The feast shall commence with a sensational white burgundy wine by Pouilly Fuisse.
The appetiser, a Holiday Salad with Cranberry Apple Orange Vinaigrette, shall present a zing to the taste buds! By Angela Liddon of Oh She Glows.
Then, to a gorgeous concoction of comforting warmth: Red Quinoa with Roasted Butternut Squash, Dried Cranberries, and Pumpkin Seeds, by Joseph Erdos of Gastronomer’s Guide. I shall most likely dip this into reduced sugar ketchup.
And because I am feeling creative and vegan girl ‘healthy’, the feast shall also feature a more elegant looking dish for the more pretentious members of my family (namely moi): Seitan Roulade with Chestnut Stuffing; Broiled Haricots Verts with Slow Roasted Tomatoes; Mushroom Gravy; and Tangerine Cranberry Sauce. By Lolo of VeganYumYum.
For the finale, a Roasted Banana Rum Cheesecake! By Eccentric Vegan of Vegan Soapbox.
And more wine! Pinot Noir by Francis Ford Coppola. Yay!
We shall giggle, reminisce, and be jolly. Whilst footballers play and fashionistas prepare for Black Friday, I shall not worry about my fat, about eating too much, and about wanting to get rid of it. I shall revel in the glory of a holiday.
Just kidding.
I have no intentions of viewing the parade. I have no food plans. I am not celebrating with human beings. I am managing my business. I am practicing yoga. We are bicycling. We are film viewing.
We are having peace and quiet.
Last year was a bear, and we have no interest in doing that ever again regardless of strict obligation and tradition.
Sometimes a girl must create her own tradition, her own philosophy, one that makes her happy.
Most likely my dinner shall be two helpings of this:
And wine. ;)
The nation shall be quiet; and NicoleAndGwendolyn shall be even quieter. Happily so!
Happy Thanksgiving. We are thankful for you, our dear readers.
xo NicoleAndGwendolyn
What role does food play in your Thanksgiving celebration?
© Nicole Marie Story Enterprises, LLC and nicoleandgwendolyn.com, 2011, 2012.
hahaha! Those dishes do look good though. Someone else would have to make them for me. I never know when I’ll be having a thanksgiving meal (as in a bunch of food and other people all eating together). Being an on my own type person I can’t limit that sort of celebration to any particular day of the year. If it comes up, I call it Thanksgiving :) I don’t do “meals” very often ( have I said I don’t like that word?)
Will be thinking of you and other special people in any case, I’ll be working.
Yasha! Happy Thanksgiving! You have phrased my thoughts perfectly. That pretty food is all too much work! If I am feeling ‘Thanksgiving-y’, then I shall cook a bag of Gardein Stuffed Turkey and eat cranberry sauce from the can, haha! That’s about it! For now, I shall settle for viewing Friends for a few hours, for walking clients later, then to my wine and film, and then to food! I love this Thanksgiving. It is my favourite Thanksgiving ever.
Ah, you didn’t ever have me fooled – I know you too well now!
I wouldn’t like the Seitan dish – too greasy and heavy-looking. The dessert…well, I can’t stand even the smell of Rum. The first two dishes look lovely though.
I really hope your day is a peaceful but not a lonely one. Personally I am thankful that the UK does not have Thanksgiving, because it’s a holiday I am deeply cynical about and too many people (as with Xmas in the UK) just use it as a reason to stuff themselves fuller than the poor turkey and then moan on about eating too much candy or whatever. It’s great to be thankful for things but we can do that every day – I won’t even go into the politics of ‘pilgrims’ and what they did to the Native Americans. I think the Addams Family did it best:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VbYZDohsHk
I freaking LOVE that film.
Such a perfect clip. I’ve viewed it before, but in my less, “I care about objective righteousness and just want to be a yoga housewife” state of mind. So I REALLY appreciated just having viewed it again. I don’t really know very much about the Pilgrims and of how they reportedly forced themselves onto the land. Did they earn it? Or did they really just take it? And if they indeed took it, why did the Indians allow them to do so? Whatever. I don’t worry about it.
Family stresses me out. I spoke with my mother this morning, and she’s already hounding me about Christmas. ‘You better not pull this on Christmas.’ THIS?! Not meeting for an annoying meal? Not getting yelled at? I don’t get it.
I’d love a close group of friends who could meet for wine, a film, a walk in the park. That would be so wonderful. Alas, my friends all live abroad. :) I am not lonely. Just selective and particular about the company which I keep.
Happy Thanksgiving, pilgrim. :)
ooo, I could eat that salad (without the vinaigrette, too much work) any day, doesn’t have to be thanksgiving, or any other holiday (since we don’t have thanksgiving) I’ve actually just recently pinned that particular salad.
For some reason, Thanksgiving makes me think of “Friends” and their thanksgivings episodes: the one where Rachel makes dessert but mixes up the recipes of a sweet and savoury concotion and Joey deems it all to be “gooood”, Ross naming all the US states, Brad Pitt hating Rachel, Joey wearing Phoebe’s pregnant pants to eat more…
I’ll be there for you! mwah!
Hahaha! I am currently viewing the episode with the balloon!
OMG, now I’m viewing the one with the football game and can’t stop laughing!!!
I’ll bother you once more about Friends!
I love that you love Friends.
It makes me laugh so hard; and I can imagine viewing re-runs with you, Gwendolyn, and Indie, laughing all day long!
Love you!
Happy Thanksgiving! :D
have you ever seen “Coupling”? It’s a British show and when it came out it was said to be a naughty “Friends”. I found it hilarious.
X
I have not, but now I am intrigued! Do you interpret your living situation with Geert to be like Monica and Chandler’s? I’ve never before lived with a man, but I assume it would (will?) be quite hilarious. :)
I knew right when I saw that cheesecake that you were pullin a jokester! I was like pppsshhh the day this sexy asss biatch eats that monsterous cake is the day the world ends!! WOOF! I think however you choose to “celebrate” is perfect. I am going to go for a run, then have some family time, and then have some manfriend time. It is my first vegan thanksgiving, and 7th vegetarian thanksgiving. My plate will be filled with the same foods I eat every other day. And of course a slice of my vegan pumpkin pie I made last night ;). Enjoy your quiet time!! I shall do the same!
Lovvve that I didn’t fool you and Jess on the pie!!! It’s definitely pie perfection, especially with the rum and vegan cream cheese! But I would definitely NOT stop at just one slice. The day would be an absolute train wreck!!! Your comment of, “My plate will be filled with the same foods I eat every other day…” reminded me of a recent conversation that I’ve had with my parents! I offered to bring “a squash vegan concoction,” and my mother’s immediate reply was, “your father won’t eat that.” Me: “He won’t eat squash?” My mother, “He won’t eat anything like that.” Me: “What is ‘that’?” My mother: “That vegan stuff.”
“MOTHER, DOES HE EAT PLAIN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES? BECAUSE NEWSFLASH, THEY ARE VEGAN, TOO!” Then I proceeded to explain about how their ignorance on vegan eating and judgement upon my consumption is hurtful; and the conversation ended badly. LOL. Happy Thanksgiving to you and manfriend! I heart you!
SO sad to hear..squash is such an amazing food! I had some of my fave..BUTNUT! Butternut squash with cinnamon. Not many people understand the “vegan lifestyle” but that just makes me thrive even more!!
I think just the word “vegan” throws people sometimes. There have been several days recently where my boyfriend has gotten to the end of the day and realized that he’s eaten the entire day as a vegetarian. (Vegan would never happen, he loves cheese too much).
I have to say the fancy vegan treats do look good, albeit hard to make. I usually only make something interesting when I’m making dinner for my boyfriend or friends otherwise I’m pretty content with simple. :)
MG, sounds like your boyfriend is a classy guy. :) I’d love for my father to experience just one day without processed foods (sure, I eat Daiya, but it’s because I love it – I’m talking about his potato chips, pretzels, etcetera). And I’d love for him to eat plant based for all of it. His body would feel so happy! But, as you know, Americans have this phobia against ‘unconventional’, so I appreciate his apprehensiveness. It just gets old when I explain it, week after week after week… “No, Daddy, just because she’s fat doesn’t mean she’s ‘fat and happy.’”… “No, Daddy, just because she’s thin doesn’t mean she’s Karen Carpenter.” … “No, Daddy, just because I eat a vegan diet does not mean I’m a lesbian.” … give me a break. :D I love my dad, but he’s old fashioned. And I hope that you had a very happy Thanksgiving!!!
I had my boyfriend, a friend and a few others over for Thanksgiving. Because one person was vegetarian and another vegan, I made everything vegan except for the salmon. Some things were a little different than traditional (and by different, I mostly mean I add an excess of fruits and veggies, tone down the fat & sugar and let the natural flavors and spices come through with the foods), but everyone eagerly ate all the vegan dishes I prepared!
Sorry your experience in trying to share a vegan dish with your family didn’t go over well. For those that are familiar with vegan food, we realize it’s not as tasteless and crazy as people who are overly dependent on animal foods think. I think some people just can’t get over the idea, rather than realizing what qualifies as vegan and that those things are still tasty, healthy and likely what your body actually needs to make you feel even better!
Oh! Your Thanksgiving celebration sounds like my kind of party. I think it will be nice, one day, to share these sorts of moments with human beings who just make me feel happy. My family? That’s what Sundays are for. :) xoxo
That would make a lovely feast, but just making everything would be hard work! A quiet Thanksgiving sounds like the perfect alternative :)
Hard work, indeed!!! It is 1:33am, and I couldn’t wait any longer for the grocery store to open (at 3am) to buy my dinner food (was working all day and plum did not have time!). So I just broke down; and I’m eating 3 delicious cans of white beans that I had on-hand. Just opened the cans and poof! Dinner. Much more pleasing to me than creating the above designs. ;) Happy Thanksgiving, gf!
Scratch that. 2 cans of white. 1 can of black. Delicious!!! :D
Thansgiving – I’m not sure how giving thanks needs to be done by preparing food – the idea is to gather and give thanks together, but food has always been used as a social entertainment. I don’t use food as a social purpose. I eat because I need to, so I can run and live and have energy. I cannot eat in social settings in a conscious state of mind, unless it’s with just one other person (my husband or bf), and in that case, i control the quality/amount/nature of food, and I can make it as nourishing as I need it to be. I don’t understand the concept of eating as a celebration. I do think most people in the USA are fat because they consider food a social event, and people are very social. :) In a way, if I eat while entertaining people, I will not pay the right attention to my food and may end up eating less or more, because I did not pay attention!
I will be spending Christmas in Paris with my family. Christmas is an occasion for lots of food in France, but my sister and mum and I usually have a regular meal. The REAL special occasion for us is that I am with them for Christmas, so they do something special for me, such as preparing a meal (with my needs and specifications in mind, without ever judging me). That meal is nourishing and I can focus on it while I eat, and not worry that my mum and sis are not getting the attention they deserve.
If I could eat anything I can ever want without fear of gaining weight, getting sick, become constipated, etc, what would I eat? What would be my “Thanksgiving” meal? (Nicole, you did not fool me, i’m starting to know you well! Eating will never feel as good as thin does – sadly, it’s true. May i be ashamed to type this?) I fully enjoy my meals and I were to have something special, I would probably try a different recipe/routine from my normal meal plan, just to make things a little different for that day.
Today, movie (Life of PI) and then gym for physical therapy! Talking to my family on the phone right now!
I love you!
Francoise
This morning, when speaking to my mother, she “warned” that my grandmother had already called, asking of what she can have for me on Christmas (in terms of food). So terribly sweet, yes. But it makes me wonder: what impact, if any, did my traditional Italian upbringing have upon my non-conventional relationship with food? I don’t care to answer the question because it doesn’t matter now and I shan’t ever have human being children onto whom I’d pass such customs; but it is interesting to me.
I think it’s lovely that your mother and sister will create a comfortable nourishing forum for you. If mine were to do the same, I would not feel comfortable because, in my mind, they will just be judging a potential overconsumption because I eat much more than they do… and I don’t enjoy being perceived as improper by others. Overeating, or what they deem to be overeating, would certainly be improper.
I just gave Life of PI (the book) to goodwill when getting rid of excess. I never read it because I’m always stuck in the Ayn Rand cycle (one that I love).
And I shall end my reply with, yes, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” This has been the title to a blog article draft since about September. Kate Moss was brilliant, and I shall forever hold these words near and dear to my heart.
xoxoxoxoxo
I love you!
I just heated up some faux chicken nuggets on the dashboard of my car. A traditional thanksgiving. Just like our forefathers did.
This just made me LOL and was much needed because I have a royal headache and could think of nothing else until your comment. My only question: why didn’t you have the plant based stuffed holiday turkey?
Nicole, I was thinking about you last night when I was with my family, as I did read this post before heading out. I hope your holiday turned out great with your little baby girl by your side! And I hope you didn’t feel lonely – you’ve invaded the hearts and minds of all of your readers!
At the risk of sounding cliché, I shall divulge that I am so grateful for you, Bianca!!! And I thought of you, too, this morning, when sauntering past the art and drawing supplies section @ the craft store. :) xoxoxo
Thanksgiving = prime money making day for those in the pet care business :)
Oh how you speak my language, girlfriend. :)
When you are a vegan, holidays can be tricky…I am very blessed to have a family that is accepting of my diet. (I was raised on a lot of salads, veggies, etc but went strictly vegan 6 years ago). My step-mom and mom (have to go to 2 houses) are very sensitive to preparing dishes that meet my requirements, and they are “mainstream” enough for others to eat. Usually 30% of the meal is “ok” for me to consume. I do have to supplement a protein source of my own though, because they draw the line at preparing seitain, tofu, etc. I will say this: it was not that simple right away explaining why I would not partake in the sweet potatoes, stufing etc because of the animal products in them even though it “wasn’t meat”. They are used to me now though. My mom is a pescatarian, so she understands to an extent. I have a cousin who also went vegan shortly after me and the transition to family acceptance was easier for her. Holidays are still stressful though. You add a mate and his/her family into the mix and forget about it! My ex-husbands family is still scratching their heads over me, hahaha.
Oh! You’ve thrown an entirely new carrot into the stew! I had no idea that you were previously married! You need to start a blog, girlfriend! How I’d love to read it. For me, because I was vegetarian since 1999 then became pesco-vegan sometime around 2008 (all during bulimia), and now vegan… my family just associates my “pickiness” with disordered eating. And any notion of weight gain is analysed deeply, “Why does she eat this way if she’s gained weight?” … stuff like that. Annoying as hell. It would be nice to just be. That is exactly how I moulded my Thanksgiving on this year.
Oh! And I want to add one more thing. Even during all of the weird bulimic diets, I would always decline stuffing and potatoes 2005 and forward because they were high risk binge foods, and by that time, I was learning to manage the bulimia a bit better (but I’d end up effing up and bingeing anyway when I got home with the “leftovers” that were meant to last “a week.” LOL).
I’m glad you had a fantastic bear-free Thanksgiving! I am trying to integrate more vegan recipes into my already pretty much vegetarian lifestyle, and these recipes are a great stepping stone. Thanks Nicole!
ps. I adore your biking cart with Gwendolyn! Too cute!