5 Thanksgiving Day Side Dishes

Thanksgiving Day side dish extravaganza!
Whether you choose to make one or all five, you can't lose with any of these side dishes amped up with new flavor without losing tradition. Don't forget my Apricot & Salt Chocolate Tart for dessert!

Biscuits with Persimmon Cranberry Butter
Biscuits
makes  8 biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbl organic cane sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

¼ cup vegetable shortening, chilled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

¼ cup vegan butter, chilled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

¾ cup almond milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in shortening and butter until they are pea sized. Add in almond milk and mix with your hands until dough is formed but do not over mix or biscuits will be tough. Roll out to 1” thick on a floured surface and cut into 2” circles.

Place the biscuits in a greased 9” pie pan, packed tightly. This will help the biscuits rise up instead of out.

Lightly spray the tops with oil and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on the bottom and cooked on the inside.

 
Persimmon Cranberry Butter
2 small persimmons, peeled, roughly chopped

12 oz fresh (or frozen and thawed) cranberries

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup water, plus more

Pinch of sea salt

Combine all of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until the fruit has broken down and the water has been absorbed.

Transfer to a blender or food processor along with 3 tbl of water and blend until smooth.

Bring back to the stove and simmer over low heat for 10 more minutes, stirring often so it doesn’t burn.

Creamed Corn 

serves 4

1 tbl extra virgin olive oil

½ small yellow onion, small dice

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

10 oz fresh or frozen corn kernels

Salt and pepper

1 ¼ cup coconut milk

¾ cup vegetable broth

Sweat the onion in olive oil until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add the thyme, corn and season with salt and pepper. Add the coconut milk and broth and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the mixture is thick, stirring often. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pecans & Cranberries

serves  4

2 cups brussel sprouts, halved

2 tbl extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

¼ cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped

¼ cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 375.

Toss the brussel sprouts with the remaining ingredients and roast on a baking sheet for 20 minutes until the outer leaves are crispy and browned.

Toss with toasted pecans and cranberries.

 

Sweet Potato & Plantain Mash with Brown Sugar Crumble

serves 4- 6

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, medium dice

2 yellow/black plantains, medium dice

3 tbl coconut oil

Salt and pepper

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups organic light brown sugar, packed

1 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped

1 tsp cinnamon

½  tsp ground ginger

½ tsp salt

1 cup vegan butter, cold and cubed

Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine the sweet potato and plantains in a pot of cold, lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain.

Mash with coconut oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the mash into an 8x8 casserole dish.

Combine the flour, sugar, pecans, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter and mix with your hands or forks until the butter is pea sized and the mixture is clumpy and moist. Top the potato mixture with the crumble and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

 "Deviled Eggs"
12 small yukon golds, peeled and halved
1 heaping tbl black salt**
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise

2 tbl olive oil
1 tbl turmeric
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 scallions, minced, green parts only
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
paprika for dusting

Combine the potatoes, black salt and cold water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Cook until tender but not falling apart. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Combine the remaining ingredients except the paprika in a food processor and puree until smooth.
Scoop out a small hole in each potato and add that potato to the food processor. Puree until smooth.
Pipe each potato with filling and dust with paprika.

**Black salt can be found at specialty food stores like Whole Foods. It has a very sulfuric quality and actually sort of smells like rotten eggs. I have had a container of it in my cabinet for months now and never knew what the heck to use it with. Once I decided to try to make deviled eggs, it only made sense to try to impart some of that flavor into the potatoes. I really believe that these would definitely not taste as true to the taste without this secret ingredient.

Creole Pot Pie with Biscuits

Pot pie can essentially be filled with whatever you want and I have seen it topped in a number of ways; sometimes with a pie crust or puff pastry but in this case I thought a nice fluffy biscuit would suit my pot pie the best.
Chayote is a green squash found in a lot of Mexican and Southern cooking and I notice it pretty readily available in regular grocery stores now. If you can't find it, try going to a Spanish market to see if they have them. If not, feel free to substitute with butternut squash.

Thick, hearty tomato based gravy simmered with potatoes, sweet pearl onions, green bell pepper, chayote, red beans and fresh parsley served with a flaky biscuit on top.

Creole Pot Pie
4 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
10 pearl onions, peeled and kept whole (or frozen)
1 carrot, medium dice
1 celery stalk, small dice
1 green bell pepper, medium dice
salt and pepper
1 chayote, peeled, medium dice
1 large yukon gold, unpeeled, medium dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbl creole seasoning
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 heaping tbl ap flour
6oz tomato paste
2 cups soy creamer
2 tsp fresh chopped thyme leaves
1-15oz can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbl fresh chopped parsley

In a large pot, saute 2 tbl of oil with the pearl onions, carrots, celery, green pepper and 1 tsp salt over medium heat until the onions start to brown, 10 minutes. Add the chayote, potato, garlic, 1/2 tsp pepper and creole seasoning and saute 10 minutes more. Add the vegetable broth 1 tbl at a time if moisture is needed.
Transfer the vegetables to a plate and add the remaining 2 tbl of oil to the pot. Add the flour and whisk into a thick paste over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and whisk for 30 seconds more. Slowly pour in the soy creamer, while whisking to create a smooth sauce. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a simmer until the gravy gets thick. Season with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and thyme leaves. Simmer for 3-4 minutes then add the vegetables back in along with the beans and parsley. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes over medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender and cooked through. Taste and season.

Biscuits
makes 2 large biscuits
2 cups ap flour, plus more for rolling
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup earth balance vegan butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold and cubed
3/4 cup soy creamer
1/4 tsp cornstarch
2 tbl water

Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare a baking sheet.
Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter and shortening cubes and use a fork or your hands to mix into the dry ingredients until the butter is in small pea-sized pieces. Add the creamer and just barely mix into a ball.
Turn out onto a floured surface and gently roll out 1" thick. Cut out biscuits with a cookie cutter or a knife and place on the baking sheet.
Mix together the cornstarch and water. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the cornstarch slurry.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Serve on top of a bowl of pot pie.

Alternatively, you could also pour the veg filling in a baking dish or individual oven safe bowls, put the biscuits on top and bake in the oven until the biscuits are done. Just reduce the final 20 minute cook on the vegetables to 10 minutes. It will finish in the oven with the biscuits.

Biscuit and Tempeh Mushroom Gravy

Flaky biscuits sandwiched around creamy almond based gravy with plenty of spices and some heat.

My secret ingredient to this gravy is pureed white beans. They add an intensely creamy texture and flavor. The gravy is hearty and filled with spiced tempeh and cremini mushrooms giving it a 'sausage gravy' feel without using any kind of fake meat.

White Gravy
2 tbl cornstarch
2 cup almond milk
4 tbl butter
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can white beans,drained
2 tbl olive oil

Puree beans with olive oil in a blender or a food processor. Set aside.
Mix cornstarch and cold milk until smooth in small saucepan. Turn on the heat to medium high. Add butter and melt completely. Continue to whisk as the gravy thickens. Add salt, red pepper flakes and pepper. Whisk constantly. Bring to boil over medium heat
1 minute. whisk in bean puree. Add tempeh mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sausage Tempeh
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
12oz Tempeh, crumbled
1c finely chopped cremini mushrooms
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbl tamari
juice of 1/2 lemon

In a large saute pan, heat oil and add tempeh, mushrooms and garlic. Saute until for about 5 minutes. Add spices and cook until golden brown. Add tamari and lemon juice and cook until evaporated. Add to gravy mix.

Biscuits
2c all-purpose flour
1 tbl sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4c vegetable shortening, chilled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4c earth balance butter, chilled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4c almond milk (more or less)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl add flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Cut in shortening and butter until they are pea sized. Add in almond milk and mix with your hands until dough is formed but do not over mix or biscuits will be tough. Roll out and cut into circles, bake on a sheet pan lined with parchment or foil and bake for 15-20 minutes.