| Lately the trend in vogue is going vegetarian and | | | | demand, prompted families across North America |
| sparing thousands of poor souls the brutal | | | | to participate in a tradition where they adopted |
| onslaught at the slaughter houses, to serve as | | | | turkeys instead of eating them. In a way the |
| delectable dishes for the occasion and delight the | | | | turkeys were treated as guest of honor. More so, |
| appetite of the guests invited. PETA along with | | | | till date PETA, the group for animal right |
| the fervent efforts made by many organizations | | | | protection has also been consistent in its effort to |
| has raised the awareness of the public and | | | | prevent the slaughter of these innocent birds by |
| interestingly encouraged them to tread on the | | | | featuring Thanksgiving e-cards on its websites |
| path of trendy vegetarianism or prompted them | | | | that say "Don't Eat the Mascot" and "Happy |
| to go all vegan, despite Thanksgiving being | | | | Tofurky Day" instead of "Happy Turkey Day". |
| marked out in the American calendar as a | | | | In recent times, in fact since 1995, America's |
| meat-influenced holiday. However, there is a subtle | | | | leading turkey alternative is "Tofurky" or in other |
| difference between being vegan and vegetarian. | | | | words "Tofu-turkey". It is the best way to satisfy |
| Being vegetarian means compulsorily abstaining | | | | the vegetarian and the non-vegetarian populace |
| from non-vegetarian food items like fish, meat, | | | | alike by offering this meat substitute which is |
| egg, dairy products and sometimes even | | | | equally appealing as their non-veg counterpart. In |
| excluding honey from one's diet. While being | | | | fact over the years, turkey has been completely |
| vegan means one chooses voluntarily not to | | | | bowled over by its substitute, "tofurky'. PETA |
| consume non-vegetarian food items like the | | | | supports this effort by listing out a host of |
| vegetarian mass of population and being content | | | | recipes to choose from, including "Tofurky" roast, |
| experimenting with the substitutes offered in the | | | | dumplings, giblet and mushroom gravy, tofurky |
| market. | | | | wild rice stuffing and wishtix, "Unturkey", "Tofu |
| Since long turkey has been the centerpiece of | | | | turkey" are all kind alternatives to real turkeys so |
| Thanksgiving feasting, hence most vegetarians | | | | that it is not missed at the Thanksgiving table. |
| tend to feel left out on that day, but now with | | | | They are soy-based roast, stuffing and gravy |
| this new trend in vogue one needs not worry at | | | | that taste more often than not like the real meat. |
| all. Though this idea of going vegetarian is gaining | | | | If tofurky is not your type, then one has the |
| popularity at a rapid pace yet for most | | | | liberty to stick to the traditional dishes like corn, |
| Americans, to celebrate Thanksgiving without | | | | squashes, apples, nuts, cranberries, as well as |
| turkey would be similar to having birthday bash | | | | favorites like pumpkin pie with a tasty crumb |
| without a cake, Christmas without tree or Fourth | | | | topping to appease your appetite. Desserts also |
| of July celebrations without fireworks. Over the | | | | come in all kinds of varieties wooing the |
| years, majority of people are found gorging on | | | | vegetarian and the hard-core non-vegetarian |
| the sumptuous meals cooked for the special | | | | mass alike with stuffs such as vegan pies in |
| occasion with turkey featuring as the main | | | | pumpkin, cherry blackberry and apple- |
| attraction in the menu. While vegetarians being the | | | | cranberry-currant varieties. |
| unfortunate lot nibbling on the leftovers and side | | | | This time that you plan a dinner for your |
| dishes. But off-late, vegetarianism has been on | | | | vegetarian guests, you no more have to spend |
| the rise, with about 6% of the American | | | | sleepless nights pondering what would be a good |
| population saying they never eat meat, the figure | | | | and viable choice of food items to be cooked. |
| shooting up to 10% among those aged 18-34, | | | | Your culinary art lies in preparing vegetarian food |
| according to a recent Vegetarian Resource Group | | | | which will be enjoyed and appreciated by both the |
| Harris Interactive Survey. There may be | | | | finicky children as well as by adults with more |
| variegated reasons for people opting for a | | | | traditional tastes. There are certain tips that you |
| vegetarian diet. Whatever the reason may be: | | | | can keep in mind while preparing food on |
| religious, ethical, health considerations or out of | | | | Thanksgiving Day for your vegetarian guests: |
| serious concern for the environment or animal | | | | · Prepare stuffing outside of Turkey. |
| rights, its true that unknowingly one is likely to | | | | · Keep cooking utensils separate to |
| receive health benefits from it. In fact a recent | | | | prevent "cross contamination" between meat |
| study indicated that one out of every eight | | | | foods and vegetarian foods. · Use |
| turkeys is infected with salmonella bacteria. Thus | | | | substitutions like vegetarian broth, soy margarine, |
| avoiding the consumption of turkeys may not be | | | | soy milk and kosher marshmallows which do not |
| a bad choice. Again "The American Dietetic | | | | have gelatin in its ingredients. · Frying can |
| Association" says that the nutritional benefits of | | | | be done using vegetable oil and refraining from |
| vegetarian diets include lower levels of saturated | | | | the use of animal fats. · Breads, |
| fat, cholesterol, as well as higher levels of fiber, | | | | beverages, fresh fruits and non-gelatin desserts |
| folate and anti-oxidants such as vitamin C and E. | | | | can be offered aplenty as they can be served to |
| This new generation of vegans and vegetarians | | | | the vegetarian and the non-vegetarian guests |
| however now has a reason to party and | | | | alike. · You can also ask your guests |
| celebrate this festival with friendly food and | | | | whether a product like the "Tofurky" brand |
| resources at their display to choose from. In fact | | | | vegetarian dinner would be welcome as well as |
| vegetarian Thanksgiving can be a glamorous affair | | | | invite them to prepare and bring a dish of their |
| taking into consideration that being vegetarian is | | | | choice, if they so please. Thus, this year too all |
| now in rage for the fact that is the best way to | | | | can stay soaked in the spirit of the festival by |
| show your compassion towards the animals as | | | | relishing the delicious food that are dished out and |
| well as living healthy, keeping ailments such as | | | | giving turkeys the right to live and enjoy their day |
| heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes as well as | | | | along with us. The scenario has changed and |
| food poisoning at bay. In 1998, growing | | | | perhaps for the better. Non-vegetarians no more |
| awareness about the unhealthy conditions in which | | | | need to grunt and grumble when the occasion is |
| the turkeys were kept and the inhuman manner | | | | round the corner for there are recipes galore to |
| in which these were genetically engineered to | | | | court their vegetarian guests as well as the |
| grow twice as large and twice as fast as their | | | | vegetarians now doesn't need to be cornered by |
| ancestors to keep in pace with the growing | | | | this predominantly meat eating festival. |