Countdown Day 3: Thanksgiving Turkey Alternatives
- Ashley Branch
- Nov 23, 2015
- 3 min read
I get it. Turkey just isn’t your thing. It’s not my thing either.
This leaves you in a tough spot for Thanksgiving. Plenty of people will tell you that it’s not Thanksgiving without a turkey, but I am here to tell you that those people are wrong.
Obviously ham is another holiday favorite, but personally, I like to save ham for Christmas. I was looking for other ideas, and came across the Babble.com blog, where Elizabeth Stark (no relation to Tony) wrote an absolute gold mine of alternative ideas.
We also wanted to find alternatives for our vegetarian and vegan friends as well. Not all of the recipes are vegan, but all in the Meatless section are vegetarian. These make great substitutes or additions to offer your veggie-loving friends. Our biggest goal here was to not just find recipes with fake meat, or tofu. These were found on a great blog, Greatest.com.
I have seperated these recipes into two categories, Meat Dishes and Meatless Dishes. Here are some my favorites from both articles:
Meat Dishes:
First of all, this recipe is easy and fast- much less of a headache than a turkey- and it has really great fall flavors without being heavy from the cranberry and pecan stuffing. It even has an apple-parsnip mash recipe to go along with it. That’s an easy main dish and a side all right here.
This is wonderfully unexpected- lamb! In addition to the great flavors from the squash, which is a little mapley, a little chestnutty, this meal also only takes about an hour to make, including prep time. Not to mention that there is nothing more fall than presenting your dish in a miniature pumpkin.
This brisket would be perfect for those who like their main dishes on the heavier side. Honestly, who doesn’t like to nap after dinner? The cranberry and corn succotash are a perfect match to give a bit of lighter taste to this dish. Just throw it in the oven, relax and watch the game, and take it out in 4 hours. It’s that simple.
This meal is rich and hearty, your go-to for Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe gives you the secret to tender, fall-off-the-bone short ribs, as well as a crazy addictive sauce, perfect for drizzling over other side dishes or dunking your bread in. This one is a slow cooker style meal, so you can even make it the day before.
Meatless Dishes:
A play on the classic chicken pot pie, this dish has everything- protein and seasonal flavors all wrapped up in flakey crust.
This is a delectable vegan dish, so you better make plenty of extras for all your guests, not just your non-meat eating friends. The walnuts bring the flavors of the season to the meal, and the mushroom is filling and tasty.
Take advantage of fall produce by incorporating this dish in your Thanksgiving day line up. Not only are these gorgeous, they also have so many autumn flavors packed in- squash, apple, cranberries and walnuts all in one bite.
Chili is a fall and winter staple, so why don’t we have it on the holidays more? This is quick dish, something you can make in less than an hour and freeze for later. You can also experiment with different kind of vegetables and degrees of spiciness for your own preference.
Which one will you be trying out? Let us know how it goes!
Meat Dishes: http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/beyond-turkey-25-alternative-thanksgiving-meat-recipes/
Meatless Dishes: http://greatist.com/health/vegetarian-main-dishes-for-thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is almost here, stay tuned to see Day 2 of the Thanksgiving Countdown!
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