Vegetarian Ventures: Happy Tofurky Day!
You may think Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without turkey (and giving thanks, of course). Contrary to popular belief, as a vegetarian, I am still able to enjoy the third Thursday of November every year. In fact, it’s one of my favorite holidays. My first vegetarian Thanksgiving I ate salad and side dishes. As much as I love mashed sweet potatoes with roasted marshmallows and my grandma’s homemade chestnut stuffing, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit deprived, like something was missing. The next year, my dad graciously prepared a pot of Aloo Gobi, an Indian dish made of cauliflower, potatoes, and spices, which was delicious but it just didn’t seem like something the Native Americans would have eaten at their harvest feast.
Eventually I discovered the magic of Quorn Turk’y Roast, a meatless turkey substitute. Quorn’s main ingredient is Mycoprotein, a nutritious member of the fungi family that is grown by fermentation similar to the process used in the production of bread, yoghurt, and beer. Quorn comes wrapped in plastic and shaped like a log, but don’t let this frighten you–it almost perfectly replicates the taste and texture of real turkey, without the side effect of fatigue.
Another turkey alternative is Tofurky, which is made from a blend of wheat protein (seitan) and organic tofu. In order to replicate the full Thanksgiving experience, Tofurkey comes stuffed with mushrooms, herbs, and wild rice.
Both of these turkey substitutes are great brushed with olive oil, rubbed with garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper, and roasted in the oven according to package directions. Defrosting the roast first significantly reduces cooking time.
Here’s a super easy recipe for vegetarian gravy to serve with your Quorn/Tofurky roast. Although it may be easier to open a can of mushroom gravy, this recipe is well worth the extra effort.
Vegetarian Gravy
Makes 2 1/2 cups
Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons nutritional yeast (optional)
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, nutritional yeast (optional), and soy sauce to form a smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the broth. Season with sage, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.
Enjoy your turkey-free turkey feast!
-Sophie Litwin