"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice." ~Meister Eckhart

     We all have that one dish that always makes it to the table: Mom's pumpkin pie, Uncle Tom's sweet potato/marshmallow monster casserole, Great Grandma's creamed spinach... you may not like them all, but they will always have a spot. I like the idea of adding new dishes to the line-up while still keeping the classics in reach. Here are some fun ideas to switch up your spread this year.

Cider and Bourbon Glazed Shallots

     Kind of like creamed onion's trendy cousin that sits in the corner with her wine and silently judges the family. These gems make for a lighter side in a sea of dairy-laden dishes. The recipe can be found here.

Shredded Brussels Sprout and Kale Salad

     I normally don't support salad, especially on Thanksgiving, but this one has some backbone. The nuts add crunch, the pomegranate arils acidity, and a salty hit comes from the cheese. The recipe can be found here.

Stuffing in a Bundt Pan

     I'm a crunchy top, corner, and underbelly kinda gal, so the idea of baking your stuffing to maximize the crust-to-filling ratio really appeals to me. Here's the recipe.

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

     Picture this: layers of sliced sweet potatoes, baked in a maple/rosemary caramel, topped with whipped vanilla-bourbon sweet potatoes, and finally crowned with a halo of meringue. This side dish will be on our table this year and is already made; all it needs is its albumen topper the day of and it will be in the running for new "classic" side. 

     "Farming is a profession of hope."

      Many moons ago, I tried to work on a farm in NJ through WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), but my gut told me I was making a bad decision. I ended up only staying a few days because you could smell some funk in the air, and it wasn't the hippies I was bunking with. It really spoiled my first farming experience and I wasn't keen on trying again until my sister and her fiance invited me to come to a farm they had worked on in south central PA. These patrons were truly lovely and made us feel at home. To earn my keep, I offered to cook a few meals for the house. The organic/vegan challenge ending up being really fun but not for me (hello, honey and butter are my favorite things). The muffins I decided to make for breakfast were very well received and will hopefully become a regular on the farm.

Pink Banana Squash Muffins

     The recipe I used came from the book "Vegan with a Vengeance" and was adjusted more than a safe amount, and yet these muffins still came out more than edible. Coconut for canola, nut milk for fruit juice, and molasses for maple syrup made use of what was on hand in the farm's pantry. The biggest swap however was switching out carrot for shredded Pink Banana squash, which needed to be used to make room for more squash.

     This recipe is rather simple. Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the almond milk, coconut oil, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla. Add in the shredded squash. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix just to combined. Pour the mixture into greased or lined cupcake pans, top with pumpkin seeds, and bake for roughly half and hour. Cool slightly and enjoy with a nice cuppa of your choosing.

Recipe

350 F 25-35 min

Adapted from "Vegan with a Vengeance"

2 1/2 c flour

1/4 c quick cook oats

2 1/2 c Pink Banana Squash 

1 c almond milk

3/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c molasses 

1/2 c coconut oil

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp cardamom 

1/2 tsp nutmeg 

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 tsp salt