Enlightened Holiday Roast

For most Americans celebrating Thanksgiving without the turkey would be like Christmas without the tree! However, as Americans are more health conscious than ever before, interest in healthy alternatives is at an all time high. Presented here is a meatless Thanksgiving meal that is easy to prepare, as delicious as the traditional, and extremely cost effective. And this bountiful holiday feast contains less than 1 gram of saturated fat per serving!

Perfect for any holiday gathering, and rich in the goodness of soy, this enticing centerpiece turns five pounds of firm tofu into an outstanding meal. Tofu, you say? Yes, and you wouldn¹t know it. With a little advance preparation you can prepare this 'meaty' roast with relative ease.

The tofu is crumbled into a colander that has been lined with cheesecloth, and pressed in the refrigerator overnight. It's important to choose a very firm, water-packed tofu and to use a 'nesting' procedure when setting up the colander and bowls. That means placing the largest bowl on the bottom, the colander suspended above, and a third bowl fitting into the colander and topped with a heavy object; pressing the tofu into a firm shape. The crumbling and pressing technique, coupled with a flavorful basting mixture, and a delicious stuffing, produces a delectable roast with all the flavor and texture you expect from a holiday entree.

Enlightened Holiday Roast*
*Reprinted from The Enlightened Kitchen, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2002 © Marie Oser

12 servings

• 5 (16 ounce packages) firm, water packed tofu

  (Photo: Juan Carlo, Ventura County Star, Food Styling: Mary Kathleen Benson)

• 1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped, with leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 ounces portobello mushrooms, diced
• 1 (10 ounce package) cubed herb stuffing mix
• 1 cup vegetarian chicken broth, boiling
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  
  Basting mixture
• 2 tablespoons mellow white miso
• 1/3 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup tamari
• 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 cup vegetarian chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  
  Brown Gravy
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups vegetarian 'chicken' broth, boiling
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic.

Drape a cheesecloth over a 12" colander, allowing the sides overlap, set over larger bowl. Set aside. Mash tofu thoroughly, crumble into prepared colander and fold cheesecloth over top. Position a deep bowl inside the colander over cheesecloth covered tofu, and weigh it down with at least 5 pounds. Place in refrigerator overnight.

FOLLOWING DAY:
STUFFING: Heat oil in a large saucepan, over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion, celery, pepper, and mushrooms. Cook mixture 5 minutes, add stuffing mix, broth, cranberries and sage. Stir to moisten, remove from heat and set aside.

BASTING MIXTURE: Blend miso with sherry in a liquid measuring cup. Add tamari, juice, broth, Dijon, and garlic. Blend, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400°
Oil spray baking pan lined with foil. Remove top bowl, weight and uncover cheesecloth from tofu. Scoop out a portion of the tofu to 1 inch shell, Fill the hollowed shell with stuffing, reserving extra stuffing to bake separately. Cover with remaining tofu and pat down firmly. Place baking pan over colander, face-down. Invert, turning the stuffed tofu onto baking sheet, flat side down. Baste with a third of the mixture, cover roast with foil, and place in oven. Bake for 1 hour, remove foil, baste with half of remaining mixture. Bake uncovered for one more hour, basting again halfway through.

GRAVY: Heat oil in a medium saucepan 1 minute over medium high heat, Add flour and stir to form a paste. Lower heat and gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Add nutritional yeast and garlic, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove Roast and set aside for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh herbs at the center, (sage leaves are nice) Slice into wedges and serve with gravy and additional dressing.

Enlightened Holiday Roast 
Nutrition Analysis: per serving: 2 1/4 cups with stuffing and gravy
Protein 25g, Carbohydrate 37g, Fiber 4g, Fat 11 g, Sat Fat 1g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Calcium 195 mg Sodium 990mg
Calories 335,
Calories from Protein: 29%, Calories from Carbohydrate: 43%, Calories from Fat: 28%

Traditional Roast Turkey 
Nutrition Analysis: per serving: 2 cup with stuffing and gravy
Protein 58g, Carbohydrate 24g, Fiber 1g, Fat 32 g, Sat Fat 11g, Cholesterol 177 mg,, Calcium 84 mg, Sodium 1098mg
Calories 631
Calories from Protein:38%, Calories from Carbohydrate:15%, Calories from Fat:47%

Ingredients of Note

Tofu-High in protein, and very low in saturated fat, its ability to absorb flavor make tofu a very versatile ingredient. At health food stores, and supermarkets.
Vegetarian Chicken Broth Powder-available at health food stores and online at www.healthy-eating.com.
Nutritional Yeast-Delicious flakes that are high in protein and B vitamins and add a delicious creamy flavor. NOT Brewers Yeast. At health food stores.
Mellow White Miso- Highly versatile, beige in color with a subtle, sweet fragrance this miso has a rich, creamy, texture. At health food stores.