I should probably call this my *dream* menu, because, no matter how badly I might wish to, I won’t be able to prepare each and every single one of the delectable dishes I’ve rounded up for Thanksgiving this year. That said, here are my top contenders for next week’s great feast. Hopefully they’ll get your creative juices flowing, too!

SIDES AND STARTERS

My blood orange and kale salad with almonds is a perfect start to a rich meal. The kale makes it hearty and satisfying, but the dressing and the addition of blood oranges makes it taste incredibly bright.

I discovered shaved brussels sprout salad a few years ago and promptly fell in love with it. Raw Brussels sprouts are a fantastic alternative when you’re over kale salad but you still want the slightly bitter bite of a raw crucifer. So good.

I love the way roasting brings out cauliflower’s sweetness and tenderness. I also love the way it pairs with curry (it is, after all, a very common curry ingredient in Indian cuisine), and the cranberries give this curried cauliflower dish a seasonal feel.

Roasted kabocha, pear, and ginger bisque with cashew creme fraiche. I don’t think there’s anything else that needs to be said about this recipe, do you?

Vegan cornbread. A simple, no-fuss, sweet-but-not-too-sweet version.

MAINS

Sure, it’s just a salad, but my great big vegan holiday salad is hefty enough to make for a perfect, light Thanksgiving main dish. Added bonus: lots of cool components that you could break down and serve as side dishes.

My butternut squash, brussels sprout, and bread stuffing with apples is pretty much my favorite stuffing of all time. I’ve made it for several years in a row, and I’ll definitely be making it again for this year’s celebration.

My lentil walnut loaf is deliciously savory, and–if you serve it with some of my super simple, almost instant vegan gravy–it’s a perfect centerpiece for your table.

Not in the mood to prep stuffing and a main dish from scratch? Get yourself a roast. The Tofurky Roast (which I wrote about on Saturday) and the Field Roast Celebration Roast are both delicious.

DESSERT

Craving apple pie, but hate the idea of making pie crust this year? Don’t worry. My vegan apple crisp has you covered.

Speaking of apples, my raw caramel apple pie bars have captured my heart this week. They’re wonderful, and they make for a cute, individually portioned dessert that’s perfect for sharing at potlucks or Friendsgiving celebrations!

My no-bake vegan pumpkin pie is mostly raw and perfect for a dessert that feels sumptuous, but is easy to make.

Craving chocolate? Craving pumpkin? Can’t make up your mind? Don’t. Have some of both, with my raw brownies with chocolate pumpkin frosting.

Finally, it’s hard not to fall in love with my raw, vegan pecan pie. I challenge you not to inhale all of the caramel-like filling before it exits the blender.

POST-THANKSGIVING BREAKFAST

Why allow the pumpkin jubilee to end? Make some pumpkin pancakes.

Ready for something green and wholesome? Try my very green tofu scramble.

My peaches n’ green smoothie is super refreshing (and the post contains links to other breakfast ideas!).

For something simple and warm, go for my quinoa breakfast pudding, and feel free to use a seasonal fruit in place of berries for the topping. Or perhaps some easy apple compote; yum.

Finally: crumble coffee cake. This may be Steven’s favorite recipe that I’ve ever made. To make this seasonal, substitute apple slices for the peaches.

So, with all this said, what’s my actual menu? Probably the following:

1. Cranberry sauce (haven’t settled on a recipe yet, but my mom will probably up and leave if there isn’t some of this on the table, since it’s her favorite!)
2. The aforementioned Brussels sprout and bread stuffing
3. Mashed maple sweet potatoes
4. Cornbread (or cornbread muffins)
5. Green beans (recipe TBD)
6. A compassionate roast. Since Steven and I did Tofurky last weekend, we’ll probably do Field Roast next week!
7. Vegan gravy
8. Apple pie or apple crisp
9. Vegan pumpkin pie

We’ll see how it goes, and of course, I’ll likely be recapping on the blog and/or sharing on the Insta. I feel so lucky to be making a real feast this year, and sharing it with Steven for his first vegan Thanksgiving. Hope everything is tasty 🙂

If you celebrate Thanksgiving, then I wish you a week of fun prepping and planning. See you back here tomorrow with a special holiday giveaway!

xo