I would’ve really liked to spend this Thanksgiving with my brother and sister-in-law in Northwest Spain. They throw an amazing bash each year for all of their American friends, then take it to the clubs for late-night dancing and drinks. Fun times, for sure!

My recently retired mother, however, has been itching to get out of Brownsville for a few days, so I nixed the European vacation and invited her over to Dallas for a vegan Thanksgiving.

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: tofurkey. But on past Thanksgivings together, Mom and I have slaved-away prepping black bean tamales, vegan champurrado (a spicy Mexican hot chocolate drink with masa, almond milk, and piloncillo), and vegan pumpkin pies.

This year, I kind of wanna take it easy. Here’s what I’m proposing:

Kalachandji’s. The Hare Krishna Temple may not be the first place you’d think of when planning an all-American Harvest celebration, but veg-heads know that Kalachandji’s hosts a killer Thanksgiving feast every year! "Turkey Day" here entails tofu turkey & dressing, yellow mung dal soup, mashed potatoes & gravy, candied yams, wild rice, mustard greens, green beans, cauliflower pakoras, cornbread, whole wheat rolls, and pumpkin pie. Eggs are never used, and dairy items are clearly marked on the board. Kalachadji’s Thanksgiving Dinner Menu is $15.95 per guest and served from 11:30-3:00pm, and 5-9pm.

Spiral Diner. Available for pick-up only, Spiral Diner’s Thanksgiving Dinner includes a Tofurky Roast ($13.95) or Celebration Roast ($7.95), and a long list of vegan desserts. Vegan cheesecakes ($44 each) are Bourbon Pumpkin, Chocolate, and Blueberry. Sweet Potato, Apple, Pumpkin, and Blueberry pies are $21, and Pecan and Chocolate Bourbon Pecan pies sell for $24. All pies and cheesecakes serve 8-12 guests, and cookies go by the dozen or half-dozen. Oatmeal-Cranberry, Sugar, and Chocolate Chip are $11.10 per half-dozen, and $23 per bakers dozen. Orders must be placed by Tuesday, November 24.

Whole Foods Market. All DFW Whole Foods Markets are offering their Vegan Holiday Dinner: Spinach and Hazelnut Tofu Loaf, Vegan Mashed Potatoes, Cinnamon-Dusted Butternut Squash, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Wild Mushroom Gravy, and Cranberry-Mandarin Orange Relish. Single servings sell for $14.99, and $49.99 for four servings. A nine-inch Vegan Pumpkin Pie is also available for an additional $9.99. Whole Foods is pre-selling this special holiday meal until Monday, November 23.

No, real turkey’s not an option for Mom this year. But she’s a good sport. Maybe I can even talk her into shopping online on Black Friday instead of dragging me out of bed to wrestle the early-morning crowds at the mall…hmmm. Nah–that’s probably pushing it.