Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Thanksgiving is all about family, friends and food. These easy side dishes can make your day a little easier! These recipes are about 4 servings but can easily be doubled or tripled.

SPICY CORN
- 2 cups of frozen organic corn
- 1 tsp each: garlic powder, chili powder, lime juice
-  ½ tsp cayenne
- 1-2 Tbsp of Vegan Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

DIRECTIONS:
- Mix all spices and add to frozen corn.
- Heat up in microwave or on stove top.
- Sprinkle with cheese or yeast and serve.
 

HONEY CARROTS:
- 5-6 medium carrots, sliced on diagonal
- 1 Tbsp each: Vegan butter and maple syrup
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- Salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:
- Boil carrots in water for about 15 minutes.
- Drain and stir in maple syrup, butter, rosemar.y, salt and pepper.
 

ROASTED ROOT VEGGIES WITH CURRY
- 4-5 cups of peeled and chopped root veggies: carrots, parsnips, turnip
- 1 large onion, chopped in big chunks
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine 
Salt & pepper
- 2-3 Tbsp Cilantro or parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 425. Toss all ingredients except cilantro together and layer on to two baking sheets. Cook for 15 minutes and turn over (or just stir them around). Cook another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

OPTIONS:
- Replace curry powder with 1 tsp each: rosemary and thyme
 

ASIAN STYLE GREEN BEANS
- 2 cups of frozen or fresh green beans
- 1/4 cup organic soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp each: garlic-minced, brown sugar and sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:
Mix in medium bowl soy, garlic, brown sugar and pepper flakes.
- Toss green beans on mixture.
- Heat up sesame oil over medium heat. Add green beans and cook for 3-5 minutes –keep stirring.

OPTIONS:
- Use broccoli instead of green beans. Add sliced mushrooms or red pepper.
- Change up the spices - use olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper-delete soy, sugar and sesame oil.
 

CREAMED KALE
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 big bunch of kale cut into bite size pieces
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- Salt & pepper
- Grated coconut (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
- Heat oil over medium high heat in a large pan. Add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add kale, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Top with coconut flakes if using.
 

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
- 8 medium potatoes cut in chunks, peel if you prefer
- 3-4 Tbsp of vegan butter
- 5 cloves of roasted garlic (see note)
- salt, pepper and chives

DIRECTIONS
- Put potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Boil for about 30 minutes.
- Drain potatoes and add to a large bowl. Add butter, salt and pepper.
- Mash with a potato masher or use a hand mixer (don't over mix).
- Mash the roasted garlic and stir into potatoes.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

NOTE:
- To roast garlic, wrap cloves in tin foil add a few drops of olive oil and roast in oven at 400 for 30 minutes.

OPTIONS:
- Replace potatoes with sweet potatoes. Replace garlic with a small sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg.
 

BASIC VEGAN STUFFING
- 2 Tbsp of olive oil or vegan butter
- 2 of each, chopped: celery stock, carrot and onion
- 1 cup of mushrooms
- 1 cup each: cooked rice and bread cut into cubes
- 1 cup of vegetable or mushroom stock
- 1 tsp each: sage, thyme, rosemary, salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS
- Heat up oil or butter in a large pan on medium heat, add celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms and spices.
- Cook for about 5-6 minutes.
- Place rice, bread and veggie mixture into a large bowl and add as much stock as you need to make the mixture moist. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Put the mixture into a baking dish that has been greased with oil or butter. Cover with foil and cook at 375 for about 30 minutes. 

OPTIONS
- The sky is the limit with stuffing, add nuts, dried fruit or other vegetables.

Black Bean Soup - Delicious and Easy!

You can have this on your table in less than 30 minutes. The recipe makes about four servings so there's lots left for the next day. You can also freeze this.

BLACK BEAN SOUP
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 of each: onion, celery stalk, large carrot, chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. each: chili powder and cumin
- 1 tsp each: salt and pepper
- 3-4 cups of veggie broth or mushroom broth
- 2 large cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 C of frozen organic corn (or canned)
- 1 large can of diced tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:
- Heat up oil on medium heat and add onion, celery and carrots. Cook for about 4-5 minutes.
- Add garlic, spices, salt and pepper, cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add broth, 1 can of beans and tomatoes (with juices) and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
- Blend with an immersion blender or food processor. If it is too thick add more broth.
- Add the last can of beans and the corn and heat for about 3 minutes.

OPTIONS:
- Top with fresh cilantro or diced avocado
- Add 1 cup of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) before blending.

Easy Vegan Noodle Bowl

This dish is about versatility. You can add pretty much any type of veggies that you like. This recipe serves two but it can easily be doubled.

- 2 servings of rice noodles
- 1 carrot, julienned-sliced really thin
- 1/2 C each of: cucumbers, mushrooms and red pepper, sliced very thin
- 1 C of shredded lettuce or spinach
- 1/4 C of each mint and cilantro or basil leaves, torn
SAUCE:
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. of Vegan Fish Sauce (or dried seaweed)
- 1/4 C each of: rice vinegar and water
- 2 Tbsp. each of: sugar and lime juice (fresh is best)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small red chili, finely chopped or 1 tsp of red pepper flakes or hot sauce

DIRECTIONS:
- Cook rice noodles according to package.
- Add vegetables and herbs to noodles.
- Mix all sauce ingredients and add to noodle mixture.

OPTIONS:
- Add bean sprouts, baby corn or any other tender veggies.
- Add pan fried tofu.

Veggie Risotto

This elegant looking meal can be put together very easily. Serve with a light salad for a perfect dinner for two.

- 1/2 C of short grain or Arborio (risotto rice) rice
- 1/4 C of each: onion and red pepper, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 C of any type of mushrooms, chopped
- 2 C of fresh baby spinach
- 1 1/2 C of either water or vegetable stock
- 1/2 C of white wine
- 1 tsp tarragon, dried
- salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
- Place water or stock and wine in a pot and heat up on medium/high heat.
- Add rice, onions, pepper, garlic, tarragon, salt & pepper and 1 cup of liquid (water or stock) to a large pan and cook over medium/high heat, stirring constantly.
- Cook until the liquid has been absorbed (about 10-12 minutes) and then add more of the stock/wine liquid (about 1/2 cup), still stirring until the liquid is almost gone.
- Add chopped mushrooms and more liquid if needed and cook about 3 minutes. Add chopped spinach and stir for another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

OPTIONS:
- Use other vegetables like broccoli, kale, swiss chard, peas, etc.
- Top with vegan Parmesan or a sprinkle of Nutritional Yeast. 
 

Three Bean Chili

The good thing about Chili is you can add just about anything you like. So feel free to experiment. This freezes well and makes 4-6 servings.

- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion, chopped
- 2 Carrots, Diced
- 1 of Each: Green and Red Pepper, chopped
- 1 Large Can of Chopped Tomatoes, including liquid
- 1 Large Can Each: Black Beans, Kidnet Beans, Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 Cups of Vegetable Stock
- 2-3 Cloves of Garlic, chopped fine
- 2 Tbsp. Each: Chili Powder, Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp. Cayenne Powder
- Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions, carrots, peppers, salt and pepper and cook until tender. About 5 minutes.
- Lower heat and add garlic, chili powder, cumin and cayenne and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes with liquid and stock. Turn up heat and bring to a boil.
- Add all beans and cook for about 20 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

OPTIONS
- Add a cup of chopped mushrooms, zucchini or a diced jalapeno in Step 1.
- Use any type of beans you like.
- Top with chopped cilantro, pesto or vegan cheese.

 

Avocados Two Ways

CHOCOLATE AVOCADO SMOOTHIE - 2 servings

- 2 Cups Almond Milk or Coconut Milk
- 1 Cup Ice
- 1 Each: Avocado and Banana
- 2 Tbsp. Cacao Powder
- 1 Tbsp. Chia Seeds
- 2 Tbsp.Honey

DIRECTIONS:
- Throw all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

OPTIONS: Omit ice and use frozen bananas and add 4 frozen strawberries.

AVOCADO AND CHICKPEA SALAD SANDWICH - 2 servings

- 1 Large Avocado
- 1 Large Can of Chickpeas (or 2 small cans)
- 1/4 Cup of Chopped Cilantro
- 1-2 Garlic Cloves, chopped fine
- 3 Green Onions, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Lime Juice (fresh or bottled)
- Salt & Pepper
- 4 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread
- Lettuce

DIRECTIONS:
- Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and mash with a fork.
- Spread on bread and top with lettuce.

OPTIONS: Omit bread and top a handful of lettuce with mashed ingredients.