A Vegan Thanksgiving

November 11, 2021

Vegan Thanksgiving with Underwood Nouveau


Whether this is your first vegan Thanksgiving, or you’re a ‘seasoned’ vegan professional, there are endless ways to enjoy Thanksgiving while ditching the meat. Our favorite Thanksgiving meal is always paired with the right wine, and our limited release Underwood Nouveau Pinot Noir pairs well with meat or meatless turkey, herbs like thyme and rosemary, and any roasted or mashed root vegetable.


Our Underwood Nouveau is a riff on a Beaujolais Nouveau, which is traditionally made from Gamay grapes in the Beaujolais region of France. Always looking for an Oregon angle, we decided to use our Pinot Noir grapes in the Underwood Nouveau for a fresh take on our traditional Pinot noir. The Gamay grape is actually a cousin of the Pinot Noir grape and flourishes in very similar climates.


Nouveau is known for being a fresh, fruity wine that celebrates the first pour of the season. 2021 is our third vintage and it’s our favorite so far. As a reminder, all of our wines are vegan and gluten-free. Enjoy!


Vegan Thanksgiving Salad



MARSHALL’S BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD


INGREDIENTS:


½ pound brussels sprouts


½ lemon, juiced


½ cup olive oil


3 tablespoons Marshall's Red Chili Lime sauce


2 tablespoons red wine vinegar


salt and pepper, to taste


4 cups mixed lettuce


2 mixed-color snacking peppers or bell, diced


1 cup spiced nuts* (see below)


Shaved parmesan for garnish (substitute Violife for vegan parmesan)


PREPARATION:


Clean and thinly slice the brussels sprouts.


In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and hot sauce, season with salt and pepper.


Pour the dressing over the brussels and toss to coat. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add the lettuce, peppers, nuts, and cheese and toss to combine.


*Easy spiced nuts: 2 cups of your fave nuts (I used hazelnuts and cashews), roast at 350° for 15 minutes, let cool, and toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon Marshall's Volcano Sparkle, 1 teaspoon kosher salt.


Vegan Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes



VEGAN MASHED POTATOES


(inspired by JULIE PIATT’S recipe)


INGREDIENTS:


2 heads cauliflower


15 medium potatoes – a mix of Russet and Yukon Gold


2 cups vegan mayo – Follow Your Heart or similar


1 stick vegan butter – Miyoko’s or similar


1 head roasted garlic


2 tablespoons sea salt


PREPARATION:


Slice the top half of garlic so tops of cloves are exposed. Drizzle olive oil and salt on top.


Replace top of garlic head. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake at 350° for 45-60 minutes, or until golden in color and soft.


Fill a large pot with water to 3/4 full.


Add the potatoes to the pot and boil on high until they are soft. For Instant Pot users, cut potatoes in half, add ¼-1/2 cup of water to bottom of pot, sit potatoes on steamer rack in pot, cook on high for 12 minutes. Let rest 3-5 minutes then manually release pressure.


In a separate large steamer pot, steam the heads of cauliflower until they are very soft and translucent. Instant Pot users, similar to potatoes but cook for 2-3 minutes on high.


For those who prefer to remove potato skins—empty the potatoes into a strainer, drain the water and gently rub the potato skins off with your thumbs under a cool stream of water. Omit step 4 if you prefer to leave skins on.


Combine potatoes and cauliflower into one pot and mash well. Add all other ingredients and continue mashing until desired texture is reached and all ingredients are combined.


Add more salt, butter, or mayo as needed. Enjoy!


Vegan Thanksgiving Gravy



VEGAN MUSHROOM GRAVY


INGREDIENTS


½cup extra-virgin olive oil


½small onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)


4-6ounces cremini mushrooms, finely chopped


½cup all-purpose flour


4 to 5cups vegan vegetable stock, preferably homemade but vegan bouillon cubes will work•1teaspoon soy sauce, more to taste


½teaspoon kosher salt


¼teaspoon black pepper


1 tablespoon light miso


PREPARATION:


In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook, stirring, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.


Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in vegetable stock, a little at a time, until a smooth sauce forms. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened. Season with soy sauce, miso, salt, and pepper.


For a smooth texture, blend in a high-speed blender. For chunkier grave, serve as-is, or pass it through a fine-mesh strainer.


Union Wine Co Vegan Thanksgiving with a Vegan Turkey



VEGAN TURKEY – VERY GOOD BUTCHER’S STUFFED BEAST


INGREDIENTS:


1 Stuffed Beast


BASTE:


1 cup veggie stock


1/4 cup vegan butter


1 sprig each thyme and rosemary


3 cloves of garlic


salt and pepper


PREPARATION:


Make sure to thaw the beast. Remove packaging and cheesecloth.


Baste your beast to keep it nice and juicy using your favorite recipe or our very good baste.


Cook the beast uncovered on a baking pan at 350° for 45-60 minutes, basting every 15 minutes to keep everything nice and moist. Make sure the center of the beast is above 160°. Remove from the oven once nicely roasted, let cool for a few minutes, serve, and enjoy!