Thanksgiving is fast approaching and my lovely friend, Jasmine Briones, and I want to make your Thanksgiving one to remember! We created a bountiful feast for our readers to enjoy, which consists of 13 deliciously tantalizing recipes that will make everybody’s taste buds dance for joy! We’re referring to this collection of recipes as our Sweet Eclectic Thanksgiving celebration!
Thanksgiving is such a special holiday. Every household carries on their own unique family traditions. Jasmine grew up in an Ecuadorian/Filipino household, where it has been a long-standing tradition for her Ecuadorian grandmother to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. Her grandmother uses a Cuban marinade for the turkey (Jasmine being vegan does not partake, of course) and the rest of the meal consists of Equadorean dishes. It was not until Jasmine and I joined forces in the kitchen that she had her first taste of cranberry sauce. She loved it so much that she ate it by the spoonful! I was surprised because I only have about 2 tablespoons at most during my holiday meals. With my Grandpa Floyd being from the Midwest (Missouri), it has been my family’s tradition to enjoy the standard American Thanksgiving feast. In my home, cranberry sauce is an essential side dish. It is a must-have at the dinner table.
With that, I present to you the first of 13 Thanksgiving recipes for you to enjoy.
This is a new and improved Cranberry Glaze. It’s improved because it contains less sugar than my Cranberry Sauce recipe. Cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, orange juice and orange zest make this sauce very festive and flavorful. The blended dates make the consistency thicker, easily spreadable, and perfect to top onto a Thanksgiving “Meat”loaf. It also can be served as a side or eaten in a lettuce wrap stuffed with Raw Stuffing and Candied Yams.
To make your holiday a more enjoyable one, I suggest making all of the sides besides the Green Beans with Garlic and Lemon a day in advance. Spend quality time with your family and just heat and serve (or remove from the fridge) on the actual holiday!
and hashtag #SweetEclecticThanksgiving #MyEclecticKitchen if you recreate any of our recipes! We would love to see your photos and Thanksgiving feasts!
1. If your dates are too hard, soak them overnight in filtered water.
2. Add the filtered water and dates into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. If it’s a little chunky, that’s fine.
3. Wash and dry the cranberries.
4. In a medium saucepot, combine the coconut sugar, date/water mixture, and cranberries. Mix.
5. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Stir to combine and simmer for about 7-9 minutes. You will notice that some cranberries will remain whole and some will burst.
6. Add orange zest and juice. Taste and add zest and juice to taste.
7. Cool. Blend half of mixture. Add the blended mixture back to the pot, mix it well, store in a glass container and chill to thicken. As the sauce chills, the natural pectins in the fruit will thicken the sauce/glaze.
Over the years, I have shared some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes — healthy, yet utterly satisfying takes on traditional turkey day fare that dare I say, taste better than their original counterparts! Here is the ultimate vegan and gluten-free Thanksgiving recipe roundup that you may want to try this year, no matter your guests’ dietary preferences.
Arugula and Persimmon Salad
When I was a kid and my mom gave me a persimmon to try for the very first time, I was surprised it didn’t taste like a tomato, as persimmons very much resemble tomatoes. As I observed closely, there were specks of brown in the fruit—almost as if God/theUniverse had sprinkled the fruit with cinnamon and it was naturally occurring, embedded into the fruit. Hence, my initial childhood conclusion that cinnamon derived from per”cinnamon”s—hello, it’s in the name, duh! As I grew perplexed and analyzed that it was probably a silly idea since we had cinnamon sticks to stir hot apple ciders and Mexican hot chocolates with, and we actually had to ground cinnamon sticks to add into recipes I thought, “what a coincidence” and how beautiful of God to just sprinkle fruit with cinnamon and make a star shape design for us to see (when slicing the fruit horizontally). I just left it at that—a coincidence and viewed them as two separate things. Besides, how in the world would one be able to extract specks of cinnamon from the persimmons. Oh silly, silly me!
Fast forward 30 years when I had my twin nephews try persimmons for the first time, I told them the story I just shared with you, and they asked where cinnamon came from. Since I never looked it up, I turned to one of my fave instructional learning tools, YouTube , and we learned that cinnamon is made from the barks of trees, rolled up by people in a forest (well at least the people in a forest in the video we watched). It’s a very timely process and I could not believe how much effort it takes to make and how cheap and available it is to us. I will never look at cinnamon and persimmons the same again, especially knowing now that they are mutually exclusive.
Moving on, although persimmons and cinnamon are both in season right now, this salad only contains persimmons. It’s a family and friend favorite this time of year. Make it for the holidays, for your parents when they come to visit, for a date, or treat yourself. It is super super simple, and contains the following ingredients: arugula, ripened and crisp persimmons, dates, shallots, #marconaalmonds, an easy soft cashew cheese, #saba, and sea salt and pepper.
Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 20 minutes (not counting the time it takes to make the cheese. With cheese, one day.)
Ingredients
2-3 bags pre-washed baby arugula
4 crunchy fuyu persimoons, peeled, stem removed, and sliced into 8ths
1/2 cup marcona almonds
1/2 shallot, sliced very thin
3 dates, sliced very thin
handful crumbled goat cheese (you can use this vegan goat cheese recipe sans the cranberry and dill, and when you blend it, add 3 Tbsp agar agar flakes)
2 super ripe and juicy persimmons, stem and peel removed
2. Season with a dash or two of sea salt and pepper.
3. Tuck into the leaves bits of shallot, dates, marcona almonds, persimmon wedges.
4. Sprinkle on vegan goat cheese.
5. In a bowl, place the super ripe and juicy persimmon flesh. Stir it up a bit as if you are going to use it as a sauce. Using a spoon, in a circular motion, add the persimmon flesh as you would a dressing.
Growing up, my Auntie Delia would make her famous meatloaf for special occasions. I loved it and would always slather my slice of meatloaf with double the ketchup. It was such a special treat. Fast forward to today, during the holidays I usually cannot partake in our family’s usual feast, so instead I make a veganized version of my Auntie Delia’s meatloaf to take with me, along with other sides. Surprisingly, it tastes and looks just like Auntie Delia’s meatloaf. I shock quite a few people when I tell them it is vegan.
Even meat-eaters think this meatloaf is delicious and that it contains animal meat. Boy, do I fool them!
I make a very high protein faux meat to incorporate into this loaf consisting of quinoa, mushrooms, and walnuts. When blended together in a food processor, it resembles ground meat. To the faux meat, I add most of the same ingredients that Auntie adds to her meatloaf, only I add parsley to the mix to give it some freshness. I don’t add hotdogs in the center of the loaf (since all the vegan hotdogs I’ve seen at the store are made from soy). I add cayenne pepper, flax “eggs”, a vegan Worcestershire sauce, my homemade ketchup, and, instead of soy sauce, coconut aminos. Although Auntie Delia is known to make low-fat, “healthy” foods, I’d say this beats her turkey meatloaf when you compare overall nutrition.
This is my holiday version of the meatloaf. My original meatloaf recipe is in the My Eclectic Kitchen App, which is actually the version I make year-round!
1. Rinse and drain quinoa. Place the quinoa and 1 cup of water in a small saucepot and cover. Cook the quinoa over medium heat. Once it has reached a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer. The quinoa should be cooked in about 15 minutes, when all the water is absorbed. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
3. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. First, cut two pieces of parchment paper– one piece for the length of the loaf pan, from rim-to-rim, and one piece for the width of the loaf pan, rim-to-rim. Spray the loaf pan then place one parchment piece down. Spray the parchment again and lay the other piece of parchment over crosswise, like an x. Spray the parchment again. See here for a demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJUhAYSy-U8
4. Prepare the flax egg. In a small bowl, combine the flax meal with 6 Tbsp of water, mix and set aside to thicken.
5. Prepare the faux “meat”. Measure out ¾ cup cooked quinoa (store leftover quinoa in the refrigerator to eat later). Place the quinoa in a food processor with the mushrooms and walnuts, and process until it comes together and resembles the same texture as ground meat.
6. Place the faux “meat” in a large mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, including the flax egg. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients until fully combined.
7. Pour the “meat”loaf mixture into the loaf pan and pat down well, spreading evenly. Flatten the top.
8. Place the loaf pan in the center of the oven for about 1 1/2 hours.
9. Make the glaze. Either a Cranberry Glaze or the Traditional Meatloaf Glaze by combining ketchup, vegan Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and stirring together with a spoon.
10. 10 minutes prior to removing the loaf from the oven, brush the top of the meatloaf with the glaze, spreading it evenly to coat. If you use the Cranberry Glaze, use only a little over ¼ cup of it to spread. Reserve the rest of the Cranberry Glaze to serve on the side.
11. Allow the loaf to cool for about 10 minutes prior to cutting.
12. Serve with a side of steamed broccoli or green beans and/or mashed potatoes.
Note: This can be made in advance and refrigerated overnight. To reheat, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and heat for about 25 minutes.
½ cup + 2 Tbsp. refined coconut oil*, room temperature
2 c. unsweetened plain almond milk
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoon dried dill
Wide Mouth Mason Jar*
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda and powder, sugar and sea salt.
With a pastry blender of the back of a fork, cut in the coconut oil into the dry mixture until it becomes like a coarse meal.
Stir in the almond milk and vinegar with a wooden spoon until just combined.
Set in fridge 10 mins
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
Remove from fridge and dump the dough onto a counter lined with parchment paper. Gently work it into a ball with lightly floured hands (dough may be slightly sticky).
Gently press dough to be 1″ high and 8″ in diameter. Cut out biscuits using a wide mouth mason jar*. Place biscuits on the baking sheet and continue until all dough is used.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Serve immediately with gravy.
Add a bit of water or vegetable broth to a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the garlic, onion and carrot, and cook until the onions are translucent. Add in the mushrooms, sage thyme, rosemary, and cook until mushrooms soften, about 3 mins.
Add flour and coat, mix well and cook for 1 minute.
Slowly add in liquids, 1/2 cup at a time.
Cook until thickened, stirring frequently, on low. Add salt and pepper, taste, then adjust seasonings as needed.
Keep on low until you’re ready to serve, adding almond milk as needed.
Notes
Start with 3/4 and add more as needed
Fig and Frangipane Tart
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Essential tool: 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom
Ingredients
18-20 figs or 1.5 – 2 pounds of figs, quartered length-wise
Tart Dough
1/4 cup ice cold filtered water
1 cup plus 2 tbsp oat flour (gluten-free oat flour)
1/4 tsp fine sea salt (I use Himalayan)
6 tbsp (3 oz.) coconut oil (chilled and chunked into tsp pieces. doesn’t have to be perfect)
Frangipane Filling
3 tbsp coconut oil
1/3 cup coconut palm sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp almond meal
1 heaping tbsp arrowroot
pinch sea salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup almond milk
1.5 tsp vanilla extract (no alcohol)
1/2 tsp almond extract
Directions
Tart Dough
1. Place oat flour, salt and cold chunks of coconut oil into food processor. Pulse until coconut oil pieces are pea-sized.
2. While continuously pulsing the oat flour, pour the cold water in (make sure no ice falls in. I just place the measuring cup in the freezer to make it ice cold). Pulse until it almost comes together. (about 3-4 times)
3. Lay out about 13 inches of plastic wrap on the counter (if you don’t have this, use parchment) and pour the dough and flour pieces onto the plastic. Form the dough into a disc shape, about 6 inches in diameter and wrap the sides, leaving about an inch of space when folding. Once it’s wrapped, use a rolling pin to roll out about an inch more. Roll the dough from the center out. Place in the refrigerator.
4. Make the tart filling. Then spray non-stick cooking spray inside, all over the sides of the tart pan. Place tart pan on a half sheet tray, lined with parchment paper or a silpat (silicone baking mat).
5. When you’re done with the tart filling, remove from the dough from the refrigerator. If it’s too hard, you will need to wait until it is soft enough to roll out without cracking. But you don’t want it too soft that it melts. You will have to work quickly.
6. Open the plastic wrap, leaving the plastic on the bottom of the dough and either grab another piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper to place on top of the dough (or manipulate the plastic wrap you have to help you) and roll out the the dough to about an 11-inch in diameter circle. The crust should still be a bit cold at this point so it’s easier to handle. Bring the sheet tray near you with the sprayed tart pan, and holding the dough circle from the bottom (or wrapping the dough on top of a rolling pin with the plastic on top), quickly flip the dough into the tart pan, then carefully peel off the plastic. Push the dough into the tart pan and onto the sides. If the dough breaks, no worries, just press it together. If one side needs more dough, take some dough from a thicker side and press it into an area that needs more dough. Do what you have to do to get what you see below. If it starts melting and difficult to handle, put it back in the refrigerator to harden up a bit. Again, make your dough look like below, with no wholes.
7. Place the tart shell back in the refrigerator or even freezer so it sets a bit. Go to tart filling, step 3.
Tart Filling
1. In a medium mixing bowl, add the coconut palm sugar, salt, cinnamon and wet ingredients: coconut oil, almond milk, vanilla and almond extracts. Stir to combine and to dissolve the salt and sugar. The sugar won’t completely dissolve and that’s fine. Add the almond meal and arrowroot and stir well to combine. Set aside.
2. Go back up to step 5 of the tart dough directions.
3. After the tart shell is set (hardened), take it out of the refrigerator, give the tart filling one or two last stirs, then fill the tart shell with the filling, spreading it evenly to cover the bottom of the tart crust. Place back in the refrigerator and cut up the figs in the meantime. Cut them length-wise, first in half, then cut the halves in half to get quarters.
Assembling the the figs in the tart
Once the frangipane has been in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes, place the figs, pointy (stem) side up, round side down, pink side exposed, starting from the outside of the circle, just onto the frangipane, along the crust. The frangipane should hold it in place (but don’t push it through and into the frangipane. Just lay it gently in place). Let the figs touch shoulder to shoulder. For the second layer inward, stagger and repeat. Repeat the hird layer and so on until you get to the center.
Once you’ve made your fig flower, take a photo because it’ll look awesome raw! Then place the sheet tray with the tart shell on it in the center of the preheated 350 degree F oven for about 45-50 minutes or until the crust gets golden-ish, or like my photos. Since there isn’t butter or cream in the crust, you won’t achieve a true golden color.
It may bubble over a smidge, and when you take it out of the oven, it will look wet. Be careful not to spill the liquid. Don’t be alarmed. It will set once it cools. Once it is almost cool, carefully remove the tart shell tart pan touching the sides/crust, leaving only the base intact. (Bottom/base of the tart pan will be intact until you serve the last piece.) Using 2 spatulas, I placed the tart on a cake stand. You can just put it on a flat large plate to save space and to avoid accidents, if you’d like. Carefully place the tart in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving. After 3 hours, the liquid will be set.
I had this with coconut whip for the first time and it was delish! But I also had it without the coconut whip and it was still luxurious. Peyman has his hang ups with figs so I had to trick him into tasting a piece. He said it was, “mmm…Good!”
I hope you enjoy this as much as we did! Please let me know how yours turns out!
This recipe is a great healthy vegan take on garlic mashed potatoes. Garlicky Cauliflower Puree dressed with Mushroom Gravy (recipe above) is a wonderful side dish for any holiday meal. It is so easy to make and can be enjoyed year-round!
When trying to eliminate or reduce carbs like rice or potatoes from your diet, using cauliflower is a perfect substitute. I use cauliflower to make cauliflower “rice”, a couscous substitute, and to make cauliflower puree or mash.
This garlicky cauliflower puree feels and tastes very similar to mashed potatoes, but is so much better for you. This recipe contains no cream, butter, fake butter, or oil. Roasted garlic gives this a lovely full flavor. I enjoy my garlicky cauliflower puree with “Meat”loaf and Mushroom Gravy.
What are some benefits of eating cauliflower? This cruciferous vegetable is naturally high in both fiber and B-vitamins. One cup of cooked cauliflower equals 2.28 grams of protein. It also contains antioxidants and phytonutrients that can protect against cancer, fiber that helps with satiety, weight loss and a healthy digestive tract, choline that is essential for learning and memory, omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation, as well as many other important nutrients.
I hope you enjoy this recipe during the holidays and throughout the year!
Servings: 6-8
Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
1 large head of garlic
1 head of cauliflower
2+ cups vegetable stock
½ tsp sea salt
Garnish
¼ bunch chives
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Slice off the top of a large head of garlic to expose the cloves inside. Place the head of garlic on a piece of foil, cut side up. Drizzle about 2-3 Tbsp vegetable stock and wrap it tightly in the foil. Roast until cloves are lightly browned and tender, about 30-35 minutes.
3. Clean the cauliflower, removing the outer leaves and base. In a medium saucepot, add 2 cups of vegetable stock, ¼ tsp sea salt, and the cauliflower. Set the pot over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, then down to a simmer. Cover and cook until tender, about 20-25 minutes.
4. Once the garlic has roasted, let it rest for at least 5 minutes. It will be hot. Carefully open the foil, pick up the bulb, and push the garlic cloves from the skin (peel), starting from the bottom up, pushing the roasted cloves out and into a blender.
5. Strain the cauliflower and reserve the vegetable stock. Transfer the cauliflower to the blender. Add the remaining ¼ tsp sea salt. Add ½ of the reserved liquid. Blend and adjust the consistency. If the cauliflower is too thick, add more stock. If it’s too thin, try cooking the liquid out on the stovetop.
6. Season to taste and top with chopped chives.
Cranberry Sauce
Time: about 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 pound fresh cranberries, washed and dried
2 cups coconut palm sugar
1/2 cup filtered water
1/2 + 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 + 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 small orange, zested and juiced
Directions
1. Wash and dry cranberries.
2. In a medium saucepot, combine the coconut sugar, filtered water and cranberries. Mix.
3. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Stir to combine and simmer for 7 minutes. Some cranberries will remain whole and some will burst.
4. Add zest and juice to taste. Cool and chill to thicken. As the sauce chills, the natural pectins in the fruit will thicken the sauce.
5. Serve chilled and enjoy! This can be made a day in advance.
4 cups sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
3/4 cup orange juice, fresh
1 ½ cup filtered water
1 cup medjool dates, pitted
¼ tsp cinnamon, ground
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp coconut oil (or grapeseed oil)
Directions
Note: Best made a day or a few hours in advance.
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash, peel, and cut the sweet potatoes or yams. Place them in an 8”x8” or 9”x9” casserole dish, and place the casserole dish in the center of a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
3. In a blender, add the remaining ingredients: orange juice, filtered water, pitted medjool dates, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and oil. Blend well, until the dates are pulverized. If the mixture is a little chunky, that’s fine.
4. Pour the wet mixture over the sweet potatoes or yams and toss to coat. Place in the oven for about 45-55 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes, and cook until the sweet potatoes or yams are fork tender.
5. If made a day in advance, remove from the refrigerator and place in a 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes.
Raw Stuffing
I absolutely love Thanksgiving stuffing. For as long as I can remember, my family enjoyed Stove Top stuffing for the holidays. For my first holiday season as a vegan, my holiday meals didn’t feel complete without my beloved stuffing. Thankfully, I discovered raw vegan stuffing through Kimberly Snyder, my health and nutrition guru. I adapted her recipe by changing up and adding a few other herbs and spices. I also made my version lower in fat by reducing the amount of oil and adding a vegetable stock (ok, that’s not fully raw) or filtered water (this is raw!) instead!
After reading the Food Babe’s article highlighting what toxins may be hiding in typical American Thanksgiving feasts, I was thoroughly disgusted. I actually don’t miss Stove Top stuffing one bit! Why would I subject my body (and the bodies of my loved ones) to toxic food when I can make non-gmo, nutrient-dense, better-for-you versions myself? And they’re so easy to make, too!
I am so happy that I can now enjoy my raw stuffing and share it with everyone! This recipe isn’t just for the holiday season, it can be enjoyed year-round as a side dish, added to a salad, or stuffed into lettuce wraps!
One bite of this stuffing and you will be in disbelief at how much this tastes just like Stove Top stuffing! It truly is amazing how good this is!!
½ cup almonds, soaked overnight and rinsed well 1 1/2 cup pecans 1 cup carrot, chopped into ¼” pieces 1 cup celery, chopped into ¼” pieces 1/3 cup sweet onion, chopped into ¼” pieces ¾ cup crimini mushrooms, chopped ¼ tsp turmeric, ground 2 tsp parsley, chopped 1 ½ tsp rosemary, chopped 1 tsp thyme, chopped ½ tsp oregano 1 tsp sage ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 Tbsp cold-pressed olive oil ½ tsp coconut vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) 3-4 Tbsp vegetable stock (or filtered water) 1/8 tsp sea salt
Directions 1. Process the soaked almonds and pecans in the food processor until they are chunky and not too fine. 2. Pour the nuts into a large bowl, then add the remaining ingredients, and mix well. 3. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
I would love to hear what your Thanksgiving tried and true favorites are, as well as any requests for making old favorites in a vegan, gluten-free, and guilt-free way! If you try out any of these recipes, tag me on Instagram @YvonnesVeganKitchen so I can see your creations!Have a wonderful holiday and don’t forget to use code BLACKFRIDAY10 on my online site for 10% off your order for Black Friday. (Valid on the weekend of Black Friday only!)
Thanksgiving is fast approaching and my lovely friend, Jasmine Briones, and I want to make your Thanksgiving one to remember! We created a bountiful feast for our readers to enjoy, which consists of 13 deliciously tantalizing recipes that will make everybody’s taste buds scream in delight. We’re referring to this collection of recipes as our Sweet Eclectic Thanksgiving celebration!
Since we are both obsessed with delicious and nutritious food, we thought it would be a great idea to collaborate on a holiday feast. What better time to combine our vegan talents and get inspired than in the Fall—just in time for Thanksgiving and the holidays!
Thanksgiving is a special holiday that I hold dear to my heart. Every household carries on their own unique family traditions.
Jasmine grew up in an Ecuadorian/Filipino household, where it has been a long-standing tradition for her Ecuadorian grandmother to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. Her grandmother uses a Cuban marinade for the turkey (Jasmine being vegan does not partake, of course) and the rest of the meal consists of Equadorean dishes. It was not until Jasmine and I joined forces in the kitchen that she had her first taste of cranberry sauce and candied yams. She loved the cranberry so much that she ate it by the spoonful! I was surprised because I only have about 2 tablespoons at most during my holiday meals!
I grew up in a Filipino-American household. My Grandpa Floyd, who was born and bred in the Midwest (Missouri), started my family’s tradition of enjoying the standard American Thanksgiving feast. For as long as I can remember, we always had elaborate feasts. It was always my mom and me who prepared the family’s Thanksgiving meal, consisting of a savory, flavorful protein, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, candied yams, green beans (and/or corn), and pumpkin pie with whipped cream. We sometimes have the same meal for Christmas because it’s so good! Meals like these are so comforting for the soul. Seriously, eating my Thanksgiving meal is like eating a hug. It brings back so many good memories growing up. These days it brings my loved ones together, where we sit around the table, share what we are grateful for, reminisce, and discuss our game plans for Black Friday.
This Thanksgiving I am thankful for my good health, family and friends, and for the amazingly supportive readers and followers on my blog and social media. Being able to do what I love for a living is a wonderful thing. I feel so blessed and am incredibly grateful.
Vegan, gluten-, and soy-free food has a bad rap for tasting like cardboard. With my recipes, I hope to transform the general public’s view of these foods. I want people to keep using my recipes, I want that food to be shared (with vegans and non-vegans alike), I want to shock and amaze people, and let them know that vegan, gluten-, and soy-free food can be absolutely delicious, not to mention nourishing, can promote longevity, is harmless to animals, and is good for the environment and our planet. Through this blog and through the My Eclectic Kitchen app, I think I’ve been able to do that more and more each day.
Also, by partnering up with friends, like Jasmine, I am able to spread this message (my mission) even further. I want to thank Jasmine for doing her part with her blog and with her own recipe development.
Thanksgiving does not have to be the same every year. Although I like to carry on my family’s traditions, I add my own little nuances to everything every year. A vegan and gluten-free Thanksgiving is definitely a huge nuance. Even so, I hear no complaints. Although my family is predominantly omnivorous, my vegan holiday food and sweets are foods they actually request I make. It warms my heart to see them enjoy my food and especially when they get seconds and thirds.
Hopefully you and your family will be as enthusiastic about our recipes. We hope to see some of our recipes on your holiday table!
Here are the 13 Vegan and Gluten-, and Soy-free Thanksgiving recipes!
Sweet, tangy, perfectly spreadable for Holiday “Meat”loaf, and fantastic to serve as a side! Made with fresh cranberries, dates, a little coconut sugar, a touch of orange and holiday spices, this Cranberry Glaze is so delicious, you might even want to eat it by the spoonful, like Jasmine did! Ha!
A client-favorite, this is a healthy vegan alternative to garlic mashed potatoes. Garlicky Cauliflower Puree with Mushroom Gravy is a wonderful, oil-free, low-fat, and delicious side dish. It is so easy to make and can be enjoyed year-round!
This easy and flavorful mushroom gravy goes perfectly with Garlicky Cauliflower Puree and Holiday “Meat”loaf. The caramelized mushrooms and port give this gravy a nice richness, the herbs bring it to life, and the arrowroot thickens the gravy while giving it a glossy sheen.
These candied yams are so simple to make and yet they are so delicious! Spiced with vanilla and cinnamon and sweetened only with dates and oranges, these are my all-time favorite candied yams, not to be mistaken with the recipe in my app. These are new and improved! A must-try!
Every table needs a pop of green! Ours was these crisp green beans with garlic and lemon. The little kick of spice chile and hint of citrus make these a perfect side dish for the holidays!
This high-protein “meat”loaf looks and tastes like the real thing, only it’s better for you, is cruelty-free, and great for the environment. I fool my non-vegan family and friends every time! Top this holiday loaf with our Cranberry Glaze or with traditional “meat”loaf glaze.
We wanted to include pumpkin in our Thanksgiving menu, and since we already have pumpkin pie recipes in our respective recipe arsenals, we decided to make a savory pumpkin pie. The best way to describe this savory pie is to say it is basically a vegan, gluten-free, soy-free quiche with pumpkin!
Oh, I love this dessert! Find out what Mamey is the recipe post. If you can’t find mamey, substitute with pumpkin or sweet potato! The combination of vanilla bean “cheese”cake, pumpkin-spiced mamey, and a fig/date/ nut crust is just heavenly.
This easy-to-make chocolate (sweet potato) mousse pecan tart is really easy to make and is just so pretty to look at!
Our collaboration required a lot of hard work, but it was so worth being able to spend time together, getting to know one another better, with the intention of sharing the fruits of our labor with our readers!To add to the list of things I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving, I am so thankful that Instagram, veganism, the desire to eat delicious yet nutritious food and to share it with others brought me to meet so many amazing people, like Jasmine! It’s been fun learning from and about one another, and I look forward to many years of friendship!
Make sure to check out more details on our fun-filled day in the kitchen by reading my previous post! We also thought it would be fun to interview each other so you can learn a little more about us. My interview is on Jasmine’s blog, and Jasmine’s interview is here.
Please make sure to tag us on Instagram:@yvonne_deliciously_vegan@sweetsimpleveganTwitter: @yvonnemrod@sweetsimpleveg and hashtag #SweetEclecticThanksgiving and #MyEclecticKitchen if you recreate any of our recipes! We would love to see your photos and Thanksgiving feasts!
May you and your loved ones enjoy a
With Love,
Yvonne and Jasmine <3
Photo Credit: Many of the photos in this post were photographed by Jasmine Briones.
Growing up, my Auntie Delia would make her famous meatloaf for special occasions. I loved it and would always slather my slice of meatloaf with double the ketchup. It was such a special treat. Fast forward to today, during the holidays I usually cannot partake in our family’s usual feast, so instead I make a veganized version of my Auntie Delia’s meatloaf to take with me, along with other sides. Surprisingly, it tastes and looks just like Auntie Delia’s meatloaf. I shock quite a few people when I tell them it is vegan.
Even meat-eaters think this meatloaf is delicious and that it contains animal meat. Boy, do I fool them!
I make a very high protein faux meat to incorporate into this loaf consisting of quinoa, mushrooms, and walnuts. When blended together in a food processor, it resembles ground meat. To the faux meat, I add most of the same ingredients that Auntie adds to her meatloaf, only I add parsley to the mix to give it some freshness. I don’t add hotdogs in the center of the loaf (since all the vegan hotdogs I’ve seen at the store are made from soy). I add cayenne pepper, flax “eggs”, a vegan Worcestershire sauce, my homemade ketchup, and, instead of soy sauce, coconut aminos. Although Auntie Delia is known to make low-fat, “healthy” foods, I’d say this beats her turkey meatloaf when you compare overall nutrition.
This is my holiday version of the meatloaf. My original meatloaf recipe is in the My Eclectic Kitchen App, which is actually the version I make year-round!
My friend, Jasmine, and I created a bountiful Thanksgiving feast for our readers to enjoy, which consists of 13 deliciously tantalizing recipes! We’re referring to this collection of recipes as our Sweet Eclectic Thanksgiving celebration! We hope you include this recipe, as well as our other recipes, on your holiday tables!
1. Rinse and drain quinoa. Place the quinoa and 1 cup of water in a small saucepot and cover. Cook the quinoa over medium heat. Once it has reached a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer. The quinoa should be cooked in about 15 minutes, when all the water is absorbed. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
3. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. First, cut two pieces of parchment paper– one piece for the length of the loaf pan, from rim-to-rim, and one piece for the width of the loaf pan, rim-to-rim. Spray the loaf pan then place one parchment piece down. Spray the parchment again and lay the other piece of parchment over crosswise, like an x. Spray the parchment again. See here for a demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJUhAYSy-U8
4. Prepare the flax egg. In a small bowl, combine the flax meal with 6 Tbsp of water, mix and set aside to thicken.
5. Prepare the faux “meat”. Measure out ¾ cup cooked quinoa (store leftover quinoa in the refrigerator to eat later). Place the quinoa in a food processor with the mushrooms and walnuts, and process until it comes together and resembles the same texture as ground meat.
6. Place the faux “meat” in a large mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, including the flax egg. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients until fully combined.
7. Pour the “meat”loaf mixture into the loaf pan and pat down well, spreading evenly. Flatten the top.
8. Place the loaf pan in the center of the oven for about 1 1/2 hours.
9. Make the glaze. Either a Cranberry Glaze or the Traditional Meatloaf Glaze by combining ketchup, vegan Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and stirring together with a spoon.
10. 10 minutes prior to removing the loaf from the oven, brush the top of the meatloaf with the glaze, spreading it evenly to coat. If you use the Cranberry Glaze, use only a little over ¼ cup of it to spread. Reserve the rest of the Cranberry Glaze to serve on the side.
11. Allow the loaf to cool for about 10 minutes prior to cutting.
12. Serve with a side of steamed broccoli or green beans and/or mashed potatoes.
Note: This can be made in advance and refrigerated overnight. To reheat, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and heat for about 25 minutes.
Dreamy Creamy Vegan Berry and Vanilla “Cheese”cake
Buffalo Cauliflower with Avocado Dip
Vanilla Bean “Cheese”cake with Mixed Berry Compote
Quinoa Meatballs
Stuffed Mushrooms
Quinoa Veggie Burgers
Creamy Pistachio Rose Dreamcake
Oriental Cabbage Salad
Asparagus Soup
Thin Mint Cookies
Yellow Curry
Yellow Curry
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Cranberry Sauce
Spicy Lentil Dahl
Potstickers
Pumpkin Pie
Persimmon Cookies
Persimmon Muffins
Persimmon Pudding
Nutty Creamy Chocolate Cake
My Favorite Gluten-free Vegan Pancakes
My Favorite Gluten-free Vegan Waffle
Chocolate Sauce for Pancakes and Waffles
Coconut Whipped Cream
Spinach and Parsley Pesto
Black Bean Brownies – Best brownies. Ever.
Gnocchi
Gnocchi with roasted butternut squash
Apple pancakes
Pumpkin Pie
Italian Lentil Soup
Kelp Noodles with Asian Peanut Sauce
Banana Pancakes with Chocolate Sauce! – My 2nd Favorite and Gluten-free Vegan Pancakes
Fig and Frangipane Tart Before Baked
Luxurious Slice of My Fig and Frangipane Tart
Fig and Frangipane Tart After Baked
Juicy Fruit
Roasted Curried Vegetables
Latkes with Chunky Apple Sauce and Cashew Sour “Cream”
Parsley and Kale Tabouli with Hemp Seeds
Raw Goji- and Cranberry Truffles
Chocolate Chai Cookies
Tomato “Cream” Sauce
Gazpacho (Cold Soup)
Yvonne’s Lasagna
Yvonne’s Lasagna
Quinoa Pizza Crust (no soaking required)
Buffalo Cauliflower – Vegan Buffalo Wings
Coconut Banana Pancakes with Chocolate Sauce and Berries
2-Minute Miracle Oat-Flax Bread
Nutty Creamy Chocolate Cake
Glowing Green Smoothie
Raw Cashew Dream Cake – Raw Vegan “Cheese”cake
Raw Vegan Cheesecake with Mixed Berry Compote
3-Minute Miracle Bread
Flax Egg
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Herb Roasted Potatoes
Yvonne’s Kale Salad
Zoodles with Red Pepper Pureeand Pistachio Pesto
Citrus, Fennel, and Arugula Salad
Mixed Baby Greens with Tahini-Dijon Dressing
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Gluten-free Macaroni Salad
Vegan Meatloaf
Vegan Crab Cakes
Vegetable Tikka Masala
Manicotti
Vegan Fish Tacos
Forbidden Mediterranean Rice Salad
Orange Zeppoles with Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Chocolate Crunch Treats
Chocolate Crunch Treat Ice Cream Sandwich
Chocolate Mousse Tarts
Ginger Molasses Date Cookies
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Granola Squares
Vegetable Stir-fry
Vegan Sushi
Italian Massaged Kale Salad
Creamy Fennel and White Bean Soup
Eggplant and Zucchini Stacks
Glowing Green Smoothie – hers and his to-go
I threw my sister, Marie, a French bebe-themed baby shower in San Diego.
Yvonne threw sister, Marie, a baby shower. Made the favors, decor, most of the desserts and arranged the flowers.
May 2012, at the US Grant Hotel in San Diego for Yvonne’s wedding tasting with mom and sister.
Plums at the farmers’ market. Peyman’s favorite are very firm plums. Riva’s(Yvonne’s sister), favorite tart is Yvonne’s plum tart.
Morning pastries at Tavern, Los Angeles. Baked these off starting at 5am!
Stephanie, former Sous Chef, and Yvonne at work making croissants and Euro chocolate sauce. Tavern – Brentwood, Los Angeles, CA
Since 2010, Lucques Catering has catered the SAG awards. This is always a fun event to work. (Funnest events are the Oscar parties because stars visit the kitchen :)) Picture was taken after approx. 1,300 plates had been completed. Shrine Auditorium, USC campus. Yvonne is on the right. Pre-vegan days.
My favorite @dr.organicmommy enlisted us to make her son’s birthday dessert table again. As usual, everything was vegan and gluten-free, and this time, Outer Space themed. I had a blast 🚀 designing the table and making the cakes and treats with my amazing team!!! 🙏❣️ Here are some close-ups of the fun themed foods…
@dr.organicmommy is one of my favorite people to work with… She’s not only a good friend, but she also throws the best parties, and comes up with the most fun themes! She is such a pleasure to work with. Natasha and I share similar knowledge and values when it comes to nutrition, taste, feeding our families organic, farm-fresh whole foods, and always treating our friends and family to the very best. This birthday party was truly a blast 🚀 to say the least.
@dr.organicmommy’s parties are one of the reasons I love my job so much. I love collaborating on ideas, coming up with tablescapes, backdrops, and fun themed foods.
Birthday Cake:
6″ 2-layered Carrot Cake with Walnuts
9″ 2-layered Vanilla Cake with Raspberry Jam Frosting
12″ 2-layered Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting & Strawberries
Nut-free Cake:
6″ 5-layered Vanilla Spice Cake with Sunflower Date Caramel and Pumpkin Ganache.
Starburst Crispies:
One Degree Organic’s Sprouted Brown Rice Crisps & Marshmallow Krispy Treats
Asteroids Meteor Bites:
Superfood truffles in two flavors: hazelnut cocoa and goji, cranberry, & coconut.
Blast Off Flaming Jello Cups:
Strawberry & peach flavored vegan jello.
Star Dust:
Kettle corn-flavored popcorn colored with spirulina.
Out-of-this-world UFO Cookies:
Fun vegan, gluten-free chewy chocolate cookies with a brownie center.
Black Holes:
Cookies & Cream vegan, gluten-free oreos.
These Galactic Brownies were far out. And all vegan and gluten-free!
Saturn’s Rings Galaxy Donuts:
Vanilla donuts with glaze.
Blanket of Space fruit leathers.
Strawberry, marshmallow, and cantaloupe kabobs.
Moon Rocks:
Toasted Vanilla cake crumbs. Crunchy, yummy, and fun to eat!
I must say, this was the most fun dessert table to date. I can’t wait for next month’s pink ballerina party for @dr.organicmommy’s daughter!! 💝