Anyone else in deep denial that Thanksgiving is next week? I mean, wasn't it just Labor Day?
Ready or not, here we go, the start of another holiday season. Fa la la la la.
Last year marked My First Thanksgiving In The Raw. Trust me when I say, raw on T-Day doesn't have to mean the crudité platter at the end of the buffet. It can be the buffet...and the dessert table...and the leftovers in the fridge too.
If this is your first Thanksgiving sans turkey, like it was mine last year, it can seem a bit daunting. But think about it, in a traditional feast, what's the only non-veg dish on the table? Gobble gobble. All the typical side dishes – mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans – are all vegetarian.
People eat vegetarian and even vegan food (gasp!) every day – they just don't label it that way. So why throw a label of raw or uncooked on a dish? Let the food speak for itself.
BYO
Even Emily Post says it's perfectly okay to supply a dish you can eat, as long as you ask the host ahead of time. So, that's just what I did.
I came armed with four delicious recipes I had prepared. Didn't say a word about raw food to my large Hungarian clan. I simply added my dishes to the buffet table, and bless their bulging waistlines, they ate them.
Two weeks ago, long before I even had Thanksgiving on the brain, my eldest brother called. He wanted to request I bring the Waldorf Salad again. I should point out, this is the very same brother who not all that long ago inquired, Are You Ever Going To Eat "Real" Food Again? Hmm, what a difference a year makes.
I received an email last week from my nephew who wanted to make sure I was bringing "that killer pecan pie" to Thanksgiving dinner this year.
See, good food speaks for itself.
You'll find the recipes for both the Waldorf Salad and the Pecan Pie here, in addition to Garlic Green Beans and Cauliflower L'Orange.
I've been playing with a couple of new recipes that I think I'll bring along as well. Always nice to have a selection. And, like last year, I'll have a large green smoothie before I venture over the river and through the woods to my family.
Sweet Potato Casserole
4 C sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Macintosh apples, cored and sliced
1 C walnuts, ground
1/2 C pecans, chopped
2 orange, juiced
1/2 cup dates, soaked
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp Celtic salt
1/4 C raw honey
Place half of the walnuts, sweet potatoes, apples, orange juice, dates, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a food processor and puree. Pour into a serving dish.
In a separate bowl, toss the remaining walnuts with the pecans, salt, and honey. Scatter over the top of the puree.
If desired, warm in a dehydrator or low oven prior to serving.
Cranberry Cashew Rice Pilaf
2 C basmati rice, soaked
1 C dried cranberries, soaked
1 C raw cashews, chopped
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
To soak rice: place two cups rice in two cups filtered water for one day, or until desired softness is reached. Rinse and change water once or twice. Wash, rinse well and drain before making recipe.
Place soaked rice in a large mixing bowl and toss with remaining ingredients. How easy is that?
Again, you may warm this in a dehydrator or low oven prior to serving if desired.
What's on your Thanksgiving Day menu? If you have recipes to share, please leave a link in the comment and Google will chase you all the way back to your site!
Ready or not, here we go, the start of another holiday season. Fa la la la la.
Last year marked My First Thanksgiving In The Raw. Trust me when I say, raw on T-Day doesn't have to mean the crudité platter at the end of the buffet. It can be the buffet...and the dessert table...and the leftovers in the fridge too.
If this is your first Thanksgiving sans turkey, like it was mine last year, it can seem a bit daunting. But think about it, in a traditional feast, what's the only non-veg dish on the table? Gobble gobble. All the typical side dishes – mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans – are all vegetarian.
People eat vegetarian and even vegan food (gasp!) every day – they just don't label it that way. So why throw a label of raw or uncooked on a dish? Let the food speak for itself.
BYO
Even Emily Post says it's perfectly okay to supply a dish you can eat, as long as you ask the host ahead of time. So, that's just what I did.
I came armed with four delicious recipes I had prepared. Didn't say a word about raw food to my large Hungarian clan. I simply added my dishes to the buffet table, and bless their bulging waistlines, they ate them.
Two weeks ago, long before I even had Thanksgiving on the brain, my eldest brother called. He wanted to request I bring the Waldorf Salad again. I should point out, this is the very same brother who not all that long ago inquired, Are You Ever Going To Eat "Real" Food Again? Hmm, what a difference a year makes.
I received an email last week from my nephew who wanted to make sure I was bringing "that killer pecan pie" to Thanksgiving dinner this year.
See, good food speaks for itself.
You'll find the recipes for both the Waldorf Salad and the Pecan Pie here, in addition to Garlic Green Beans and Cauliflower L'Orange.
I've been playing with a couple of new recipes that I think I'll bring along as well. Always nice to have a selection. And, like last year, I'll have a large green smoothie before I venture over the river and through the woods to my family.
Sweet Potato Casserole
4 C sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Macintosh apples, cored and sliced
1 C walnuts, ground
1/2 C pecans, chopped
2 orange, juiced
1/2 cup dates, soaked
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp Celtic salt
1/4 C raw honey
Place half of the walnuts, sweet potatoes, apples, orange juice, dates, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a food processor and puree. Pour into a serving dish.
In a separate bowl, toss the remaining walnuts with the pecans, salt, and honey. Scatter over the top of the puree.
If desired, warm in a dehydrator or low oven prior to serving.
Cranberry Cashew Rice Pilaf
2 C basmati rice, soaked
1 C dried cranberries, soaked
1 C raw cashews, chopped
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
To soak rice: place two cups rice in two cups filtered water for one day, or until desired softness is reached. Rinse and change water once or twice. Wash, rinse well and drain before making recipe.
Place soaked rice in a large mixing bowl and toss with remaining ingredients. How easy is that?
Again, you may warm this in a dehydrator or low oven prior to serving if desired.
What's on your Thanksgiving Day menu? If you have recipes to share, please leave a link in the comment and Google will chase you all the way back to your site!