VEGGILANTE: A Busy Girl's Guide to Vegetarianism

Yesterday I celebrated my fourth vegetarian Thanksgiving, but this time, I decided to do things a bit differently. Each year, I dutifully purchase a Tofurkey Roast, a yummy, meat-free delectable made from soy and wheat gluten. Stuffed with wild rice and bread crumb stuffing and served with mushroom gravy, I thought my Tofurkey was the end all, be all of meatless Thanksgiving fare. I discovered yesterday, however, that I was terribly wrong.

A couple months ago, when my usual Boca Chik’n Patties were not available, fate stepped in and introduced me to Quorn. Popular in Europe, Quorn products do not contain soy, a controversial ingredient because of its ability to raise estrogen levels. Instead, Quorn uses mycoprotein, a fungus first found in England.

Strange, but oh-so-delicious

While a meat-free, fungus-filled loaf may not look or sound appetizing, the mycoprotein in Quorn’s Turk’y Roast ended up making all the difference. Like a Portobello mushroom, this particular fungus created a more meat-like texture than Tofurkey’s soy and wheat gluten was ever able to do. Plus, it tasted better! And with 14g of protein, 5g of fiber, and just 90 calories and 10mg of cholesterol, Quorn was better for me than turkey and Tofurkey.

I prepared my Turk’y Roast by basting it with a mixture of olive oil and dried herbs and placing it in a roasting bag with halved red potatoes. I baked it at 375° for 35 minutes, then flipped the roast and poured a little vegetable broth into the bag. I cooked it for another 35 minutes until the roast was golden brown and served it with the potatoes and sautéed carrots:

Simple Sautéed Carrots

• 1 bag shredded carrots
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• 1 tsp. each sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and oregano
• Olive oil and vegetable broth

Coat frying pan with olive oil over medium to high heat. Toss in shredded carrots and chopped onion. Add seasonings and a splash of vegetable broth. Mix well. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occassionally.  

Note: Most Thanksgiving side dishes are vegetarian, just make sure to stay away from gravy, stuffing (a.k.a. turkey butt bread), and anything that contains chicken stock (this always frustrates me: vegetable broth provides just as much flavor. Is it really necessary to add more meat to a meal?).

Being a vegetarian is not always easy, especially during the holidays. But with a couple improvisations, you can have a tasty meal to enjoy with all your meat-eating loved ones.