As Thanksgiving rolls around this year, consider approaching food a little differently. These days, consumers are becoming more eco-conscious about how they impact our environment, increasing the popularity of sustainable meals. Read on to explore how you can become more sustainable and healthier this holiday season.
Green Bean Casserole
You might consider making a green bean dish to avoid meat. Simply make an onion topping for your bake with sliced onions, breadcrumbs, flour, and salt. Boil the green beans and get started on a cream sauce wish cashew cream, white wine, soy sauce, sautéed mushrooms, and nutmeg. This avoids any need for unhealthy dairy cream! To create the casserole, mix the beans and cream sauce, top it off with the onions, and place it in the oven to cook!
Butternut Squash Vegan Risotto
If you want a vegan alternative to meat or fish risotto, swap these components with butternut squash. This dish can be comforting and hearty – which can go down particularly well on a cold Thanksgiving!
Slow-Cooked Pumpkin Curry
Curry lovers may be drawn to this meat-free dish. Simply swap out your chicken, lamb, or beef for your Thanksgiving pumpkin to create a rich and hearty main entrée. The handy thing about this dish is that you can spice it to your own personal tastes, whether you want a mild korma or a daring vindaloo. Slow-cooking this dish will really bring out each individual flavor and may leave your guests wanting more!
Minestrone With Butternut Squash
It’s time to place a Thanksgiving twist on a homely classic. Gather ingredients such as onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and your Thanksgiving butternut squash to start creating the broth. You can then add tomatoes, beans, peppers, and seasoning before bringing it to a boil and adding the pasta. A hot bowl of comforting minestrone can go down as a treat on Thanksgiving and has much less environmental impact than meat dishes.
Vegan Chickpea Shepherd’s Pie
Centering on meatless dishes further, you may want to experiment with a chickpea shepherd’s pie. Swap out the beef mince for chickpeas and kidney beans, ensuring your guests receive a vital protein source. You could even create portioned bites by placing the mixture into cupcake trays instead of one large casserole dish.
Key Takeaways
- First, we cannot ignore the harm our meat and dairy industries place on our environment. The meat industry is a colossal contributor to climate change through the release of harmful methane gas, which needs to be addressed more seriously.
- Secondly, there are plenty of ways to reduce meat consumption. By engaging with vegan and vegetarian alternatives, as shown above, your household can reduce its meat consumption and start treating our planet better.
- All in all, every individual’s approach to Thanksgiving impacts our world. As such a big celebration, Thanksgiving has the power to significantly affect our environment, meaning we need to ensure we take on suitable environmental approaches.
