Host a Holiday Side Show

A coworker once invited me to her home for Thanksgiving dinner, but knowing I was a vegetarian she paused, unsure, and asked, “But what will you eat?” I thought, “Gee, I don’t know, maybe just the mashed potato, the green beans, the yams, the squash, the corn, the salad, the cranberry relish, the rolls, the pie…”

While turkey is the traditional star of Thanksgiving, vegetarians usually make out well this time of year. Not only are meatless side dishes delicious, they provide incredible nutritional benefits. Seasonal squash, turnips, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes yield impressive amounts of beta carotene, vitamins C and A, antioxidants, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and folate. Vegetable and bean dishes are high in fiber and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium—at least when they’re not smothered in butter or cream sauces!

In addition to being treats for the taste buds, meatless options help the environment by using far less natural resources to produce than meat. Check out the several meatless recipes on Taste for Life that use both traditional holiday ingredients, plus some new flavors you might enjoy. The dishes will dazzle the vegetarians in your family and please the meat eaters as well.

Spiced Quinoa with Ginger and Cumin
Thanksgiving Stuffing Muffins
Cranberry Sweet Potato Bread