HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALBERT SCHWEITZER. 

To you beyond death now, thank you for writing and articulating The Ethics of Reverence for Life, the truest and most beautiful and important ethic I know.

“A human is truly ethical only when he obeys the compulsion to help all life which he is able to assist, and shrinks from injuring anything that lives.”

The Australian Peacock Spider. (photo by Jurgen Otto.) Many more images of this incredible creature here.

Like all mammals, cows only produce milk to feed their young. Humans are able to consume all the milk and dairy they want (but don’t need) only by keeping cows pregnant and lactating, then taking away the calves for whom the milk is intended. In natural herds, the powerful bond between mother and calf persists long after the calves have matured. But on all dairy farms, big or small, organic or free-range, calves are forcibly taken from their mothers within a few hours of birth. This cruel separation is devastating for both of them. Male calves are killed for veal, while female calves are kept separated and fed milk substitute until they are old enough to replace their mothers. Dairy cows are slaughtered for ground beef at a fraction of their natural lifespan. There is no such thing as humane dairy. Please read more here: http://woodstocksanctuary.org/learn/our-health/milk-myths/

And for a list of great dairy alternatives, check out Go Dairy Free: http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-substitutes/how-to-substitute-milk-skim-low-fat-whole

Pearl is a turkey who has lived at Farm Sanctuary for 5 years after rescue from slaughter. She is completely blind and cannot walk well, but lives for sunbeams, which she finds by feel. 

photo: Melody Martinez

Here’s a piece I wrote on what life is like for most of the 46 million Thanksgiving turkeys slaughtered in America each year, with important information on “free-range” and “cage-free” birds as well. Is this something to give thanks for? Please let others know what these gentle individuals go through. Full text here.

Speaking of “blast-beruffled,” here is my beautiful friend Timmy, a resident of Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, who follows everyone around, patiently and persistently waiting to be adored.

So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware.

-from “The Darkling Thrush,” by Thomas Hardy

GUIDE TO VEGAN THANKSGIVING TURKEY SUBSTITUTES AND OTHER MAIN DISH IDEAS (click photo for larger image and text)

From frozen faux-turkeys that look and taste like the real thing, to savory, protein-packed grain roasts, to more creative cruelty-free substitutes, here’s my definitive guide to your Turkey-Free Main Entree, whether you’re looking for store-bought, order-online, or make-your-own options. I hope you have as much fun perusing this list as I did making it. Pictured, counter-clockwise from top right: #18, #11, #1, #8, #3, #6, #9, and #7 (large center image).

STORE-BOUGHT/FROZEN: (you can ask your local coop or natural foods store to special order ahead of time if they don’t already carry)

1. Tofurky Roast: ”The Tofurky Roast is a pre-cooked vegetarian feast designed to be the delicious centerpiece of your holiday or everyday meal. Made from a revolutionary tofu-wheat protein blend, our famous Tofurky Roast is known for its incredible, turkey-like texture and flavor. Stuffed with wild rice and whole wheat bread crumb stuffing, this roast carves and cuts just like turkey but without the bones. Made with organic non-genetically engineered soybeans.”

http://www.tofurky.com/tofurkyproducts/holiday_products.html 

And a great Tofurky recipe here: http://www.meettheshannons.net/2011/11/betty-crocker-project-thanksgiving-day.html

2. Field Roast: Celebration Roast: “We start with a rich and savory sausage-style stuffing made from Field Roast grain “meat,” fresh cut butternut squash, mushrooms and granny smith apples seasoned with a blend of rosemary, thyme and sage. We then surround the stuffing with our most luxuriant grain meat seasoned with rubbed sage, garlic and lemon juice.”

http://www.fieldroast.com/products/retail/celebration-roast/

3. Field Roast: Wild Rice Cranberry Fig Roast En Croute: “Our Wild Rice Cranberry Fig Roast En Croute is delicious, rich and nutritious. We start with a rich grain meat roast and fill it with a wild rice & quinoa sausage style stuffing. The sweet infusion of dried figs in the stuffing and the scrumptious vegan pastry give it the festive finishing touch.”

http://www.fieldroast.com/products/food-service/wild-rice-cranberry-fig-roast-en-croute/

4. Gardein Holiday Roast: This company’s products have taken the faux-meat world by storm. The holiday roast is filled with a spiced wild rice and cranberry stuffing and comes with delicious gravy. Serves 8. http://www.gardein.com/products.php?t=frozen&p=67

5. Vegeusa’s Vegan Whole Turkey looks…exactly like a whole cooked turkey (photo at link), which will freak some out and please others. It gets great reviews for taste and is a bit pricier than others. If not available through your store, you can get it at the sites we list  for order online. http://www.vegeusa.com/VegeUSA/products/vegan_turkey.html

6. Match Meats: Stuffed Holiday Roast: Match Meats creates some of the most authentic, realistic-tasting vegan meats out there. Their Holiday Roast looks, tastes, and prepares just like meat, and is filled with a savory, fluffy stuffing. At only $13.99 (serves 6), it’s one of the  budget-friendlier options out there. Also available for order online. 

http://www.veganstore.com/product/1435/new-products

7. Native Foods: Wellington: (see large center image in collage above).The Native Wellington is a long, loaf-shaped elegant puff pastry filled with savory Seitan, stuffi ng, orange-glazed sweet potatoes, kale, and herbed mushrooms. Served with mushroom shallot gravy. Comes frozen with instructions. Ready in about 2 hours. Serves 6-8. $39.95. Available in select California, Colorado, and Chicago stores (see list: https://nativefoods.com/locations/) or for mail-order shipping: https://nativefoods.com/wellington/. 

ORDER ONLINE:

Many of the items listed above can be ordered and shipped from either of the sites below:

http://www.veganstore.com/category/thanksgiving-and-holiday/a

http://store.veganessentials.com/meat-alternatives-c67.aspx

MAKE YOUR OWN: Amazing Main Dish Recipes!

8. Savory Country-Fried Seitan Cutlets with Spiced Breadcrumbs and Maple Marinade, from Kathy Patalsky: http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/09/05/labor-day-country-fried-seitan-cutlets/

9. Amazing Seitan Roast Stuffed With Shiitakes And Leeks, from Isa Chandra/ The Post Punk Kitchen: http://www.theppk.com/2011/11/seitan-roast-stuffed-with-shiitakes-and-leeks/

10. Seitan Roast with Wild Rice and Chestnut Stuffing, from Vegan Dad: http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/10/seitan-roast-with-wild-rice-and.html

11. Maple-Apple Cider Tofu With Stuffing and Apple Cranberry Chutney, from Vegan Dad: these are absolutely gorgeous and receive rave reviews: http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2010/10/maple-apple-cider-tofu-with-stuffing.html

12. Apple Cider Tofu With Butternut Squash and Roasted Pears, from Vegan Dad: http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2011/10/apple-cider-tofu-with-butternut-squash.html

13. Savory Golden Rice Loaf, from Mouthwatering Vegan Recipes: http://mouthwateringvegan.com/2011/10/29/golden-festive-thanksgiving-loaf/

14. Ultimate Vegan Lentil Walnut Loaf (top with this gravy!), from Oh She Glows! http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/01/ultimate-vegan-lentil-walnut-loaf/

15. Sage-Crusted Seitan with Mushroom Gravy, from The Blissful Chef: http://theblissfulchef.com/2009/11/more-t-day-recipes-and-good-news/

16. Protein-Packed Golden Orchard Cider-Spiced Quinoa Dome with Mandarin Orange, Pecans and Persimmon, from The Lunchbox Bunch: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/11/golden-orchard-cider-spiced-quinoa.html

17. Gluten and Grain-free Savory Thanksgiving Loaf, from Fat-Free Vegan: http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2010/11/thanksgiving-meatless-loaf.html

18. Vegan Pastrami Roast, from The Vegbergers: http://vegbergers.blogspot.com/2012/03/superior-vegan-reuben.html

PLEASE DON’T GIVE THANKS FOR LIFE BY TAKING LIFE. 

A Compassionate Thanksgiving is easy, affordable, and delicious. And you don’t even have to plan— here are more mouthwatering Thanksgiving recipes than you can shake a stick at, from appetizers to dessert! http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2010/12/vegan-holiday-recipes-2010.html 

Al Jackson, “Human Evolution.”