22 Delicious Meatless Main Dishes To Make For Thanksgiving

1. Stuffed Butternut Squash

With a simple and nourishing ingredient list, this dish manages to be packed with flavor (one of the many benefits of eating in-season). It also happens to be a very pretty dish that would make a deliciously satisfying addition to your Thanksgiving table. Recipe here.

2. Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes

The concept is simple:

Baked sweet potatoes – cut in half to shorten cooking time
Seasoned, roasted chickpeas
Garlic-herb sauce
Parsley-tomato salad for garnish

The result is a 30-minute lunch or dinner that’s both satisfying, savory and sweet, and seriously healthy. Grab the recipe here and if you already have sweet potatoes on the menu? Make something similar with eggplant.

3. Grilled Chipotle Lime Cauliflower Steaks

These cauliflower "steaks" demonstrate that more than almost anything else we've grilled; their tongue-in-cheek name is a good indicator of how satisfying a centerpiece they make on any table. They're smoky and spicy, with a squirt of lime and flurry of cilantro. Get the spicy recipe here.

4. Potato and Green Garlic Crustless Quiche with Goat Cheese, Gruyère, and Chives

The quiche recipe is quite simple: cook up some vegetables, whip up a batter of eggs, milk, and flour, combine the two and add some cheese, bake, and voilà. Brunch. (Or lunch. Or dinner. Or all of the above.) Try the recipe yourself here.

5. Roasted Vegetable Galette

This savory galette is a wonderful lunch or snack for those who still wait for warm days. It's full of flavors and vitamins that we so much need during a long cold winter. Find the recipe here.

6. Roasted Fall Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza

Such an inventive way to get nutrients without feeling deprived! Also a great day-after-Thanksgiving treat. Snag the delicious, easy recipe here.

7. Acorn Squash with Walnuts & Cranberry

What says “fall” better than pumpkins and squash? They come in such a huge variety of colors, shapes and flavors these days! The addition of walnuts gives you an added boost of healthy oils, which are good for your cardiac health and help you lower cholesterol. Seriously, do you need more convincing? Try the recipe out here.

8. Roasted Cauliflower, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quiche with Quinoa Crust

The cauliflower and mushroom combo works amazingly well in this quiche and now you can enjoy the favorite combo for breakfast lunch and dinner! Enjoy the recipe here.

9. Chili Polenta Pie

Do you need a "pot pie challenge"? Cause this is the recipe for you.

10. Vegan Mushroom, Chestnut & Cranberry Tart

This tart is perfect for holidays – make it the day before and heat through once dinner’s nearly ready. If you can’t get wild mushrooms, use more chestnut ones. Try it out this year!

11. Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze

Tender, caramelized brussels sprouts with extra crispy tofu and brown rice, topped with an irresistible sweet-and-spicy glaze. This meal requires some prep work, but once you're ready, you can cook the rice, sprouts and tofu in about 30 minutes, while making the glaze in the meantime. For a simple side dish, roast 2+ pounds of sprouts and skip the rice and tofu. Find the recipe here.

12. “Ricotta” Stuffed Cabbage

This is the gluten free solution stuffed shells. You’ll notice this recipe also pasta-free but trust me – this “cheesy” cashew filling – tastes just as indulgent.

13. Roasted Eggplant with Cilantro-Almond Salsa

Serve this amazing eggplant with couscous, topped with a dollop of yogurt and a spoonful of salsa. Yummmmm! Try this recipe here.

14. Vegan Lentil & Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Forget the traditional style shepherd's pie and instead opt for this recipe on stuffed with deliciously seasoned lentils and veggies, and topped with a gorgeous, vitamin-packed sweet potato mash. It’s every bit as delicious as the original, but low in fat and high in protein, fiber, and nutrients. This shepherd’s pie is the perfect simple, economical, hearty dinner that the whole family will love.

15. Butternut Squash Alfredo Baked Shells

This Butternut Squash Alfredo Stuffed Shells recipe is made with a lighter alfredo sauce, and is perfectly sweet, savory, and delicious!

16. Autumn Root Vegetable Gratin with Herbs and Cheese

This classic dish, other than its near universal appeal, is that it is deceptively simple to make relative to its beauty. Plus, you can probably make it with what you have in your fridge and pantry right now. Try it out now!

17. Mushroom, Spinach and Scallion Tart

This vibrant recipe includes spinach leaves intermingle with roasted mushrooms in a light-as-air (and easy-to-assemble) phyllo shell. The custard-like filling comes together quickly in a blender.

18. Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Crispy Goat Cheese

The portobellos are lightly grilled and topped with a chunky homemade tomato sauce, sautéed spinach and shallot mixture, soft goat cheese, and topped with a crispy breadcrumb topping. They're hearty enough to be served on their own, with a simple salad or grain (such as quinoa or pasta!), or as a side dish. Try serving this recipe at the table.

19. Vegetarian Wellington with Seitan, Roasted Mushroom & Kale

Make this vegetarian wellington recipe for Thanksgiving and the turkeys of America will love you! And so will your guests. This welling is a puff pastry wrapping, stuffed with orange and fennel seed braised seitan, thyme roasted mushrooms and kale. All served with the best vegetarian gravy ever! 

20. Butternut Squash-Kale Tart

Embrace the flavor of a sweet butternut squash with open arms and into a delicious tart mixed with kale and grated Gruyere. Try this recipe out this Thanksgiving.

21. Provolone and Mushroom Gratin

Cheesy potatoes get a whole new look with the addition of Provolone cheese, Portobello mushrooms and fresh thyme. Find the recipe here.

22. Roasted Sweet Potato & Black Lentil Salad

This roasted sweet potato and black lentil salad recipe is something easy to nosh throughout a meal or even while cooking! It's great served at room temperature and it’s vegan, simple and with the addition of scallions for sharpness and celery for crunch it makes a dish everyone will love.

[via BuzzFeed]

Recipe: Lighter Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Spinach & Red Peppers

We are getting into the days when hearty casseroles and warm cheesy things are starting to sound like a good idea again. My absolute favorite time of year. Put this casserole on your list — it's a veggie-filled riff on baked mac 'n' cheese that doesn't require a roux or even much prep at all, beyond cooking the pasta. It hits that sweet spot of comfort food that has enough redeeming nutritional qualities to justify having it both for dinner and lunch the next day.

This "lighter" baked macaroni and cheese casserole relies on a combination of cottage cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheese for its creamy base. This somewhat surprising combo is one I've been using for years, ever since discovering it in Heidi Swanson's recipe for Mushroom Casserole on her blog 101 Cookbooks. I love this sauce because it requires zero stovetop cooking or fussing with a roux to make béchamel, and it's just as creamy and satisfying. If you're not a fan of cottage cheese or even (gasp!) sour cream, never fear — everything melts together into one deliciously cheesy sauce.

I've made this casserole with both whole and low-fat versions of cottage cheese and sour cream, and honestly, I couldn't tell much of a difference. If you're looking to shave a few more calories off this dish, this is definitely an option. Just stay away from no-fat versions — they'll work, but you can definitely tell that the dish is lacking some essential awesomeness.

The only thing that needs cooking before throwing this casserole in the oven is the pasta. You can also assemble the whole shebang the evening or the morning before and put it in the oven when you walk in the door (just extend the initial, covered, cooking time by about 15 minutes). This casserole can also be frozen, uncooked or cooked; just cook the pasta very al dente so it doesn't get mushy.

Are you craving this yet? I hope so. I can't wait for dinner tonight.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Spinach & Red Peppers

Serves 8
 
12 ounces macaroni (2 1/2 cups dry macaroni)
12 to 16 ounces baby spinach (7 to 8 large handfuls)
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
2 (12-ounce) jars roasted red peppers, drained and diced
Fresh pepper, to taste

Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with nonstick coating.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water generously and add the macaroni. Cook until the pasta until it's just barely al dente — a little bit of chew is fine here. Drain and immediately transfer the hot pasta to a large mixing bowl.

Add the spinach and toss to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dinner plate and let the spinach wilt in the heat of the pasta for about 10 minutes. Shake the bowl occasionally to mix up the pasta and spinach — some of the spinach may not completely wilt; this is fine.

Whisk the eggs until well-combined, then whisk in 2 cups of the cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta and wilted spinach. Add the diced red peppers and gently stir until combined and all the ingredients are evenly coated with sauce.

Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil. At this point, the casserole can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.

Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake, uncovered, for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and you can hear the casserole bubbling. (If baking straight from the fridge, extend the covered baking time to 45 minutes.)

Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving. Leftovers will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to a week.

Recipe Notes

• Substitute low-fat (1% or 2%) cottage cheese and sour cream if desired. Non-fat substitutes can also be used, but the casserole will be looser.
• To freeze: The entire casserole can be frozen, baked or unbaked, but cook the pasta very al dente so it doesn't get mushy. Warm baked casseroles in the microwave or a low oven until warmed through. Cook unbaked casseroles straight from the freezer for an hour, then uncover, top with cheese, and continue baking until bubbly.

PRINT RECIPE // NUTRITION INFORMATION

[via The Kitchn]

What To Plant in August

The garden doesn’t have to stop producing just because summer is waning. In fact, August is the perfect time to add some variety and get a second season harvest from your space. Plant these garden favorites and harvest right through the fall and have plenty to preserve for winter as well.

Kale

If you haven’t grown kale yet, there is no time like the present. Start it now and in many zones you’ll be able to harvest right through the winter months. In fact, a bit of frost will just make these tasty greens even sweeter.

Lettuce

Cooler temperatures are on the way, and that’s perfect for lettuce. Plant now for fresh salad greens (and reds) for weeks and months to come.

Beans

Believe it or not there is still plenty of time for another round of beans. Select fast growing varieties and get ready to preserve the bounty because beans love this time of year almost as much as I do.

Radishes

Radishes are one of the fastest growing garden vegetables, usually ready from seed to table in less than a month. Plant a few rows every two weeks for fresh radishes all season.

Spinach

Spinach thrives in the cooler temps of fall, and getting those seeds in the ground now will give them plenty of time to get a strong root system before the weather cools off.

[via Urban Fig]