Green Your Thanksgiving: Spare the Turkey

Just thinking about Thanksgiving dinner seems to expand the stomach. This week, we offer tips to help you green your feast.

Tip #3: Go Turkey-Free

For some, it's all about the bird. But, as readers of this blog have pointed out, if having the greenest possible Thanksgiving is your goal, a vegetarian or vegan feast is the solution. With more than 45 million genetically modified turkeys raised in overcrowded factory farms for Thanksgiving day alone, dispelling tradition can be a greener, kinder, healthier alternative. 

Regardless of your reason for going turkey-free this year, delicious alternatives are easy to find. Check out vegetarian options at vegkitchen.com, try Tofurkey (it's good), or, if you're inclined, go entirely vegan. If eating meat-free isn't enough for you (or if you feel bad enough about the meat you are eating), save a turkey's life through Adopt a Turkey.

What are your favorite ways to go vegetarian or vegan on Thanksgiving? Please share them as a comment below.

Comments

[Laurie]

Sorry. I have increased the number of vegetarian meals I feed my family, as part of our effort to shrink our carbon footprint. But I can't do Thanksgiving without a turkey.

[Susan Eisendrath]

Wow! Great rapid response to the need for a Green Tip on going "greener" for thanksgiving by forgoing the turkey! Thanks for reading the posts and for sending out greener info. from the comment gallery.

[Shannon]

Laurie, I believe what you meant to say is you won't do thanksgiving without a turkey, not can't.

[Jessica]

Sigh. Look, if someone makes a personal decision to forgo turkey on a day that is all about said turkey, then great. Good for them. But let's not judge. And let's be honest and realistic in our suggestions: the majority of americans are not going to stop eating turkey on thanksgiving. I think something about where to get organic, local, non factory farmed turkey would have been a more useful and realistic suggestion. And I say this as a vegetarian who has never once had turkey in her life, and is pretty disgusted by the whole thing.

[Nye]

Green Tip #3 may be the wrong place for this question, but I'm glad Laurie already opened the subject.

What I am wondering is, whether it is 'greener' to roast the bird longer at a very low temperature (like all night), only raising the temp to brown it during the last half hour or so; or go the more conventional, shorter-duration route at a higher temperature? I.e., which uses less fuel to accomplish the desired end: a delicious turkey on the table?

Apologies to those who may be offended by my asking that on this page, but a long life of turkey expectation at Thanksgiving is a lot to reverse at this point; even while a certain remorse (and gratitude) may be felt toward the bird itself.

My favorite "grace" is, "Thank you for this food, this food, this glorious, glorious food - and the animals, and the vegetables, and the minerals that made it possible!" (It is a truly lovely, simple round to sing and, for vegetarians, "the animals" might include the mule that plowed the furrows in the field, or the dog that chased the rabbits away from the kale bed.)

A happy and gratitude-filled day of community to all, of whatever persuasion!

[Christina]

Although I agree that foregoing meat is the "greener" option, I'm curious about the use of the term "genetically modified." I don't know about GM animals being commercially raised, and I want to make sure that this term is not being thrown around indiscriminately like it is with crops. People assume that a huge variety of crops are GM, whereas only a few types of crops can be found in GM form. Also, if the turkey somehow IS GM (which I find hard to believe), that doesn't make it environmentally UNfriendly. Of course, the conditions in which they are raised are typically abominable, but I'm just raising these points for the sake of accuracy.

[Barbara DeGrande]

If one studies the effects of eating animals and their secretions on the human body and on the planet, not to mention the suffering of the critters, it is not that unrealistic to decide to go vegan. However, I know it is too large a leap for many of us --but how about just trying a vegan dish? I can assure you that you will feel sooooo much better as a vegan, and I have found my budget now includes the ability to try a larger variety of foods and spices than ever before. Go to Compassionate Cooks website for information and to listen to podcasts, or try Vegan Freak (graphic langauge at times) or Vegan Radio for podcasts to learn more and get motivated. Whatever anyone decides to do is their choice. I am just so enthused because I never enjoyed food so much nor felt so great as I have since I have been vegan (and over 30 years as vegetarian). As an afterthought, doing the right thing is not always easy (initially). In any case, have a blessed day of Thanksgiving everyone!!!

[Lori]

Boy, since reading the email about foregoing turkey, I have a lot to think about. On one hand, what I've heard about conditions in cattle/poultry raising facilities is extremely disturbing. But I also have to admit that I enjoy turkey. So maybe a compromise for this year is to check out Whole Foods or Trader Joe's for free-range poultry. I'm also curious about tofurkey & am thinking about maybe trying that for the next time I'd normally have turkey. The email & the posts have been very informative.

[Lisa]

I am definitely going to eat turkey for Thanksgiving. I raised it, gently, and will eat it. Christina is right...turkeys are not genetically modified. they have been bred over generations to have more breast meat...to the point that they cannot breed naturally. Virtually all large white turkeys are artificially inseminated. I have Bourbon Red heritage turkeys. They have less breast meat and firmer brown meat...if they are allowed to run around outside as mine are. They take longer to cook. But it's all a matter of what we are used to. Somewhere along the way advertising agencies took over and told us what to eat and how to think. I'm not sure if any meat from healthy, naturally raised animals is "fork tender". I think we were just told that because as industrial agriculture developed, that's how the animals turned out....poor muscle tone. Enough ranting. You all have a good Thanksgiving!

[Larry]

If you are lucky enough to live near a healthy population of wild turkeys, consider taking up bow hunting. That would be the most free-range, antibiotic/hormone-free, local (depending on location of your hunting spot, & likely is closer than where a Tofurkey gets shipped from) meat you can find!

[Denise Thornton]

I have come up with an alternative to turkey that my family now looks forward to eagerly.
I make a polenta dome.
Prepare polenta according to the instructions on the side of the corn meal bag. Add to it two kinds of beans (I use edamame and kidney for color contrast.) I also add grated cheese, beaten eggs, sauted onions and garlic and herbs. I press this mixture into a round bowl to set then I tip it out onto a baking tray and bake it round side up in the oven till it has a crispy coating. We then present it by pouring flaming brandy over it with the lights down low.
I do provide a small amount of sliced turkey from the deli for inflexible meat eaters in my family, but I notice they often have seconds of the the polenta dome.
It is a similar, bountiful shape, every bit as delicious and so much better for the diners and the planet.

I replace the regular gravy with nutritional yeast gravy, which is every bit as delicious. The milk and nutritional yeast make it quite high in protein

this gravy recipe makes about 4 cups and contains:
55 g protein
1000 calories
57 g fat
21 g fiber

Wheatland Yeasty Gravy

¼ c canola or olive oil
½ c chopped onions
1/3 c flour
Several cloves garlic, crushed
½ c nutritional yeast
¼ c tamari sauce (low sodium)
2 c milk
1+ cup water
¼ c parsley, fresh or dried

Heat oil; add onions and cook until tender. Stir in flour and garlic; stir 2 to 3 minutes. Add yeast, tamari and parsley, then add milk and simmer. Add water to get the texture you want. Blend the whole mixture until creamy smooth.

Denise

[Melissa C.]

Instead of a tofurkey, I have found that the brand Quorn (grocer's freezer section) has a wonderful 'turkey roast'. To me, it has better flavor than the tofurkey. Just shave it and put with cranberry sauce - yum!

[Alice M.]

Oh my gosh, let's not argue! This should be a forum for those of us to support and express ideas regarding taking more environmental steps. None of us are perfect so let's just be supportive.

That said, I think the BEST Thanksgiving dinner is the one my mom made, though sans the turkey: green beans with onion cheddar cheese and slivered almonds, onion and apple stuffing made with veggie "chicken" broth, mashed potatoes with soymilk, garlic, and parmesan cheese, and, of course, Torfurkey roast.

Other main course options? Giada deLaurentis' lentil loaf or stuffed portabello mushrooms.

Oh, and wine. Lots and lots of organic wine. Yum!

Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings to everyone! =0)

[Beau Broughton]

Besides horking down on a delish, cruelty-free vegan tofurkey, you can also check out vegcooking.com for a whole bunch of vegan Thanksgiving options. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to really look at how and where our food comes from and possibly step outside your comfort zone and find out what really happens to turkeys on factory farms, because whether free range or not, you're still taking the life of an innocent bird and contributing to environmental destruction.

[Rr_Salamander]

Daily carbon emissions accounts for 30-40% of US greenhouse gasses--no small matter. And a vegetarian / vegan lifestyle is an easy way to reduce individual carbon emissions.

[Lori]

The polenta dome sounds wonderful! So now I have several alternatives to turkey. I think the real message here is that it's so necessary to give thought to what we do, why we do it and the positive/negative effects. How each of us lives our life is important and we can have an impact on our environment and other life forms. That's a big responsibility but also has so many possibilities. Happy Thanksgiving, however you choose to celebrate.

[Hannah Kelly]

Lets spare the life of Turkey in Thanksgiving day and share this message with everyone.Post this Green article in http://www.allvoices.com/incentive/advertising and raise the awareness about green life .

[Erica]

I've tried Tofurkey in the past and didn't really love it. However, the Tofurkey sausages are delicious, especially when sauteed with green and red peppers & onions (I believe there is a recipe on the back of the package). They're usually not that hard to find either. I always buy them @ Trader Joe's.

[Erica]

I've tried Tofurkey in the past and didn't really love it. However, the Tofurkey sausages are delicious, especially when sauteed with green and red peppers & onions (I believe there is a recipe on the back of the package). They're usually not that hard to find either. I always buy them @ Trader Joe's.

[Denise]

My favorite way to go vegan is to remember it is a time in which to give thanks and not require the life of another. Before you sit down to eat your nonvegetarain meal visit this website http://www.peta.org/feat/nc/index.html

For me I enjoy any pasta dish with red sauce or a great meal of only vegetables.

[Karen]

I've read that the people who landed at Plymouth Rock didn't have turkey, the feast probably consisted of venison . . . by now, turkey is just a symbol. We'd do better to focus on corn, beans and squash . . . I'm a vegetarian & haven't eaten meat or poultry in 30 years, and while I like tofu, I don't feel I need a meat substitute to celebrate a holiday.

[brian]

I will NOT be eating any turkey this Thursday. This is another made up commerical holiday. Give my veggies and pasta!

[Justine Burt]

Every November, Vegetarian Times magazine has a very appealing entree to offer up as an alternative to a turkey. I'm going to make last year's again: puff pastry around three layers of hearty veggies (sweet potatoes, sauteed dark leafy greens and a third that I'm going to have to look up). Yum!!!

[Don Stucky]

Is it true that tofurkey can spread mad soy disease?

[Erica]

Thanks so much for these wonderful tips to create a meal that everyone can be thankful for--including the turkeys! Get more recipes ideas, and discover what the turkey industry doesn't want to you know at:
http://www.cok.net/feat/thanksgiving/