Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Flipboard 0 Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but it seems to be so stressful for so many people. It’s their first time cooking. They are trying to impress so and so. Somebody is a vegan. Managing to make all the traditional fare, impress so and so and make sure the vegan has something to eat means you are officially NOT allowed to enjoy yourself on Thanksgiving. So maybe we take the tradition out and simplify. Let’s create a tasty menu and make it a day that becomes your favorite too! First, you need not make everything. Don’t spend time making a dish that only one person enjoys! Also, limit the menu to only one pureed or mashed vegetable. Honestly, how much of this one texture can you jam on the table? Speaking of jamming things on the table, pick a few awesome side dishes and make more of them. Not little amounts of many different items. These are some of my favorite sides that are not conventional turkey companions but very delicious. Pumpernickel Panzanella You can make this salad out of whatever you would normally make stuffing out of. Stuffing is usually too wet and mushed together for my liking. And salad is often out of place on the Thanksgiving spread. This is a great way to integrate those flavors and achieve a fun play on texture. Caramelized Carrot and Parsnip Salad Pan roast these root vegetables and then create a quick caramel glaze, add aggressive amounts of lemon zest and fresh herbs. Serve over Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves and dollops of blue cheese crumbles. Stuffed Squash Instead of pureeing or mashing, I like to roast and stuff. I like to do chorizo and queso fresco with cornbread but the sky is the limit. You can stuff squash with anything. This is a good one for the vegans. Just remember no butter OR honey. Pickled Beets Try this instead of cranberry sauce or compote. It’s sure to get noticed. Vegans love pickled beets but don’t forget the Tofurky. Do you have an unusual Thanksgiving side dish you love? Share your ideas here. Twitter Tweet Facebook Share Email This article originally appeared on The Chopping Blog and has been republished with permission.Find out how to syndicate your content with B2C Join our Telegram channel to stay up to date on breaking news coverage Author: Connor Brooke Connor is a Scottish financial expert, specialising in wealth management and equity investing. Based in Glasgow, Connor writes full-time for a wide selection of financial websites, whilst also providing startup consulting to small businesses. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, and a Master’s degree in Investment Fund Management, Connor has … View full profile ›More by this author:ACH Crypto Price Prediction 2022 – Is it a Buy?Lucky Block Partners with Dillian Whyte ahead of Heavyweight Showdown with Tyson FuryNFT Pixel Art – The Best NFT Collections for 2022