Mushroom Walnut Wellington - A Thanksgiving Recipe

Mushrooms are hearty, versatile, and good for you. I use them in a lot of different ways and I lot of different recipes as additions or as a part of the main event. The woodsy, hearty elements make them ideal for Thanksgiving dishes & I use them liberally as a part of my Thanksgiving tradition. I was first introduced to vegetable Wellingtons as a vegetarian option at a wedding. Over the years, I have adapted, experimented, and looked at recipes online to see other people's versions to get to the approximate recipe I now use. I typically make this in individual servings ahead of time and freeze. The first few years I made these, it was a Thanksgiving dish I shared with my grandfather, not a vegetarian, but after kidney failure from heart medication was on a renal diet that limited his intake of meat and green vegetables. I adapted to his needs and limitations.

I love this recipe because with a little prep it is hearty, yummy, and gives me something special to the Thanksgiving table. It also freezes easy and can be made a few days ahead to cut down on Thanksgiving prep day.

Mushroom-Walnut Wellington

• Mushroom selection - roughly chopped with some minced - I use a Portabellas or Baby Bellas, often mixed with white button mushrooms
• Walnuts
• Onion, diced or chopped
• Garlic, minced
• Choice of vegetable selection: green onions, spinach (fresh or frozen), carrots, celery, potatoes, or sweet potatoes, etc
• Parmesan cheese or Nutritional Yeast
• Fine breadcrumbs
• Sauteing medium - butter, vegan margarine, olive oil, vegetable broth, white wine, or any combination
• Fresh or dried herbs to taste (any combination); such as sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley (I prefer the fresh, but use what you have available)
• seasonings - salt, pepper, other to taste
• Puffed pastry - homemade or store bought (depends on preferences, time, & whats available in your areas) (if using frozen puffed pastry sheets, thaw before hand)

I start by leaving majority of mushrooms rough chopped (halves or quarters or whole). I want the "meatiness," to bite into something substantial. (If you know anything about beef wellington the center is beef with liver pate and mushroom duxelle wrapped in puffed pastry.) 

I create the mixture that will embrace the large pieces of mushrooms by mincing, chopping, and dicing the vegetables for the mixture. I typically use the food chopper for this to mince, then saute in batches until everything is softened.(I prefer part of onion mix, especially the white button mushrooms, walnut pieces chopped, onion minced, & spinach.) I add the sauteed mixture with fine breadcrumbs, fresh or dried herbs (I mince a poultry blend), seasonings, Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, and any other moisture or fat desired - mix to taste to achieve a sticky mixture.

The moist mixture can be added to chopped or whole mushrooms or formed around whole portabella mushrooms inside the puffed pastry. I fill pieces of puffed pastry, cut into individual servings or into one loaf that will be sliced upon serving. The puffed pastry is filled, secured shut (prefer seam down), and placed on baking sheet or in pan. (I often freeze in freezer save aluminum pans or wrap in waxed paper and store in plastic bag once frozen to use as needed.)

They can be baked in oven at approximately 350 degrees from frozen or non-frozen form, until cooked through and golden brown. I often serve topped with mushroom-onion gravy along side my Thanksgiving favorites. Sometimes, I share the extras with my non-cooking veggie friends or use for Christmas a month later. Enjoy!

Making Gravy - A Few Cheats for a Meatless Holiday

I first became a vegetarian in the fall, right before the holidays. They were rough. I wasn't prepared, I didn't have anyone to lean on and help through those rough adjustments. Out of respect for my family (and probably the belief that it was just a temporary phase), I was asked not to tell anyone in the family at Thanksgiving that I had become a vegetarian. It was my dirty little secret (they were told by Christmas, but that was full of it's own issues). It took a few years to get into the groove and create the traditions I now have. There were things I really missed the first few years, at the holidays and other times. Gravy was high on that holiday, mashed potato list. I had to find easy adjustments for lone vegetarian to survive the holidays without giving up the mashed potato happiness. I found a few.

The internet is teaming with vegetarian gravy recipes, some better than others. I found a few quick tricks of my own along the way.

1. Lipton onion-mushroom dry soup mix. (The dry onion soup mix would work similarly.)The instructions are actually right one the box, which makes this perfect for sharing with meat-eaters or VegHeads alike. It's something my omnivore brothers have been willing (on occasion) to even eat. (It's easy to see how other dry soup mixes can be used.)  I often saute up fresh diced mushrooms in the butter or oil before adding flour and liquid for an easy, hearty adaption. I also sometimes use a seasoned flour instead of plain flour. I'm not afraid experiment to make things my own. Use nuts, or add nutritional yeast to give add to the richness is using a oil base instead of  butter or margarine.

2. Ready made products. I can't find them locally year-round, but around holiday time they start appearing on shelves.  It depends on where you live, where you shop, and if you are willing to shop online. It may not taste like mom made, but it can do in a pinch and you can always adapt and will most likely have to adjust seasonings to taste.

I recently picked up some new vegan gravy option to try (I love being able to order things online I have trouble finding nearby). Bring on the taste tests.

3. White gravy (or white sauce). So, this isn't really an original recipe, but it's a quick fix. The basic recipe, that can be adapted as needed, is 2 T. melted butter or fat (or vegan margarine) with 2 T flour (or seasoned flour), seasonings of choice (depending on taste, I suggest onion powder, salt & pepper, garlic powder, parsley, and/or nutritional yeast), to 2 cups milk or unsweetened milk substitute. Sautéing up fresh or dried mushrooms and/or diced onions can make a heartier gravy. Use veggie crumbles to make a sausage or hamburger-like gravy. Use brother instead of milk or milk substitute. Do whatever makes you happy.

Homemade is great, but not everyone has the time or space or willingness to make it. It's okay to not make everything from scratch.

Mushroom-Almond Stuffing - A Thanksgiving Recipe

Its that time of year to start thinking about Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving dinner. For the first few years I was vegetarian, Thanksgiving was among the difficult holidays. I had to relearn how to still eat my holiday favorites without the meat or meat-based broth. Over the years I adapted classic Thanksgiving standbys, including a holiday favorite - the stuffing (or dressing depending on your preferences, regions, and traditions). I love the recipe I use now with a mix of mushrooms, almonds, apples, & other vegetables that started with a small pan for just me and has grown to shareable amounts. At this point, it's nice to be able to share my stuffing with others.

Let the recipes begin!

Mushroom-Almond Stuffing (with Apple)

(measurements and amounts are approximate, since I rarely measure)

• Mushrooms - chopped (a few sliced on side for optional garnishment) - I use button, baby bellas or a mixture of both
• Almond Slivers (or slices per preferences & availability) (set some aside for optional garnishment)
• One apple - cored, peeled, diced (I prefer Granny Smith for the tartness)
• Onion-  diced
• Celery - diced (a couple stalks)
• Fresh Garlic - minced (a couple cloves)
• Green Onion, diced (set some aside for optional garnishment)
  
   
• Bag dry seasoned breadcrumb cube mix or cubed stuffing mix (or use dried bread and adjust seasonings as needed)
  
• Vegetable broth
• 1/2 - 1 cup butter or margarine (depending on taste use butter or a vegan spread like Earth Balance)
• Fresh Herbs - minced - I typically use a poultry mix with sage, thyme, and rosemary
• salt & pepper to taste

Use whatever veggies, fruits, or nuts you prefer. I like the mildness of the almonds, but they can omitted or substituted with another nut or seed such as walnuts. (I use walnuts in another Thanksgiving recipe instead.) In past years I have added shredded carrots to saute mixture for color or in place of the sweetness of the apple. Personally, I prefer the apple to the carrots. If you don't like the minced garlic or green onion, don't use it. Make it your recipe and your traditions.

Chop & dice everything ahead of time. (It will make your life that much easier.) Sometimes, I "cheat" and use a counter top food chopper to work through the veggies and apple faster.

In a large bowl I place bag of cubed stuffing mix or dried cubed bread crumbs & set aside. 

In large skillet with butter, margarine, or vegan spread start sauteing mushrooms, celery, onion, apple, garlic, and toast almonds. (Sometimes I cut the amount of fat, but sauteing with butter/margarine and white wine.) I always end up sauteing in multiple batches and adding to the cubed breadcrumb mix as I go. The whole house smells wonderful as the veggies, fruit, & nuts are sauteed and it just makes feels like Thanksgiving. After the everything is sauteed I warm the vegetable broth (couple cups depending on wetness needed and ratios on on cubed stuffing mix) and whatever butter or margarine I have left to add. The fresh herbs, fresh green onion, sauteed mix, broth, butter/margarine are all mixed together in bowl and seasoned to taste (I usually don't add any salt, but everyone's taste and preferences are a little different). Add any more broth or other liquid as needed to moisten

I scoop the well mixed stuffing mix into a pan or pans (I often make a decent sized  batched, than separate into more than one smaller pan and freeze ahead to have it for multiple Thanksgiving gatherings, for vegetarian friends who don't cook, or for later). I garnish with mushroom slices, almonds, green onion, and sage leaf flowers or butterflies. This is completely optional, but started as a way to differentiate my stuffing from the meat-broth based stuffing at the Thanksgiving table. At this point, it's my tradition & I'm sticking with it.

It can be made ahead of time and frozen (I usually make mine a couple days ahead of time to cut down prep work on busy Thanksgiving day), and baked later or it can be baked that day. I bake at approx 350 degrees (depending on what it might be sharing the oven with) and baking times vary by oven sharing, temp, & whether frozen at time of baking. Baked covered & remove covering at end to let top brown and crisp a bit. The mushroom flowers with have browned and it will be cooked through.

Variation: For the purists who just need to stuff stuffing inside of something, try a small hallowed cooking pumpkin or any other fall friendly vegetable and bake.

Serve along side your Thanksgiving favorites & don't be afraid to top with some mushroom-onion gravy or any vegetarian or vegan gravy.

Include any questions, comments, or your own veggie traditions below!

Making Vegan Candy Corn - A First Attempt

Candy corn screams fall. People either love it or hate it, but for those who have chosen a vegetarian or vegan diet, candy corn becomes the unattainable.Thanksgiving or Halloween is often celebrated with candy corn. Honey is a common ingredient, but for those who eat honey, gelatin is the big problem. For the last few years, I have been looking on the back of bag after bag of candy corn, hoping come across a brand that was intentionally or accidentally vegan. It is possible to find, however, after some research, I came across a number of vegan recipes to try my hand at homemade candy corn. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping the others vegans and vegetarians in my life like it too.

There were a number of recipes to choose from. I chose a recipe from tablespoon.com as a base recipe after reading through multiple others: https://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/how-to-make-vegan-candy-corn/dd09e66e-5ae9-429c-80c5-e8bf73fe8cca?p=1 (After reading through multiple recipes, I can't help but tweek it based on preferences, local availability, and what I already have on hand.)

I was optimistic about my first attempt at making candy corn. I made a few adjustments based on preference and availability. I gathered by ingredients from things I already had on hand, as well as items I could find at a local store.

The recipe I picked (check out link above for measurements & details) included:

• coconut oil, softened
• brown rice syrup (which I had trouble finding around here) - substituted to agave (used in some of the other recipes I found)
• powdered sugar
• tapioca flour - however I used almond flour for taste, since some of the recipes I found used almond butter
• vanilla extract
• food coloring

Check out PETA's Baking Ingredient Checklist or PETA's Ingredient List to reference for your next shopping trip.

I combined all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl, and mixed well per the instructions. (Making notes as I went.)

After kneading the mixture with extra almond flour on a floured board (almond flour, of course, not wheat) I ended up with about a handful of a dough-like mixture. It wasn't quite the play-dough like consistency I was expecting, but it tasted pretty good and I wasn't about to give up. The almond flour didn't seem to be absorbing the wetter ingredients very well.

 I divided the mixture into three equal balls of, coloring one orange, one yellow, and leaving one the white color.  Adding the liquid food coloring only made the mixture stickier and a bit harder to work with. (The original recipe called for gel food coloring, but I used what I had on hand.)

I rolled pieces of the three colors into thin snakes and formed the three color strips on the floured board (again, almond flour, but wheat). It was sticky and delicate, but I used smaller amounts so make it more manageable.

I covered a couple sheets pans with foil as I started to cut the strips of tri-colored candy into triangle shapes and mold slightly as needed. I placed the triangle shapes onto the pan, laid out so not to touch. They needed to lay out for 24 hours so they could air dry and set up.

The taste was reminiscent of the candy corn I remembered, but the texture of the almond flour wasn't right and made it difficult to work with.

I picked up tapioca flour and gel food coloring for a second attempt with high hopes.

Thanksgiving Planning Can Begin!

I love Thanksgiving and now that November is officially upon, I can start my Thanksgiving planning. (One holiday at a time, as much as possible. There is not reason to rush past the fall holidays to get to winter.) The menu stays pretty much along same lines and same traditions as it has for years. While my family starts talking turkey (literally), I know my basics... Mushroom Walnut Wellington, Almond Mushroom Stuffing, mashed potatoes, various vegetable dishes, mushroom onion gravy, rolls, assorted desserts, and a cranberry punch. (People don't really make punch a lot for things, but I like it. Must be the remnants of a 1960's hostess passed down through my family line.)

In the next week, I will sit down with my brother (and maybe my mom) to make the plan for the family meal. The vegetarian stuff is mine and mine alone, I prefer it that way: the wellington, the stuffing, and the gravy. He will take care of the meat-based stuff and vegetables will be split between me and sometimes my mom. I'm the only one who does green beans and typically do a Thanksgiving style cranberry punch. Appetizers will be divided based on who wants to make what. I usually do a cheese ball that My sister will bring dessert and/or rolls, especially since she usually has more than one Thanksgiving that day. My other brothers will... eat.

I've already started shopping a little, picking up things I find on sale, things that will store until use so I don't have to get everything at once. Two large containers of vegetable stock are sitting on the counter now waiting and ready. I've even considered making a vegan gel dessert this year, giving a nod to the recipes of old with the new traditions and the lifestyle I adhere to now.

What holiday traditions do you hold dear and what new traditions are you creating for the upcoming Thanksgiving day?

To Feel Visible at Thanksgiving and the Rest of the Year...

I stand in the aisle at the grocery.  It's that time of year with the big family-based holidays quickly approaching and the magazine covers reflect that. Thanksgiving is less than a month away and the glossy magazine covers reflect that. I love Thanksgiving. Its a holiday based around family and friends spending time together around a shared table, sharing a meal, and an afternoon - even if that afternoon involves a number of people yelling at a football game on the television. There doesn't seem the level of commercialized demands as Christmas gift giving. Growing up it was when my mom brought out the good serving dishes and we got special treats not always on the table, like olives. The glossy covers reflect the changing of the seasons with the fast approach of Thanksgiving. I've already begun making my Thanksgiving plans and I want to use linen napkins I've been collecting from thrift shops. One thing is missing...

I see the glossy magazine covers designed to entice people and encourage in them the sense of a a big family tables laden with the seasonal feast. Covers full of food and candles, beautiful tablescapes and rich colors, and perfectly cooked turkeys. Everywhere is turkey. I, like many other Americans, don't eat turkey at Thanksgiving or any other time. Some like me (the vegans and vegetarians), will grace their table with a turkey-like substitute as their main dish. I will be serving a my traditional puffed pastry, mushroom & nut filled, meatless Mushroom-Walnut Wellington. I my eyes scan over the covers boasting of Thanksgiving food, I find only one that doesn't include a turkey. I might as well be invisible, or at least that's how I feel. An entire segment of the population suddenly feels invisible.

Most of the time, I don't mind being the oddball out. I've felt that way in some way or another most of my life, but sometimes it would be nice to feel like a visible part of society. There are jokes about "that one vegetarian family member," that reach beyond my family (although I have heard them there more times that I would like to count). I want to feel visible as more than a food joke. I love cookbooks and skimming trough recipes, but the magazine with their glossy covers are passed over. Turkey doesn't feel like Thanksgiving to me and the magazine covers covered with dead poultry don't include me.

As vegetarians, we become accustomed to be isolated. There are some things I just can't find in my hometown and the small cities surrounding it, leaving me to sometimes have to order hard to find things or pick them up when I head to larger cities. I've grown accustomed to this, but one in awhile I would like to not feel like the oddity as I stand in the grocery store check out seeing the glossy magazine covers boasting what a Thanksgiving meal could/should "look like." Sometimes, I don't want to feel the invisible punchline told around the holiday dinner table.

Camping with Omnivores: Part V - Packing

Something unusual happened this fall camping trip- surrounded by my meat-eating family, my cooler looks a little different than usual. I'm not the only one. This rarely happens. This never happens. This is someone who has little idea how to pack for camping, especially as as vegan.

I stick fairly close to the menu my family plans, it usually makes everyone's life a little easier. Being a short fall camping weekend, we had do OYO (On Your Own) Meals, two breakfasts (one includes waffles), and one big dinner that is going to involve my brothers smoking a bunch of meat with macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and whatever is left of pasta salad.

In my own not-exactly little cooler and dry box, I packed a selection of raw veggies pre-cut, tofurkey beer brats (they stand up to cooking over the fire pretty well), a Halloween-inspired vegan pasta salad, pickles, beverages (adults and otherwise), oatmeal, peanut butter, tortillas, hummus, a few crunchy snacks (including pita chips), tea & hot chocolate, fixings for black beans and corn, and everything I needed for s'mores (yay vegan marshmallows) . It's only two of us, but food eaten outdoors and near a campfire usually tastes the best. It's going to be a tasty weekend and the weather is supposed to be lovely.