Plant-based Thanksgiving Menu for 2-4

I can't leave out our planty friends, this Thanksgiving! These are some of my favorite plant-forward Thanksgiving recipes that together make up the most delicious plant-based Thanksgiving menu. Even better- this menu is designed for a smaller crowd (2-4), which many of us need this year, right? It's easily doubled or tripled for more! Chef's Note: This is not 100% plant-based/vegan, there is some cheese, butter and eggs- all of which are easily eliminated substituted if you would like to make this menu entirely plant-based.

Menu:

• Thanksgiving Cheese Board with Rosemary Pumpkin Hummus

• Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

• Pear and Goat Cheese Salad with Rosemary Walnuts and Maple Vinaigrette

• Sweet Potato Pecan Loaf with Vanilla Cashew Cream

What you'll need:

Fresh:

• 2 medium acorn squash

• 1 small onion or 1 large shallot

• 2 stalks celery

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 8-oz box mushrooms

• 1 bunch fresh sage

• 1 bunch fresh rosemary

• 1 head garlic

• 2 lemons

• 4 cups (1 16-oz clamshell) mixed greens

• 1 pear, sliced thin

• 1 small red onion, sliced thin

• Goat cheese

• 1/4 cup butter, ghee or coconut oil

• 2 eggs (or egg substitute)

Dry:

• Avocado or olive oil, as needed

• 1 cup wild rice blend

• 2 cups vegetable broth

• 1 cup pecans

• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

• 1/3 cup dried cherries

• Maple syrup

• Balsamic vinaigrette

• Grainy dijon mustard

• 1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried

• Pumpkin puree

• Sweet potato puree (pumpkin works here, too)

• Tahini

• Blanched almond flour

• Arrowroot flour

• Baking powder

• Baking soda

• Cinnamon

• Nutmeg

• Ginger

• Cumin

• Sea salt

• Vanilla extract

Additionally (for cheese board):

• 2-3 x cheeses

• 1 x nuts

• 1 x dried fruit

• 1 x spread

Prep Plan

1 day ahead:

• Make Sweet Potato Pecan Loaf

• Make Cashew Cream

• Optional: roast squash ahead of time (stuff and reheat day of)

• Cook wild rice

• Prepare Rosemary Hummus

Day of:

• 1 hour before: Prepare squash (and/or reheat just before serving)

• Prepare stuffing while squash is cooking

• Prepare salad

• Prepare salad dressing

• Prepare cheese board

• Toss salad before serving

• Ice loaf before sitting down