It’s finally here! Today’s the day when Kelly and I are sharing our full PLANTSGIVING menu! All week we’ve been sharing some of the recipes, and now it’s time for our showstoppers. I’ve been incredibly excited to tell you all about our dinner. The entire meal was plant-based (vegan) and gluten-free. I’m still dreaming about it two weeks later. Kelly’s Hearty Butternut Walnut Loaf was the main attraction with my Vegan Root Vegetable Mash playing an important supporting role. What is Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes? Well, this veggie mash includes rutabaga and parsnips AND golden potatoes for a creamy, flavorful rendition made with my favorite plant-powered beverage, Silk Unsweetened Cashewmilk. I’ve partnered with Silk to bring you this recipe – you are going to love it!
When I make my slow cooker black beans, I use aromatics to flavor the beans as they cook. I apply the same principle when I’m making mashed potatoes. I add herbs and garlic to the cooking liquid to infuse the veggies with the flavors so they really get in there and aren’t just an afterthought.
For this Root Vegetable Mash, I included garlic, bay leaves, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme. Another important thing: salt. I salt the water pretty well at the beginning, and I don’t have to add much, if any at the end. The veggies end up well-seasoned. So.much.flavor.
And now back to our dinner! Kelly invited me to come to Colorado for a few days to stay with her in her in-laws’ beautiful little cabin high in the mountains. It was such a treat! Can you imagine spending a few days (no phones and offline) with one of your favorite people cooking delicious food, catching up on things, shopping, eating, and doing our photography thing? It was magical. Kelly invited a few of her wonderful friends to come share our Plantsgiving meal with us. We couldn’t let all that good food go to waste!
I loved Kelly’s idea of creating a whole Thanksgiving menu based on vegan and gluten-free recipes. We created some fun new recipes, like this one, and Kelly’s Butternut Squash Loaf. And we also made some of our favorites from years past. The night was such a delightful mix of good, conversation, and new friends. We even had a little fox pop out of the forest to come say hello to us as we ate.
Here is our complete vegan Plantsgiving menu:
1. Apple Pie Sangria
2. Pumpkin Bisque
3. Shaved Fennel Asian Pear Salad with Pomegranate and Watercress
4. Root Veggie Mash (recipe below!)
5. Hearty Butternut Walnut Loaf
6. Cranberry Pumpkin Relish
7. Brown Rice Dressing with Pecans and Cherries
8. Bourbon Pecan Pie
9. Rustic Autumn Glory Apple Galette
Be sure to check out every single, delicious recipe. I can’t wait to recreate everything again next week!
Vegan Root Veggie Mash
Ingredients:
3/4 pound rutabaga (1 large or 2 medium), peeled and trimmed, cut into 1″ chunks
3/4 pound parsnips (2 large), peeled and trimmed, cut into 1″ chunks
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, about 4-6 medium, peeled and cut into 1″ chunks
1/2 cup Silk Unsweetened Cashewmilk, plus more if needed
1/4 cup vegan butter or coconut oil, plus more for top
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1. Place the rutabaga and parsnips in a large pot with cold, salted water enough to cover by about 1″. Add the garlic cloves, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook for about 20 minutes, until barely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
2. Add the potatoes to the pot and more water, if needed, to cover all of the veggies. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes more, until all the vegetables are tender.
3. Carefully drain off the cooking liquid. Remove the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Mash the veggies a bit. Add the cashew milk. Use an immersion blender, if desired, for a smoother puree, or leave chunkier. Stir in the vegan butter. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl, add a pat of vegan butter, and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
Serves 6-8.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all 100% mine. I only work with brands I love and use in my own kitchen. Thanks for supporting the brands we love!
