Oh borscht! We used to wonder, how could such a humble soup require so many steps to prepare, and dirty so many pots and pans in the process?! The recipe we inherited, though delicious, used to confound us with the disjointed process and the seemingly endless need to chop and cook each ingredient in a precisely unique fashion.
It turns out, of course, Grandma never used a recipe herself. She would whip up a batch of borscht in what seemed like mere minutes, by memory, steaming and bowled for any guest who came through to visit. Here, we’ve streamlined the process as much as possible without diverging from intent of the dish.
For us, borscht has always felt like a family meal well served… so gather yours around, and enjoy!
Serve with a crusty bread for lunch, or Ukrainian Potato Pierogi for dinner.
2019 -Recipe edited for clarity.
Helpful Kitchen Tools:
-Shredder or Grater
-5-6 small bowls for mis-en-place
-4 cup capacity measuring cup
-Large Stock or Canning Pot (12L capacity+) with lid
-Large Pot (8L capacity or so)
-Two Bowls (6 cup capacity or so)
-Potato Masher
-2 Cutting Boards
Having lived in both the north and the south, we call it either dressing or stuffing interchangeably. Whatever your kitchen names it, the dish is a holiday staple… and it needs to be great! A perennial favourite for both our Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners, this vegan stuffing recipe combines fresh herbs, apple, and crunchy walnuts to pull the side-dish into centre stage. Vegans and vegetarians (and their hosts), sigh no more at the holiday dinner table! This will be the star of the show…
Whether it accompanies a traditional holiday bird or stands alone, this dressing is absolutely delicious. To make it a main meal of it’s own accord, prepare & bake it as described. When it’s time to remove the tinfoil, scoop the dressing into a fully baked fall squash or pumpkin, returning it to the oven under a low broil to crisp the top.
A generous helping each of delicious miso gravy and homemade cranberry sauce are essential, and together round out a new and wholesome take on traditional favorites.
Enjoy amongst your best friends and family!
A delicious dressing made with whole grain bread, apples, walnuts & fresh herbs, perfect for your vegan or vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner. Easy to make and impress your guests! Serve with delicious miso gravy and homemade cranberry sauce.
*try a mixture of breads like walnut cranberry and whole wheat
**The fresh herbs really make this stuffing, if available the poultry herb blend is perfect to use
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In Vancouver there is a restaurant called The Naam. It’s a quirky vegetarian institution, open 24/7, and is the perfect place to meet friends for an inspired and healthy meal regardless of the hour. One of the most popular dishes is the Dragon bowl, made with the secret-recipe Naam miso gravy. The popularity can’t be understated; it’s even sold by the bottle.
The Sails & Spices take on this addictive, easy, and healthy vegan gravy recipe is here for you to enjoy on a dragon bowl, smothering roasted vegetables, or alongside apple-walnut dressing for a wonderful Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Vegan gravy is boring? Not a chance.
When we are invited over to someone’s house for thanksgiving we always find it helpful to offer to bring the gravy if they are not vegetarian, and everyone loves trying this miso gravy and discovering how tasty it is!
One year I accidentally I made this gravy exceptionally spicy (a few too many tablespoons of sriracha), and even though everyone found it quite delicious it gave quite the kick. Since then the running joke in our family is don’t make the gravy too spicy! Unless that’s what you like of course.
This healthy and delicious miso gravy is great for Thanksgiving dinner, over roast veggies, with poutine or fries, and Dragon or Buddha Bowls!
For this recipe it’s helpful to note that 4 tbsp = 1/4 cup to help with measuring out ingredients.
Servings – some people suggest 1/3 cup of gravy per person, so this recipe could serve 10 people.
This recipe also freezes well so we will often do a double batch and freeze it in 2 cup servings to use later over a bowl of veggies and rice. A quick blend will help get the right consistency when you are reheating it.
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When you live abroad, perspective is found equally in the new things you discover and the familiar things you miss. On our first thanksgiving in Australia, we had a heck of a time finding cranberries for the ubiquitous holiday sauce. Persistence paid off that year, and we cheerfully brought home the bright red berries to make this simple staple family heirloom of a recipe. It’s so good, we almost didn’t want to let the recipe out…
The beauty of the sauce is in the simplicity and brightness of taste. The addition of whole holiday spices and orange zest set this version apart. Whether you’re new to cranberry sauce, or used to the tinned variety, prepare to hear your tastebuds sing.
Serve alongside a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner of smashed potatoes, apple-walnut dressing, roasted vegetables, and plenty of miso gravy.
This is the recipe we use time and time again when we are looking for a quick and easy, deliciously tart, cranberry sauce to serve along side our special holiday meal.
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