Some Opt For A Vegan Thanksgiving Meal

The sheer indulgence of a Thanksgiving meal, with its mouth-watering turkey and stuffing and all the various and sundry side dishes, has become an anticipated element of giving thanks each year. Families rush out to buy a 12-pound bird, cranberry sauce and other not-so-healthy-for-you ingredients to make the most delicious meal.But for some, Turkey Day doesn’t actually include turkey. Those who choose to have a vegan diet, excluding dairy or animal products, go without the nationally accepted staples and forge their own Thanksgiving menu—which usually takes a little creativity.

According to Gen Spellman, manager of the Provisions Natural Foods Market and Organic Cafe in Sag Harbor, vegan-ism isn’t about simply replacing meat and dairy with substitutes, but about finding new recipes and ingredients that enhance a meal.

“The biggest misconception is that somehow all vegans are just trying to imitate the typical American diet with vegan replacements,” she said this week. “While it might be true of some people, we are in a state of being creative with whatever we’re working with.”

She said simple ingredients like Earth Balance’s butter substitute and coconut oil can be easy choices for those whipping together a vegan meal, but that local vegetables make a meal fuller and more fulfilling. “Eating fresh ingredients means there’s less filler and less process,” she said. “It’s just a feel-good, fulfilling meal, and as far as overall health, you have a lot more energy.”

Chef Steven Eaton of The Juicy Naam, also in Sag Harbor, which offers organic catering along with juices and smoothies, and other healthy treatments and products, likewise suggests using fresh produce and whole foods as opposed to canned vegetables and processed animal products, especially to avoid that after-dinner slump.

“Eating this way makes complete sense for me and my body,” Mr. Eaton said about eating vegan for Thanksgiving. “Ultimately, I feel better now than I did 10 years ago, when I was eating everything. I have a closer connection with my food and even see an improvement in my energy level and focus.”

A Thanksgiving meal without turkey, butter and milk might sound less than appetizing to some, but it might actually look like something a lot more palatable: a sweet potato side dish with cashews, olive oil and salt, or potatoes with a rosemary walnut pesto. Vegan stuffing doesn’t have to be bland—a sourdough bread with vegetable broth, celery, onion and thyme can spice things right up, according to Mr. Eaton.

“We don’t necessarily do all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes vegan-style, but we do a lot of fun stuff,” he said. “I think Thanksgiving ends up being a time of major indulgence, particularly in such things as turkey and sweets. When you start mixing in cheese and all that food together, you pretty much knock yourself out. I think there is a capacity level for handling any amount of those ingredients on their own. You’re actually putting your body into a state of trauma.”

Remy McFadden of Southampton said she and her mother, Daisy McFadden, have switched to a less animal product-based diet for ethical reasons, but still enjoy what they eat. For Thanksgiving, they still plan on serving turkey for other family members who remain meat-eaters—like Ms. McFadden’s father, John, who owns a butcher shop in Brooklyn.

“It’s like the shoemaker’s child who doesn’t have shoes,” she said of the stark contrast between her father’s profession and her diet. “Everybody in my life eats meat, and I don’t try to stop them. I just find that a vegan-vegetarian Thanksgiving is just as fulfilling and good as the traditional Thanksgiving meal.”

The McFadden ladies Google-search recipes for vegan and vegetarian dishes that they say rival any “typical” recipe.

“This year, we’re going to make kale salad, our cranberry sauce, a non-meat, vegan stuffing, and quinoa salad” she said. “We’re also doing one of my favorites: roasted root vegetables, squash, carrots, parsnip, and Brussels sprouts with honey sauce.”

Ms. Spellman said that a lot of people think such a healthy, vegetable-heavy, meat-free Thanksgiving is unsatisfying, and that “you can’t get a full meal, and it can’t be fulfilling. But it is as good as it is with meat or animal products.”

Mr. Eaton said not only is a vegan Thanksgiving just as delicious, it has its health—and social—benefits, too, especially for a holiday known as a challenging one for diners of all stripes.

“Even before the meal begins, people think, ‘How am I going to deal with all the negative side effects in the days to follow?’” he said, noting that post-Thanksgiving cleanses and exercise classes exist. “It’s kind of telling. We can celebrate with the bounty of the harvest that gives us long-term fulfillment and not just the short-term indulgence.”