Thanksgiving: Vegetarian Style

So when anyone thinks of the holidays approaching, many picture family, fun, and of course, food.  We love indulging in edible happiness.  Thanksgiving is the day known for eating ourselves silly.
Turkey! That is the first thought that comes to many minds when we think about our tradition Thanksgiving day.  But many people who love this bird on their plate, may not know that roughly 45 million of these animals are killed each year.
So what is a vegan or vegetarian to do?  Or what is someone looking to try something new and animal friendly this year to eat?  "Here is some green beans," or ". . .but turkey isn't really meat," are heard far too often among people seeking a non-animal meal.  But just when you thought our diets are strict and similar to that of a rabbit, think again, not only is it animal friendly to skip on the turkey, but healthy and delicious!
 The Washington Post has a great article discussing how a vegetarian holiday meal can still be comforting, satisfying, and easy to please the pallet. It gives great ideas on why being a vegetarian on Thanksgiving isn't as tough as it seems. In the article by the Associated Press, it says, "Think about it. Once you’ve taken the obligatory slice of turkey, a dutiful spoonful of gravy and maybe haggled a bit over the dark meat, what you really want is more stuffing. More mashed anything. More syrupy sweet potatoes. And definitely more pie. Pie of any kind."  It's so true.  Many people go back for those yummy side dishes.  Filling up on veggies, stuffing, sweets and treats is easy to do, you will hardly miss the bird!Besides the fact there isn't a dead bird in the middle of your dining room table, eating a vegetarian diet has huge benefits.  According to Elaine Magee's article on Web MD, she states, "In a recent position statement, the American Dietetic Association says that the nutritional benefits of vegetarian diets include lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein, as well as higher levels of fiber, folate, phytochemicals, and antioxidants such as vitamin C and E."  Not only are you doing your body a favor, but you are saving a life of a turkey. Thanksgiving is a day to be grateful and shared with loved ones.  Give a turkey something to be grateful for and try going veg for a day!  These articles and many more website references can reveal what delicious options are available that don't have meat.  Besides, you know your family will still have left overs for that long awaited turkey soup if tofurkey just isn't your thing!