Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Maybe it's because it's about the food, not the gifts. But, there's something magical about sitting around a beautifully decorated table with your loved ones. Family. Food. Festivities. Does it get any better than that?
Like many others, one of our time-honored family traditions is sharing what we're thankful for as we break bread at the Thanksgiving table. This year, aside from the usual suspects that I'm oh-so-grateful for (Ryan, Family, and Faith), at the top of my list is my health. The older I become, the more grateful I am to have a healthy body. I am grateful every day that I lace up my running shoes, or slip on my barre socks, that I have the strength and determination to be active. Many years ago, as I was out for a particularly tough morning run in San Franciso, as I turned left at Pier 39 and headed toward Golden Gate State Park, I ran past a local hotel and the bellhop outside yelled "You gotta treat yourself, don't cheat yourself!" And, several miles later, as I looped back by him again, he repeated the phrase, along with a "You go, girl!" That mantra has stuck with me and I find myself repeating it in my head when the going gets tough. Treat yourself, don't cheat yourself. Do what you can, when you can. One step at a time. Incidentally, this is also my approach to hosting Thanksgiving.
It might be dubbed "Turkey Day," but for all of my fellow vegan and vegetarians out there, Thanksgiving is all about the veggies. This is my fourth time hosting Thanksgiving, and I think I finally have it down to an art. And it's all about the preparation. If you feel intimidated by hosting such a big holiday, have no fear. Your favorite type-A vegan has broken the meal down for you below. Of course, this was written for Thanksgiving, but you could use this plan for any big holiday meal!
Pre-Thanksgiving Countdown
6. Six (Plus) Days to Thanksgiving: In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, try out recipes. Thanksgiving is NOT the day to try something new. There's nothing worse than having a recipe fail in front of an audience. And a hungry one at that. Take the pressure off and go with fail-safe tried-and-true recipes, or at least experiment ahead of time! Order a turkey. Order any other items you might need. I like to call my favorite bakery and pre-order bread. Sometimes I even pre-order the pie crusts (ssh!). Because time. Do yourself a favor and order a bunch recycleable to-go containers on Amazon. This is my favorite Thanksgiving hack. Not only do they help you keep the kitchen tidy mis-en-place style, but they make food storage and sending home leftovers a cinch... and all without the extra dishes. Because you know you're already going to do 5 cycles of the dishwasher and upteen loads of handwashing... so why add to your burden?! Oh yeah, and to avoid running around to five stores the day before Thanksgiving, call your local florist and order several bunches of flowers. I like to order three big bouquets of roses, three bouquets of other flowers (like spider mums and gerbera daisies), and two bunches of greens.
5. Five Days to Thanksgiving: Gather your recipes and make a master grocery list. I like to organize mine by store section to ensure I'm not running all over Trader Joe's, crisscrossing from the produce to the canned goods and back again. Print all your recipes and grocery lists out--this is not a time to try and go digital (think greasy fingers trying unsuccessfully to unlock an iPhone). Put together a make-ahead 5-day schedule listing which dishes you'll make when, as well as a day-of schedule and final checklist. Because no one wants to go to the trouble of making a dish and then forgetting about it in the back of the fridge (been there, done that!). Do the big grocery shop. Or better yet, send your amazing husband (Thanks, Ryan!). Decorate the house. Because the holidays are short.
4. Four Days to Thanksgiving: Make the appetizers. I made the white bean dip and snack mix the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Both will sit well beyond Thanksgiving and are an easy way to feel like you're making progress on your massive to-do list.
3. Three Days to Thanksgiving: Parbake the pie crust. Start chopping vegetables. I like to make mirepoix for the stuffing and cut up a bunch of fresh veggies for crudite. If you store the veggies in plastic baggies with a little cold, fresh water, they'll stay plenty crisp and the baggies take up less space in your fridge.
2. Two Days to Thanksgiving: Bake the pie. This will sit in the fridge, covered, just fine. And it's a big check-off on the list. I also like to iron and steam all the table linens. Because fabric doesn't go bad. Roast the veggies for the Brussels Sprouts dish. Stop on your way home and pick up to-go items from PCC. Because you're cooking, but you're not actually making dinner tonight or tomorrow. Be kind to yourself and get some premade food from the deli.
1. One Day to Thanksgiving: Pick up the flowers and buy the fresh items (like avocadoes and fresh herbs, or anything that won't sit for 5 days). Buy paper plates and napkins for apps and dessert. Because no one cares (and if they do, they don't deserve pie), and you don't need to do extra dishes. Prep the potatoes in the slow-cooker (just don't add the liquid). Prep the stuffing (same thing, no liquid). Make the kale salad. Arrange the flowers. Set the table. Chop all the herbs and garnishes. Wrap in paper towels and place in ziploc bags. Pull out all your serving dishes and utensils. Label with sitcky notes (this ensures that you don't forget anything in the fridge day-of!).
Thanksgiving Day Countdown
8 Hours to Dinner: Plug in the potatoes in the slow-cooker #1.
4 Hours to Dinner: Plug in the butternut squash in slow-cooker #2.
3 Hours to Dinner: Pick up the turkey. Because if you are a vegan but you host a family who can't seem to wrap their heads around a non-turkey Thanksgiving, you suck it up and serve one. But I draw the line at touching the carcass. Luckily, Whole Foods offers a pre-stuffed, par-baked bird that you can pick up day-of and pop right in the oven. Because who has room for a Turkey in the fridge on Thanksgiving?! The one I buy takes 2 hours to heat. Win-win.
1 Hour to Dinner: Pull out the brussels sprouts salad to let it come to room temperature. Toss with the dressing. Take out the vegan buttery spread so it's not hard AF. No one likes unspreadable fake butter.
30 Minutes to Dinner: Pull the turkey out of the oven to rest. Put the stuffing in the oven, covered. Pull out the kale salad and toss with the dressing. Pull out the relish tray and all the sides (cranberry sauce, olives, chives, green onion, etc.). Start refilling everyone's beverages... especially your own. Dinner is almost ready, it's time to drink! Make sure each place setting has water.
15 Minutes to Dinner: Uncover the stuffing for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Heat up the gravy. Carve the turkey (delegate this job to a non-vegan and isolate them to the worst part of the kitchen). Open a window (because turkey smells and you're a vegan). Chop the avocado and put in a dish (because picky eaters). Double check your list... make sure you got all the things. Place everything in it's pre-labeled serving dish. Add serving utensils. Line up the buffet in this order: turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, bowl of chives, stuffing, butternut squash, brussels sprouts, kale salad, bowl of avocado, bread, butter.
Dinner: Eat and enjoy! (And be sure to let others do the dishes... when they offer, they mean it!).
Like many others, one of our time-honored family traditions is sharing what we're thankful for as we break bread at the Thanksgiving table. This year, aside from the usual suspects that I'm oh-so-grateful for (Ryan, Family, and Faith), at the top of my list is my health. The older I become, the more grateful I am to have a healthy body. I am grateful every day that I lace up my running shoes, or slip on my barre socks, that I have the strength and determination to be active. Many years ago, as I was out for a particularly tough morning run in San Franciso, as I turned left at Pier 39 and headed toward Golden Gate State Park, I ran past a local hotel and the bellhop outside yelled "You gotta treat yourself, don't cheat yourself!" And, several miles later, as I looped back by him again, he repeated the phrase, along with a "You go, girl!" That mantra has stuck with me and I find myself repeating it in my head when the going gets tough. Treat yourself, don't cheat yourself. Do what you can, when you can. One step at a time. Incidentally, this is also my approach to hosting Thanksgiving.
It might be dubbed "Turkey Day," but for all of my fellow vegan and vegetarians out there, Thanksgiving is all about the veggies. This is my fourth time hosting Thanksgiving, and I think I finally have it down to an art. And it's all about the preparation. If you feel intimidated by hosting such a big holiday, have no fear. Your favorite type-A vegan has broken the meal down for you below. Of course, this was written for Thanksgiving, but you could use this plan for any big holiday meal!
Pre-Thanksgiving Countdown
6. Six (Plus) Days to Thanksgiving: In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, try out recipes. Thanksgiving is NOT the day to try something new. There's nothing worse than having a recipe fail in front of an audience. And a hungry one at that. Take the pressure off and go with fail-safe tried-and-true recipes, or at least experiment ahead of time! Order a turkey. Order any other items you might need. I like to call my favorite bakery and pre-order bread. Sometimes I even pre-order the pie crusts (ssh!). Because time. Do yourself a favor and order a bunch recycleable to-go containers on Amazon. This is my favorite Thanksgiving hack. Not only do they help you keep the kitchen tidy mis-en-place style, but they make food storage and sending home leftovers a cinch... and all without the extra dishes. Because you know you're already going to do 5 cycles of the dishwasher and upteen loads of handwashing... so why add to your burden?! Oh yeah, and to avoid running around to five stores the day before Thanksgiving, call your local florist and order several bunches of flowers. I like to order three big bouquets of roses, three bouquets of other flowers (like spider mums and gerbera daisies), and two bunches of greens.
5. Five Days to Thanksgiving: Gather your recipes and make a master grocery list. I like to organize mine by store section to ensure I'm not running all over Trader Joe's, crisscrossing from the produce to the canned goods and back again. Print all your recipes and grocery lists out--this is not a time to try and go digital (think greasy fingers trying unsuccessfully to unlock an iPhone). Put together a make-ahead 5-day schedule listing which dishes you'll make when, as well as a day-of schedule and final checklist. Because no one wants to go to the trouble of making a dish and then forgetting about it in the back of the fridge (been there, done that!). Do the big grocery shop. Or better yet, send your amazing husband (Thanks, Ryan!). Decorate the house. Because the holidays are short.
4. Four Days to Thanksgiving: Make the appetizers. I made the white bean dip and snack mix the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Both will sit well beyond Thanksgiving and are an easy way to feel like you're making progress on your massive to-do list.
3. Three Days to Thanksgiving: Parbake the pie crust. Start chopping vegetables. I like to make mirepoix for the stuffing and cut up a bunch of fresh veggies for crudite. If you store the veggies in plastic baggies with a little cold, fresh water, they'll stay plenty crisp and the baggies take up less space in your fridge.
2. Two Days to Thanksgiving: Bake the pie. This will sit in the fridge, covered, just fine. And it's a big check-off on the list. I also like to iron and steam all the table linens. Because fabric doesn't go bad. Roast the veggies for the Brussels Sprouts dish. Stop on your way home and pick up to-go items from PCC. Because you're cooking, but you're not actually making dinner tonight or tomorrow. Be kind to yourself and get some premade food from the deli.
1. One Day to Thanksgiving: Pick up the flowers and buy the fresh items (like avocadoes and fresh herbs, or anything that won't sit for 5 days). Buy paper plates and napkins for apps and dessert. Because no one cares (and if they do, they don't deserve pie), and you don't need to do extra dishes. Prep the potatoes in the slow-cooker (just don't add the liquid). Prep the stuffing (same thing, no liquid). Make the kale salad. Arrange the flowers. Set the table. Chop all the herbs and garnishes. Wrap in paper towels and place in ziploc bags. Pull out all your serving dishes and utensils. Label with sitcky notes (this ensures that you don't forget anything in the fridge day-of!).
Thanksgiving Day Countdown
8 Hours to Dinner: Plug in the potatoes in the slow-cooker #1.
4 Hours to Dinner: Plug in the butternut squash in slow-cooker #2.
3 Hours to Dinner: Pick up the turkey. Because if you are a vegan but you host a family who can't seem to wrap their heads around a non-turkey Thanksgiving, you suck it up and serve one. But I draw the line at touching the carcass. Luckily, Whole Foods offers a pre-stuffed, par-baked bird that you can pick up day-of and pop right in the oven. Because who has room for a Turkey in the fridge on Thanksgiving?! The one I buy takes 2 hours to heat. Win-win.
1 Hour to Dinner: Pull out the brussels sprouts salad to let it come to room temperature. Toss with the dressing. Take out the vegan buttery spread so it's not hard AF. No one likes unspreadable fake butter.
30 Minutes to Dinner: Pull the turkey out of the oven to rest. Put the stuffing in the oven, covered. Pull out the kale salad and toss with the dressing. Pull out the relish tray and all the sides (cranberry sauce, olives, chives, green onion, etc.). Start refilling everyone's beverages... especially your own. Dinner is almost ready, it's time to drink! Make sure each place setting has water.
15 Minutes to Dinner: Uncover the stuffing for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Heat up the gravy. Carve the turkey (delegate this job to a non-vegan and isolate them to the worst part of the kitchen). Open a window (because turkey smells and you're a vegan). Chop the avocado and put in a dish (because picky eaters). Double check your list... make sure you got all the things. Place everything in it's pre-labeled serving dish. Add serving utensils. Line up the buffet in this order: turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, bowl of chives, stuffing, butternut squash, brussels sprouts, kale salad, bowl of avocado, bread, butter.
Dinner: Eat and enjoy! (And be sure to let others do the dishes... when they offer, they mean it!).
