Lay off the Tofurkey

People tell me all the time, "Someone told me one time they don't like eating fake meats. And they were probably vegetarian once, so it must apply to you too!" Seriously, I must hear this a couple times a month. Even a close friend of mine says she doesn't like fake meat--it's so long since she ate meat or chicken that the fake stuff weirds her out. (But she still eats fish, so I'm not sure how she's feel about the fake fish at that awesome Chinese place that has a vegan version of every kind of animal flesh ever eaten.)
But the short answer is: nope, I love me some fake meats. You'll have to pry the Gardein from my cold, dead fingers. You take something that is vaguely shaped like a "chicken finger", bread it and fry it, and I'll dip that in some sauce and chow down before you can say "meat analog". I readily confess to craving chicken wings regularly. I don't miss chicken wings themselves--let's face it, they are weird and gross even to those who eat meat. What I miss about them is the wings themselves, it's the sauce and the fried goodness and the fact that you can get them everywhere--grocery store, pub, and a dozen places in between. It's the convenience dammit! And the same goes for Gardein, and veggie dogs, and Tofurkey--which I, according to the tradition of my people (vegans, not Canadians), had as Thanksgiving leftovers this morning, with bread and the included gravy. Analog meats are one of the few vegan "convenience" foods, that you can heat up and enjoy. Unlike the other 95% of the meals that I eat, which are hand-prepared by yours truly.
So lay off the Tofurkey. You're eating the original, which is nasty, cruel and shortens your life--don't question me for eating a version which is cruelty-free, convenient and just as delicious.

Thankfull of phyllo

Thanksgiving isn't the same by yourself. You can make the same delicious, home-cooked comfort foods; you can get yourself second portions of everything and undo the top button of your pants, and it's still not the same. Last time I was home for a holiday, I helped my mom and brother cook the turkey (yuck)--but it was still better than eating a vegan meal by myself. But as someone living 3 big provinces away from my friends and family, I was resigned to a solo celebration this year. So when a co-worker invited me to her Thanksgiving dinner... well, I was thankful.

But I didn't know quit what to bring. I wanted something delicious, omni-friendly--that my hostess and the other guests wouldn't to smile politely while I made them eat--and suitable for smothering with gravy. Inspired by a stuffed phyllo recipe from a Vegetarian Times recipe, I made up my own.

Thankfully (!), it went over well. They were definitely smiling when they ate it, and not just to be polite. In fact, leftovers may have been happily scooped up (pun intended) by the other guests.

Holiday stuffed phyllo

1 teaspoon oil
1 onion, diced
4 cups sliced mushrooms (I used portobellos, because it was all that was left and not crazy expensive at the grocery store, but use whatever kind you like, or use a few different kinds)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup cooked wild rice
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon summer savory
8 sheets phyllo
oil for brushing (I used garlic oil, but I'm not sure you could taste the difference)

Caramelize onions with oil in a large pot. (Instructions here.) Add mushrooms and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the cranberries and stir, so they steam and plump up while the rest of the liquid evaporates. When all the liquid has evaporated, stir in the wild rice, sage and summer savory. Taste at this point to make sure there's enough herbs for you. Add more to taste if necessary.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush oil over the bottom of whatever you're going to use for the phyllo--I used a casserole dish, but you could also use a cookie sheet too, and just fold the ends and sides over the top.
When everything is in place, unwrap the phyllo. Lay one sheet in the casserole dish and brush with oil. Repeat with 5 more sheets. Fill with the mushroom mixture. Top the mixture with another sheet of phyllo, probably folded in half to fit the dish, and if so, brush in between the layers with oil. Repeat with last sheet of phyllo. Gently fold the edges of the first six sheets of phyllo over the top, and brush with oil.
Bake for 45 min or until the phyllo is browned. Serve with gravy--I made Mushroom Gravy from Isa Chandra Moskovitz's Vegan Brunch.

You could probably get away with more cranberries, if you wanted; or switch up the herbs for whatever you prefer. I also think there could be some protein--if I hadn't been serving to omnis I would have added steamed, cubed tempeh when I added the cranberries. Mmmm.