By Dr. Niki Davis
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. My husband and son love to tease me by saying that it IS my favorite holiday… and maybe they are right. There are many reasons to love Thanksgiving – spending time with loved ones, eating delicious food, and taking time to be grateful for all that we have.
Eating plant based for Thanksgiving can be tricky though! If you are new to this way of eating, it can feel isolating and overwhelming. Thanksgiving wasn’t always a lovely plant-filled affair in my home. I had to navigate my own family’s traditions for a long time. I would bring a dish I wanted to eat and others would do their best to accommodate me.
Luckily, over the years, we evolved our traditions. Instead of a turkey on the table, our family “adopts” a turkey from the Farm Sanctuary (https://www.farmsanctuary.org/adopt-a-turkey/). My 9 year old son loves to scroll through the turkey profiles to find the perfect turkey to support. This year he chose Roberto. In addition, we have found new foods to enjoy and have even “veganized” some old favorites. I’m thrilled to be showing what my family enjoys on Thanksgiving on Chef AJ’s YouTube show on Friday, November 4th at 11am PT (watch the replay here) – so please join in if you can! If you miss it, be sure to catch the replay since I use a lot of Dr. McDougall’s recipes with my own little tweaks.
Here is what I usually make for our Davis Family Plant Based Thanksgiving:
- Tofu Loaf (be sure to watch for Dr. Davis’ twist on this recipe): https://www.drmcdougall.com/recipes/tofu-loaf/
- Mashed Potatoes: 3 lb bag of yellow potatoes in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes. Blend with
either the leftover potato water or plant milk until creamy, light, and fluffy. - Gravy (be sure to watch for Dr. Davis’ tip on making these recipes even easier):
Fat free: https://www.drmcdougall.com/recipes/fat-free-golden-gravy/
With Tahini: https://www.drmcdougall.com/recipes/creamy-golden-gravy/ - Stuffing: Sauté onion and celery in water or veggie broth. Add to packaged stuffing mix or bread crumbs with veggie broth until slightly moist consistency. If the mix does not include spices, use poultry seasoning. Cover and bake at about 350 deg until heated through (usually about 1 hour). Consider uncovering near the end to get it a little crispy on top.
- Sesame Greens: https://www.drmcdougall.com/recipes/sesame-greens/
- Apple Crisp: https://www.drmcdougall.com/recipes/apple-crisp/
And finally, I want to tell you what I am grateful for this year. I’m grateful for my health and the health of my family. I’m grateful to my patients for allowing me to be a part of their own health journeys. I’m grateful for the time that I have on this planet, however long that may be. I’m grateful for the people who stood up and made their voices heard about the benefits of a plant based diet, not only for everyone’s health but for our planet and the animals we share it with. These people were (and in many ways still are) outcasts, rebels, and revolutionaries. It is because of them I get to enjoy my own good health and help to improve the health of others. I wish all of you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!