The tofurky has been bought!!!!

I am so excited that the holidays are right around the corner!!! I just love spending time with friends and family and enjoying good food! Since we decided to go vegetarian, though, people seem intimidated to cook for us or have us over- especially on a holiday. A lot of people can't wrap their heads around a Thanksgiving meal without a big fat turkey carcass laying on the table. I know for me it was hard to imagine before I went "veg", but trust me, it can be done! After you learn of all the holiday goodies that you can make and still be cruelty free, you'll forget all about turkey (and if you can't, there are plenty of good substitutes out there- like tofurky). My only problem now is planning out the menu.
To keep things as close to "traditional" as possible (mostly for the sake of my two year old who craves uniformity) I have decided to make a tofurky roast for the main dish. I made one last Christmas and it was SO good I almost cried when it was gone. For those that don't know, a tofurky roast is a delectable holiday roast that so resembles turkey that it's a bit scary. It's made out of seitan, a meat analog made out of wheat gluten, and it is so realistic my husband won't eat it! It sort of reminds me of those little turkey butterball roasts that they sell in the supermarket. Inside the roast is a delicious stuffing of mushrooms and wild rice. You bake it in the oven for about an hour (there are specific instructions on the package) and baste it with a mix of olive oil, spices, and soy sauce throughout the cooking process. It's awesome holiday or special occasion food!
As for sides, we plan to do more of the yummy traditional dishes we've loved since we were children. My favorites are sweet potato, corn, and green bean casseroles; and mashed potatoes. These are all easily "veganized" by using soy dairy alternatives, and egg substitutes. For those craving marshmallows on their sweet potato casserole, there is an online grocery store called Food Fight vegan grocery that sells vegan marshmallows that are so close to the real thing I almost feel guilty using them! A good friend introduced me to this store (thanks, Kristie!!!) when I was pregnant and craving vegan s'mores and fluffernutters (check them out here). They have tons of other goodies too!
Speaking of sweets, for dessert I will be "veganizing" a favorite recipe called "pumpkin crunch". I am working on the substitutions and will post the recipe as soon as I try it out.