6 Delicious, Healthy, Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

Yes, these recipes are not only free of animal products, oil and sugar, they're also delicious (really!) and simple to prepare.

Delicious, healthy and vegan is an essential trio if you're trying to eat well on this typically gluttonous holiday.  Not only do you want to eat healthy but you want your guests to enjoy the food too.  These recipes will not only help you lose weight, but they'll delight and surprise your guests as well.

 
 
 
 

1. Mashed Japanese Sweet Potatoes by Trisha Mandes (yup, that's me!)

  • Japanese Sweet potatoes* (about 1/2 potato per person)
  • Almond milk or any plant milk
  • Cinnamon to taste
  • Maple syrup (optional

Turn oven to 400 F and bake.  Rinse sweet potatoes and stab with a fork a few times around each one.  Place on a cookie sheet and place in the oven for 60 minutes.  The potatoes should be soft to the touch when finished.

Slice lengthwise and let cool for about 15 minutes.  Next, combine the insides of all of the potatoes into a large mixing bowl.  Slowly add small amounts of plant milk and mash with a hand masher or an electric mixture to get the consistency you like… more plant milk for smoother, thinner taters or less for thicker and chunkier.  Sprinkle with cinnamon on-top.

Keep maple syrup on the side and let guests add a tablespoon to their liking on-top.  

* Japanese or sometimes called Asian sweet potatoes are purple on the outside and white on the inside.  They are even sweeter than regular sweet potatoes or yams and can be found at food co-ops and Asian grocery stores.

2. Honey Mustard Dressing by Trisha Mandes

  • 1/4 C Honey
  • 1/4 C Stoneground mustard
  • Salad greens mix 

Add honey and mustard into a small bowl.  Whisk together until evenly mixed.  Taste and add more honey or mustard to your liking.  Evenly pour over a bed a salad greens right before serving guests.  Toss with tongs until the salad is evenly coated.  

This dressing would taste yummy evenly coated on steamed green beans with almond slices sprinkled on-top.  Yum!

3. Farm Fresh Salad

  • Honey Mustard dressing (above)
  • Farm fresh salad mix (I bought at my local food co-op)
  • clementines
  • craisins
  • walnuts

Equally coat salad greens with the honey mustard dressing until applied evenly.  Add greens to your guests individual salad plates.  Top each plate with a few slices of clementine and 1/2-1 TB of walnuts.  Finish by sprinkling a few craisins on-top of each plate.

* Make this salad right before serving.  It will wilt if you make it and let it sit.

4. Cathy Fisher's Chunky Cranberry Sauce

  • Find the recipe here

I love this recipe!  This is the 2nd Thanksgiving in a row I'll be preparing it.  It's delicious, very healthy and it take 15 minutes to make!  I enjoy using the fresh cranberries it calls for.  I think it also tastes better the next day so this is an easy dish to prepare the day before Thanksgiving.  

BONUS Recipes

5. Cathy Fisher's Creamy Mushroom Gravy

Again, I discovered this gravy last year and will absolutely be making it again.  This is another quick recipe and it's excellent on-top of mashed potatoes.

I add an additional 1/4 C cashews and sauté extra mushrooms in soy sauce before adding the blended gravy mix back to that same pan.  I like the extra mushrooms chunks :)

6. Cathy Fisher's Pumpkin Pie

I haven't tried this recipe yet but it looks delicious!  It would be especially yummy with some banana ice-cream on-top.  The picture's of the pie Cathy's blog look amazing so make sure you check it out and comment on how it tastes!

7. For even more recipes including apple pie and appetizers, check out my Pinterest board 'Thanksgiving Recipes'

Take Control Now

What are you making for Thanksgiving?  Have a plant-based recipe to share and inspire?

Answer by clicking 'comments' below.