Fruitive Friendsgiving: A Plant-Based Holiday

The season has arrived for gathering around the table with those you love, sharing a meal, and celebrating the holidays. Coming together with family and friends certainly brings warmth and comfort, but there is also a joy and excitement that comes from gathering at the table with new friends. Last week we hosted our first ticketed community dinner event at our location at the Main in Norfolk, Virginia. Twenty-two Hampton Roads residents joined us for a Thanksgiving inspired meal tastefully crafted by our team with ingredients that were 100% plant-based. It was our privilege to host an event with an atmosphere that reminded us all to slow down, gather around a table, and remember the sweet simplicity found in a meal shared with our community.

Our event team consisted of incredible creative dreamers and makers we have here on staff. Every detail of the event was designed with purpose and passion. We developed our menu with the Thanksgiving holiday in mind, using seasonal, local produce in each of the four courses and cocktails. Prior to the meal, guests enjoyed a house-made cheese board with various types of plant-based cheeses, fruits, crackers, spreads, and compotes. We also partnered with a local mixologist from a restaurant within the Main to create a cocktail that included one of our most popular cold-pressed juices. After guests completed their meal, we were thrilled to host a raffle with gifts for the winners featuring local art, gift cards, photography sessions, and plants. No one left empty-handed as each guest received a gift bag that included exclusive Friendsgiving recipe cards along with other goodies. This dinner will be the first of many and we look forward to hosting future events where we can gather, slow down, and share a plant-based meal with our community. Let’s remember the beauty and simplicity of healthy meals and gathering at the table this holiday season!

Today, we are excited to share with you a few of the featured holiday recipes from our Friendsgiving event.

Chestnut Herb Stuffing | Serves 4

• 4 cups bread crumbs

• 1 package roasted chestnuts, chopped (roast ahead of time)

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

• 1 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped

• 2 cups vegetable broth (adjust according to how dry you want your stuffing)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Chop yellow onion and saute over medium-high heat until caramelized.

3. Toss onion + remaining ingredients baking dish and cover with foil.

4. Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil, and continue to bake for 10 minutes or until top is browned.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes + Cabbage with Cashew Cream | Serves 4

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, halved

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 1 small red cabbage, shredded

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 tsp cayenne

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/5 cup water
  Cashew Cream

• 1 cup raw cashews

• 1 pitted date

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

• 1 bunch chives, minced for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. Brush sweet potato halves with coconut oil. Sprinkle with cayenne, black pepper, and sea salt.

3. Place on baking sheet and bake for an hour or until tender.

4. Saute onion and garlic in coconut oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

5. Add cabbage, water, and sea salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add more water if needed.

6. While that is cooking, add cashews, lemon juice, date, garlic, and nutritional yeast to food processor. Pulse on low and slowly add water until it reaches desire consistency.

7. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

8. When sweet potatoes are cooked, scoop out middle of potato and add heaping mound of stuffing.

9. Add dollop of cashew cream or drizzle it over half of sweet potato. Garnish with chives.

Roasted Squash Soup with Toasted Pepita Seeds | Serves 4

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, & cut into 1 in. cubes

• 1 delicata squash, cut into 1 in. cubes

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 1 Tbsp. fresh turmeric

• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/2 cup pepita seeds, toasted

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1 tsp. black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. Spread 1 in. squash cubes and two garlic cloves on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with sea salt, black pepper. Bake for 25 minutes.

3. While squash & garlic roast, dice onion and saute in pan with olive oil until caramelized.

4. Remove squash from oven once browned and soft. Blend all ingredients in blender until desired consistency is reached.

5. Toast pepita seeds by stirring frequently in sauce pan on medium heat.

6. Pour soup into bowl and top with toasted pepita seeds.

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake | Serves 6

• 1 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours prior

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

• 2 lemons, juices

• 1/3 cup coconut oil

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

• 2 tsp. cinnamon

• 1 tsp. nutmeg
  Crust

• 1/2 cup raw pecans

• 1/2 cup raw cashews

• 1 cup pitted dates

• 1 pinch sea salt

1. Soak raw cashews for filling in bowl of water for at least 2 hours.

2. Add all crust ingredients to food processor and low pulse until well blended.

3. Press mixture into base of 8 in. spring form pan.

4. Drain cashews and place in blender with remaining filling ingredients. Blend until smooth.

5. Evenly spread cheesecake mixture on top of crust.

6. Place in fridge for 2 hours to allow to set.

7. Top with candied pecans or preferred topping before serving.

IGnoble cocktail | Serves 1

• 1 8oz. Fruitive Nobility cold-pressed juice

• 2 oz. Beafeater Gin (or preferred brand)

• 1 oz. pisco sours

• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

• 2 fresh cranberries

1. Add Nobility juice, gin, and pisco sours to shaker full of ice.

2. Shake and pour into tumbler.

3. Garnish with rosemary springs and cranberries.

STYLING: ANNALIESE SUTTON

RECIPE CURATION: FRUITIVE MANAGEMENT + KITCHEN TEAM

COCKTAIL CURATION: JOSH SEABURG OF THE SALTINE