5 Nom-Worthy Vegetarian Dishes To Make This Thanksgiving!

We're not here to talk turkey. No offense to the bird, but what makes Thanksgiving delicious is the sides. Who can resist those bites of sweet-and-savory or crunchy-and-velvety goodness? It's all the fixings that have us coming back for seconds and thirds. So, in that spirit of plenty, we've tapped food writer-slash-photographer extraordinaire, Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks and Super Natural Every Day , to recommend a vegetarian menu showcasing the season's bounty. And boy did she deliver — big time!

The bestselling author shows us how to gobble away — without the gut bombs — while incorporating a cornucopia of fresh, local ingredients. Think huckleberries, squash, and citrus at its peak. Not that a holiday about togetherness should become a contest, but what's so wrong with some friendly competition with cousin Nancy's cranberry sauce and succotash? It's a win-win for everyone at the table, really.