a moving car. Maybe just downsize it a bit and get a small turkey, or even just a few Cornish gamehens, to satisfy the carnivores in the crowd. Gamehens can be stuffed individually just the same as a turkey, and they make great individual servings for a small number of meat-eating guests. As long as you don't think the vegetarians among you will be bothered by the presence of some meat at their table, I say the more the merrier! As for the herbivores, the good news is that there are an increasing number of delicious meat-alternatives that come premade from the grocery store and that only need to be popped in the oven. The most famous, and probably the best, is the Tofurkey, which is delicious, nutritious, quick-to-cook, and even comes pre-stuffed! You can buy these little guys in the frozen food section of your local grocery store, and you can even buy vegetarian gravy to go with them! In addition to the meat-replacement therapy, you might also try to "beef up" the vegetable dishes you are serving, adding hearty options like Brussel sprouts (I know, I know) and roasted vegetables. For more recipes for a mouth-watering vegetarian Thanksgiving, check out www.vegcooking.com. Or if you’re wanting more options for vegetarian cooking try Mark Bittman’s book, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian One way or another you’ve got enough great ideas to make us all think about begging off the bird! Remember, this is a day about being thankful and enjoying friends and family. Don't get too overworked trying to satisfy everyone, and don't forget to stop and smell the stuffing! Happy Thanksgiving! Zelda Share this column with a friend! |
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