I love cooking and I love a good challenge. How about create a Vegan Thanksgiving menu and cook all the food for four people solo? Challenge accepted. 

I transitioned from a Vegetarian diet to a Vegan diet in February of this year and honestly haven't looked back. It has been one of the best decisions I've made. And no, I don't really miss cheese. The only thing I do miss is that plant-based cheese alternatives definitely don't melt well, if at all. But as my husband recently pointed out, plants don't melt, so it shouldn't be surprising! 

This will be my first Thanksgiving entirely Vegan and I was asked to create the menu for my parents and husband. At first, it seemed a little daunting, but I did some research and am very happy with the results. Let's just hope it will all taste as good as it sounds! I will admit, there are a few items I am buying from Flour Bakery in Boston to provide a little assistance. 

• Dinner rolls (Flour Bakery)
• Roasted Heirloom Squash with Pomegrante Molasses, Pear, Pepitas & Sage (Flour Bakery) 
• Cranberry Chutney with Orange and Ginger (Flour Bakery)
• Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup (my own recipe)
• Green beans with sliced Almonds sauteed in Earth Balance Vegan butter with salt & pepper
• Pumpkin Muffins (Trade Joe's mix subbing the oil for Apple sauce & Eggs with Neat Egg so it's nearly guilt-free)
• Autumn Kale Salad (chopped Kale, sliced Apples, dried Cranberries, diced Cucumber, shredded Daiya cheddar cheese, crushed Walnuts)
• Individual Vegan "Chick'n" Pot Pies inspired by Minimalist Baker. I'll be adding Tofurky lightly seasoned chick'n strips for more texture and protein. 
• Whipped mashed potatoes using Earth Balance Vegan Butter and unsweetened almond milk (salt & pepper)
• Pumpkin Pie (Whole Foods) & cupcakes (Georgetown Cupcakes) 
• I also bought a Gardein holiday roast as a back up in the event the "Chick'n Pot Pies" are a bust. You can pick them up at Whole Foods for $14. 

If this menu doesn't sound creative or exciting, here are more Vegan menus to peruse from other plant-based food bloggers.

• Bon Appetit  
• Forks Over Knives
• Sharon Palmer
• Minimalist Baker
• Food & Wine
• Delish
• Buzzfeed
• Oh She Glows
• New York Times
• Cooking Light 

American culture has come to believe that Thanksgiving is not just a day to stuff your turkey but to stuff your face, forcing you to unbutton your pants (or in many cases wear elastic waist band pants). And once our pants are more comfortable, we watch football for hours and/or pass out for several hours into a food coma. The recovery time is a few days. Many of us have forgotten the “thankfulness” part of Thanksgiving. Sure, it’s about being thankful you have a copious amount of food, but you should be grateful and give thanks every day for the food on your table. 

Here are a few tips to help you feel not totally and utterly disgusted with yourself on Thanksgiving. Perhaps it could help change your overall behavior too. 

1.Drink lots of water throughout the day and ahead of the “big meal” to have that “full” feeling. 

2.If it doesn’t interfere with tradition too much, try to plan the big meal for early evening. Don’t  “starve” yourself throughout the day in anticipation of the big meal. Eat small snacks and light meals leading up to dinner so that you aren’t ravenous or “hangry.” Besides, if you will be a much more enjoyable person to be around and your Great Aunt Millie won’t drive you as crazy. 

3.Don’t eat after 9 p.m. 

4.Throw on a coat and head outside for a walk shortly after the meal. This not only breaks up any family drama, but also helps with digestion. 

5.Decide on just ONE slice of pie or chose ONE dessert. It’s not going anywhere, and there will be plenty of leftovers.
 
6.Pass on the bread. Yes, there is nothing more delicious than a warm flaky roll with butter, but save the carbs and calories and try eating more vegetables or protein.

7.Take a brisk walk or run before dinner. Maybe even participate in your local 5K Thanksgiving morning. 

8.Consider donating your time or canned goods to the local food pantry.

9.Stop eating. It isn’t a competition.  Maybe one large plate is plenty. Avoid the urge to fill your plate multiple times.

10.Slow down. Chew your food. Pace yourself. Savor the flavors. Your family member just spent several hours creating that dish and you should appreciate it. Enjoy the company you are with. The slower you eat and the more time you allow in between plates, will allow your body to digest the food and truly get full. 

11.Space out the main meal from dessert. Maybe the perfect time to take that outdoor walk is in between the main meal and dessert.

I just moved to the Boston area five months ago and am slowly eating my way through all of the vegan restaurants and bakeries the city has to offer.  

By far, my favorite fast casual joint is Flour Bakery & Cafe. I frequent it far too often, but I can't help it, it's only 1 block from my office in Back Bay. They cycle in seasonal vegan treats but always have the low fat vegan chocolate muffin and the homemade hummus sandwich on the menu. Both are fresh, moist, and down right delicious. The fall seasonal vegan apple spice muffin is so addictive that it often doesn't last longer than a few minutes.

To assist me on my quest to sample delicious Vegan food in and around Boston, I'm going to consult Eater's new best of vegetarian and vegan restaurant list. So far, I've only sampled food from five of the 23 restaurants listed. It looks like I know how I'll be spending my winter...

For anyone who knows me, you know that Sheep are my favorite animals. Just a quick post today to say Happy World Vegan Day. 

I transitioned to a Vegan diet nine months ago and haven't looked back after being a vegetarian for 25 years. It is one of the best decisions I've made. On this World Vegan Day, I encourage you to indulge on plant-based treats (many bakeries and restaurants offer vegan options) and share a meat-free meal with someone special. Maybe you aren't ready to fully give up meat and dairy, but try incorporating more plant-based proteins and vegetables into your diet at least a few times a week and see how you feel. 

Why Vegan? 

• For the Animals
• World Hunger
• Compassion
• Peace
• Our Planet
• Health
• Rainforests
• Our Water
• Wildlife