Special Occasions and Entertaining

This past week, I was invited to view the taping of the ABC-TV food show, The Chew, featuring a traditional-style Thanksgiving meal with modern twists. Always up for a culinary adventure, especially if it takes place in Manhattan, the cook in me was excited, but my vegan heart was wary. What would the show’s chefs create for this all-too-turkey-centric holiday?

Of course, the bird was there, but it didn’t dominate. Of the four other dishes demonstrated, two were actually vegan! Not vegan by design or veganized, but plant-based at heart! One was a sweet and spicy cranberry-apple chutney by Daphne Oz; the other was Mario Batali’s mashed Yukon gold potatoes, redolent with caramelized garlic, and made rich with extra-virgin olive oil in place of butter. Michael Symon demonstrated a bread and wild rice dressing (the correct term for stuffing that’s baked on its own rather than actually stuffed) and a good gravy made great with the addition of a whole head of baked garlic. Both of the latter dishes can easily be veganized, while still retaining that comforting, nostalgic aspect we crave when it comes to holiday meals.

I adore the challenge of taking a comfort classic and making it plant-strong. So I looked around on The Chew’s web site, which features additional recipes as well as holiday crafts, for something yummy to convert. I was intrigued by a Nigella Lawson recipe (she’s an occasional guest chef). Her Cheddar-Mashed Potatoes with Bacon and Apples easily morphed into my rendition, Vegan Cheddar-Mashed Potatoes with Tempeh Bacon and Apples. This simple potato dish is the ultimate in vegan comfort, embellished with tart apple and tempeh bacon, and would be a perfect side dish for any veg-centric Thanksgiving table. If you’d like to see the episode I attended live, it will be aired on November 21 at 1 pm EST/12 Central and Pacific on your local ABC station.

Visit BlogHer.com to find links to see what the other bloggers created. For additional crafts and recipes visit abc.com/thechew.

Vegan Cheddar-Mashed Potatoes with Tempeh Bacon and ApplesServes: 8 or more

• 4 pounds Yukon gold or other golden potatoes (about 8 medium-large)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 to 8 strips tempeh bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, diced or thinly sliced
• 1 cup rice milk
• 2 cups loosely packed vegan Cheddar cheese (Daiya works great in this)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Peel and dice the potatoes and place them in a small soup pot.

Add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until they are fork-tender.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the tempeh bacon and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until crisp. Remove to a plate.

Add the onion to the same skillet, adding a drop more oil if needed. Sauté over medium heat until translucent, then add the apple. Continue to sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden and the apple is tender-crisp.

When the potatoes are done, drain them and return to the pot. Stir in the rice milk. Add the cheese in batches, stirring in until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the mashed potatoes to a shallow serving bowl or platter. Top with the onion-apple mixture, then scatter the bacon over the top. Serve hot.