Not long ago, while browsing through cookbooks for holiday dinner ideas, I came upon a curious assortment of recipes for an alternative Thanksgiving dinner. There were instructions for crafting a vegetarian turkey – essentially a combination of tofu and various spices, squished into a mush and then sculpted around a stuffing log to form a poultry-ish roast. I found recipes for wheat-free dinner rolls, vegan whipped cream, and a dairy-free, gluten-free pumpkin pie whose ingredient list sounded like it might well cement my tongue to my palate.

At our local favorite grocery store monopoly, I found a pre-made vegetarian turkey called the Celebration Roast, complete with stuffing, gravy and all the fixin’s. I had to wonder: did the turkey include nuggets of soy protein gizzards, or tiny bits of seitan turkey livers? I also had to wonder: with all the celebration of what there wasn’t - no wheat, no gluten, dairy or meat, no sugar or soy - this holiday meal was sounding like a bunch of consolation prizes.

Granted, the alternative holiday concept is a dandy idea for those who don’t eat meat or wheat. It’s just not fun pushing a pile of lentils and rice around while everyone else hammers into a roasted bird and a mound of dinner rolls. And, nutritionally speaking, you’re on a darn good track when you nix the meat, gluten, dairy and sugar. What’s curious is the alternative holiday meals’ reliance on substitute foods: ersatz turkey, ice cream-ish frozen things, fake rolls and pies and gravy. What is it about the way we’re eating that necessitates the inclusion of so many imposters?

That got me thinking about the featured foods at the first Thanksgiving. It was made up in large part of simple food the Wampanoag Indians had cultivated, gathered and caught for years. Those native foods were naturally free of gluten, dairy, sugar, preservatives, additives and artificial ingredients. If one were to shove aside the various large game adorning a typical table, it would be quite a spread for even the most exclusionary of eaters.
Is it possible to create that same kind of clean, authentic meal using only fruits, vegetables and nuts, without dairy, meat, sugar, or gluten? I think so. Here’s a blueprint for a nutrient-dense, whole-foods holiday meal. It works for Thanksgiving and various December holidays - just add roast chicken, turkey, large game or tofu. (By the way, if you’ve never tried the Celebration Roast, I have to admit it’s pretty darn good.)

Rosemary-Scented Red and Yellow Beet Salad with Hazelnuts
Serves 6
6 small red beets, trimmed and washed
6 small yellow beets, trimmed and washed (if yellow beets aren’t available, substitute red beets)
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 medium heads Belgian endive
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons hazelnut or walnut oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap beets individually in foil, including half a sprig of fresh rosemary in each foil packet. Place on a large baking sheet and roast at 450 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, until tender.

Remove beets from oven and let cool for about 20 minutes. Unwrap each beet and peel by holding under cold running water and gently peeling off skin. Cut each beet into 4 wedges and set aside.

While beets are cooling, cut stems off endive and place leaves in a medium bowl. Add red onion slices and hazelnuts. Drizzle with olive oil, hazelnut or walnut oil, and balsamic vinegar. Toss to mix, and divide evenly among six plates. Arrange beet wedges on each plate and serve. Top with fresh Chevre for your non-vegan friends, if desired; it’s lovely.

Butternut Squash and Sun-Dried Tomato Soup
Serves 6
1 large butternut squash
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups sun-dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
1 quart vegetable stock
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
4 cups baby spinach leaves

Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place squash, cut side down, in a glass baking pan with about 1/2 inch water. Bake at 375 degrees until tender, about 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot and sauté onions until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, stock and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Scoop out flesh from cooked and cooled squash and add to pot; simmer for 30 minutes, until squash is soft and flavors are blended. Puree with a hand blender, or transfer to food processor and puree in batches until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in basil and spinach, and serve immediately.

(Thanks to Jill Emich, co-founder of Blissful Sisters Catering, for this recipe!)

Braised Greens, Cranberries and Walnuts
Serves 6
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 medium shallots, minced
1 large bunch kale, tough stems and center ribs discarded and leaves cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 large bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
3 cups mustard greens, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots, and sauté for 1 minute, until garlic is fragrant. Add kale, sprinkle with sea salt and stir to coat with oil. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons cooking liquid (stock, wine or water) and dried cranberries. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until just tender. Add chard, mustard greens and walnuts; stir and cook for 2 minutes, until chard is just tender. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Sage-Roasted Root Vegetables
Serves 6
2 large sweet potatoes
4 medium turnips
6 medium parsnips
6 large carrots
2 medium yellow onions, cut into eighths
15 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Fresh sage for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut sweet potato and turnip into 1-inch cubes. Cut parsnips and carrots diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Place vegetables, onions and garlic on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with sage, salt and pepper, and mix with hands to coat well. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 to 50 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with fresh sage, and serve.

Warm Fig, Plum and Pear Compote in Almond-Date Crust
Serves 6
1 cup dried figs, coarsely chopped
1 cup dried plums, coarsely chopped
1 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons orange blossom honey or agave nectar
3 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 vanilla bean
1 (1-inch) strip lemon peel
4 ripe pears, peeled, cored and cubed
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup raw almonds
14 moist medjool dates (soak in water if very firm or dry)
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

In a medium saucepan, combine figs, plums and apple juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add honey, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla bean and lemon peel; cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pears and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Remove cloves, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean and lemon peel. Let cool.

While compote is cooling, make crust: combine cashews and almonds in a food processor, and process into a meal. Add dates and coconut, and process to form a sticky dough, scraping the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Press the mixture into a lightly oiled glass pie dish. Spoon compote in and garnish with fresh slices of pear.

Lisa Turner is a chef and food writer based in Boulder. She writes for local and national food magazine, works as a natural chef educator at Bauman College, and believes in traditional foods—minus the large game. She also loves getting email; visit her website at TheHealthyGourmet.net.