Even if you're not a vegetarian, there are lots of great reasons to avoid turkey this year by celebrating with a vegetarian meal! Or, if you are expecting vegetarian guests, you will want to make sure to have plenty of vegetarian sides and, of course, plenty of sweet potatoes and a homemade vegan apple pie.

If you're new to vegetarian cooking, or aren't sure what to prepare, this handy guide to easy vegetarian substitutes specifically for Thanksgiving will help you prepare a hearty meal suitable for vegetarians and vegans without too much trouble at all.

If you'll be preparing a mock-turkey roast this Thanksgiving, why not follow recent food trends and go all-out by preparing a deep-fried Tofurky? Remember though, just because it's vegetarian, that doesn't mean it's healthy! Sure, your deep-fried Tofurky will have less cholesterol than the meat version, but it sure won't have less fat if you deep-fry it!

No matter what you're preparing this holiday, you'll need a vegetarian gravy as well as a traditional and festive recipe for vegetarian stuffing. It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without stuffing and gravy! Stuffed acorn squash, baked with beans and maple syrup makes an impressive centerpiece for your vegetarian or vegan guests, yet is simple to prepare. There's plenty more vegetarian and vegan Thanksgiving dishes to choose from - a vegetarian or vegan Thanksgiving can be just as abundant and traditional as others!

Pictured: Homemade Tofu Turkey

Most of us will be sharing our holiday meals with friends and family that would rather have a turkey than a Tofurky. How will you be handling Thanksgiving this year as a vegetarian? There's nothing worse than showing up for a fancy meal and having nothing to eat but bread and salad while your tablemates heartily dine away on plates filled with meat dishes. The most important tip I can share to make sure that this doesn't happen to you this Thanksgiving is to be prepared in advance. Make sure your table is big enough for both a turkey and a Tofurky - both literally and figuratively!

How to be the perfect vegetarian Thanksgiving guest
If you are a new vegetarian or worried that Aunt Sue won't have a thing you can eat at her Thanksgiving table this year, here's a few tips to help you be the perfect, polite, and prepared vegetarian guest.

Sharing the Table: Simple Vegetarian Substitutions
On the other hand, if you dread having to cook two separate meals - one for the veggies and one for the non-veggies, check out my tips for making traditional Thanksgiving dishes vegetarian and vegan friendly by making just a few simple substitutions. No need to prepare two separate meals!

Hosting Vegetarians at Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving and the holidays are about coming together with family and friends and sharing a meal together, right? Remember this as you try to accommodate your vegetarian guests. No need to stress! Here are some tips to help you accommodate your vegetarian and vegan guests at Thanksgiving.

So you've decided to venture into the unknown and try one of those birdless birds with the funny name that you keep hearing about. Its not a bird, it's not a plane...it's Tofurky! But where to find one of these mysterious boxed creatures? Read on for my Tofurky shopping guide to find out where to buy a Tofurky. Obviously, Tofurky has the most ingenious brand name ever, but if you're curious about other brands of vegetarian turkeys, check out this guide to vegetarian turkeys.

Photo courtesy of Tofurky.com

Don't panic! There's still plenty of time to plan your vegetarian Thanksgiving menu. Check out this complete list of ideas for what to cook for your vegetarian Thanksgiving, including entree ideas, gravies, sides, stuffing recipes, and of course, lots of desserts, too! Or, if you're more of a visual type than a reader, scroll through this image gallery to check out dozens of pictures of vegetarian and vegan Thanksgiving menu ideas. There's links to the recipes as well, of course, but you can also just salivate at the pictures without reading the recipes.

Pictured: Vegetarian Quinoa Stuffing (above left) and vegetarian lentil Loaf (right)