There's only one dish really that needs to be at everything Thanksgiving feast, and, to me, it's not the turkey. It's the pumpkin pie.

This Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe is also egg-free and--get this--prepared without tofu. While I myself use silken tofu in all sorts of purees and custard-like recipes, pumpkin pies prepared with tofu have always just seemed much too beany for my liking. If you're a dairy-freer or vegan who feels the same, try this recipe and let me know what you think!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! If you're still looking for other favorites, check out some of these Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes for inspiration!

Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

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Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Sometimes the best things to make when you're cooking for alternative diets are the things that are naturally alternative.

Don't get me wrong: I love dairy-free cheesecakes, dairy-free cheeses, raw desserts, and nut-based spreads, as anyone whose followed my blog for a while can tell you. But when cooking for a mixed group of diets at a holiday like Thanksgiving, I often look at my table and realize that, beyond my vegan pumpkin pie and vegan breads, the spread is composed primarily of things that are naturally dairy-free, from roasted squash and vegetables to simple, memorable dishes like this Cranberry Apple Chutney. Prepared with cranberries, apples, celery, onion, ginger, spices and brown sugar, there's nothing more straight-forward and seasonal, and there's never any of it left.

Here are just a few more naturally delicious dishes that are perfect for Thanksgiving tables of varied palates and diets:

Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Like so many in the food writing and foodie community, I was very sad to hear that Gourmet was ceasing publication. Even though most of the recipes in the magazine were not dairy-free, it has always been an inspiration to me. So, as a tribute to the years of excellent food writing and inspirational recipes, I will be posting a few adaptations of some interesting recipes from Gourmet.

This weekend, I made a batch of these Vegan Dijon Caramel Chocolate Bars inspired by Gourmet's Mustard Caramel Crunchies with Chocolate Glaze, and they were phenomenal. In place of the butter and cream in the recipe, I used dairy-free soy margarine and full-fat coconut milk, and in place of the bittersweet chocolate, I used dairy-free dark chocolate chips. I also doubled the recipe to fit an 11" x 17" casserole dish to serve a large party, but, trust me--the entire tray of confections were gone within an hour. Prepared with a dijon mustard caramel, thin pretzel sticks (make sure the variety you purchase is dairy-free and vegan, of course), and dairy-free chocolate, these were fun and interesting. And, if you're like me, confections are always best when they have a savory side. Although they're not traditional Thanksgiving fare, I'm thinking that they will be a wonderful addition to the dessert table.

Stay tuned: there will be more delicious adaptations to come!

Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

One of my favorites from a recent exploration of dairy-free and vegan quick breads, this Healthy Apple Bread is a tribute to fall, prepared with wheat flour, oats, corn meal, spiced apples, maple and walnuts. Perfect for an afternoon Thanksgiving tea time or post-Thanksgiving brunch, this is something that everyone--kids, adults, meat-eaters, dairy-freers, and vegans--can enjoy.

Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

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Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Pies and tarts are great for fall, and while most people love pies and tarts, I've a number of friends and family members that dislike any sort of fruit dessert. It's a shame really; I love fruits in desserts or as desserts. And, as far as tarts and pies: I love making them, serving them, and eating them. Where cake can have a more homey, down-to-earth air that's delightfully delicious on a bright summer's day, a tart has a finished elegance that's a celebrated indulgence on a dark autumn night.

So, as with many things, my answer is chocolate.

This Vegan Chocolate Ganache Tart is a truly special ending to a delicious meal, especially for a holiday like Thanksgiving. A cashew cookie crust is baked and then topped with a rich dark chocolate ganache prepared with coconut milk instead of heavy cream.

Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Mushrooms are one of the humblest vegetables, growing at the foot of trees and in the shade of tall grasses, yet they're also some of the most flavorful and nutritious when cooked. I say this, of course, because I like mushrooms. I like how they taste in just about anything, prepared just about any way, and I like that they're funny little growths that could easily be mistaken for something that is not food.

The tragedy, I've found, is that people are either mushroom-lovers or mushroom-haters, with very few mushroom-indifferents. This is tragic because the only ways that mushroom-haters seem pleased or mildly tolerant with mushrooms is usually when they're bathed in butter or drowned in cream, which is hard for those of us who cook our vegetables in olive oil or prefer steamed repasts to sauteed medleys. This weekend, however, I prepared this Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup to a table of non-vegans, one of whom is an adamant mushroom-hater (he offered this disclosure before sitting down so that I wouldn't be offended if he didn't finish his first course), and after emptying their bowls, everyone asked for seconds before asking for the recipe.

No, this is not necessarily what I call "health food"--it is prepared with dairy-free sour cream--but this soup is infinitely healthier than traditional recipes that call for heavy cream, butter and dairy-based sour cream; instead of these, this soup uses a small amount of heart-healthy olive oil and soy milk. And, best of all, it's a way to win over those mushroom-haters at least for one dish.

Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

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Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

For me, cold weather inspires bread baking; baking is just good for the soul, especially when it's chilly (or snowing!) outside.

This week, I wanted to create the perfect vegan soda bread, so I baked seven loaves in seven days--a different variety on each day. This Vegan Irish Soda Bread was by far my favorite, and, as my sister put it, very "me". Dairy-free and egg-free, this rustic bread is prepared with some of my favorite staples--wheat, millet, rolled oats, sunflower seeds, lemon, and tahini, and it's great as toast in the morning or with a warm bowl of soup. My sister is right; it is my kind of bread, both healthily satisfying and nourishing.

The keys to the perfect soda bread, I've found, are these: your dough needs to have enough baking agents and enough time in the oven so that it 's not dense or moist in the middle, it needs to have enough fat to add a bit of richness but not too much to weigh it down, and it needs to have enough sugar to balance the sodium of the baking soda and baking powder but not so much that it tastes like a sweet bread. And, if you're like me, your perfect bread will boast a medley of seeds, whole grains, and fresh flavors like lemon, which also helps your bread to rise.

Here are a few more of my favorite creations from my week of breads:

Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.