Food blogger Laura Silverman of Glutton for Life lives in a cedar-shingle cottage in upstate New York. We sent her into her garden to find inspiration—and she came back with a Thanksgiving menu to please every guest (including those who request gluten-free sandwiches, meat-free entrees, and leftovers lunch on Friday).
This week, try one or all of her recipes (and read on to see her garden in all its glory):
Photography by Laura Silverman, except where noted.
Gluten Free Collard Wraps
Above: Call it a turkey sandwich substitute. Laura wraps caramelized tofu and crispy sprouts in collard leaves for lunch. Try the same technique with leftover turkey and cranberry sauce. Says Laura: "Interesting sandwich substitutes are always welcome." For more ways to eat your greens, see Laura's recipes for Creamed Winter Greens.
Find Your Roots: Vegetable Pan Roast
Above: Photograph by Matthew Williams for Gardenista.
Above: "Root vegetables have an affinity for each other and you can’t go wrong with almost any combination," says Laura. Before roasting, she cuts them into uniformly sized pieces (so everything cooks at the same rate). See her recipe for Winter Vegetable Pan Roast.
Carrot-Ginger Soup
Above: Laura says the humble carrot deserves more than a supporting role in a Thanksgiving menu. See more of her Root Vegetable Musings and see her recipe for Carrot-Ginger Soup.
Raw Foods: Cranberry Relish
Above: Some people think traditional cranberry sauce is too gloopy, or too sweet, or too something. Laura has a solution: raw cranberry relish, made with fennel and apple. She used a food processor to chop everything. See her recipe for Raw Cranberry Relish.
Vegetarian Entree: Stuffed Squash
Above: Stuffed and Roasted Winter Squash is a hearty dish involving cheesy goodness; even the carnivores won't miss meat.
Pie Alternative: Skillet Apple Cake
Above: "Apples really shine in this traditional Italian farmhouse cake, where thin slices of the fruit are held together with just-melted butter, a couple of eggs, and a scant amount of flour," says Laura. Here's her recipe for Farmhouse Apple Cake.
Leftovers Lunch
Above: Friday is another day. Turkey tostadas are about as far away from Thanksgiving as you can get, and for this you'll be grateful," says Laura. See her recipe for Turkey Tostadas
Laura's Garden
Above: Laura Silverman's garden provides inspiration for Thanksgiving—and for dinner every day. Take a tour in Garden Visit: A Cook's Garden in Upstate New York.
Looking for last-minute inspiration for a Thanksgiving menu? See:
- Required Reading: Elizabeth David on Vegetables.
- Pumpkin Soup with an Unexpected Twist.
- Recipe Roundup: 5 Favorites to Take to a Holiday Potluck Party.
More Stories from Gardenista