Delicious & Wholesome Recipes for Thanksgiving Dinner

by Rohit Bumrah Writter

The changing hues of nature, falling leaves and a misty chill in the weather; we know that Autumn is around the corner. Pumpkin spice lattes, cozy weather, knit sweaters mark the onset of the holiday season. This season yields some delicious autumnal produce like butternut squash, pumpkins, sweet potato, etc. Thanksgiving is the biggest holiday during this season. This year move beyond roasted turkey and try some plant-based recipes. Here are a few dishes that you can prepare for this celebratory dinner.

• Roasted butternut squash soup:

Slice one medium butternut squash and roast it at 350 degrees for 45 minutes in a baking tray with some cloves of garlic, kosher salt, crushed pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Once roasted, add the mix to a food processor with 200 ml of coconut milk, 1 tsp of sweet paprika and blitz it till it gets a creamy consistency. Pour it in the pan and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Pour in a soup bowl and garnish it with a few pieces of roasted squash. This dish is the perfect entrée to serve for Thanksgiving dinner with bold flavors of the fall.

• Pumpkin spice risotto with crispy sage:

Create a healthier version of this classic Italian dish with risotto rice. Sauté a few garlic cloves in olive oil. Add almond milk, nutritional yeast, and vegan parmesan. Keep stirring till it gets saucy. Add 1 cup of pumpkin puree.

Use best basmati rice to make this delicious risotto. Cover and cook the rice for 15-20 minutes. In a separate pan, fry a few sage leaves in olive oil. Serve the risotto in bowl and top with the crispy sage.

• Pumpkin hummus with crudités:

Just blitz 500gms of roasted pumpkin puree to 500 gm boiled chickpeas, cumin powder, 1 tablespoon of tahini paste, 2 chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tsp of kosher salt in a food processor. Serve the hummus chilled with falafel, beetroot & carrot sticks and garlicky pita bread.

• Lentil loaf with cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes:

In a food processor, pulse together cooked lentils, steamed mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, ½ cup oat flour, 1 flax egg, roasted garlic, salt, and pepper to create a chunky consistency dough. Sprinkle some brown sugar to caramelize the top. Line a loaf baking tray with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Your lentil loaf is ready. Use a potato ricer to get perfectly mashed potatoes. Add roasted garlic, olive oil, salt, crushed pepper, few sprigs of rosemary leaves and a splash of almond milk and mix well. For the cranberry sauce, add 250 gm of fresh cranberries in a pan with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Smash the berries once they get into a compote-like consistency. Slice the lentil loaf and serve warm with a dollop of mashed potatoes and a drizzle of cranberry sauce.

• Pumpkin pie:

Give a sweet ending to a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with this decadent pumpkin pie recipe. For the crust, mix 1 ¼ cup of gluten-free flour mix with frozen coconut oil, a splash of ice-water. Put the dough in the pie tray and chill it for 2 hours. For the filling, blend pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin spice mix, melted coconut oil along with 1 tsp of cinnamon. Pour the filling in the crust and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove from the pie tin, once cooled. Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg.

These recipes are vegetarian and gluten-free. Make these delicious and healthy recipes on your next Thanksgiving dinner. Your friends and family will certainly be pleased and keep coming back for more.