Thanksgiving, perhaps the second most anticipated food-related holiday of the year next to Christmas, is now upon us. It’s a day full of family, friends and, let’s not forget, food. Wonderful, endless amounts of food. And for the most part, Thanksgiving feasts have a wide variety of different foods that everyone can enjoy. But if your family is like mine, that means there’s not a dish on the table that is without at least some form of meat. This can be quite the bummer for those of you out there who are vegetarian but still want to take part in the feast. So, with this in mind, I’ve whipped up some seasonal vegetarian recipes that will have everyone going back for seconds, vegetarian or not.
Tasty Sides:
Stovetop Cauliflower with Pears and Hazelnuts
Illustration by Jake Thrasher
This dish will have you going back for seconds. I swear it. A perfect balance of hearty and sweet, this side dish will have even those who turn their noses up to most veggies doing a bit of rethinking. This recipe is very versatile as well, as you can even substitute the hazelnut with almonds.
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 medium head of cauliflower (cut into smaller florets)
1/2 cup of toasted, skinned hazelnuts
8 thinly cut sage leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
2 large pears, cored and sliced into thin sheets
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
In a skillet, melt the butter over a medium-high heat until it becomes a shade of brown and begins to bubble. Add in the cauliflower, sage, hazelnuts and cook for two minutes. Season with a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper, being sure to stir occasionally. Continue to stir for another six or so minutes until the cauliflower has turned a tender brown and is crisp in texture.
Take the pan off the heat and add in the sliced pears and a sprinkle of parsley. Mix well and season to taste.
Illustration by Jake Thrasher
Rosemary Carrots
2 bunches of carrots (about 24), peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Toss the carrots with the olive oil on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Lay out evenly and sprinkle with the rosemary and even amounts of salt and pepper. (Another way to cook is to wrap small bundles of the seasoned carrots in the aluminum foil)
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
Main Dish:
Illustration by Jake Thrasher
Stuffed Squash Bowls
1 medium butternut squash
5 small winter squash (divided)
4 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3 teaspoons pure maple syrup
Salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Preheat the oven to 400 F. While waiting, line two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Cut the butternut squash in half, setting aside the top half. Remove all seeds and strings and place the bottom half on one of the laid out sheets.
Remove the caps of three of the small winter squash by cutting a one-inch circle around the stems. Then slice off any strings from the bottom of the cap as well as remove any seeds and strings from within the centers and discard.
Next, cut a thin slice off the bottoms of the winter squash to ensure they sit evenly. Put the caps back on the squash and place on the baking sheet with the butternut squash. Drizzle the insides of the squash with olive oil and maple syrup, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake for one hour (or until a knife can be inserted with no resistance, much like when baking a cake).
As these are cooking, remove the stems from the remaining two winter squash and cut into halves lengthways. Remove any seeds from within. Peel and chop into smaller, 1/4-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Add the remaining four teaspoons of oil in and mix with the squash, as well as salt and pepper. Put these pieces on the second baking sheet, being sure to spread out all pieces evenly and bake until the squash is tender. This may take around 30 minutes.
Once done cooking, take the pieces and add them into a bowl with the remaining 2 1/4 teaspoons of syrup, butter, and thyme. Mix thoroughly and divide into three sets, stuffing them into the hollowed out squash.
Dessert:
Illustration by Jake Thrasher
Apple Pie
1 pastry for a nine-inch crust
1/2 cup of butter
3 tablespoons of flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
8 apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp) peeled and thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 425 F.
In a saucepan, melt the butter and stir in flour, water and both the white and brown sugar. Mix to a paste and bring to a boil. Let simmer.
Place the bottom half of the pie crust into a pan, fill with the apples. Cover with the top layer of crust (lattice cut or however you prefer). Pour the mixed sauce over the crust and be sure it covers all sides of the pie.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the apples are soft.
