Have a veggie Thanksgiving

T his holiday you are bound to have at least one vegetarian or vegetarian wannabee at your Thanksgiving table. At the very least, you will have dinner guests who are concerned about eating healthy while still eating well. Vegetarianism and all it embraces n fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts and grains, balanced meals, an emphasis on taste and purity over fats and preservatives n is becoming more mainstream. Whether you’re a creative cook who’s looking for a few new dishes to whip up or you’re facing that quirky vegetarian guest you never quite know how to please, here are a few fall harvest recipes for you to prepare. Rest assured they are well-tested and well-loved. They’re from the kitchen of Vernon’s own Dani Segal, who along with her husband, Dan, owns the Healthy Thymes Market in Vernon. Dani is not just a longtime vegetarian, she is also a nutritionist with a private practice and she’s finishing up a master’s and Ph.D degree program through Clayton College in Alabama. She’s taken courses at Columbia University and studied with the renowned pioneer in integrated medicine Dr. Andrew Weil. Her enthusiasm for healthy eating is sure to capture your culinary interest. So happy cooking and happy n and healthy -- eating. Herb Buckwheat Pancakes ~ So easy. You can use your own favorite pancake mix. Will serve 15-20 hungry vegetarians, depending on the size of the pancakes you prepare and if you use the whole pancake mix bag. Ingredients Arrowhead Mills Organic Buckwheat Pancake and Waffle Mix  1 each: organic red and green peppers, diced into very small pieces  1 medium organic onion, diced into small pieces 2 teaspoons organic chopped garlic (Healthy Thymes Market stocks a great one by Emperor’s Kitchen) organic olive oil for sauté 1 diced organic zucchini (or other squash) handful organic fresh parsley, diced ½ teaspoon organic dried rosemary ½ teaspoon organic dried thyme organic garlic powder to taste Method 1. Sauté all ingredients (except the pancake mix) in olive oil until just soft and onions are clear. 2. Mix up the batter from the pancake mix per directions. 3. Add the sautéed onion mix to the pancake batter, mix in well. 4. Cook pancakes per directions from mix. 5. Drizzle nutritional yeast gravy on top of pancakes right before serving. Nutritional Yeast Gravy ~serve with Herb Buckwheat Pancakes Also great tasting over mashed potatoes, stuffing, stuffed squashes. Ingredients 1/3 cup organic spelt flour 1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes (a good source of vitamin B) ¼ cup organic olive oil 2 cups water (optional: boil water separately and add 1 organic veggie bouillon cube to water)  1 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos  sea salt to taste  pepper to taste  garlic to taste Method 1. Toast the flour over low heat until you begin to smell it, stirring often, so as not to burn. 2. Stir in the yeast. 3. Add oil. 4. Add water and cook, stirring or whisking until it thickens and bubbles. 5. Add the Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. 6. Season with sea salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Golden Butternut Squash Coconut Soup ~ a very warming and satisfying soup This recipe will serve about 8-10 hungry vegetarians. Ingredients 1 large organic butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces 4-6 tablespoons organic olive oil 1 large organic onion, chopped 3 cloves organic garlic, chopped 1 can Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk (use low-fat version if desired) Water to fill a big soup pot, at least 4 quarts  2 organic veggie bouillon cubes 1 teaspoon each: organic ground cumin, garam masala, curry powder (Healthy Thymes Market stocks Frontier Organic Spices)  Sea salt (or miso added to each bowl when served) and freshly ground organic pepper to taste Method 1. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil on low heat until onions are soft; only a few minutes. 2. Add the chopped butternut squash and stir. 3. Add all spices and bouillon cubes and stir. 4. Add the coconut milk and water to fill the pot, continue to cook at a higher heat. 5. Bring to boil, and cook until the squash is soft enough to press against the sides of the pot to mash. Mash about 70 percent of squash pieces. I like to leave some squash pieces whole in the soup. 6. Optional: When serving soup, offer a quarter-teaspoon miso paste to add to each bowl.