Roasted Stuffed Squash

The Chef: Joni

The Menu: Roasted acorn squash baked with a wild rice & apple stuffing

The Dish: If this dish looks familiar to you, it’s because I got the idea from this week’s Recipe Club. If you don’t recognize it, it’s probably because it’s a not-so-pretty (yet totally delicious!) leftover from the Recipe Club photoshoot my boyfriend and I held over the weekend. If it’s because you haven’t yet signed up for the Recipe Club, you totally should! I swear, while this photo doesn’t do it justice, this meal would make for a gorgeous Thanksgiving centerpiece. If you need more Thanksgiving recipe ideas to complete your menu, check out these 12 mashed potato recipes or whip up some Stuffed Maple Tofu. Or, be smart and just head to one of these amazing cruelty-free Thanksgiving events and call it a day!

Veggie Coconut Curry

The Chef: Jennifer 

The Menu: Eggplant, carrots, zucchini, and strips of Coconut Curry Tempeh strips in a coconut curry sauce over brown rice.

The Goods: I am a recipe kind of gal. Unlike some of my coworkers at VN who can whip up an entire raw lunch or soup from scratch without even glancing at an ingredients list, I am the opposite kind of cook. I like my cookbooks, VegNews recipes, and vegan blogs (I heart you veganstoner.com) to make my meals. So when whipping up dinner last night, I found this quick and simple recipe on the back of Turtle Island Foods' marinated Coconut Curry Tempeh Strips for a coconut curry stir-fry. After chopping the veggies and grilling the tempeh, I added a can of low-fat coconut milk and some curry powder and bam! there was a satisfying dinner. If you're like me and love recipes, sign up for our weekly Recipe Club, full of delicious vegan recipes, like today's hunger-inducing Avocado Pesto Pasta. You can already guess what I'll be making for dinner tonight.

All Kale Caesar (Salad)

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: A hearty, veggie-filled lentil soup perfectly balanced with a fresh kale salad. Our super savory soup consisted of red lentils, celery, carrots, and garlic and was just the warming main course we needed. In classic soup-and-salad combo style, Elizabeth paired our tasty main with a heaping side of kale and apple salad, tossed in a spicy, tangy mustard vinaigrette dressing.

The Goods: We don't know what's happening with the weather, but we're putting in a request that it cease and desist. Lately, our windows shift from sunny skies to heavy downpours within what feels like a matter of minutes, making this soul-satisfying soup and zesty salad exactly what we needed to perk up our moods. Does Elizabeth get extra points for steaming today's soup water in our tea kettle? She just might. Did we follow our delicious lunch with birthday cake leftovers? We just may have. Speaking of cake, if you're planning to bake a birthday cake for a friend or coworker—or, ahem, us—look no further than VN's Recipe Club!

Pan-Asian Stew and Slaw

The Chef: Elizabeth and Joseph

The Menu: A variety of Asian-cuisine-inspired vittles. Joseph had prepared a mixture of red quinoa, red Bhutanese rice, and jasmine rice, which Elizabeth used as a base for a Thai-inspired curry with sweet potatoes, tempeh, bell peppers, and coconut milk. On the prettier side of the plate you see a Napa cabbage slaw, which was literally just cabbage, red bell pepper, mirin, agave, a little apple-cider vinegar, avocado, black sesame seeds, and salt.

The Goods: OK, you caught us. Maybe Elizabeth was inspired by today's Recipe Club to make this Thai-ish stew. Maybe the fact that we had a leftover grain blend sealed the deal. Maybe we'd be remiss, considering that it's now October if we didn't share this joke with you: What do vegan zombies eat? Graaaaains. Feel free to leave your favorite vegan jokes in the comments!