Thanksgiving is just around the corner and since it is about gratitude, Friends of Animals thinks people should show their appreciation for turkeys and opt for a vegan menu this holiday. Turkeys are as intelligent as mammals and have a zest for living and turkeys raised for food never know the comfort of a mother bird’s wings or the joy of exploring the woods and fields with her. We can help you serve up some compassion with recipes for side dishes, main dishes and desserts. So get out your shopping list and make it a cruelty-free holiday! Check out the recipe for our main dish, butternut squash and mushroom wellington, below and then click the links to view our side dish and dessert recipes.
You can also check out our very own vegan cookbooks, Dining With Friends and Best of Vegan Cooking, available in our online store for more delicious, gourmet vegan recipes to try any time of the year. Click here to learn more.
Butternut Squash and Mushroom Wellington
Adapted from The New York Times by Melissa Clark
Yields: 6 servings
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons vegan butter
1 small butternut squash (1¼ pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 
⅛ teaspoon smoked sweet paprika or regular paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
¾ pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and roughly chopped
⅓ cup dry white wine
1 cup of Miyoko’s Vegan Cream Cheese, or other brand vegan cream cheese
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Flour
1 (14-to-17-ounce) package puff pastry sheets. (There are several on the market made with vegetable oil instead of dairy butter.)
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment.
In a very large skillet over high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the squash in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. (If squash won’t fit in a single layer, cook it in batches). Stir and continue to cook until squash is golden, 7 to 10 minutes more. Stir in the syrup, thyme, paprika and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook one minute. Scrape mixture into a bowl.
Turn the heat down to medium and melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Stir in garlic and shallot; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and remaining salt. Cook until mushrooms are soft, and their juices evaporate, about 10 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until the mixture is dry, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pepper, parsley and cream cheese. Then taste and add more salt if needed.
On a lightly floured surface, unwrap the puff pastry. Cut into two 5-by-15-inch rectangles. Spread mushrooms on each pastry rectangle leaving ¼-inch border. Then spoon in the squash, leaving a 1½-inch border (it will look like a stripe of squash lying on a bed of mushrooms).
Fold the long sides up to meet in the middle and pinch together to seal with slightly wet fingers; pinch the ends, too. Transfer the pastries to the baking sheet and turn them over so that the seam is face down. Brush the tops very lightly with olive oil. Bake until they are puffed golden, and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, slice and serve.
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