Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole was always a Thanksgiving staple at my house growing up. This easy crock pot green bean casserole recipe uses canned soup so it's ready to cook in your crock pot or slow cooker in just a few minutes. Mushroom soup is usually not vegan, so although this recipe is vegetarian, it is not vegan.

Ingredients:

• 2 10-ounce bags frozen green beans
• 1 14.8-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/3 cup milk or soy milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 2.8 -ounce can French-fried onions

Preparation:

Mix together the green beans, soup and milk in the crock pot or slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and half of the French-fried onions.

Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

Top with remaining onions just before serving.

More Easy Vegetarian Crock Pot Recipes:
Vegetarian Crock Pot Chili
Cheesey Scalloped Potatoes
Vegetarian Baked Beans
Split Pea Soup
Vegetable Minestrone Soup
Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes
One Pot Rice and Veggie Pilaf
Mexican Refried Beans
Very Veggie Crock Pot Chili
Barbecue Tofu
Vegetarian Barley Chili
Curried Rice and Lentils
Crock Pot Lentil Soup
Vegan Tofu and Spinach Lasagna
Easy Spanish Rice
Crock Pot Rice Pudding
Quick Crock Pot Apple Cobbler
Sweet Pineapple Baked Beans
Easy Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole
Hot and Spicy Artichoke Dip
Easy Crock Pot Potatoes with Cheese
Crock Pot Spinach Casserole
Easy Cheesy Bean Dip

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Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie Recipe. A vegan version of the classic pumpkin pie recipe, using tofu as a binder instead of eggs. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Vegan pumpkin pie with tofu is perfect for a vegan Thanksgiving or Halloween, but easy enough to whip up anytime you're craving pumpkin pie. Scroll down for more vegan pumpkin pie recipes.

See also: More Thanksgiving desserts for vegans

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound silken (soft) tofu
• 1 16 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp molasses
• 1 pre-made pie crust

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients, except for pie crust, in a food process or blender and process until smooth. Pour into pie crust.

Bake for one hour.

Chill before serving and top with whipped cream or non-dairy whipped cream if desired.

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Vegan Skillet Cornbread Recipe

Vegans love cornbread too! Skillet cornbread is a southern favorite. If you're vegan, you don't have to miss out - try this dairy-free and egg-free version of vegan skillet cornbread.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups soy milk
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced (or to taste)
• 1 cup corn
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 10-inch skillet. Place in the over to heat it up.

In a small bowl, stir together the soy milk and lemon juice.

In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and diced jalapeno peppers.

In a food processor or blender, puree the corn, vegetable oil and maple syrup until smooth and well combined. Add the soymilk and lemon juice, then slowly add to the flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

Pour the batter into the greased skillet, and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Enjoy your vegan skillet cornbread!

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Green Beans with Bread Crumbs

This vegetarian and vegan recipe for green beans is hearty, healthy and quick to prepare. Perfect for weeknight dinners when you need a quick and easy side dish. Fresh green beans are so much better than canned! Try this easy recipe with bread crumbs, walnuts and a bit of garlic. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp water
• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1 tbsp margarine
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat the water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then cook the beans, stirring constantly, until they are tender but crisp, about 8 minutes.

Turn the heat down to low and stir in the margarine, coating the beans well.

Add the garlic and stir a few more minutes. Add the bread crumbs, walnuts and salt and pepper and serve while still warm.

Reprinted with permission from The Compassionate Cook Cookbook.

Like fresh green beans? Scroll down for more easy green bean recipes to try.

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Hazlenut Stuffing

Vegetarian stuffing made with vegetarian mock meat "sausage" and hazelnuts for Christmas, Thanksgiving or any time. If you'd like to try a vegetarian or vegan hazlenut stuffing recipe, or if you just really like mock meat, this is a good vegetarian stuffing recipe to try. For a vegan version, use a dairy-free margarine instead of butter.

Ingredients:

• 1 package GimmeLean vegetarian sausage
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 rib celery, minced
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp marjoram
• 1/2 tsp celery salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 8 slices of bread. dried or lightly toasted and cubed
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup chopped hazelnuts

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Crumble the GimmeLean vegetarian sausage into pieces, and sautee in ollive oil for 3 to five minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside.

In a separate large skilled, melt the butter and the onion and celery. Sautee, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and add the sage, thyme, marjoram, celery salt and black pepper, stirring to combine.

Transfer to a large casserole dish or pot and add the bread, vegetable broth, hazelnuts and sausage, and toss gently to combine. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.

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A complete guide to vegetarian turkey substitutes

Tofurky is great. We all love saying it, and we all love eating it, and we definitely all love the little plastic wishbone that comes with it. But this is 2011, and there's more than just Tofurky out there these days for vegetarians and vegans who want a turkey substitute at Thanksgiving.

The vegetarian turkey substitute options range from a four-pound vegetarian substitute shaped to resemble a real turkey, legs and all (pictured), to individually portioned turkey substitutes, breaded and stuffed. Each of them is pretty tasty, and it's really up to you which you prefer. Not all options are available everywhere, so your choices might also be limited by what you can find. Try Trader Joe's and Whole Foods or your local independent natural foods store for the best selection.

Have you tried any of these turkey substitutes? Which do you prefer? Leave a comment to let me know!

Link: Seven vegetarian turkey substitutes for Thanksgiving
See also: All vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes

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Vegetarian leftovers

Do you have leftover Tofurky? Or maybe you're like a couple people I know who stock up on Tofurky when it's available so they can have it year round. In this case, you may have "plannedovers"! Leftover cooked Tofurky roast will also keep well in the freezer, so you can thaw it out whenever you need it and also goes great in soups, sandwiches and casseroles, just like regular leftover turkey. Here's a few ways to use up leftover Tofurky:

• Tofurky Sloppy Joes How fun! Why not?
• Tofurky Bolognese
• More leftover Tofurky ideas

  Leftover mashed potatoes can keep for 3-4 days in the fridge, but they'll also be just fine in the freezer. A spoonful of mashed potatoes can help thicken a homemade soup. Here's a few ways to transform leftover potatoes into a whole new dish:

• Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie with Mashed Potatoes
• Fried Breakfast Potato patties
• Sweet Potato Biscuits
• Leftover Sweet Potato Pancakes
• Homemade Potato Bread

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A gourmet Thanksgiving menu

Everyone's favorite vegetarian celebrity chef for the stars, author of The Conscious Cook cookbook and the guy who cooked for Oprah when she tested out a vegan diet, Tal Ronnen, has put together a full all-vegan Thanksgiving menu, including a salad, sides and a gourmet dessert. Lucky for us, he's decided to share so we can indulge ourselves and eat like the Hollywood celebrities that Tal cooks for. Hey, if it's good enough for Oprah....

Link:Chef Tal's gourmet Thanksgiving menu
The dessert? Banana Maple Rum Vegan Cheesecake
See also: More gourmet Thanksgiving menu ideas
More Thanksgiving food photos

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Three ways to enjoy fall and winter squashes

This is the time of year to enjoy fall and winter squashes. Butternut and acorn squash are my favorites, but there's plenty to choose from, so perhaps see what you can find locally grown, wherever you are in the world. Over the next few blog posts, I'll be featuring a few simple and healthy ways to enjoy fresh seasonal squash.

Squash makes a great entree for vegetarians and vegans. So colorful and such a great presentation! Mildly flavored squash lend themselves well to being stuffed with any number of things. Try stuffing roasted squash with your favorite rice salad, lentil salad, or even a fruit medley. Here's a few recipes to get you inspired:

• Baked stuffed squash with beans (pictured)
• Barley stuffed squash
• Quinoa stuffed squash

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Pumpkin seeds, five ways

Part of the fun of Halloween is eating the fresh warm toasted pumpkin seeds when you're done carving jack-o-lanterns. Celebrate this fun festive food with a few ways to spice up plain pumpkin seeds. Here's a few variations to try:

• Vegan pumpkin seed pesto
• Gourmet vegetarian "chicken" with a pumpkin seed crust
• Homemade pumpkin seed granola recipe
• Pumpkin seed brittle
• Rice and lentil salad with pumpkin seeds

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Another way to enjoy squash? As a simple side

Squash, whether fresh or frozen, makes a healthy side dish, and is easy going down for those picky eaters who don't like to eat their vegetables. Here's a few variations to try:

• Sweet and salty butternut squash (pictured)
• Simple butternut casserole
• Lentil and spaghetti squash casserole

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Vegan pumpkin muffins

This healthy recipe for vegan pumpkin muffins comes from Sugar Ridge Retreat Centre in Canada. Owner Liz says it's the favorite muffin amongst their retreat guests every time. Made with whole wheat flour and less sugar than other muffin recipes, this is a healthy whole wheat vegan muffin for Thanksgiving, Halloween or anytime you're hungry for pumpkin.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup soy milk or rice milk
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, sunflower seeds or other nuts or seeds (optional)
• 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (or both, optional)

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line or lightly grease a muffin tin.

Mix together the whole wheat flour, sugar baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate small bowl, combine the soy milk, vegetable oil, maple syrup and pumpkin puree. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine to make a smooth batter.

Mix in nuts/seeds and dried fruit.

Spoon the batter into muffin tins about 2/3 full, then bake for 20- 25 minutes. Muffins should be golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. If not, keep them in the oven a few more minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

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Vegan Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Use your leftover Halloween pumpkin seeds to make an elegant vegan pesto. Serve your pumpkin seed pesto on crackers or toss with pasta for a vegan pumpkin seed pesto pasta.

See also: More healthy pumpkin recipes to try

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp miso
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• one large bunch fresh basil leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh cilantro (optional)

Preparation:

Process all ingredients in a food processor until desired consistency is reached.

If you like a "saucier" pesto, you can add a bit more liquid. I like my pesto a bit thick, so I usually add a bit less olive oil.

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Easy Appetizer

Serve up some vegetarian appetizers! As a vegan, I'm often disappointed to attend holiday parties and events that serve nothing but the same ol' veggies and ranch dressing, mini-meatballs and cheese and crackers. If you've got a party or a meeting coming up, serve some vegetarian appetizers or munchies that all your guests can eat! You can find more vegetarian and vegan appetizers for the holidays or anytime here or, view my complete collection of vegetarian dips.

1. Baba Ganoush Recipe

Baba ganoush is an middle eastern eggplant dip similar to hummus. This recipe even calls for chickpeas, which are the main ingredient in hummus, to give it a thicker texture. I find that even people who swear they don't like eggplant absolutely love this recipe. Baba ganoush is a vegetarian appetizer that you could serve for just about any occasion. Serve with warmed pita bread.
See also: Fat-free Baba Ganoush Recipe

2. Olive Tapenade Recipe

Olive tapenade is a great spread to serve with crackers for an easy appetizer or hor d'ouerves. I've come up with this recipe, which uses two kinds of olives, because I think the color combination adds to the dish. Although tapenade traditionally has anchovies in it, this recipe is both vegetarian and vegan, and can be prepared in just a few minutes. Serve with crackers or toasted slices of artisan bread.
See also: Olive Tapenade with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

3. Mango and Peach Salsa Recipe

The sweet taste of mangos and peaches combine with onions and garlic in this easy salsa recipe. Try it with chips for a light snack, or add an elegant touch to any Mexican food dish.
See also: More homemade salsa recipes

4. Tomato and Basil Bruschetta

Bruschetta is my favorite excuse to buy an expensive good quality oil! Shop for fresh organic tomatoes and enjoy the natural flavors in this simple vegetarian and vegan bruschetta appetizer. Bruschetta is a simple vegetarian appetizer that most peope are familiar with. You can use toast points, sliced baguettes, or any artisan bread. You might also want to try this gourmet grapefruit and blue cheese brushetta or this bruschetta with balsamic vinegar.

5. Fried Eggplant Fingers

If you take something healthy then fry it, is it still healthy? I'll let you decide that one on your own, but healthy or not, these fried eggplant "fingers" will surely be gobbled up by all, including kids. Watch this quick video to get the recipe and see how it's done. Serve with a thin marinara sauce or homemade ranch dressing.

6. Black Beans con Queso

Photo by Bush'sR Beans

A very cheesy bean dip recipe that you can serve with tortilla chips. Try adding some vegetarian mock meat crumbles for a thicker and more meaty texture.
See also: Vegetarian Bean Dip with Goat Cheese

7. Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Spice up some easy sweet potato fries with cayenne pepper and other spices. This recipe is baked rather than fried, so it is also very low fat, as well as vegetarian and vegan.

8. 30 Second Vegan Chili "Cheese" Dip

This dip is hardly a recipe (you just mix together two pre-made foods), but its so simple and sooo yummy that I just have to include it! Be warned however, that its called "30 Second" not only because that's how long it takes to make, but because that's how long it will last! Its just that good. So you might want to make more than one batch if you're expecting lots of people!
See also: Vegetarian Chili Cheese Dip

9. Vegetarian Seven Layer Bean Dip

This classic seven layer dip recipe is a quick and easy vegetarian appetizer, inspired by the flavors of Mexico. Spread a layer of beans and top with salsa, olives and more. You might also want to try this vegan 7 layer dip.

10. More vegan appetizers and Hors d' oeuvres

If you`re not finding what you`re looking for here, scroll through these dozens of vegetarian and vegan appetizer recipe ideas and get inspired!
Pictured: Spicy Southwestern Two Cheese Fondue

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