Happy Fanksgiving!

Looks like you all really want some free yogurt! Keep those entries coming… you have until the end of the day to put yourself in the running, and there are four ways to win! I love hearing about how you’re going to be kind to yourselves. If only we made an effort to do it every day!

So, the last time I checked in with you, I left you a little teaser about a party we had this weekend. Here are the photos, to refresh your memories:

Not too many of you guessed correctly! Kylie came closest, by suggesting a “pre-Thankgiving feast.” Oh, we feasted all right, but it wasn’t a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. No, it was a faux-Thanksgiving feast, or a “Fanksgiving,” and it all came together because Turtle Island, the makers of Tofurky and their infamous fake bird, asked me to review their holiday roast before the holidays so I could give you all a heads up. We made a party of it!

The “vegetarian feast” – which is actually vegan includes:

• 1 Tofurky roast, which serves 6 and is filled with wild rice stuffing
• 1 packet “Giblet Gravy”
• 1 “Tofurky Jerky Wishstix,” so you don’t miss out on pulling the wishbone
• 1 Amy’s Kitchen Organic Chocolate Cake, vegan
• coupons + holiday card

The roast was supposed to be thawed in the refrigerator for 24 hours before we planned to eat it, but neglecting to read the directions in advance, we just stuck the Tofurky and gravy in front of the radiator for a few hours while we shopped at Lululemon. It was just fine!

Before sticking the roast into the oven, you surround it with a chopped onion, two sweet potatoes, and a couple carrots. Then you baste it with a homemade mixture (the recipe is on the back of the box) of soy sauce, olive oil and herbs.   

Baked at 350 for 1 hour and 35 minutes:

Like a traditional Thanksgiving, we had quite a few other side dishes included rosemary-roasted potatoes, steamed asparagus, vegetarian stuffing, vegetarian sloppy joes, salad, bread, and cranberry sauce.

I was deemed Master Carver, and cut the Tofurky into eight peices.

Ilana and Christy broke the Wishstix!

I think Ilana won.

Our Fanksgiving table felt quite festive.

In between dinner and dessert, we all went downstairs for a swap party!

I came out pretty well, with a pleated skirt, sundress, long sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans.

I’ve never been to/ hosted a swap party before, but they’re such a great idea! You’re motivated to clean out your closet, you get new things for free, AND the leftover clothing no one wants goes to charity.

Pleased with our loot, we went upstairs to continue the feast with dessert! We had all kinds of things, from a delicious Funfetti cake to French pastries to the Amy’s chocolate cake that was included in the Tofurky feast.

We were shocked by how moist and fluffy the Amy’s cake was! If I was in the market for a store-bought loaf cake, I would definitely buy this.

Overall thoughts on the Tofurky Vegetarian Feast

I’ll admit it: having not eaten turkey for a good 10 years, it’s often been a joke of my family’s to ask where the Tofurky is on Thanksgiving day. During the feast, I usually just eat (a LOT) of side dishes, but it was fun to make the Tofurky roast the center of the meal.

Initially, I was a little put-off by the roundness of the roast, but it actually tastes just like the Tofurky “deli meat” (which I do eat from time to time), but thicker and warmer. The wild rice stuffing is also pretty good! One of our guests complained a little about the smell of the roast while it was cooking, but we were all surprised, upon tasting the Tofurky, that it was pretty darn good. The gravy wasn’t too bad, either, but I’m more of a cranberry sauce person so I stuck to that instead.

Final thoughts: would I buy this? Again, if I was in the market for a store-bought roast, I probably would. I’ve gotten used to enjoying a lot of vegetables on Thanksgiving and sort of like that tradition, but I also had fun with a potentially new tradition of making the roast! It’s a great way for vegetarians to feel included in the Thanksgiving tradition (of thawing, basting, and roasting the Tofurky). It’s more a question of whether or not I’d rather make my own. One of our guests makes a different shaped “Tofurky” every year! In addition to a turkey shape, she’s made an armadillo and a show girl!

Have you ever made a Tofurky roast? Would you consider it?

Have you ever been to/ hosted a swap party? What’s the best item you’ve gotten?