NO THANKSGIVING feast—vegan or otherwise—would be complete without some yummy veggie side dishes and good ole cranberry sauce. This year, our side of choice is Brussels sprouts cooked with walnuts to add a bit of toasty richness. And instead of that canned cranberry sauce, whip up this gingered sauce instead that has tangy orange juice and segments added in. You’ll love both with your perfect Kabocha squash soup and cornbread stuffing—they would also go brilliantly with turkey but with dishes this tasty, you won’t miss the bird!

Gingered Orange Cranberry Sauce

ingredients

1 (12 oz.) bag of cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup of sugar*
¼ cup of water
1-2 T. fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced
2 navel oranges, peeled & segments, reserving juice
* agave syrup, maple syrup or honey could be substituted for white sugar

to make cranberry sauce: Combine cranberries, sugar, ginger and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the cranberries have popped and released their juices, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add orange segments and any reserved juice. Let cool and refrigerate.

Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts

2 pounds of brussels sprouts, trimmed of outer leaves
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1-2 lemons or 1-2 T. balsamic vinegar *
2 cups of toasted walnuts
1 cup of golden raisins or dried cranberries, optional
Malden salt & freshly cracked pepper
* For a sweeter dish, add 1-2 T. of maple syrup in addition to lemon.

To Toast Walnuts:
Bake nuts in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, until golden and nutty. Can Be Done 2 Days In Advance.

To Prep Brussels Sprouts:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanche the brussels sprouts for 3-4 minutes and drain. Can be done the day before.

To Heat & Serve Brussels Sprouts:
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat with olive oil. Once hot, add brussels sprouts and cook until golden brown and heated through. Season aggressively with sea salt. As Barefoot Contessa says, think of them like french fries! Add pepper and lemon or vinegar, plus maple syrup if using. Place brussels sprouts in a serving dish and add the toasted walnuts and dried fruit, if using.

Walnuts can be toasted 1-2 days in advance; keep in a tightly sealed container. Brussels sprouts can be blanched a day in advance; keep refrigerated in a tightly sealed container. Brussels sprouts can be prepared on the stove and then kept warm in a baking dish, covered with foil, in a warm oven until ready to be served. Add oil or stock, if necessary.

Fore more In The Vegan Kitchen with The Chalkboard, Rip + Tan and Annie Campbell click here!