Recently it was Thanksgiving in Canada, which means that the traditional Thanksgiving dinner is in order. However, with turkey and turkey gravy being off the menu, things are a little different for a vegetarian.
(The final result of Thanksgiving Dinner!)
Thanksgiving is a very important holiday in the North America, and giving thanks is probably the most important thing we can do. So much of what we have we take for granted. So, what are you thankful for? Leave a comment and let me know. Personally, I am thankful for having an amazing family that is always there for me, and I am extra thankful for having the ability to go to a wonderful school and be able to live such a privileged life.
Anyways, lets get on with the post!
Since I am a vegetarian, I am going to have substitutes for both the gravy and the turkey. The turkey substitute I am using is called "Tofurky"(since it is made of tofu), and there is also some vegetarian gravy. Here are some images of both.
(The Tofurky Thanksgiving Roast)
(The Tofurky gravy to go with it)
Tofurky isn't a very popular vegetarian option, but I love it! It has a nice soft inside and the rice stuffing makes it a virtuous option. It has a lot of protein and is a great substitute for turkey, so it is certainly not to be missed. In fact, it turns out that both a turkey and Tofurky both have 26 grams of protein in a three ounce serving. The gravy is very tasty as well, and is a perfect pair with the tofurky. Let's get into how I (with assistance of my mother) cooked these up!
The day before:
Make sure that the day before you cook the tofurky and gravy, that you let them thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. You don't want to be cooking them while they are frozen, because that will give an uneven cooking.
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350ºf Take the roast out of the fridge, which has been thawing. Take the Tofurky out of the packaging and place it on a pan with aluminum or tin foil.
(The tofurky in its plastic coating, before I took it out. The baste and our greens are also out.)
Step 2:
We created a baste for the Tofurky by mixing 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of ground thyme, along with some salt and pepper. With the baste, pour/brush half of it over the roast, and save half for later. Cover the roast and allow it to cook in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or 1 hour and 30 minutes, depending on how long you allowed it to thaw for. If you did not thaw the roast, instead cook it for 2 hours and 20 minutes covered.
(Me brushing half of the baste over the tofurky.)
Step 3:
While the tofurky cooks, you have some free time. If you have the Tofurky gravy, this is a good time to make it. You will need to pour the gravy into a saucepan, cooking it over a stovetop. Whisk the gravy over medium heat, until warm. Alternatively, if you have a microwave, you can instead cook it by removing the lid and puncturing a 1/2 inch hole in the top film covering the gravy. Heat it on high heat for one minute, and then stir is and check it's temperature. If it is not warm enough, heat it continuously on one minute intervals until finished. You will know when it's finished, because it is all depending on how hot you want the gravy to be.
Step 4:
After the Tofurky is finished its time cooking while covered, Remove it from the oven and take off the cover. Add the extra half of the baste to the tofurky, and allow it to cook in the oven uncovered for 10 minutes. If you did not thaw the roast, cook it for an extra 15 minutes uncovered.
(My tofurky after being in the oven for an hour and a half. Mmmmmm.)
Step 5:
Once your tofurky is finished being cooked while uncovered, take it out of the oven and remove from the foil and pan. Use a bread knife to slice it, as the serrated edge is much better at cutting it than a flat, slicing edge. (Which I found out the hard way. Oops.)
(An image of the Tofurky, freshly cut with the stuffing inside.)
Serve with traditional Thanksgiving fixins!
I had my tofurky with some vegetarian stuffing (I substituted some Tofurky sausages for the pork sausage in the recipe), some mashed potatoes, some string beans (with slivered almonds, and some maple-flavoured squash. I poured some of the gravy on top of my tofurky, and the meal was delicious.
(The finished product of Thanksgiving dinner!)
The reason I love tofurky for Thanksgiving is simple: I find that it is very simple to cook, very tasty to eat, and a great turkey substitute. Many people find that vegetarian tofu/tofurky products are not an appetizing substitute, but I find that they are a great way to get protein and a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner. And let's be honest, once it's cooked, it looks much better... and everything tastes better with gravy, wouldn't you agree?
MY OVERALL RATING:
Four and a half chillies! Très bon!
I hope you enjoyed reading and (possibly) making this. Thanks for tuning in today, and hopefully I inspired or taught you something.
Thanks for reading, I'll catch you next time.
Sam
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