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  3. Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner

October 14, 2016
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Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
Don't feel like you're missing out with a meat-free holiday. It's totally easy (and delicious) to have a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner. Start the party with tasty little appetizers and follow it with a plant-based meal that will leave guests raving for weeks. Veggie-packed sides, tender rolls, impressive main dishes, and delectable desserts all make a scrumptious spread. Start the evening with Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds and end on a sweet note with Chai Carrot Pie.
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Spinach-Artichoke Bites

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Spinach-Artichoke Bites

Veggie-centric meals highlight the best of the season's flavors. This vegetarian menu is no exception, with everything from sweet potato casserole to stuffed butternut squashes. Even the most dedicated of meat eaters will enjoy these plant-based dishes. 

These Spinach-Artichoke Bites save 167 calories, 3.6g sat fat, and 393mg sodium per serving over traditional spinach-artichoke dip. Frozen artichoke hearts contain no added salt, unlike the canned variety, which may contain more than 300mg per half cup.

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Sweet and Spicy Pumpkinseeds

Credit: Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Pumpkinseeds

Hulled pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas) are packed with protein, iron, heart healthy fats, and fiber. This spiced up version makes a delicious snack that delivers a slight sweetness with a subtle kick thanks to the chipotle chili powder and red pepper. For even more kick, add an extra 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper. Not just for snacks, these toasty seeds are delicious over yogurt, tossed into salads, sprinkled over whole grains (bonus crunch!), or stirred into your favorite homemade granola mix. Make a double batch and store in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days; these seeds are so good you'll never want to run out!

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Honey Whole-Wheat Pull-Apart Rolls

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Honey Whole-Wheat Pull-Apart Rolls

These light and tender whole-grain rolls are everything we love about holiday breads: warm, nutty, and just barely sweetened with honey. Bake these light and tender whole-grain rolls ahead and freeze up to 1 month, or make the dough ahead and bake on the day: Punch down the risen dough to form a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill 8 hours or overnight. Return to a bowl and let rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours before shaping.

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Sweet Potato Casserole With Crunchy Oat Topping

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole With Crunchy Oat Topping

This classic casserole often straddles the line between side and dessert (indeed, we've enjoyed the leftovers both ways). We dial down the sugar to steer the dish back to savory territory, and add a crunchy oat and nut topper for texture. A final drizzle of maple syrup just before serving gives the casserole a lovely sheen. While we call for a ricer in our master mashed potatoes, a potato masher is perfectly acceptable here since the spuds will be bound with an egg, topped, and baked. Chopped almonds or walnuts would be a delicious sub for the pecans.

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Skillet Green Bean Casserole

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Skillet Green Bean Casserole

We've shortened (and lightened) this holiday classic by bringing everything together in one pan and using the stovetop and broiler rather than baking.

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Black Pepper and Herb Mashed Potatoes

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Black Pepper and Herb Mashed Potatoes

Buttermilk adds an extra layer of creaminess to these herb-infused potatoes flecked with parsley, tarragon, and chives. 

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Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Kale Tabbouleh

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Kale Tabbouleh

This is a fun dish to "carve" at the table, as each person gets one wedge to enjoy as a side dish. For an entrée take, give each person half a squash.

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Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Pomegranate and Pine Nuts

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Pomegranate and Pine Nuts

For a bit of showmanship, bring the whole cauliflower to the table, and then "carve" and dress with the vinaigrette, pomegranate arils, pine nuts, and parsley.

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Double-Crust Apple Pie

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Double-Crust Apple Pie

A double crust seals in the apples' natural juices as the pie bakes for full-on apple flavor. Tossing the apples with apple juice keeps them from browning as you peel and slice them, and it adds a boost of apple flavor.

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Spiced Apple-Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Spiced Apple-Cranberry Sauce

A trio of warm spices takes this holiday staple out of candy-sweet territory and into the world of robust holiday condiments. The sauce is delicious to top off your holiday protein for the rest of the season. Apples counter the tartness of the cranberries and help the sauce thicken. No fine dice on the apples here; the rustic chunky look of the two fruits is what makes the sauce beautiful and enticing. If you’re feeling extra generous, double the batch and spoon into small jars for guests to take home.

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Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bundt

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bundt

The earliest ways of preparing pumpkin were savory, but sweetened recipes, like the first pumpkin pies—baked in the pumpkin shell rather than in a pie crust. We've come a long way since then. In this recipe, we mix pumpkin with bittersweet chocolate for a flavor that is decidedly fall and perfect for seasonal entertaining. (We think it's great for breakfast too!)

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Chai Carrot Pie

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Chai Carrot Pie

Staple spice-rack spices create all the depth of classic chai tea in this luscious, carrot-packed, whole-grain dessert. It's a cross between a play on pumpkin pie and carrot cake: The texture and flavor are reminiscent of the former, and the layers--cream cheese mixture on the bottom, spiced carrot filling on top--are inspired by the latter. To get a big head start, you can make and freeze the crust up to a week ahead. A combination of butter and shortening in the crust is ideal--butter for its rich flavor, and shortening to create a flaky texture. We recommend Earth Balance shortening (found with the other shortenings in large supermarkets or health-focused stores) because, unlike most other shortenings, it contains no trans fats. 

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Everything in This Slideshow

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1 of 12 Spinach-Artichoke Bites
2 of 12 Sweet and Spicy Pumpkinseeds
3 of 12 Honey Whole-Wheat Pull-Apart Rolls
4 of 12 Sweet Potato Casserole With Crunchy Oat Topping
5 of 12 Skillet Green Bean Casserole
6 of 12 Black Pepper and Herb Mashed Potatoes
7 of 12 Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Kale Tabbouleh
8 of 12 Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Pomegranate and Pine Nuts
9 of 12 Double-Crust Apple Pie
10 of 12 Spiced Apple-Cranberry Sauce
11 of 12 Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bundt
12 of 12 Chai Carrot Pie

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Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner
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