I have been a full vegetarian for about five years now and one of the first questions I’m asked when someone finds out that I don’t eat any sort of meat is, 'What do you do for Thanksgiving and the holidays?'  My answer demystifies two vegetarian-fearing myths: I cook a healthy vegetarian meal for the holidays, and I do so on a budget.  Eating healthy can be easy and affordable - even for the holidays.  If you’re interested in cooking a vegetarian-friendly holiday meal, but it seems overwhelming, these Thanksgiving recipe ideas will give you some healthy inspiration!

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Tofurky

As a turkey-alternative, tofurky is a popular main dish choice.  Unlike the hours required to roast a turkey, most tofu or meatless turkey meals come prepared and pre-cooked.  Tofurky Vegetarian Feast can be found at most organic, vegetarian/vegan, or health food stores and is made out of a tofu-wheat-protein blend.  It even carves like a boneless turkey breast, so you can barely tell the difference!  The Tofurky meat-substitute should only take about an hour to prepare and can feed around 6 hungry vegetarian or vegans!  Eating meatless doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthier, but if a vegetarian diet is closely followed, it can be great for your health.  If you’re on a budget, a Tofurky is going to save you a lot considering it's usually priced around $16.00.  If you don’t want to buy a Tofurky already prepared, you can buy firm tofu at your local grocery store, mold it how you’d like on a cookie sheet or pan, add the spices of your choice, and bake until it’s warm and has formed a light brown crust on the top.

Acorn Squash Medley

Acorn squash medley makes a great vegetarian-friendly side dish at your Thanksgiving dinner.  To prepare, cut an acorn squash in half and roast it in the oven for about 35-45 minutes until it’s soft.  When it’s at the desired consistency, mix in toppings of your choice.  Some of my personal recommendations are walnuts, or other candied nuts, dried cranberries, and sliced and baked apples with cinnamon.  The presentation of this dish is beautiful and quite autumnal.  One acorn squash can feed two, and their affordability makes them ideal for serving a large party.

Vegan Mushroom Gravy

Here’s another veggie-inspired dish that will complement your meal and fit your Thanksgiving budget!  I found this recipe on One Green Planet, which is a great resource for healthy eating on a tight budget.  This recipe serves 8.  You’ll need 4 cups of vegetable broth, 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, 1 medium yellow onion diced, 2 tbsp. olive oil, 16 oz. cremini mushrooms, 4 gloves of garlic, 1 tsp. dried thyme, 1 tsp. dried sage, 1/2 tsp. salt fresh black pepper, 1/2 cup dry white wine, 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast.

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Classic Mashed Potatoes

My version of the classic mashed potatoes doesn’t deviate too far from the norm but the recipe I suggest makes it a tad bit healthier.  Prepare and boil the potatoes as normal, but instead of using cream, butter, and/or milk to flavor the potatoes, I use Earth Balance vegan buttery spread and unflavored almond or cashew milk.  Feel free to add any additional seasonings that you may like, but you’ll be surprised how flavorful and healthy the recipe is without the use of butter or cream!

If you’re not a vegan or vegetarian, have no fear - these meals are still delicious for any meat and dairy lover.  If you’ve never tried a tofurky before, that is one dish I definitely recommend you try!  There’s a first time for everything!  I hope these healthy and affordable Thanksgiving meal substitutes treat you and your wallet well this holiday season!