Anyone else have a non traditional Thanksgiving dinner?

[Laurajean]

chickensducks&agoose :

I spent a lot of time last year making a TOFURKY... from internet directions, involving wheat gluten, yuba, and other interesting ingredients. It turned out good, but BIG, and after about 2/3 of a cup serving each of us, we looked at the other 15 or so cups of tofurky, and just groaned... eventually, i fed it to my chickens.... this year, I am prepared to starve, but I'm bringing a real live (well, no, actually dead) homegrown turkey for the inlaws and my family to eat... i don't know what I'm going to do, as the sole vegetarian...

They make Tofurky and similar products in small portions now! I used to buy a big ready made tofurky but it was WAY too much for me, and expensive. Then I discovered these year-round products in much smaller packaging. Look for them in the health food store. Various brands make them. I don't even bother with that half the time, because I love all the other "fixings" so much that I fill up on that stuff easily!​

 

[mom'sfolly]

We usually camp for Thanksgiving. Often we camp with another family, and he fries a turkey, so it is semi traditional. Camping with these folks for Thanksgiving usually means steak, and potatoes one night, Thanksgiving food for one night, and morning breakfasts with leftovers and potato pancakes. I think that last year we had at least six pies, with two other families joining us for Thanksgiving...

It's fun, its outdoors, and its often cool enough that you get to shiver off some calories, or walk them off finding extra firewood.

 

[sheila3935]

Last year I made pig in the blankets. It is stuffed cabbage rolls in sauerkraut and tomato juice. Thats what the kids wanted. But this year I am going to deep fry a turkey. For Christmas I made turducken. We usually stay at home and our grown kids come over for Thanksgiving but Christmas we go to my sisters with all the family.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Mmmm...Mushroom gravy sounds DELICIOUS!!

My family eats all the traditional foods, but we stay at home and it's just my parents, my brother, and myself. I've always preferred it that way! Definitely more relaxing than traveling all over the place!

I almost never go to anyone elses' house for Thanksgiving. Partly because they get freaked out that I'm a vegetarian and it makes them uncomfortable, and also because well meaning people will put something on my plate and say it's vegetarian, but it's really not (ie, chicken broth in the stuffing, etc), so I've made it a habit to stay at home for the most part. But I don't mind, I just make my own meal and I really enjoy relaxing and feeling truly thankful. Another thing I sometimes do is eat at home, then show up at a relatives' house in time for dessert. That way I skip the awkward "Laura doesn't eat meat" part, and we can all sit around and have pie and together time.

And yes, mushroom gravy is delicious and my favorite!! I pour it on everything!

Well you can come to my place!! I have a lot of friends that are veggies and I eat what I want in front of them! I think people that are meat eaters that get uncomfortable around veggies need to focus more on the person and not what they eat.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
I almost never go to anyone elses' house for Thanksgiving. Partly because they get freaked out that I'm a vegetarian and it makes them uncomfortable, and also because well meaning people will put something on my plate and say it's vegetarian, but it's really not (ie, chicken broth in the stuffing, etc), so I've made it a habit to stay at home for the most part. But I don't mind, I just make my own meal and I really enjoy relaxing and feeling truly thankful. Another thing I sometimes do is eat at home, then show up at a relatives' house in time for dessert. That way I skip the awkward "Laura doesn't eat meat" part, and we can all sit around and have pie and together time.

And yes, mushroom gravy is delicious and my favorite!! I pour it on everything!

Well you can come to my place!! I have a lot of friends that are veggies and I eat what I want in front of them! I think people that are meat eaters that get uncomfortable around veggies need to focus more on the person and not what they eat.

I'd love to come have dinner with you Deb, too bad you aren't closer!

We'd have a blast!

I TRY to tell people they don't need to worry about it. I'm not the least bit offended if other people eat meat, but they just get all freaked out and make me a huge salad and then act all awkward.

They'll literally whisper "She's a vegetarian...." like it's some sort of taboo.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Well you can come to my place!! I have a lot of friends that are veggies and I eat what I want in front of them! I think people that are meat eaters that get uncomfortable around veggies need to focus more on the person and not what they eat.

I'd love to come have dinner with you Deb, too bad you aren't closer!

We'd have a blast!

I TRY to tell people they don't need to worry about it. I'm not the least bit offended if other people eat meat, but they just get all freaked out and make me a huge salad and then act all awkward.

They'll literally whisper "She's a vegetarian...." like it's some sort of taboo.

Like I said, spend more time getting to know the person and not what they eat. I know people eat cabbage and I find it disgusting, but could care less if they eat it in front of me.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
I'd love to come have dinner with you Deb, too bad you aren't closer!

We'd have a blast!

I TRY to tell people they don't need to worry about it. I'm not the least bit offended if other people eat meat, but they just get all freaked out and make me a huge salad and then act all awkward.

They'll literally whisper "She's a vegetarian...." like it's some sort of taboo.

Like I said, spend more time getting to know the person and not what they eat. I know people eat cabbage and I find it disgusting, but could care less if they eat it in front of me.

Well, I agree. It should be that simple. But when it comes to meat, some people stereotype and assume that because I don't eat meat, I must be some raving animal rights activist lunatic, like I'm going to be tisk-tisking them while they eat. My father's wife is Indonesian, and she has a HUGE family, and they have large gatherings all the time centered around food. I remember when I first went to such a gathering, I was apprehensive to say I was a vegetarian. I didn't yet speak Indonesian (I do now), so my father's wife translated to them that I was a vegetarian. I remember her sister said "Oh! No problem!" and pointed out all the vegetarian dishes, which were MANY. I was thrilled and relieved that they thought it was no big deal and apparently vegetarianism is very common over there.

Incidentally, I still don't go there for Thanksgiving, because they eat Indonesian food on that day too, and although I love it, it's not the same as my beloved stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc.

 

[Organics North]

No turkey here

Venison Sauerbraten.with gingersnap gravy.. With Rotkohl (Red cabbage and apples), Spatzle, potato dumplings, and a nice green vegetable.

That is our preference, it is the natural in season food in my world..

ON

 

[Rozzie]

We have homemade vegetarian lasagna, a big tossed salad, homemade bread, and cheesecake. We usually make pumpkin pie, too, but have that later in the day (or earlier) since it doesn't go well with lasagna!

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Being a lifelong vegetarian along with my mom, dad, and brother, I always have a non-traditional Thanksgiving meal. It varies what exactly I have, though it's always something delicious. I am thankful that our relatives are used to our vegetarianism (my mom and dad have been vegetarians for around forty years now) and plan accordingly, it's quite kind of them.