One less turkey slaughtered

So my family strives to make a (mostly) vegan Thanksgiving every year. We've done the tofurkey thang, stuffed acorn squash, butternut squash risotto, seitan in wine sauce, etc. This year we used some recipes that I obtained from an American Cancer Society presentation that I attended a few weeks ago. The ACA recommends a, 'plant based,' diet-apparently using the term vegan is still a bit taboo. The chef who led the demonstration also works at Millennium (heaven) in SF.

We started with Sopa Verde-a pureed creation of tasty kale, tomatillos, pumpkin seeds, cilantro, parsley, potato, etc.

A close-up of the main course, Gnocchi made of masa, chunks of roasted butternut squash and kidney beans. The brown speckles you see- homemade pecan sausage. You have not lived until you have had this pecan sausage. My mom kept exclaiming, "it tastes just like sausage!" You won't be missing your protein with this dish-nuts, beans, corn, go crazy.

How it all came together. We always have homemade cranberry sauce and added some spinach sauteed with garlic for more color. My mom also made sweet potato ravioli that I passed on because she could not guarantee that the won ton wrappers were egg-free and had thrown out the package. The gnocchi mixture was served on a pool of homemade mole sauce. Unfortunately I did not get a good pic of the mole sauce but it was my first mole ever and I feel like a new woman.

Dessert. Recipes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. These were a hit two years ago so I decided to give them an encore performance and because they are very simple to make but most impressive.