Vegan Cran-Pumpkin Sausage Stuffing with Chestnuts and Apple

I know I'm a bit late to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, but there is still plenty of time to say Happy Holidays!

Among all the things I was grateful for, including friends who open their doors (and tables) to me, a few precious days off from work, and leftovers (mmm!), I am also celebrating an anniversary of sorts. 18 delicious months of being vegan! And what better way to celebrate than with perhaps the most delicious and festive vegan dish I've made so far? I mean, look:

See more photos and recipes on my Instagram: @veganlifeisgood

I followed the recipe here almost to the letter (clicking will open it in a new window):

http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/cran-chestnut-pumpkin-sausage-stuffing-vegan/

Notes: For the vegan breadcrumbs, I used Ezekiel brand, toasted beforehand then chopped. I added extra OJ and broth as my crumbs were still a bit dry after mixing them in. I also added extra celery, sausage, and cranberries, just 'cuz I wanted to be eating this for a week after spending so much time in the kitchen! I totally did, too.

First thing to do was to score the chestnuts with a shallow "X" to keep them from exploding in the oven.

I prepped everything while roasting the chestnuts. Try to do those ahead of time because hurriedly opening hot chestnuts was NOT fun and a bit painful. I do not know how the open-fire roasters sing about these so cheerfully. They were worth it though. So good!

I used the Field Roast Apple Sage sausage mentioned in the recipe, found at Whole Foods, and it is really good stuff. I'll have to get it into some future recipes, because, well... DANG. I love it. 

By the time I got it into the pan for the oven, I could already tell this was going to be one amazing dish. It came out beautifully, was well-received by members of my friend's not-at-all-vegan family, and stuffed my leftover sandwiches for days, and days, and days. 

The verdict? Total winner. If you have the time to make this and want to impress and amaze, look no further.

PS: The heart bowl is handmade:   Neal Pottery on Etsy

The owners are vegan and really nice folks. I bought two and love them so.

Speaking of beautiful things, stay tuned to the blog for my Vegan Gift Guide, and many more holiday recipes!

Mediterranean Bruschetta with Olives, Capers, and Roasted Red Peppers

Out of everything I made for Thanksgiving, this easy recipe got the most "mmm's!" Most of it was devoured as we dashed around the kitchen, staving off our hunger as we made the last preparations for dinner.

It is easy and elegant and I think it will forevermore replace hummus as my go-to appetizer, to please vegans and non-vegans alike.

See more photos and recipes on my Instagram: @veganlifeisgood

Vegan Mediterranean Bruschetta 

     Adapted from Martha Stewart

• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• Organic Extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup or to taste, plus 1 tbsp
• dash of salt
• Pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half
• Drained and rinsed capers (a whole 2 or 3 oz jar will do)
• Thinly sliced fresh garlic, 1-2 cloves
• Red-wine vinegar to taste
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• sliced sourdough baguette

There are lots of ways to roast red peppers, or capsicums. I prefer using the same oil that will be in the rest of the bruschetta and low heat of 400 F, but if you want to really blister them try vegetable oil under the broiler. But I just used that extra tbsp of oil and the salt to coat the slices in a bowl, then spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roasted in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the olives, capers, and garlic in a bowl. You will want to add the roasted peppers next, and then play with the amount of oil, vinegar, and fresh pepper. I kept adding more oil until I could see a spoonful of the bruschetta really moisten the bread. If time allows, allow the mixture to marinate for a bit in the fridge. Serve spooned onto the bread, toasted or un-toasted. Both ways are delicious!

*Note: Careful with the garlic. It gets more intense as the flavors marinate.