It's a Vegan Thanksgiving, Sexy Mama! Recipe: Apple Almond Stuffing (or Dressing)

While everyone is carrying out the "stuffing" vs. "dressing" debate (click over to participate in the poll and make your preference known!), I'll state for the record we call it "stuffing" in our house, even though it's not shoved into a bird's butt.

I happen to think it refers to the manner in which it gets "stuffed" in my children's mouths before we've even finished saying, "Amen" after the blessing. Just a guess.

From what I gather, the preference for saying either "stuffing" or "dressing" depends, largely, on where you're from - or where your ancestors hail from. I'm reading, for example, Southerners tend to use "dressing," whether it's cooked inside a carcass or not.

Anyway... here's how I make it:

Apple Almond Dressing or Stuffing

Ingredients:

1 – 12 oz. package of seasoned vegan dressing mix (I used to use Mrs. Cubbison’s, but now it contains whey. Anyone have a good commercial recommendation?)

1/2 c. slivered almonds

1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped apple (I insist on using Granny Smiths here. You may experiment, if you like, but I won’t be responsible for the outcome.)

1/2 c. vegan stick margarine, melted

1 to 1 1/2 c. vegetable stock or broth (Optional: Substitute 1/2 cup apple or pineapple juice for half the broth)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour everything in a huge mixing bowl and stir, stir, stir… You don’t want any dry bread pieces!

Dump the mixture into an oiled 9” x 13” casserole dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Tip: Plan ahead and make this up the night before. Keep it covered with foil in the refrigerator and just add another five or ten minutes when baking to make sure it’s heated through.



More holiday recipes:
Oat, Seed & Vegetable Loaf
Roasted Garlic & Basil Mashed Yams
Tomato Sesame Pepper Rolls

It's a Vegan Thanksgiving, Sexy Mama! Recipe: Roasted Garlic & Basil Mashed Yams

This recipe is part of my VeganMoFo posting.

I know what those Skinny Bitches say about olive oil... They say don't use it. They say to use coconut oil, instead.

For the record, I'm not a skinny bitch, a doctor, a dietitian or even a nurse. I've taken a few vegetarian nutrition courses, studied vegan nutrition independently, and worked in a natural foods store for a minute. I pretty much don't know squat about the health risks or benefits comparison between coconut and olive oil. I do have some coconut oil in my pantry, just in case those Bitches know what they're talking about.

Except... Except there are some times when only a full-flavored extra virgin olive oil will do. Am I wrong?

I don't want to dip my marvelous, homemade, crusty bread in coconut oil, okay? And I don't want to toss my pasta primavera in anything but fresh garlic and EVOO. And I sure as heck don't want to roast a bulb of garlic with anything but a high-quality olive oil, no matter what the Bitches say.

When attempting this recipe, please stick to the tried-and-true olive oil. If you experiment with coconut, canola, almond, sesame, or some other oil, I can' t be held responsible for what disaster will certainly befall you.

Also, plan ahead for this recipe... You'll need an hour to roast the garlic before you even get started on the rest!

Roasted Garlic & Basil Mashed Yams

1 bulb garlic (or two, if ya like da gar-lique!)
1 T. olive oil

4 to 6 good-sized yams or sweet potatoes

1 handful fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/4 to 1/2 c. vegan stick margarine (it’s up to you, your taste buds and your waistline to decide)
About 1/2 c. nondairy milk (I use soy milk)

Sprigs of fresh basil for garnish (optional)


Roast the garlic:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the outermost, papery layers off the garlic bulb. Slice pointed top off bulb, exposing cloves.

Place on a sheet of foil and pour olive oil over top of cloves. Make sure each of the cloves gets oil into it. Then, wrap the bulb up in the foil like a chocolate kiss.

Bake foil-covered bulb for 45 to 60 minutes. Garlic is fully roasted when the bulb is soft and gives way easily when squeezed.


Prepare the yams:

Wash and peel yams, then cut into small chunks – no bigger than an inch and a half or so. Toss into a stock pot and add enough water to cover the yam pieces. Bring the pot to a boil, then continue to cook yams until tender, about 15 minutes or so, depending on the size of your chunks. They should pierce easily with a fork, but not be falling apart on their own.

Use a colander to drain yams, then return them to the pot while they're still hot. Add the stick margarine.

While the margarine is melting, squeeze roasted garlic from the bulb into the pot. Mash the yams with a fork or masher, then blend in garlic and margarine (I use a handheld blender/mixer for this!), adding 1/8 cup of soy milk at a time until mixture is desired consistency.

Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil when serving, if desired.

More holiday recipes:
Oat, Seed & Vegetable Loaf
Apple Almond Stuffing (or Dressing)
Tomato Sesame Pepper Rolls