Thanksgiving Brunch!

My Menu for Thanksgiving Brunch

 

     Thanksgiving is a wonderful day we should all enjoy with family and friends, its a day to reflect and remember all the wonderful things we have been given. Thanksgiving dinner comes with a lot of competition when you have large families and  a significant others family to think of. This year I decided the best way to spend time with the people I love was to have a thanksgiving brunch with the people closet to my heart. This is going to menu to serve 8-10 people.

 

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes:

 

 

•  1 cup of flour (I used un-bleached baking flour, but a gluten free version may work better for you)
• 2 tbsp. of maple syrup (plus more to taste)
• 2 tbsp. of baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup of mylk of choice (I used unsweetened vanilla almond)
• Half a can of organic canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp. of cinnamon
• 1 tsp. of pumpkin spice
• Low fat cooking spray

 



 

 

• In a small bowl mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt).
• In a large bowl mix wet ingredients (mylk, maple syrup, pumpkin).
• Slowly poor the wet ingredients into the dry until fully incorporated.
• Stir in the cinnamon and pumpkin spice.
• Spray a large fry pan with the cooking spray and heat to medium high.
•  Make 2 pancakes at a time by dropping 2 large spoonful per pancake on the fry pan.
• Heat until bubbly and easy to flip with a spatula (I find vegan pancakes to take a bit longer than if you're use to cooking with dairy/processed ingredients).
• Top with as much maple syrup as you like.

 

My son devoured 3 of these today and he is not a big eater, this is a new weekend favorite.

Sautéed Cinnamon Apples:

• 8-10 red delicious apples peeled and decided
• 1/2 cup of raisins  (chopped dates would work too)
• Vegan butter (or coconut oil)
• Half a lemon
• Cinnamon

 

1. In a large bowl with the decided apples squeeze lemon juice over the apples then coat with cinnamon.
2. Coat the bottom of a large fry pan with vegan butter (or coconut oil (I am personally very allergic to coconut so I use vegan butters a fair amount)).
3. In the fry pan sauté the apples until soft.

This is a wonderful topping to the Pumpkin Pie Pancakes or eaten alone on the side.

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Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potato:

 





• 6 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3tbs of oil of choice 
• Fresh rosemary
• Cinnamon

 

1. Pre-heat oven to 425.
2. Peel and dice sweet potato's and place in a large bowl.
3. In the large bowl put 3tbs of oil over the sweet potato and shake bowl until sweet potatoes 's are coated.
4. Put as much cinnamon as desired over coated sweet potatoes and shake the bowl until the sweet potatoes are covered lightly in cinnamon.
5. Cover a large baking dish or cookie sheet in parchment paper, and spread out an even layer of potatoes.
6. Chop the rosemary and put the chopped rosemary on the baking sheet with the sweet potatoes.
7. Bake for 30 minutes but could take up to an hour depending on your oven. The potatoes should be soft enough for a fork to easily pierce through, but not so soft that it becomes mushy.

This is a great accompaniment to a tofu scramble as home fry side.
 

Tofu Veggie Scramble:

• 2 blocks of firm tofu
• 1/2 a large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic (less of more based on preference)
• 1 bag of frozen organic broccoli florets
• Fat free organic cooking spray
• Ground pepper

1. Begin by steaming the broccoli until soft but firm.
2. In a large bowl crumble the tofu.
3. Dice the olive and garlic and put in a small bowl.
4. Cover a large fry pan with the cooking spray.
5. Sauté half the garlic and onion on a medium setting.
6. Once the onion and garlic appears soft but now brown add half the tofu and half the steamed broccoli until the onion, garlic, and tofu is browned.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 for the second half of the garlic onion mixture, tofu, and broccoli
8. Season with pepper to taste

Cranberry Sauce Fruit Salad:

 

• 6 cups of fresh (not frozen) cranberries
• 2 cups of orange juice (fresh squeezed if possible)
• 1 cup of pure maple syrup
• The seeds of 1 pomegranate

 

1. In a large sauce pan bring cranberries, orange juice, and maple syrup to boil.
   

   
2. Once mixture reaches a boil reduce to a medium low simmer for 15mins (un-covered).
3. Remove from heat.
   

   
4. Once its cool to the touch, transfer to your serving dish and gently stir in pomegranate seeds.
   

   
5. Place in fridge loosely covered for 4 hours and serve.