Easy Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner
This kale salad is the base for all the nostalgic flavors of home, with none of the guilt. Pan-fried tempeh, rosemary potatoes, acorn squash, green beans, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans are all tossed with a maple balsamic vinaigrette.
Servings
Produce
Kale (Organic)
7 3.5 oz
Table Gold Acorn Squash
1 0.5 Whole
Mushrooms
4 2 oz
Potato
10 5 oz
Green Beans
4 2 oz
Red Onion (Organic)
1/2 0.25 Whole
Protein & more
Pecans
2 1 oz
Cranberries, dried
1.25 0.63 oz
Chevre
2 1 oz
Tempeh
1 0.5 lb
Pantry items
Olive oil
1 0.5 tablespoon
Sea salt
2 1 teaspoon
Spice mix
Sage, ground
1 0.5 teaspoon
Dried thyme
3/4 0.375 teaspoon
Rosemary, ground
1/4 0.125 teaspoon
Nutmeg
1/8 0.065 teaspoon
Black pepper
1/8 0.065 teaspoon
Marjoram, dried
1/2 0.25 teaspoon
Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
Balsamic vinegar
1 0.5 tablespoon
Olive oil
3 1.5 tablespoon
Maple syrup
1 0.5 teaspoon
Dijon mustard
1.5 0.75 teaspoon
Sea salt
To Taste
Black pepper
To Taste
Prep ahead (optional)
a. Snap stem ends off green beans; leave beans whole or snap bite-sized. b. Cut fingerling potatoes in half lengthwise. c. Remove kale stems; tear leaves bite-sized. d. Cut acorn squash in half, scoop out seeds, and cut into half-moons. e. Cut cremini mushrooms into ½”-thick slices. f. Thinly slice red onion.
Instructions
1
Roast vegetables:
a. Add fingerling potatoes (cut in half lengthwise) and acorn squash (cut in half, scoop out seeds, cut half-moons) to baking pan. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil; season with ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper.
b. Roast until vegetables are fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
2
Meanwhile, cook tempeh:
a. Cut tempeh into 1” pieces.
b. In large saute pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tsp olive oil. Add tempeh, ½ tsp salt, and autumn spice mix. Saute for about 4-6 minutes, until tempeh turns golden-brown. Set aside until ready to serve.
3
Prep kale salad:
a. In large bowl, add kale (remove stems, tear leaves bite-sized).
b. Drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil; toss to coat. Set aside for kale to soften.
4
Cook green beans and mushrooms:
a. In same saute pan over medium-high heat, add red onion (thinly slice) and mushrooms (½”-thick slices); add more olive oil if needed and saute until golden and caramelized, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
b. Add green beans and ¼ cup water to saute pan. Simmer until desired tenderness is reached. Salt to taste.
5
Assemble salad and serve:
a. In small saute pan over high heat, add pecans. Toast until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. DON’T WALK AWAY!
b. Add roasted acorn squash and dried cranberries to kale salad. Add maple balsamic vinaigrette and toss to coat.
c. Top salad with pan-fried tempeh. Add roasted fingerlings, mushrooms, and green beans alongside.
d. Garnish with toasted pecans and bits of chevre. Enjoy!
Chef's notes
Whether you’re new to eating kale or an established fan, massaging the kale before eating it provides two great benefits: 1) Massaging or rubbing the kale with your hands helps break up the cells, thereby releasing its powerful nutrients and antioxidants; and 2) Massaging makes the leaves softer and more enjoyable to eat. Remove tough stems, chop or tear leaves into bite-sized pieces. Add kale to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and add a pinch of salt. Grab ‘hold and massage away.
All spice mixes and dressings made by Inner Chef from scratch with organic ingredients, local when possible.
This week’s local ingredients across all Inner Chef meal-kits come from:
Gundermann Acres,
Wharton County, TX
Wharton County, TX
Fagan Family Farm
Lone Star Herbs,
League City, TX
League City, TX
G&S Groves,
Mission, TX
Mission, TX
The Farm Patch,
Pleasanton, TX
Pleasanton, TX
Kitchen Pride,
Gonzales, TX
Gonzales, TX
Fruitful Hill Farm,
Bastrop, TX
Bastrop, TX
J&B Farms,
Hondo, TX
Hondo, TX
Martinez Farms,
Pleasanton, TX
Pleasanton, TX
J&D Farms
Village Farms,
Marfa, TX
Marfa, TX