I won't be celebrating Thanksgiving this week because I'm Canadian (our Thanksgiving was in October), but I have many American readers and I hope you will all have a great time! Eat some mashed potatoes and gravy for me :)

I thought you might enjoy this recipe roundup of Thanksgiving-worthy Baking Backwards recipes. If you add these vegan and gluten free dishes to your holiday table please take a pic and tag #BakingBackwardsThanksgiving -- I'd love to see what you've made!

To view the recipes below, click on the titles under each image.

APPETIZERS AND SIDE DISHES:

Crab Cakes with Green Tartar Sauce (gluten-free, vegan)
Crunchy on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside. These vegan crabcakes are healthy and hard to beat.


Divine Rice (gluten-free, vegan) 
Spicy, creamy and so delicious -- this wholegrain rice dish makes an excellent side for a festive family meal.

 Crusty Wholegrain Bread (gluten-free, vegan, yeast-free)
 Pass this bread and you'll make a few new friends at the Thanksgiving table. This bread is dense, moist and rich like an Irish Soda bread. 



Super Salad 
This salad is super healthy and anything but boring. Roasted and fresh veggies hang out in a zesty creamy dressing. The spiced roasted chickpeas add an amazing crunch and make this dish filling. A great vegetable side dish for a family meal.


Tandoori Cauliflower Wraps (gluten-free, grain-free, vegan)
This creative vegan appetizer is light yet full flavoured. If you like Indian food give it a try.


Super Rutabaga Fries (gluten-free, grain-free, baked, vegan)
If you're over mashed potatoes this Thanksgiving, shake things up with these healthy low fat baked rutabaga fries. The rutabaga makes them naturally a little spicy.



PUMPKIN SOUP
This creamy pumpkin soup whips up in minutes. An easy and healthy vegetable side dish for your holiday meal.

MAIN MEAL:

Vegan Chickn' with Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Greens (gluten-free, vegan)
If you aren't trying to reinvent the Thanksgiving table, but you're expecting a vegan, serve them this. They will thank you.


Super creamy Stovetop MacNCheese (gluten free, vegan)
I never understood the American trend of Mac and Cheese at holiday meals but if you're into it, this recipe is delicious, super creamy, easy to make, wholesome and full of hidden veggies and healthy fats.


The BEST Vegan Baked MacNCheese (gluten free, vegan)
This recipe takes vegan mac and cheese to a new level -- baked! Crispy on top, creamy inside, hot, cheesy and delicious. Also hides a lot of vegetables for the kiddos.


Zucchini Noodle Lasagna with Parsnip Cream, Lentils and Green Olives (grain-free, gluten-free, vegan)  
This lasagne is a showstopper. If someone you love doesn't eat pasta anymore but loves lasagne, make this grain free lasagne (made with zucchini noodles). Its even omnivore husband approved. 

PIES AND CRUMBLES:

Cardamom Apple Cookie Crumble (gluten-free, vegan)
A delightful Indian twist on apple crumble.


Chocolate Harvest Tart (gluten-free, vegan)
This chocolate tart is so intensely good. Chocolatey, rich, full bodied -- even my sister (who hates dessert) had two slices! It also hides a ton of butternut squash.

 
Pear Pockets (gluten-free, vegan)
These pear pockets are really unique. The crust is lost between pizza pocket and pie crust and the filling is sweet and delicious.


Healthy Key Lime Pie (gluten-free, vegan) 
This is a crazy pie. It conceals a lot of cauliflower and avocado but tastes like creamy key lime pie with a chocolatey crust! Super easy to make too.

 

CHOCOLATE BROWNIES AND CAKES:

Plant Fuel Brownies (gluten-free, vegan)
These brownies are loaded with super healthy ingredients like buckwheat flour and sweet potatoes. They are softer than a typical brownie but so delicious.


Healthy Steamed Chocolate Molten Cakes (gluten-free, vegan)
Who doesn't like chocolate molten cakes? Now you can have your indulgent dessert without the guilt and without the oven (they're steamed!).

 

HEALTHY COOKIES:

Wholegrain Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten-free, vegan)
These chocolate chip cookies are similar to chocolate chip shortbread cookies-- delicate and slightly crumbly. 


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten-free, vegan)
 Soft and chewy, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are healthy as f#$%. Full of chickpeas and pumpkin puree, forget Thanksgiving, these are perfect for any day of the year.

SMALL BATCH DESSERT RECIPES: 

Single Serving Raw Vegan Cinnamon Rolls (gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, raw)
These require coconut date rolls like the ones sold by Natural Delights. They are insanely easy to make and require no cooking. 




PB Mousse Jars with Chocolate Magic Shell (gluten-free, grain-free, vegan)
These are intense. If you are a Reese fan, you will LOVE this little pots of heaven. Peanut butter mousse with a decadent raw chocolate shell topping. So good.



Raw Key Lime Cups

These elegant little cups are creamy, crunchy and bursting with sweet and tangy lime flavour. The perfect dessert for a more formal dinner party or lunch.

Lime filling ingredients:

• 1 (400 ml) can full fat coconut milk (not shaken and chilled overnight)
• Dash coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2-1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1-2 teaspoons raw honey (or substitute agave or coconut nectar for vegan)
• Juice of 1 large lime
• 2 tablespoons creamed coconut, melted (or you can substitute coconut butter that should also be melted, not to be confused with coconut oil)

Directions:

1. Chill a small mixing bowl for 5 minutes in freezer.
2. Do not shake and do not flip your can of chilled coconut milk. Open the can and remove only the thick white cream that will have solidified at the top of your chilled can, try to avoid scooping out any of the watery liquid at the bottom.
3. Add skimmed coconut cream, salt, maple, cinnamon and olive oil. Beat together in your chilled bowl with an electric mixer for 1 minute.
4. Add lime juice and beat for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the honey and the melted creamed coconut and beat until the mixture appears thickened.
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 10 more seconds. Chill the bowl in the freezer while you make the crumble topping.

Crumble topping ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded, reduced-fat coconut
• Dash coarse sea salt
• 1/3 cup pitted dates
• 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1-2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Pulse then blend all ingredients to a crumble consistency in your food processor. Spoon half the mixture into the bottom of 2 glasses or jam jars.
2. Spoon the chilled lime filling into the cups evenly.
3. Top with remaining crumble mixture evenly and garnish with a slice of fresh lime.
4. Chill the cups in the freezer for 10 minutes or more, serve.

When life hands you a mellow yellow vegan superfood, add it to your bowl of pasta.

This version of Mac n cheese involves not just 1, but 4 superfoods! MACA, CHIA SEEDS, KELP and NUTRITIONAL YEAST join forces with the help of sunflower seed butter, spices and lightly steamed summer squash to create a thick, cheezy, and appropriately yellow, sauce for your next bowl of pasta. This bowl is savory and deeply satisfying. Loaded with energy boosting ingredients, vegetables, B vitamins and anti-inflammatory foods, it makes a great well-balanced meal to fuel a hike or your next adventure.

I love this version of vegan Mac n Cheeze because it is loaded with cheezy flavor, and not overloaded with unpronounceable ingredients. It is vegan, gluten free, full of good fat and protein. Unlike most vegetable based recipes my version uses summer squash which gives the sauce body without the heaviness of butternut squash or sweet potato (very commonly used in vegan Mac n Cheeze recipes).

If you don't have maca, don't worry, just leave it out. If you don't like or have any sunflower seed butter you could use pumpkinseed butter or cashew butter instead. If you cannot find summer squash (often called yellow zucchini, use steamed carrot or butternut squash instead. For a white version of this Mac n Cheeze, try replacing the squash with some lightly steamed cauliflower.

 I am a Canadian, so my patriotic holiday (Canada Day) has come and gone just this past weekend, but I know a lot of you readers are American so happy almost 4th of July to you! 

If you don't have anything special planned for the 4th, this Mac n Cheeze recipe feels appropriately Americana to me!


Maca Cheeze Bowls
Makes 2 large servings of vegan mac n cheeze

Part I

• 2 servings gluten free pasta (cooked till al dente, 1/2 cup pasta cooking water reserved)

Cook the pasta in water with a little salt and extra virgin olive oil in the water until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Strain and set aside until ready to serve.


Part II: The Cheeze Sauce

 

•  2 large yellow summer squash, steamed until fork tender
• 1/2 cup pasta cooking water (pasta cooked til al dente in water with a touch of salt and some olive oil in it)
• 2 tsp sunflower seed butter
• dash coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 1/3-1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• squeeze lemon juice
• 1.5-2 tbsp kelp
• 1.5 tsp chili powder
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 red onion
• 1.5 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp brown rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp maca powder
• 2.5 tsp vegenaise
• 1/2 tsp raw honey or other sweetener (like agave)

Pulse then blend all Part II ingredients until smooth and thick in food processor or high speed blender. Let sit 5 minutes. Blend again. Add to hot pasta and serve OR add to cold pasta in a pot and reheat over medium low heat until the pasta is warmed enough for your taste.