Help Yourself to a Southern-Style Vegetarian Thanksgiving

It’s that time of year when the meat-eating masses are “talking turkey” about their Thanksgiving meals, but it’s easy to give up the giblets and give everyone—including animals—something to be thankful for by serving fabulous vegan fare. Because it’s the season of giving and sharing, we’re giving you the opportunity to have chef-extraordinaire Brad Barnes, one of only 59 certified master chefs in America, share some of his Southern-style holiday recipes with you.

Born in New Haven and now living in Yonkers, New York, Chef Barnes molded his 26-year culinary career by cooking his way through restaurant, hotel, catering, and country-club kitchens throughout the United States and Europe. His impressive career has brought him a wide range of experiences and expertise in all facets of the food-service industry—from handling the financial and daily operations of the “front of the house” to having a hand in the many varieties of cuisines cooking back in the kitchen. He uses all these skills to run B&B Solutions, the Manhattan-based food and beverage consulting firm that he owns.

When Chef Barnes isn’t handling the details of running his own company or designing and producing specialty chef’s tools, he can frequently be found lecturing on culinary subjects or judging cooking contests—he is a well-known certified international culinary judge. He’s also served as a chairperson for the American Culinary Federation (ACF), garnered several U.S. and international competition medals, and co-authored the book So You Want To Be A Chef? with his partner, Lisa Brefere, and he served as an advisor for ACF’s Culinary Team 2004.

The busy chef now turns his attention to helping you make a delicious vegan meal that even carnivores will happily gobble down. Whether you’re hosting a holiday party or taking a dish to share at a family get-together, Chef Barnes recommends these animal-free, tried-and-true crowd-pleasers:

Spinach, Oranges, and Roasted Beets With Georgia-Peanut Vinaigrette
Sage- and Pumpkin Seed-Encrusted Seitan
Yucca Empanadas Filled With Apples, Chocolate, and Yams