Monday, November 23, 2009

Thanks for giving ...


... me the opportunity to post another flashback. After two years of blogging, I'm so grateful that you, my loyal readers, keep coming back.

Unfortunately, I've been unable to post as much as usual, so from time to time, it's nice to look back at holidays past. Maybe these Thanksgiving meal ideas will help inspire you in creating your rawified feast this year.

When I started this blog, I presented a traditional approach to making a festive raw plate, as seen at the top of this post. I made mock mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, marinated veggies and cranberry sauce. I also had this yummy apple crisp for dessert.

The following year, I had both brunch and dinner to create. Brunch was simple, as I easily whipped up these raw pumpkin muffins, which I enjoyed with the fresh fruit at my mother's house.

Later, I rawified a veggie pot pie recipe from my Vegetarian Times magazine, and served it alongside some kale, also inspired by the same article.

To finish off the meal, I made a raw version of my mom's chocolate pie, a favorite of mine growing up. It looked just like the cooked one, and tasted quite similar (I actually prefer a raw nut-based crust to the traditional baked stuff).

This year, I plan on taking it easy, being grateful for whatever raw or cooked vegan food I find. My mom is making sure to have the usual fresh fruits and veggies at her brunch, and she always has nuts to snack on. She'll even make her apple crisp wheat-free and vegan by my request.

Dinner will be at Matthew's grandmother's house again, where his uncle is always nice enough to bake me a sweet potato (yes, I typed "bake;" that's where I'm willing to fall off the raw wagon for a bit) and put some of the green beans to the side before cooking them. I also may be able to find some cranberries. Yum!

To freshen up the spread, I might bring a fall salad like these I posted last year (one is Rachael Ray's Autumn Double-Apple Salad and the other is inspired by Panera's Orchard Harvest Salad), or this one suggested by Rawkin Mom.

No matter what I decide to do, I know I'll enjoy spending time with my family members. I am so grateful to have them :-)