I found an online article about throwing away the rules for setting a table at Thanksgiving. Setting a table? You have to throw away the rules for everything!

Spoiler alert: my family broke these rules years ago. Partially, they were broken because all of our elders were gone. Partially, they were broken while the elders were still around. Mom would say, “Use paper plates,” or Aunt Mary would say, “Do we really want to eat that again?” I think they were giving us permission to do our own thing. And now, we do.

The Rules

For families who have broken no rules but want to consider doing Thanksgiving Light, these are suggested by the writer of the article.

1. Forget the place cards. (Really? Do families really use place cards?) The article suggests giving general seating directions and allowing Uncle Percy to find a seat away from Cousin Sally who has such left-wing views he can’t swallow. Or not. Part of family life is family debate. Right?
2. Forget formal flowers, or any flowers….bring outside elements to the dinner table, like branches, acorns, squash, and cabbages. Alongside a few votives, you will have a dramatic — and dramatically simple — centerpiece. I have to say that we gave up decorating the table at all for this meal. But it’s a nice touch.
3. Forget the tablecloth. Show off the natural wood of your table, or use simple placemats to create a clean, elegant place setting. Great idea. If I think the wood might be damaged, I use a vinyl cloth.
4. Forget the crystal. This can be an all-hands-on-deck meal, with everyone cooking, everyone going inside and outside, everyone doing everything but taking care not to shatter the crystal. Everyday glasses are just fine. Perfect, in fact.
5. Forget covering the table with food. Everyone passing the turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce and gravy. Spilling here and there. Having to help little ones and older ones. Is my family the only one that went to buffet serving ten to fifteen years ago?

And Now For Those Recipes

My family has come up with favorites over the years, combining meat eaters with I’ll-eat-fish eaters with no-meat-or-fish-for-me-please eaters to nothing-that-comes-from-an-animal eaters, with a few gluten-free omnivores and gluten-free vegans thrown in for good measure.

Rather than bore you with our recipes, I’m sharing suggestions from a great article in HuffingtonPost Online. Click on the link for full recipes.

1. Lablabi (Middle Eastern Spicy Chickpea Stew). This works for everyone, including persons with a need to eat gluten-free. Those folks will just have to forgo the baguettes that are suggested for serving.
2. Thanksgiving Root Vegetable Pie. This will work for vegetarians. For vegan or gluten-free diets, you can work around items (olive oil instead of butter, crustless or crust made with vegan ingredients).
3. Jeweled Millet. This is packed with flavor and texture. Ingredients include millet, chickpeas, sautéed almonds, caramelized onions and a variety of spices.
4. Vegan Lentil Shepard’s Pie. Think root vegetables, lentils, mushrooms, rosemary and thyme. Yum.
5. Creamy Carrot Ginger Bisque With Cashew Cream. To die for. Serve to everyone, vegan and gluten-free included.
6. Wintry Cornbread Pudding. This is a vegetarian dish. If you have access to replacement ingredients for the eggs and cheese, and if you use a vegan-friendly bread, it can be made into a vegan dish.
7. Hearty Kale Salad With Kabocha Squash, Pomegranate Seeds And Toasted Hazelnuts. There is nothing to add in explanation except the dressing. This recipe uses olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and maple syrup. If you haven’t discovered the magic of kale, now is the time.
8. Radish And Pecan Grain Salad. Oh, my. Mixed grains (they suggest farro, freekeh, wheat berries, wild rice, quinoa, pearl barley or any combination), with arugula, parsley, tarragon, mint, pecans, walnut oil, sherry vinegar, radishes, shallot, raisins and dried cranberries. What is not to love?
9. Leek And Greens Tart With Cornmeal Crust. They kind of lost me on this one.
10. Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprout, And Bread Stuffing With Apples. Again, use a vegan-friendly and hopefully a gluten-free – bread, and this can be served to everyone. Everyone.
11. Quinoa Salad With Hazelnuts, Apple, And Dried Cranberries. This includes cooked-to-crisp onions and celery and is finished with hazelnut oil. Sigh.
12. Leek Risotto. Any risotto. Good for Thanksgiving.

Desserts

Make your favorites, but don’t forget your changing family! The recipes found in this link are good for vegans, so good for everyone.

• Vegan Pumpkin Pie With Rustic Crust
• The Best Vegan Apple Crisp
• Raw Cranberry Walnut Tort
• Pecan Pumpkin Pastries With Maple Glaze
• Blackberry And Apple Almond Loaf Cake
• Maple Pecan Cookies
• Pumpkin Pie Parfaits (say this fast five times)
• Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (not for me, thanks)

In Closing

For omnivores who must, absolutely must, have turkey, don’t forget it! Instead of a full bird, you can use a fun recipe for turkey breast. We have so many vegetarians and vegans in the family that, anymore, having a whole turkey is a waste of everything. We’ve seen enough beautifully-cooked birds to last a lifetime, anyway.

I think, this year, I’m going to try some new recipes. Maybe some of these!!!

These are Tiger Lily Approved recipes.