Thanksgiving Feast!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! Mostly because of my mama's dressin' and hash brown casserole but also just because I love to eat all the things. Gluttony is totally my jam, so I like to work up an appetite on Thanksgiving morning with a nice run.

For the past couple years, Misti and I have been running with a group of folks in Paragould, a small town just outside my parents' hometown. It's an unofficial Turkey Trot that meets outside Greene County Primary School. The full group does 10 miles, but some choose to do less. My No Meat Athlete Marathon training plan called for a 5-mile tempo run today, so Misti, her daughter Melani, Paul, and I just did 5 miles. It was so cold this morning — 30 degrees! — but we made it.

Post-run, Paul and I both had protein smoothies with chocolate hemp protein, banana, chia seed, and soymilk. Those held us over until noon when it was time for my mama's Thanksgiving lunch!

Here's my plate. I've been eating so healthily over the past few days on my No Meat Athlete meal plan, and it was fun to pile my plate full of plant meat and vegan cheesy, buttery casseroles.

We have a small family, so it was just my parents, Me-Maw, Granny, and me and Paul.

Here's a close-up of everything. I opted for a Tofurky Roast this year. I'd planned on getting those individual Gardein turk'y cutlets (because I didn't want a ton of leftovers), but I couldn't find them anywhere. And Sprouts had Tofurky on sale, so there ya go. Honestly, I do think Tofurky really is the best plant turkey out there, taste-wise and texture-wise.

And here are the stars of the show — Mama's Cornbread Dressin' and Hash Brown Casserole. She makes vegan versions (for me!) and non-vegan versions for everyone else. I have a lot left over that I can freeze for later!

She also made a Vegan Broccoli Cheese & Rice Casserole with the new Daiya cheese sauce packets. She didn't do a non-vegan version of this, so everyone ate it (and it was actually Paul's fave -- even though he claims he doesn't like vegan cheese).

Of course, there was homemade Cranberry Sauce.

And Green Beans.

And Corn.

Mama always makes some sort of salad, and this year, that was a Coleslaw made with olive oil and a little sugar and salt.

Mama said she thought she put too much Earth Balance on the Dinner Rolls. I told her there's no such thing as "too much Earth Balance."

She usually makes some sort of pie for dessert, but this year, Mama already had a non-vegan turtle cheesecake in the freezer that she wanted to serve. So I picked up a Daiya Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake, and she made me a pecan praline caramel topping for it. Mmmm mmmm, y'all. This was a tasty vegan cheesecake!

Paul and I drove back to Memphis in the afternoon. Once we were unpacked, we put up the holiday tree and decorations while we sipped on Cranberry Apple Moscow Mules (made with sparkling apple juice, cranberry juice, vodka, and gingerale). We had to settle for gingerale because all the stores in Midtown were closed, except for Walgreens and gas stations. Sadly, those places don't carry ginger beer. But the cocktails were still delicious!

Hope y'all had a delicious Thanksgiving!!