Sharing Earth's Bounty
Happy Thanksgiving!
No matter how we might feel about things going on around us in the world, I hope everyone has the opportunity to gather with friends and family this holiday season to celebrate over a shared meal. Making food for others has long been an expression of love. I believe the effort you make to choose fresh, good quality ingredients and prepare dishes that align with your values shows caring in action.
As the only vegan in my family, Thanksgiving dinner for me is all about the sides. Here I offer you three simple, seasonal recipes for your holiday celebrations.
RECIPES
My Fresh Cranberry Sauce can be made in about 10 minutes! Traditional cranberry sauces either come from a can or are made by boiling down fresh cranberries with sugar and other ingredients. Using fresh cranberries allows you to retain their full health benefits. They are extremely tart, which is balanced out in this recipe by the sweetness from the apples and dates.
Cranberries are high in rarely found plant defense chemicals called pro-anthocyanidins. These compounds have antibacterial properties which studies have shown improve urinary tract health. Researchers also believe the benefits may include protection against collagen degradation in the skin and cognitive decline.
Stuffing has always been one of my Thanksgiving favorites. Once I became vegan, it was a challenge, because stuffing originated as a filling cooked inside a turkey or chicken. Many versions of stuffing also contain sausage, bacon fat or even oysters. These days there are multitudes of vegan stuffing recipes you can make separately from the bird, but my Nutty Stuffing recipe is unique as it requires no cooking and no bread. Instead I use a mix of fruit, vegetables and nuts to create a nice texture and spices that replicate the nostalgic flavor.
You may be surprised to see a raw recipe with butternut squash, but according to Wikipedia:
The word squash comes from the Narragansett word askutasquash, meaning "eaten raw or uncooked",[6][7] and butternut from the squash's nutty flavor.
With some good blender power, even hard squash can be puréed to a smooth consistency. Blending it together with cashews and other veggies results in a rich, creamy soup. This Butternut Bisque is great throughout fall and winter, making good use of squash you can purchase and store for up to 6 months.
SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING / GIFT IDEAS
It seems like Black Friday has turned into Black October and November! I try very hard not to get sucked into a shopping frenzy with the omnipresent deals. One thing that’s helping me is unsubscribing from e-tailers and stores so that I don’t get as many texts and e-mails filling my inbox. Catalog Choice is a wonderful non-profit website where you can easily remove your name from catalog marketing lists and cut down on junk mail.
We are in the season for gift giving, so rather than be a total Scrooge, I’m trying to be more thoughtful about what I buy and where I shop. I prefer local businesses, especially those with sustainable practices, and when I purchase online, I try my best to avoid Amazon and buy directly from the business.
If you’re local, the Make Good Market is coming up at Heath Ceramics in San Francisco on December 7/8 with fun activities and several high quality artisans selling their wares.
Here is a list of some other suggestions for brick and mortar and online vendors:
EarthShopp - Loads of cool, sustainable products including kitchenware, bath and beauty products, toys and clothing. Check out these silicone tea bags and these silicone mats are great for roasting veggies in place of parchment paper
DoneGood - Beautiful linens, aprons, baskets, food storage. I love these fabric bowl covers.
Pique Life - I get my favorite matcha powder here.
Oaktown Spiceshop - Amazing shop in Oakland is worth a visit. This collection should delight any veggie lover.
Coracao Confections - Local company making selling delicious vegan chocolates as well as CaCoCo drinking chocolate blends like this one, which I used for making chocolate smoothies and chocolate mousse at Que SeRaw SeRaw.
Charles Viancin - I’m in love with everything on this site. They make all make me smile - this “bundle” would be a wonderful gift.
Made Trade - Another online shop with a nice variety of home decor, clothing, jewelry and accessories. These flannel pajamas look extra cozy.
Of course Patagonia is the OG eco-friendly company for so many reasons. Check out their Worn Wear section for gently used items!
I wish you all healthy happy shopping and Happy Thanksgiving.