HookedOnPlants

When getting hooked is a good thing

thanksgiving

Grateful Fred Stuffed Tofu Turkey | Vegan Holiday Feast

By

The holidays are all about love, connection, community, cheersing and good times. The food and the love that goes into it is always big part of all the festivities. So, this Thanksgiving, here’s a stuffed tofu turkey recipe to spread the love, and fall in love with…without the cost of the turkey, Fred (he’s grateful).

Turkey shmurkey. Ham shmam. Steak shmeak.

Eating plant-based during a holiday dinner party isn’t always an easy task, that is unless you bring this comfort-food recipe of a lifetime!

I wanted to help you create something that won’t be a compromise… and may even be just as popular at the Thanksforgivin’er shindig than your Auntie’s turkey pie!

If you’re looking for a pre-made option, Gardein makes a delicious ‘stuffed turkey’ (use CRVAN-MURJUB to shop at Spud to get 2 free ones in your order), and Tofurky does too.

But, if you want to go the cooking route and put as much of that love ingredient in there as possible, look no further!

Fred is thankful he can live out that Turkey life of his, and the fam will be thankful that the vegan doesn’t bring carrot sticks to the comfort-food party!

This turned out really well. The outside is browned, the inside is tasty with pecan stuffing, and the overall feel is incredibly turkey dinner-like.

Top it all off with this mushroom gravy, and this mashed cauliflower for your tastebuds to explode.

Pin this!

Other ideas for a Holiday dinner recipes… Meatless Balls, Whole Roasted Cauliflower, Mashed Butternut Swirl, Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake, or this Apricot Butternut Lentil Loaf (an oldie but a goodie).

Pin this!

Grafeful Fred Stuffed Tofu Turkey
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A perfect replacement for Fred the Turkey for a holiday feast! This pecan stuffing rolled up in a tofu 'turkey' will shine on the centre of the dinner table.
Author:
Recipe type: thanksgiving, holiday, christmas, dinner
Cuisine: holiday, thanksgiving
Serves: 8
Ingredients

  • Tofu Turkey:
  • 4 blocks organic firm tofu (each 350g)
  • 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2½ cups of vegan stuffing (recipe below)
  • 3-4 tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos (for basting)

  • Vegan Pecan Stuffing (makes enough for stuffing the tofu turkey, plus a side dish):
  • 8 cups bread of choice, cubed
  • 1 cup large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1½ cups celery, chopped
  • 7-8 white mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage, minced
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • ½ cup pecans, chopped
  • ½ tsp Pink Himalayan or sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

  • Goes well with this Mushroom Gravy
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F
  2. Press tofu: Place a layer of paper towel on a plate, then the tofu cubes, then another couple layers of paper towel, then a cutting board, then a bowl filled with water. Let sit for at least 30 minutes (the longer the better)
  3. Meanwhile, make the stuffing! Start by spreading the cubed bread out over a cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes (stir at the 10 minute mark), until it's dry...smells so good.
  4. In a large pot, oil-free sauté the onions, celery and mushrooms for 5 minutes (just add a bit of the veggie broth if it's sticking), until softened. Add the herbs and salt and pepper. Mix it up, then add 1½ cups of broth. Add the bread and pecans then mix everything well. The stuffing should be moist, but not soaking wet. If your stuffing is still a little dry, keep adding a bit of veggie broth until it's moist (you shouldn't need more than 2 cups total)
  5. Set aside 2½ cups of stuffing for the turkey filling.
  6. Pour the rest of the stuffing into a baking dish and bake in the oven for 25 minutes (hello side dish!)
  7. Prepare your 'turkey' zone: Lay out 2 sheets of tin foil, side by side overlapping about 3 inches, with a layer of parchment on top. The parchment paper should be about 15 inches long by 13 inches wide, with the tinfoil as a border beneath it.
  8. Time to make the 'turkey': To go easy on your food processor, start by blending half of all the tofu turkey ingredients together (except for the stuffing and Bragg's liquid aminos) for at least 1 minute in your food processor, or until a dough-like ball starts to form. Place that mixture as a ball on the parchment paper.
  9. Then, blend the other half of all the tofu turkey ingredients (again, except for the stuffing and Bragg's liquid aminos) in the food processor, and add it to the pile on the parchment.
  10. Spread out the tofu mixture into a ½ - ¾ inch thick rectangle (about 8x12")
  11. Spoon the 2½ cups of stuffing into the middle of the tofu rectangular 'turkey' in a lengthwise tube shape.
  12. Use the parchment paper to roll one side of the tofu turkey over the stuffing, then the other side until the tofu turkey just overlaps. Give it a nice squeeze to make sure it's all overlapping by at least 1 inch.
  13. Unwrap it and fold the ends. Use your fingers to press down any open areas, or cracks.
  14. Pour Bragg's liquid aminos over top and use basting brush to cover the whole turkey.
  15. Then wrap it up with the parchment and tinfoil nice and tight, folding on top and twisting the ends (so it looks like a tootsie roll turkey)
  16. Bake in the oven for 1 hour.
  17. Let cool 15 minutes, then place in the fridge.
  18. When you're ready to serve it, take it out of the fridge, slice in 1 inch slices, wrap it back up and bake for 20 minutes at 350°F.
  19. Serve with the mushroom gravy from this recipe and this cauliflower mash!
  20. Happy Holidays! The Turkey's thank you!
Notes
*Great to make ahead of time, then store in the fridge until you're ready to put it in the oven for 30 more minutes before serving
*If you want to make it right before, just skip the fridge part, and keep it in the oven for another 15-30 minutes, then slice when it comes out!

Tag me make this! (@hookedonplants on instagram)! I love seeing your recipes.

Want more?

Sign up to my emails for weekly inspiration, recipes, plus a free PDF on How to Get Hooked On Plants!

This week’s email is all about the most important thing to be grateful for… yourself, and what you should do about it.

Try the #PlantsForAWeek challenge by grabbing my brand new E-Book!

 

Meatless Balls + Mushroom Gravy | Oil-Free Vegan Thanksgiving Main

By

Family comfort food to the max.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends across the border! I bring to you… meatless balls! They taste better than they sound. And this mushroom gravy? Well, it’s only 6 ingredients, with no oil, and mega flava flave!

If you’re a fan of Thanksgiving, but want to skip the Turkey this year… this one’s for you!

Thanksgiving (or Thanks’living’ as some vegans like to call it…) is ridiculously easy to make vegan. All of those beloved veg-centric side dishes can easily be veganized with simple replacements:

  • vegan butter vs. dairy butter in the roasted veggies
  • plant-based milk vs. cow’s milk in the mashed potatoes
  • flax egg vs. chicken’s egg in the stuffing

And now you have this recipe to replace the Turkey! The awesome, animal-free dinner is now COMPLETE.

I feel the need to give my American friends a yummy recipe for this year’s Holiday because we just spent 2 weeks on a 6500KM mountain biking road trip all across the US. It was us, our camper, a couple mountain bikes, friends and epic views.

The itinerary was: Whistler –> Moab, Utah –> Sedona, Arizona –> Las Vegas, Nevada –> Morro Bay, California –> Portland, Oregon –> Home to Whistler

Scroll down to the bottom for some photos of the trip that was packed with camper cooking, trail snackin’, 7 hour biking adventures, and crazy landscapes. As fun as it was, it’s always nice to come home. I’m grateful for the adventuring, but also so grateful for the simple, everyday things at home.

What are you grateful for? Focusing on the little things and practicing gratitude is something I feel I do naturally, but over the last couple years I’ve been trying to focus on it even more. Every morning before getting out of bed I tell myself 3 things I’m grateful for. It sets the day off to a damn good start.

You should try this:

Before you roll out of bed, tell yourself:

  • 3 things your grateful for
  • 3 things your excited about today
  • 1 awesome thing about yourself (“I am…”)

After that, you’ll always wake up on the right side of the bed.

OK, back to the recipe!!

This one is inspired by the Rouxbe Cooking School Plant-Based class I finished in the spring. They made a loaf, but today… we make balls!!

Benefits:

  • Quinoa is packed with antioxidants, essential minerals (especially iron), vitamins, and fibre (for smooth digestion and weight loss). It’s one of the most protein rich foods we can eat!
  • Mushrooms are packed with vitamin D, so they’re great to eat during the winter months. A good amount of vitamin D wards off depression and keeps your bones healthy, too.
  • Black beans are stars when it comes to heart health because they’re packed with folate, fibre, potassium, B6 and phytonutrients.


Meatless Black Bean Quinoa Balls
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A recipe to replace the Turkey space on your plate. These meatless balls are flavourful and meaty, and the mushroom gravy takes it to the next level.
Author:
Recipe type: Thanksgiving main, dinner
Serves: 25-35 balls
Ingredients
  • • 2 cups of cooked quinoa (1½ cups uncooked)
  • • 2 14oz cans of cooked black beans
  • • ½ cup ground flax meal)
  • • 1 cup water (to soak flax meal for creating the vegan egg)
  • • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • • 4 cloves garlic
  • • 5 cups cremini mushrooms, diced
  • • 1 cup grated carrot
  • • 1 cup walnut halves
  • • 1 cup sunflower seeds
  • • ¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley
  • • 10 sprigs fresh thyme
  • • 4 sprigs fresh sage
  • • 1 to 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Cook quinoa if you haven't already. (Bring 1½ cups quinoa and 1¾ cup water to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes)
  2. Place flax meal into a bowl, add the water, then let sit 5 minutes
  3. Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
  4. Next, heat a frying pan over medium heat, add onions. Let cook for a few minutes, or until they become soft and translucent. If they stick, add a splash of water.
  5. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Continue to cook until the mushrooms have browned and all of their moisture has evaporated.
  6. Place onion, mushroom mixture into a big mixing bowl.
  7. Add grated carrot to mixing bowl.
  8. In your food processor, pulse the walnuts and sunflower seeds until a coarse meal forms, then add this to mixing bowl.
  9. Add all your fresh herbs to the food processor and blend until minced. Add to the mixing bowl.
  10. Add the cooked quinoa and black beans and pulse a few times (still should have some chunky texture to the beans). Add this to the mixing bowl.
  11. Pour the soaked flax egg into the food processor and purée for a minute. This will create an egg-white texture. Add this to the mixing bowl.
  12. Next, add the nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to the mixing bowl and mix everything well to combine.
  13. Form ½ cup balls with your hands, and place on a parchment covered baking sheet.
  14. Bake for 20 minutes.
  15. Meanwhile, make the mushroom gravy.


6 Ingredient, Oil-free, Vegan Mushroom Gravy
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This gravy is good to douse anything with! It's easy, delicious and perfect for any holiday meal.
Author:
Recipe type: Topping, Sauce, Gravy
Cuisine: Thanksgiving, Holiday, Comfort food
Serves: 3 cups
Ingredients
  • • 2 yellow onions, diced
  • • 5 cups mushrooms (cremini, white, or wild), sliced
  • • 3 tbsp white wine
  • • 3 tbsp flour (gluten-free or whole wheat)
  • • 2 to 2½ cups water
  • • 2 tbsp tamari
  • • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • • 1 tsp sea salt (to taste)
  • • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
  1. Heat a large stainless steel frying pan over medium heat (better than a non-stick pan for this recipe, so you get the nice browning of the onions)
  2. Dry-sauté the onions: When the pan is hot, add the onions. Let them simmer for a couple minutes, then add a splash of water to pull the caramelization off the pan.
  3. Sauté the onions until they are translucent and slightly browned, adding more splashes of water if they're sticking.
  4. Add the mushrooms. Simmer them until their water evaporates and they start to brown.
  5. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stirring until combined.
  6. Then, add the flour. Stir until combined and simmer for 30 seconds.
  7. Slowly add 2 cups of the water. Stir constantly, then let it come to a simmer before adding the rest of the water.
  8. Let cook a few minutes to become a gravy-like consistency, then add the tamari and apple cider vinegar.
  9. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Moments from the mega road trip!

 

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

By

Any kind of pumpkin pie recipe is ridiculously irresistible this time of the year….but this vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake tops them all!

When a friend brings a vegan dessert to a big dinner party and the it lasts only 5 minutes before it’s completely devoured… you hi-jack the recipe and post it on your blog.

(But still give all kudos to her).

This pie was a huge hit, and put the non-vegan cake to shame. Now, thanks to Deena, the secret is out.

It was literally gone in minutes, and Deena was bombarded with well-deserved praise.

That kind of reaction is love in the form of pie.

Deena Cook is definitely not a newbie when it comes to raw, vegan desserts. She shared this kind of wonderful-ness on the daily through her own cafe, so it’s safe to say, she know’s a thing or two about ice cream, desserts, and the taste of whole-food vegan decadence. She was originally inspired to implement a raw, vegan lifestyle while living on the Big Island of Hawaii. After that, she went on to own an organic cafe back where she grew up in Cape May, New Jersey, called Bliss Homemade Organic Ice Cream & Cafe. There, she specialized in small batch, homemade organic ice creams, and also served up raw & vegan treats, acai bowls, smoothies, and some wicked locally-roasted coffee and lattés. Now she enjoys making raw treats for her hubby, Jer, and doggie in Squamish! Also, both Jeremy and Deena offer healing ceremonies here.

When I made her recipe with a couple slight changes, and served it up at a family Thanksgiving last weekend, the table fell silent for at least 10 seconds as the forks sunk into the layers of dense cheesecake. The silence was broken when one of my Grandma’s buddies stated matter-of-factly…

‘This is the finest dessert I have ever had’.

Perfectly put, classy lad!

The whole dinner party was amazed that these 3 layers of creamy and decadent awesomeness, could possibly be vegan.

Besides the pumpkin purée, this pie is alllllll raw, baby.

Soaking those cashews not only makes them soft and easy to blend into a heavenly consistency, but it also begins the sprouting process, making the nutrients more absorbable and way easier for your body to digest.

Let’s take a moment to devour the layers with our eyes. Can you taste it yet?

And let’s not forget about the coconut whipped cream!

It’s incredibly easy, and even my whipped cream-loving, coconut avoider grandma (slash incredibly beautiful human) loved it.

Benefits:

  • Pumpkin has a big dose of Vitamin A to help with your vision, plus it’s packed with betacarotene and antioxidants to ward of disease, especially prostate cancer (good for the dudes!). Plus, pumpkin is only 50 calories, yet nutrient-dense and fibre-rich to help with feeling full, heart health and digestion. Not to mention the epic tastiness….
  • Dates are mother nature’s sweetener. I see it as her way of saying ‘I love ya’. They’re packed with fibre and minerals like iron, magnesium and zinc! The more dates in your life the better.
  • Cashews are super high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Magnesium and phosphorus help maintain your fluids and electrolytes to ward of those dang leg cramps. Plus, these babies are packed with protein.


Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This scrumptious dessert is a 3 layer masterpiece that will fool your cheesecake-loving friends. It's now been coined the 'finest dessert I've ever had' by my Grandma's friend at the dinner table. See for yourself, and I'll leave it at that.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert, Thanksgiving
Cuisine: Thanksgiving, Autumn dessert
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
Tools
  • Food Processor
  • Blender
  • Round 8-inch Springform Pan (or pie plate)
  • Spatula
1st Layer (Crust):
  • 2 cups pitted dates
  • 2 cups raw pecans
  • 1 tsp salt
2st Layer:
  • 3½ cups raw cashews (soaked overnight or soaked in boiling water for 2 hours, rinsed & drained)
  • ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
  • ½ cup coconut milk (full fat from a room temperature can)
  • ½ cup dark maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp sea salt
3rd Layer:
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice (2 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp cloves)
  • 1 can pumpkin purée, unsweetened
Coconut Whipped Cream:
  • 1 can chilled coconut milk (chilled in fridge overnight for best results)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
Topping:
  • Pecans
Instructions
  1. BEFORE you start: your cashews must be soaked and your coconut milk must be chilled at least a few hours each (overnight is best for the most creamy consistency).
  2. First, grease your pie plate with a light coating of coconut oil (it's easy to use paper towel to smear it all over the pan).
First Layer Crust:
  1. Blend dates on high in your food processor, until finely chopped.
  2. Add pecans and salt to the date dough in your processor. Blend on high until all ingredients are evenly distributed and consistent.
  3. Use wet hands to pack dough into an even crust covering the bottom of the plate.
  4. Put your crusted pie plate into the freezer while preparing the filling.
Second Layer:
  1. Melt your coconut oil first, then let cool a few minutes.
  2. In your blender, add cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, salt, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Blend on high. The longer it's blended, the more moist and creamy your filling will be.
  3. Remove your crusted pie plate from the freezer.
  4. Pour ONLY HALF of the blender’s contents over top of your crust. Use a spatula to spread it around in an even layer. Place this 2-layer pie back in the freezer (make sure it’s on a flat surface).
  5. Let it chill and solidify for at least 30 minutes.
Third Layer:
  1. Add pumpkin pie spices and pumpkin puree to the remaining cashew filling in the blender. Blend on high until the mixture becomes orange!
  2. Remove your pie plate from the freezer and pour the pumpkin layer over the top. Spread it evenly with a spatula.
Finishing:
  1. Freeze the 3-layer pie, on a flat surface in your freezer, for a minimum of 3 hours.
  2. Remove from freezer to countertop 20 minutes before your ready to serve.
  3. Press pecans into the top layer of the pie.
  4. Make the Coconut Whipped Cream: flip the chilled coconut can upside down, then open. Pour out the liquid into a jar (drink it!), and add the full fat coconut cream to your food processor with the maple syrup. Blend until creamy!
  5. To serve: If you're using a pie plate, use a butter knife to cut around the circumference of the pie. Top with coco whip and listen to the sound of mmmmm's.

*This is an easy recipe, but calls for some scheduling:

  • The night before, soak your cashews and put your can of coconut milk in the fridge
  • The best time to make this pie is in the morning, so you can freeze it for 4 hours or more (the longer the better)

Need help going plant-based?  Check out the 80/20 Plants app for ALL YOU NEED for your veg journey.

Ratatouille Smoked Tofu Pasta Bake

By

A vegan Thanksgiving dish to bring to any dinner to curb those fall comfort food feels!

Rainbow forests, crunchy leaves, crisp mornings & cozy teas.

Does that count as poetry?

But really, I do love fall. Seasons make you truly appreciate each one when you’re in it. The summer (as usual) went by in a blink. We always pack it to the brim with as much adventure in the sun as we can fit.

Paddle boarding. Biking. Camping. Hiking. Dancing.

Now is the time, with the changing of seasons, to have an excuse to take a step back.

Cooking, minimizing the closet, dinner catch ups, catching up on … everything?!

Well, here is a recipe to add to your autumn vibes. Even if this holiday is traditional with the turkey and all, this is a perfect vegan Thanksgiving recipe to bring for everyone to try.

After living in France for years in her 20s, ratatouille is something my Mom has conquered and makes all the time. I decided to give it a bit of a twist this time to make it even more comfort-food approved.

This recipe tastes ‘melt in your mouth-y’, and gives you that feeling of eating something heavy, but it’s actually packed with veggies and nutrients, light on the tummy, great on the digestion, and nice to your waist-line.

Win win.

This passed the comfort-food taste test from the comfort-food lover (aka Davey), so I’m confident that you’ll get those comforting vibes from this dish too.

I always get my smoked tofu from Spud, but if you head to any vegan meat section of the grocery store these days, you’ll be able to find an organic smoked tofu block.

You can use any vegan cheese for the topping (this is optional, but totally takes it to next level awesomeness).

Or, top it off with some vegan parmesano with this easy recipe from here.

Benefits:

  • Eggplant is a great veggie for weight loss because it’s packed with fibre, with no fat or cholesterol. It’s also beneficial for bone health, not only because of the calcium content, but also the potassium content to help the uptake of the calcium! Also, if you’re worried about anemia, eggplant is the veggie for you because it’s packed with iron. It’s brain food too because of all the phytonutrients it packs!
  • Brown rice pasta has just 2 ingredients; brown rice & water. SO many people are afraid of pasta, or any carbs for that matter. But white pasta, refined sugars, and overly processed or fried carbohydrates with a bunch of ingredients are giving carbohydrates a bad name. Carbohydrates, even pasta with minimal whole food ingredients, are what our body thrives on. So go for it with the brown rice pasta, quinoa pasta, soba noodles, baked potatoes, and brown rice! It’s brain food and good energy that our body loves.
  • Veggies galore! This recipe is a great way to pack in a bunch of veggies. The more veggies we have in our diet, the longer we’ll live and the better we’ll feel. Duh.

 

 

Baked Ratatoullie Pasta with Smoked Tofu
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A perfect vegan Thanksgiving dish to bring to dinner this year!
Author:
Recipe type: vegan thanksgiving main, comfort food dinner, dinner
Cuisine: french, Canadian
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 3 onions, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 10 small cremini or white mushrooms, diced
  • 2 red peppers, diced
  • 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder (or 1 cube, or ½ cup vegetable broth)
  • 1 tbsp garam masala spice
  • 1 large eggplant, cubed
  • 2 zucchinis, cubed
  • 1 small can organic diced tomatoes, OR 5 chopped roma tomatoes
  • 1 package smoked tofu, diced
  • 1 package brown rice pasta
  • Vegan cheeze of choice for topping (I used Gusta) or top with Vegan Parmesan
Instructions
  1. Oil-free sauté the onions, add garlic after a few minutes
  2. Add mushrooms, red pepper, zucchini and eggplant. Sauté for a few minutes with ½ cup water.
  3. Add diced tomatoes (or can of tomatoes).
  4. Stir, then let simmer 20 minutes.
  5. Pre-Heat oven to 350°F.
  6. Bring pasta water to a boil.
  7. Cook pasta according to directions, then strain.
  8. Mix pasta and smoked tofu into the ratatouille pot.
  9. Sprinkle with cheeze (the Gusta was amazing. It's easy to grate and browns up!)
  10. Bake, lid-on for 5-10 minutes, and continue baking with the lid off for 3 more minutes to brown to top layer.

Sign up here for your free PDF “7 Steps to Add More Plants to Your Life”

(+ exclusive resources & tips)!