pasta with brussels sprouts and other vegan thanksgiving recipe ideas

When prepping to run an 8K, a relatively short distance, carbo-loading really is not necessary. But I still like the psychological boost that a big bowl of pre-race pasta gives me [I'll make up any excuse to eat pasta!]. So I created this recipe using some gorgeous Brussels sprouts, sweetened via slow cooking and brightened with some lemon zest and red hot pepper flakes. This is a no-brainer Thanksgiving side – you can double, triple or even quadruple the recipe, depending on the size of your family.

Not to give things away, but the 8K went superbly – I'll tell you more about that and Team Vegan Philly's results soon. Until then, here's the recipe and a few more vegan Thanksgiving dish ideas in case you are in search of inspiration.

Spicy Pasta with Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Zest

1 T olive oil
About 1/4-1/2 tsp red hot pepper flakes
1 medium sweet onion [eg, Vidalia], thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and very thinly sliced by hand or mandoline
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 cups rotini or farfalle [About 1/2 box]
Zest of 2 lemons
Salt and pepper, to taste
Nutritional yeast  for sprinkling [optional, but yummy]

4 small or 2 large portions

Heat oil and red pepper flakes in a large pot over medium. Add onion and garlic and cook until softish, about 5 minutes. Toss in the  Brussels sprouts and stir until the color deepens, about 5 minutes. Don't fret if they get a bit browned. This is normal and will actually help add sweetness to the dish.

Add the broth, reduce heat and simmer/cook slowly for about 10-15 minutes until the sprouts are soft. Add more broth, 1 T at a time, if needed.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. But make it al dente, please!

Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the cooked Brussels sprout mixture. Stir in the zest, adjust the seasonings and enjoy, either solo or topped with nutritional yeast. One night, I had some leftover Helen's Vegan Chorizo and added it to this dish, and the combination truly sang. [I don't care for this product on its own– it does not hold together as a sausage should – but as a flavoring, it's golden.]

More Vegan Thanksgiving Dish Ideas

• Try my Roasted Double-Nut Soup
• A bevy of Thanksgiving recipes by me and Sarah Kramer on the Today Show blog
• Pumpkin and Apple Pie recipes
• Dreena Burton provides an extensive menu of delectable holiday dishes, from soup to nuts
• Grant Butler from The Oregonian curated these 5 yummy, plant-based Thanksgiving ideas
• The Huffington Post serves up a cool slide show of delectable veg recipes with links back to their sources
• Check out Young and Raw's mouth-watering recipe for Raw Pumpkin Pie
• Shape magazine printed 9 vegan Thanksgiving recipes
• If you want a special, warming drink, try Susan's Pumpkin-Spice Hot Chocolate 

What are you making for Thanksgiving?