As the winters commence, there is a smell of festivity in the air. Here, in India, we rejoice the season with Navratri, Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath Puja while the West has their own set of festivities in place. Come December, people start prepping for Christmas and New Year. From decorating trees to planning special menus, there are a lot of activities that go on simultaneously. So, when does all this start? The actual beginning of the so-called holiday season happens on Thanksgiving day.
What is Thanksgiving?
It is an annual celebration that is used to commemorate and thanks the Lord for the harvest and several other good things in the past year. Historically speaking, it was in the year of 1621 when the English colonists from Plymouth (Massachusetts today) and the Wampanoag Indians got together to share a feast of the harvest for the first time. In order to mark this iconic day and to remember the sacrifices of the predecessors, it was declared as Thanksgiving Day by Abraham Lincoln, the then President of United States Of America, in 1861. Finally, in 1944, a resolution was passed to announce every fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving day in the US.
Significance And Feasts
The essence of the celebrations lie in the fact that families get together and have a fun-filled time with their loved ones. People prepare lavish feasts at home which include pumpkin pies, potatoes, stuffed breads and a host of other things. A variety of cheese is also gorged on this day. The most important part of the celebrations is the turkey. The roasted turkey is the centre stage of attention as well as the table.
However, with the world increasingly shifting to veganism, there ought to be some alternatives too. Without further ado, here are some of the vegan ways in which you can enjoy this Thanksgiving and not miss turkey even a bit.
1. Roasted Cauliflower
The crunchy florets of the cauliflower taste extremely well when roasted in an oven. The head of the cauliflower can be slathered with a mixture of nuts paste, garlic, olives and several other ingredients. This can then be put in the oven after garnishing it with a handful of finely grated vegan parmesan. The final result will be a creamy and crunchy cauliflower dish.
2. Vegan Butternut Squash
A creamy and filling dish that can be a great starter for the feast, this butternut squash soup is an ideal choice. Spiked with apples and butternut squash, this is a classic winter treat on Thanksgiving day.
3. Sweet Potato Pie
This pie is all things creamy and crusty. You don’t have to worry about the dairy components as the crust is made with coconut oil and the sweet potato filling has coconut milk mixed with it. Come holiday season, the pies need to get out of that oven right away.
4. Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Healthy, light and still a holiday delight, that’s the best way to describe this festive treat. Any Thanksgiving celebration is incomplete without a creamy green bean casserole. Since this one is dairy-free and vegan, you can relish it to your heart’s content.