Thanksgiving is literally around the corner, which often means that you are preparing to have family descend upon your house. For the most part, its business as usual.

But if you’ve got a Vegan guest coming to stay with you over the holidays, you might be feeling uncertain about what you could do to make their stay more comfortable. First of all, they would probably cringe at the thought of you doing anything on their behalf, but I will be their spokesperson. So, I came up with 6 things you can have at your house, that will make your Vegan guests stay at your place just that much better. Believe me, If you do these things, you are golden.

1-Non Dairy Creamer-I need coffee immediately in the mornings, which means I need non dairy creamer. Of course people have their favorites, but don’t get all caught up in that. You got the non-dairy creamer. Your guest should be happy.

2-Non Dairy Milk (Almond/Soy/Coconut Milk)- On this one I would ask for their preference. People definitely have reasons for choosing one over the other.

3-Bagels- Bagels you buy at the store sometimes do have dairy so you have to label read, but the ones you get at bagel shops are dairy free…except the ‘egg’ bagels of course. Bagels can work as bread options for breakfast, lunch or snacks.

4-Peanut Butter– This is an all purpose item for me. If I only have a few items to work with, peanut butter can be used on toast at breakfast, at lunch on a  PB and J, or as a snack on some crackers or fruit.

5-Frozen Vegan meats – Gardein, Morningstar and Beyond Meat are all yummy brands.  Your guest may or may not eat these products on a regular basis, but they will probably appreciate having a quick meatless option for dinner. They may be able to eat sides from your dinner too, but if not, these will be a quick and easy base for a meal. Plus, they keep in the freezer if they are not used on this visit.

6-Vegan Dessert- There is nothing worse than having to sit through dessert  ALL the time! I can handle once. But really, that’s all I can handle. I know if I am going to be somewhere for a while I provide for my ‘tasty treat’ needs, but it would be pretty awesome to have a vegan doughnut, or vegan dark chocolate raisins to help me through.

Fruits and veggies, dried rice and canned beans are implied. And a potato and some Oatmeal are always nice too. If your guest is staying for longer than a couple of days, chances are they will just make a trip to the grocery store and get whatever they need, but know that if you have a Vegan guest dropping by for a day or two,  you can be sure they will feel comfortable at your place.

Now, the actual Thanksgiving-Dinner-of- it-All is up to you. If you are hosting someone who is Vegan at your Holiday table, you should have one main dinner item, like this Vegan Layered Holiday Pastry Loaf

along with at least one side, maybe a green salad (that’s easy), and a dessert. You must have a dessert. For real though. You HAVE to have a dessert. Go further if you want, but I’m sure the Vegan person doesn’t want you to change the whole menu on their account.

Now, the Vegan Loaf is fancy and fabulous, of course, but I’ve got another excellent Vegan holiday main that takes half the time, but will be welcomed with open arms!

Vegetable Pot Pie

Yield: 6 individual pot pies (approx 6 cups filling)

(2) 9 inch pie crusts

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion- diced

½ cup carrots, halved or quartered and chopped (approx. 2 med)

½  cup celery -halved and chopped (approx. 2 med)

1 cup diced waxy potato

¼  teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1 Tablespoon Dijon

4-6 Tablespoons water

½ teaspoon dried sage

½ teaspoon rosemary

½ teaspoon dried tarragon

3 cups broth (no-chicken or veg)

1 bay leaf

½ cup frozen peas

2 Tablespoons roughly chopped parsley

*optional- 1 1/2 cups Vegan Chicken (I used Beyond Meat’s Grilled Strips)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 375.

Invert your ramekins onto a piece of parchment paper and trace the diameter of the top. Cut out the circle.

Divide dough into 2 balls. Roll each on a lightly floured board or between 2 pieces of parchment until about 1/8 inch thick or a 12-14 inch diameter circle.

Use the paper as a template and cut out 6 circles. (One roll-out yielded 5 circles, then I had to roll out once more for the 6th. Save the scraps.) Repeat with the second piece of dough so that you have 12 circles. Use the scraps to make any decorations you would like for the top.

Fit one circle into the bottom of each ramekin. Note- It will not come all the way to the top. Prick with a fork, and parbake for 10 minutes. Take out of the oven and allow to cool.

Raise the oven heat to 400 degrees.

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium. Add onions,  and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until starting to soften. Add carrots, celery, potato and salt. Cook 3 -5 minutes more.

To the pot, add the sage, rosemary, and tarragon, and let cook one minute or until herbs become fragrant. Add broth and bayleaf. Bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat. Simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix flour, Dijon mustard, and water with a spoon until smooth. Add one cup of the hot liquid to the flour mixture and stir until well mixed. Pour all of the liquid back into the soup pot. Add peas, parsley and vegan chicken if you are using it. Mix well and take off the heat.

 Divide the filling evenly into the 6 par baked crusts, then cover with the second circle of pie dough. Add decorations, poking the top of the dough with a fork or knife a few times to create vents, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.