The Thanksgiving Plate (The Prequel To Christmas)

These are just the basic staples of a southern Thanksgiving, and what we have on Thanksgiving in this house is generally what we also have on Christmas. Delicious and extremely moist cornbread stuffing, "turkey", steamed greens, fresh greenbeans and soft and smooth sweet potato pie. Almost everything was completely homemade for this dish.

Sweet Potato Pie Crust:
1 and 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat
1 and 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup of Sugar
1 tsp of Sea Salt
1/2-3/4 cup of Cold Coconut Oil
A few tbl of Non-dairy Milk

Sweet Potato Pie Filling Recipe:
1-2 Large Sweet Potatoes (boiled, then skin removed)
1/4 package of Silken Tofu
1/2 cup of Sugar
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp of Sea Salt
Nutmeg to taste
Enough Non-Dairy Milk to mix it

Mix the dry ingredients together and flake in the coconut oil until it becomes moist for the crust. Dribble in a bit of the milk and then knead until it all comes together. Wrap in plastic and refridgerate for about 30 minutes. Roll it out and cut out your rounds, then thin it out a bit more. Pinch around the edges to make the crust and dock the bottom - or use leftover dough for the crust. Bake it for five minutes at 350 degrees then fill with the sweet potato pie filling and bake until the filling has firmed up.

Mix all of the ingredients together until smooth for the filling (some tiny lumps might be there) and set aside. Place into a pastry bag or spoon onto the crust.

Cornbread Stuffing Recipe:
[1 and 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat
1 cup of Cornmeal
1/2 tsp of Sea Salt
2 tbl of Sweetener
1 cup of Non-Dairy Milk] - Mix together and bake at 350 degrees until browned well.
 
1/2 cup of Toasted Bread Cubes
1-2 cups of Cream of Mushroom Soup (I made my own)
Equal amounts of Cooked Celery, Green Bell Pepper, Onions (and a small amount of Garlic)
Salt, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Oregano and Sage to taste
1-2 cups of Veggie Broth (you can use leftovers from the vegetables and water)

Mix all of the ingredients together and chop with a large spoon until it has all become a very moist amount of food. Pour into a non-stick pan or grease another large one and bake at 350 degrees until fully browned and cooked.

Vegan Turkey Legs Recipe:
1 Box of Arrowhead Mills Vital Wheat Gluten
1/2 cup of Pureed Chickpeas and Water
1/2 tsp of Sea Salt and Smoked Paprika
Enough Water to Mix (Allow some of the VWG to stay in)

Mix until you get a slight bit of spring from your seitan and split into six equal pieces. Shape into whatever you wish, cover in two long pieces of aluminum foil, wrap it tightly and then boil/steam for about thirty minutes. Crisp it afterwards and season as you like throughout the whole process, serve with whatever you like and enjoy!

Vegan Crab Rangoon

This recipe was only precooked because I planned on using it in soups and stews and for frying. Either way it was absolutely delicious and reminded me of some of my favorite foods that I used to get from a nearby Chinese Take-Out place. You can do what you like with it, as long as it makes you happy.

(Vegan Crab Ingredients)

• 1 jar Sweet Potato Baby Food(Make sure its vegan)
• 1 Box of Arrowhead Mills Vital Wheat Gluten
• 1/2 teaspoon of Iodized Salt
• 1/2 block of Silken Tofu
• 1 tsp of Turmeric
• 1 cup of Vegan Fish Sauce (from Sushi Quest)

(Vegan Crab Rangoon Ingredients)

• 1/2 block of pureed Silken Tofu
• 1 tbl of Iodized Salt
• 1/2 tbl of Lemon Juice
• 1/2 tbl of Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother)
• 2 Large Green Onions minced
• 1/2 tsp of Dried Chives minced
• Salt to Taste
• 2-4 edges of Vegan Crab, finely chopped
• Your choice of wrapper

(Directions)

• For the Vegan Crab: Split the package of vital wheat gluten into two separate bowls lined with plastic wrap.
• Add the sweet potato and turmeric to one bowl and mix that together. Then add blended silken tofu to the other, make sure to add the fish sauce after the ingredients are incorporated.
• Gently shape each pieces of raw seitan into squares, and lift up the orange one by the plastic wrap, being sure to support the bottom.
• Gently place it on top of the white one and then you can place the seitan in a basket steamer for about 30 minutes.
• Pan fry the white side first (after steaming it for about 20 minutes or so), then flipped it over so that the orange one could get a nice crust. When it came out it looked like a real crab!
• Cut off the edges and then use them in a delicious vegan crab rangoon or whatever you would enjoy crab in.


• For the Vegan Crab Rangoon: Combine the ingredients together and place about half a teaspoon into the middle of a dumpling wrapper (I used Shanghai-style from an Asian Grocery), ran across the edge with some cold water.
• Form it into the star shape of the rangoon.
• Finish all of the wrappers; pan fry them and enjoy!