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Vegan Thanksgiving Sandwich

His Bite, Her Bite1 Comment

Nora: This sandwich is a combo of The Moistmaker (a Thanksgiving sandwich mentioned in Friends which contains a gravy-soaked slice of bread) and the turkey sandwich we served at the diner I served at in High School. It is a BIG sandwich that does not require any side dishes. Bring a fork so you can salvage any delicious bits that escape the bun!

Josh: Thanksgiving leftovers don’t have to be leftover anymore. Take leftovers out of tomorrow and into today! Take the best of Thanksgiving and stick it on some bread. Gardein brand Turkey cutlets are delicious and crispy, and even come with their own gravy. Make some stuffing because the bakery rolls are not enough bread for this sandwich. Cranberry sauce gives some sweetness and some zest to the other flavors. And finally, crispy fried onions because crispy fried onions. You’ll faint, it’s so good. You’ll also make a mess eating this so prepare for a fully indulgent experience.

Vegan Thanksgiving Sandwich
Recipe by: HisBiteHerBite
Serves: 2, stuffed to the brim
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
-1 pack (4 cutlets) Gardein Turk’y Cutlets
-1 gravy pouch from above-mentioned cutlets
-2 bakery hoagie rolls (NOT the kind you find by the sliced bread and buns. They are too mushy. Check the case where your grocery store bakery stocks the donuts.)
-2/3 can of cranberry sauce (save the rest for a midnight snack)
-1/2 bag of cubed stuffing
-vegan mayo
-2 tbsp vegan butter
-1 cup veggie broth
-1/4 cup crispy fried onions
Directions:
1. Cook the turkey cutlets in your oven or toaster oven for 20 minutes, flipping over halfway through cooking. Place the unopened gravy packet in a small dish of water to thaw.
2. After you flip the cutlets, melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Add broth and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in stuffing cubes, cover. Let sit 5 minutes.
3. Open the cranberry sauce and slice about as thin as the cutlets.
4. Slice the rolls lengthwise, coat the bottom with a thin layer of vegan mayo to prevent sogginess.
5. Pour thawed gravy into a tiny dish and microwave 30 seconds or until hot.
6. Assemble! Thusly: bottom bun with mayo, cutlets (side by side), cranberry sauce slices, stuffing (pressed down with fork), drizzle of gravy (or apply to top bun and let it soak in for less mess), crispy onions.
7. Press flat gently with your hands, then devour.
Closing Arguments
None needed, this feast speaks for itself.
Side Dishes

Garlicky Veggie Dip

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Nora: This is a mash-up of multiple different vegan cheese and cream cheese recipes. It never really came out as a good replacement for either of those things, but it is an excellent dip or spread. It’s sort of like hummus but with all kinds of zesty flavors in it. Scoop with veggies, crackers or chips, smear it on a burger, use it as a salad dressing… just whatever you do, make sure everyone around you eats it; this stuff is potent.

Josh: I am formerly a professional hummus maker, as in I used to make it for a vegetarian cafe, and I tell you that to say I know an awful lot about delicious, creamy dips. This veggie dip is amazing. Who doesn’t love garlic, for one? For two, who doesn’t love indulging in creamy dips? For three, cashews are full of great nutritional benefits, so why not make yumminess out of cashews? It goes well with chips, crackers, sliced veggies, bread, or even as a thick dressing for a salad (what? You mean you don’t use hummus as a salad dressing? Why the hell not?). Basically this is a great appetizer, side dish, or feature in a main meal that you will always want more of.

Garlicky Veggie Dip
By: His Bite, Her Bite
Serves: 6-8 along with other snacks
Time: 10 minutes active, 30 mins to 26 hours passive
Omnivore Index: if they eat hummus, they’ll eat this
Ingredients:
– 9oz raw cashews
– 2 Tbsp lemon juice
– 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
– 4 Tbsp oil
– 2 Tbsp garlic powder
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp onion powder
– 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
– 1 Tbsp spice blend (we use 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe’s, but Everything Bagel seasoning or McCormick’s Montreal Steak would also be nice)
Directions:
1. Ideally, soak the cashews in water overnight, refrigerated (anywhere from 12-24 hours). If you forget to do that, quick soak the cashews by putting them in a saucepan with about 4 cups of water. You want the cashews to be covered with water, plus a few inches above them because swell quite a bit. Simmer the cashews for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Let sit 20 minutes.
2. Drain the cashews, put in the blender with the wet ingredients, blend until smooth. Scrape down sides as needed. If your blender is struggling, add water one tablespoon at a time.
3. Transfer the cashew paste to a medium mixing/storage bowl and stir in dry ingredients.
4. Chill dip in the fridge for at least two hours so the spices can hydrate.
Closing Arguments
Nora: it’s hummus, but with more stuff in it. What’s not to love?
Josh: it’s like you won the lottery if the lottery was delicious and creamy and “winning” meant tasting it.
Loaded Junk Food · Main

Poutine Tots

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Nora: I remember when I first learned about poutine. Gravy… on fries. With cheese. It’s so obvious! Mashed potatoes but crunchy and with CHEESE. Ever since college I have never been able to say no to a basket of gravy-fries. If cooking them at home, we prefer tots because of their superior crunchiness when oven-baked. We haven’t been inducted to the air fryer club… yet. Treat yourself to some heady, heavy deliciousness. If it seems too decadent, just remind yourself (as I often do) that all vegan food is essentially a salad.

Josh: Our Canadian friends have a lot to teach the world about life. One of the most important things I’ve learned is how critical poutine is. Seriously, it’s amazing. It is gravy and cheese on potatoes. It’s a goddamn revelation. We’ve made poutine with all sorts of fries now but we have two clear favorites: waffle fries and, our champion, tater tots. We bake the fries to crispiness because we don’t like deep frying, but you can cook yours however you like as long as they get crispy. If you make the cheese/cheeze ahead of time to cut down overall cook time the night you’re making it, the recipe only takes maybe 20 minutes or so (whatever the time it takes to bake the fries). You won’t regret poutine, ever.

Poutine Tots
Serves: 2 generously (it’s real good, is all I’m saying), probably 3
Cook Time: 20 mins if you make the cheeze ahead of time (or 45 mins if you make the cheeze at the same time)
Omnivore Index: The vegan-ness of this doesn’t come into play because it’s incredible. The only question is whether you like gravy and cheese on spuds or not. (Nora: An omnivore will definitely know the cheeze is fake.)
Ingredients

Cheeze
-1/2 cup (2.25 oz) raw cashews
-1 cup water
-1/4 cup minus 1 teaspoon tapioca starch
-1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
-1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Brown Gravy
-2 tablespoons oil
-1 small onion, diced
-4-5 button mushrooms, sliced
-2 cups veggie broth
-1 tablespoon soy sauce
-3 tablespoons corn starch

-Tots, bag of frozen or homemade
-Green Onions, for garnish
Recipe

Make the cashew cheese ahead of time so it has time to cool.
1. Boil cashews 10-15 min, until softened. Drain and rinse.
2. Add all cheeze ingredients and blend in high power blender until smooth, at least 1 minute. (Will appear to be watery, but fear not.)
3. Pour into small saucepan and heat on medium-high heat, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom. It will curdle and look a little gross but keep stirring until thickened and stretchy, about 5 mins.
4. Scrape into a shallow dish and chill in fridge at least 30 mins.
5. Once solid, scoop small “curds” onto the poutine with a teaspoon or melon baller.

Tots
1. Bake according to package directions. You want them very crispy!

Brown Gravy
1. Using a medium saucepan, sautee onions and mushrooms in oil until well browned.
2. Add broth and soy sauce
3. Make a cornstarch slurry in a small dish with 3tbsp cold water. Add to gravy, simmer until thickened, about two minutes. Do not boil, since this can break down the starch and cause the gravy to thin back out. Gravy will thicken as it cools.

Assemble
1. Build your meal in layers. For equal delight in every bite, make a layer of tots, topped with a layer of cheeze curds, topped with gravy, and then another layer of each in the same sequence.
2. Top with green onion
3. Smash
Notes

-in this instance we used frozen tater tots but any form of potatoes could work – whether that be another form of frozen potato or homemade fries (the important thing is some crispiness to offset the rest of the dish being soft foods)
Even the cats keep their eyes on this meatless dinner!
Closing Arguments
Nora: JUST GIVE THEM TO ME.
Josh: Cheesy gravy fries. Think about it. Potatoes with cheese and gravy. C’mon, it’s perfect.

Main

Lemony Lasagna Soup

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Nora: For something as heavy-sounding as lasagna, this soup was surprisingly light. The bright citrus notes in the broth kept it refreshing (can a hot soup be refreshing?) while the cashew cream and sausage gave the soup staying power. Pretty quick and easy, too!

Josh: This soup is just lovely! It is zesty by way of lemon and savory by way of the creamy cashew goodness. I expected this soup to be really comforting and satisfying, what I didn’t expect was how light it would be. The vegan sausage adds good flavor and saltiness that work really well with the rest of the soup, and on top of that it brings a strong protein content to this dish, making this soup into a Main dish rather than a side. But wait, there’s more good news! The soup is quick to make, with only some basic prep (chop some onions and garlic, slice up the sausage, blend the cashew cream) and a short cook time. We through it together on a work night and it was ready in no time!

Lemony Lasagna Soup
Adapted from: Rabbit and Wolves
Time: 10 minutes prep, 20 minutes cook
Serves: two for dinner and then two for lunch
Ingredients:
For the cashew cream:
-1c (4.5 oz) raw cashews (soaked overnight or simmered 10 minutes if you do not have a high-speed blender)
-1c veggie broth (we use Better than Boullion)
-1/2 tsp salt, several grinds of black pepper

For the soup:
-1 tbsp oil
-1 onion, chopped
-6 cloves garlic, minced
-4 links (approx. 14 oz) vegan Italian sausage, cut into half-moons (we like Tofurky)
-6 cups veggie broth
-juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp if you’re using bottled)
-2 tsp Italian seasoning
-1/4c (4 tbsp) nutritional yeast
-8 lasagna sheets (about half a box– sorry)

Optional:
-8oz mushrooms, sliced
-small bunch of spinach
Directions:
1. If you are going to quick-soak the cashews, put them in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil and cook 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit for at least ten minutes. Drain before using. This will help the cashew cream blend more easily. If you have a powerful blender then you can choose to just run the blender a little longer (we do).
2. Prepare the cashew cream by putting all the ingredients in the blender and running on high 1-2 minutes or until very smooth and not gritty at all.
3. Heat the oil in a soup pot and add the onion and garlic, saute on medium for a few minutes until tender, translucent, and starting to brown.
4. Add sausage and mushrooms (if using). Cook another 2 minutes.
5. Pour in the veggie broth (or the water and then add the correct amount of Better than Boullion goop) and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add in the lemon juice, seasoning, nutritional yeast and cashew cream. Bring to a simmer.
6. Break the lasagna noodles into 1-2 inch bits. This will send shrapnel all over your kitchen (sorry). Add them to the soup and simmer 12 minutes (or according to package directions) until the noodles are al dente. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Remove from heat and stir in spinach (if using).
Even Easley lines up for a bowl of this soup!
Closing Arguments
Nora: A delicious soup that’s a breeze to make and would fit in any season.
Josh: This aint your grandma’s lasagna!

Main

Gnocchi Primavera

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Nora: I love this recipe because it is so easy and it only uses one pot and the blender… oh and it’s delicious! The leftovers are also excellent for several days after. Feel free to try any blend of quick-cooking veggies. I bet zucchini or asparagus would be great in this dish! Just add them in while cooking the mushrooms.

Josh: This is the ultimate weeknight dinner. The ingredient list is modest, the prep work is easy, and the whole thing comes together quickly! Then when you think about how rich and creamy it is, comfort for your tum, and how absolutely delicious it is… well, there are just so many reasons why this is an ideal dinner. It’s the kind of meal that tastes like you slaved over it for hours even though it took you mere minutes. Most importantly: gnocchi. Mmmm.

Gnocchi Primavera
Makes: dinner for 4, or dinner and lunch for 2
Cook Time: 20 min
Omnivore Index: Creamy and indulgent, nobody is going to assume it is dairy free.
Ingredients

-1 package gnocchi
-2 roma tomatoes, diced
-bunch of spinach (4 handfuls work well)
-8 oz mushrooms, sliced
-15 oz can great northern beans, drained
-oil, for caramelizing mushrooms

Sauce:
-1 cup nondairy milk
-1/2 cup (2.25-2.5 oz) raw cashews
-2-3 cloves garlic
-2 tsp miso
-3 tbsp nutritional yeast
-1 tsp tapioca starch/flour
-1 tsp salt
-cracked black pepper, to taste

-green onions for garnish

Instructions
1. Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
2. While gnocchi is cooking, throw sauce ingredients into a high-speed blender and run for 1-2 minutes or until completely smooth. (If you do not have a high-speed blender, quick-soak your cashews by putting them in a small pot of water, bring to boil for five minutes, let sit covered 30 minutes or as long as your patience will allow before draining. Or soak overnight in the fridge.)
3. Put spinach in your colander and drain the gnocchi on top of it. Return pot to the stove with a bit of oil over medium heat.
4. Saute mushrooms until they release juices and those juices evaporate. Add everything into the pot and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens.

Closing Arguments
Nora: gnocchi = dumplings = good
Josh: Did we mention this is a great excuse to eat gnocchi?