Here is a Thanksgiving lunch box inspired by foods we eat today that are native to North America (listed here in bold). A pumpkin Anadama roll filled with tofurkey and vegenaise, cranberry sauce in the tiny container, wild rice pilaf with peas, corn & pecans, popcorn balls (popcorn was served at the first Thanksgiving!) with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and dried blueberries. Beverage: concord grape juice.Verdict: My husband took this fancy-pants picture for the cookbook. Our adopted turkey, Ingrid, is looking adorable and thankful in the background. Little shmoo loved the wild rice and the tofurkey roll, but doesn't care for cranberry sauce. All three of us can't stop eating these chewy, carmely popcorn balls. 5 stars.
Wow! What a great looking lunch. I want some of those popcorn balls!
ReplyDeleteThe heartache of posting a blog is that everyone points out any mistakes--whether real or imagined. LOL ;)
ReplyDeleteBut, actually, popcorn was not served at the first Thanksgiving. It's a popular myth, though.
http://www.plimoth.org/learn/history/myth/nopopcorn.asp
From: http://www.westvalley.edu/ss/tutorial/thanksgiving.html
"Contrary to popular folklore, popcorn was not introduced at the 1621 Thanksgiving. Indian corn could only be half-popped, and this wouldn't have tasted very good."
You had me at "carmely popcorn balls." Please share the recipe! I'd love to make them for my kids (er, and me).
ReplyDeleteGreat looking lunch photo! I, too, would love to see your recipe for the popcorn balls. It seems like most recipes use corn syrup, but I'd prefer to use maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown rice syrup. Can you at least tell us what you used to hold your popcorn balls together, pretty please? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis all sounds so good, especially the popcorn balls.We adopted Victoria :)
ReplyDeleteWhat's an Anadama roll? Is that a brand or type of bread?
ReplyDeleteIngrid is so cute! I sponser a Chicken named Rosemary from Farm Sanctuary, guess what her favorite treats are? popcorn and dried cranberries!
I can imagine how yummy that lunch must have tasted, and I bet most people wouldn't even guess it was vegan, it really does look like a traditional thanksgiving meal. Ingrid is very pretty :) I'm hoping to adopt a turkey as soon as I start making my own money :P
ReplyDeleteI hope the recipe for the popcorn balls will be in the cookbook?
ReplyDeleteOhhh, I really love that you adopted a turkey. That's very awesome.
ReplyDeleteI am going to do that one of these days. Maybe not a turkey (or not ONLY a turkey), but a cow (I love love love cows dearly).
Food looks good. I got Tofurky for the first time this year. I am excited.
YUM!!!!
ReplyDeleteIngrid would be proud to call you mama.
beautiful picture! and I have to agree with everyone else: that popcorn ball recipe better be in the cookbook, they look decilious! I adopted Wiley, myself. :-) I might even get to meet him this summer- I'm interning at FS.
ReplyDeleteyay, i just adopted a turkey!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful lunch!! I love that you adopted a turkey.. I would love to do that too, or any of the precious animals at Farm Sanctuary.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for the cookbook!
Blessings!
Hi, paula! I'll post the popcorn ball recipe tomorrow. I use corn syrup when I make rice krispy squares because it has a more "marshmallowy" taste, but here I used brown rice syrup because it tastes more "carmely". Yum!
ReplyDeleteHi, teagan! Anadama is an old American bread recipe with a long history. It's a yeasted bread with molasses and cornmeal mush (and I added pumpkin to mine).
Molly, that is so cool! Please say hi to Ingrid from Little shmoo!
I just adopted Whisper! Yay Farm Sanctuary!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving everyone!
I hope you all have a fun and tasty day!
We adopt one each year - thanks for reminding me that I haven't done it yet!
ReplyDeleteWe just came back from Millenium restaurant in San Francisco where I had a Pumpkin Creme Brulee to die for! But those popcorn balls look very tasty indeed!
Jennifer, I so look forward to seeing your popcorn ball recipe! As far as rice krispie squares, I've recently hit upon a vegan marshamallow creme called Suzanne's Ricemellow Creme (Company is Suzanne's Specialties, Inc., 1-800-762-2135, www.suzannes-specialties.com). Ingredients are brown rice syrup, soy protein, natural gums, and natural flavors. It advertises being gluten-free, non-dairy, and vegan. This works well and it's so nice to have rice krispie squares again! It's also good on hot chocolate. If you can't find it, you might give the info to your local health food store and see if they can order--I've had good luck doing this in the past.
ReplyDeleteso looking forward to the popcorn ball recipe. will make it for my niece and nephew around christmas/new year's.
ReplyDeleteand thanks for posting the link to the adopt a turkey site!
i really love your blog, all your lunchboxes look wonderful.
this looks amazing.
ReplyDeletewith your husband doing the photography its now a whole family adventure!
nell
WOW! Beautiful pic! Everything looks wonderful and YUMMIE! Very educational for lil shmoo, too!
ReplyDelete2 thumbs up!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI showed the picture to my daughter Kalla this morning. She was excited as she also adopted a turkey this year. She is an eight year old vegan and would like to say hi to Litte Schmoo and to tell him that she chose to adopt "Pumpkin" this year.
Perhaps "Ingrid" and "Pumpkin" will share some pie this holiday!
Happy Thanksgiving to your family.
Carin
Gorgeous--a cornucopia of seasonal delights. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteJen, do you think you can use Agave nectar in place of the brown rice syrup? It is what I have on hand.
ReplyDelete