your UnTurkey Day experiences

I saw the threads on tofurky, meatless thanksgiving, and so on, so I figured i'd put my 2 cents in about my thanksgiving and ask all of you to take part too.

I guess I would be considered lucky that I had the thanksgiving I did. I live on central California on the coast and every yr since I was born we have gone up to Nor-Cal to see my Dad's family. I don't have to go if I don't want to but I believe in family and good bonds.

There are 6 non-vegetarians, 2 Type 1 vegetarians, and 3 vegans including myself. This yr it worked out the best as far as food goes. For the meat eaters, there was a turkey, (which of course I stayed away from but it did not bother me,) vegan mashed potatoes, vegan green bean cassorole, vegan dressing/stuffing, vegan gravy, vegan beer bread, and something I had never had before called UnTurkey.

Of course I have had Tofurkey and I actually think it's pretty good, but it you want more of a meat flavor for the holidays, I would totally recommend UnTurkey. UnTurkey is made out of wheat gluten and you bake it just liek a Turkey. The skin is even manufactured to look and taste like real Turkey skin. I was the only one who thoroughly enjoyed it, but I think it's because I still like meat substitutes. Well that was the food, but now I have a tiny story about some cute LIVE turkies!

This totally made my day since I wasn't able to make it back in time for the fur-free Friday protests. We were at my cousin's house and found a little turkey inside their fence. We noticed there was a grown Mama turkey running around and it seemed to be looking for the baby turkey, so we set it outside the fence so she could get him. Suddenly she made a loud gooble noise and about 12 baby turkies ran out of the woods from behind trees all hidden! They looked so cute and funny running like marathon sprinters. I kept imagining the song they always use in marathons playing in the background: dodododo DO DOOOOOOOO. Then all the little turkies followed their mother across the dirt road. It was adorable. Anyways, that was my "Unturkey Day" experince, WHAT"S YOURS?

 

I was the only vegan at a house full of omnis. I grabbed some of the stuffing mix before the chicken broth went into it. But I was not in time to prevent the butter lacing of the sweet potatos when I had just bought a perfectly good vegan margerine. There were numerous other dishes that had butter or milk or cream added before I could save some for myself. But I made my own vegan shepard's pie from vegweb.com and it was awsome. Some said it was the tasitiest dish there. My cousins refused to even try it claming that they have had some supposidly tramatic tofu taste experiances. I also made a vegan apple pie which was awsome!

 

the only thing that didnt have meat chunks in it was the mashed potatoes. and they were gross.

 

We had 3 pizzas on Thanksgivin, not a turkey in one of 'em.

 

no one bitched at me for not eating meat so it was good

 

i brought tofurkey to my grandma's and she was already prepared for husband and me...she had prepared loads of yummy veggies in our honour and only 2 meat products for everyone else the turkey and something else...i do not remember what it was...it was fun and instead of badgering me to eat me ( as they have done for the past 7 years since i became a veggie) they celebrated my new marriage. it was beautiful

 

My pops actually liked my vegitarian gravy more than the normal stuff...I personally think meat tastes like crap...so meat substitutes dont work for me.

 

for once my family kept their mouth shut for the most part of my not eating meat. grandpa even ate my vegetarian stuffing (he made a number of comments about how much he liked it) and a few ate my vegetarian gravy. i knew what was safe to eat from what all i brought (even a homemade carrot cake) and others ate some. maybe after three thanksgivings they realized it is not going to go away.

 

Awww that makes me really said you had to run to try and grab food before they put animal products in it. That shepards pie sounds awesome! wish i were there!!!

Oh I forgot!!!- my brother is in the air force and I guess I inspired him to watch his animal consumption! He has become vegetarian and they had a Thanksgiving on the base, (Andrew's.) He told me people got offended he didn't eat the turkey!!!! GRRRRRR!!!!!! Because he's from California everyone calls him hippie faggot or California faggot. What morons. They hate that he is liberal and a vegetarian. He said some of the guys got so pissed he didn't eat the turkey they wouldn't even sit with him!!!!!!! How rude!