Give Thanks for Vegan Thanksgiving!

MT. PLEASANT, Mich -- November is National Vegan Awareness Month! In recent years, this entirely plant-based diet has garnered quite a few avid followers, and along with them, it's own share of controversy. We're sure at least one of your loved ones has adopted the zero animal product diet, so we've decided to give you a few ideas for Vegan holiday recipes to create the perfect, inclusive Thanksgiving dinner. Let's hear some thanks for vegan Thanksgiving! 

1. VEGAN ROASTED GARLIC AND HERB DINNER ROLLS

Rolls are an essential component of any holiday feast, they fill the house with that homey "warm bread smell" and are perfect for sopping up gravy and transforming your Thanksgiving leftovers. These vegan rolls from Foodal are buttery, delicious, and animal-product free! 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2yG8tRe  

2. VEGAN STUFFING

You just can't have a holiday dinner without stuffing, to put it plainly, it's a major faux pas. This hearty mushroom-laden stuffing tastes just as good, if not better than the turkey version, and the best part? It's guilt-free! 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2DdHLDm

3. VEGAN MUSHROOM GRAVY

Gravy is a commonly overlooked dish when it comes to accommodating vegans at holiday meals. It may seem like a simple sauce, but it ties the whole meal together. Substituting mushrooms for turkey is your best bet for veganizing your gravy recipe, they lend such a deep, earthy flavor that you won't even miss the meat! 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2zkokUU

4. VEGAN MASHED POTATOES

Think the creamy mashed potatoes of your dreams are impossible without the dairy? Think again. These fluffy taters will have you under their vegan spell. 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2Jvey79

5. VEGAN GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

This veganized version of the classic green bean casserole won our taste buds approval with it's homemade "fried onions" they're so frickin' good you'll want to put them on everything! Hearty and filling this warming casserole is insanely delish! 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2Jv3zL0

6. VEGAN MAC-STUFFED SWEET POTATOES 

Swap out the traditional, sickeningly sweet marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole for this fun and delicious side. Flavorful and smoky, this dish is sure to add that wow-factor to your holiday spread. 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2ERdjQU

7. CINNAMON PECAN ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

These sweet, autumn side dish is like having dessert for dinner. Simple,  and oh, so good. It's sure to become on of your favorite side dishes. 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2qlhAlP

8. MAPLE CRANBERRY SAUCE

Easy and delicious, this cranberry sauce is vegan, paleo, GF, and free from refined sugars! The additions of maple and orange lend it a deeper flavor, and it only takes 15 minutes to make!

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2QdTO6F

9. KUNG PAO BRUSSEL SPROUTS

Asian-inspired veggies for Thanksgiving? You betcha. Surprise your guests with this out-of-left-field dish that's sweet, salty and a little spicy. These saucy veggies make the perfect appetizer, serve the leftovers with rice for the perfect "after black-friday shopping" snack

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2gwm4EA

10. VEGAN TURKEY ALTERNATIVES 

Last, but not least...the main event! What can you possibly offer your vegan guests in place of the traditional turkey course? Fortunately, there's a dizzying array of meatless "turkey" and "roast" options for those following a plant-based diet, and you'd be surprised how delicious some of them can be! Check out this list of meatless products that are the perfect holiday dinner meat alternative. 

Click here: https://bit.ly/2gpSgVK

We hope this blog was helpful in giving you ideas for feeding your plant-based guests this holiday. If you try any of these recipes, feel free to comment and let us know how they turned out for you!

At Hank Graff Mt. Pleasant we strive to provide our customers with a car buying experience that is accommodating, stress-free and fun! Visit us at our Chevrolet dealership located at 4580 E Pickard Rd in Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48858 or our Buick GMC Cadillac dealership located at 116 N. Mission St in Mount Pleasant, MI 48858. 

The BEST Thanksgiving Leftover Recipe Ideas

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – At this point, we're just not sure. Which is better, Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Leftovers? After browsing Pinterest for some ideas about what to do with the leftovers we are expecting to have after Thursday, it's a toss up!

Thanksgiving definitely has it's advantages and is a wonderful time to connect with family and friends – warm turkey, fragrant pumpkin pie, and merriment all around. But when you're exhausted on Friday from Thursday's celebrations and shopping all morning, nothing looks better than these downright delicious Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes! Take a look and let us know if you agree. Or better yet, if you have a go-to turkey day leftover recipe, share it with us!

The BEST Thanksgiving Leftover Recipe Ideas

Rise and shine with a post-Thanksgiving breakfast that you'll want every weekend! These Stuffing Eggs in a Basket are super simple and great for a crowd if you have family staying with you!

Got leftover mashed potatoes? Make them into Mashed Potato Waffles topped with some cheese! Or even better have them along side your Stuffing Eggs in a Basket!

When lunch time rolls around, grab the leftover turkey and cranberry sauce for the most amazing Thanksgiving Leftover Grilled Cheese you've ever had!

Or, if you want to warm up with something a little more comforting, throw it all in the crock pot with this Slow Cooker Turkey and Stuffing Dumpling Soup recipe!

Last but not least, use up the rest of your Thanksgiving leftovers while feeding the whole family this Turkey Pot Pie! Perfect for this time of year!

After the big feast is over, if you're ready to shop til you drop on Black Friday, don't forget that we have some exclusive offers for our Pre-Holiday Extravaganza at our two Mt. Pleasant locations! Prepare for the cold winter ahead with a great Chevy or GMC truck.

At Hank Graff Mt. Pleasant we strive to provide our customers with a car buying experience that is accommodating, stress-free and fun! Visit us at our Chevrolet dealership located at 4580 E Pickard Rd in Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48858 or our Buick GMC Cadillac dealership located at 116 N. Mission St in Mount Pleasant, MI 48858.

Websites: Chevrolet: HankGraffMtPleasant.com and Buick GMC Cadillac: GraffBGC.com
Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, and YouTube

The Best Thanksgiving Travel Times According to Google

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – Have you started considering a plan for your Thanksgiving travels next week? By now it is well known that Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year with major back ups and headaches, but that's no way to start a holiday! Of course the roads are going to be more congested than normal with millions of people heading to and from their turkey day gatherings, but you can make things a little easier on yourself by considering the Best Thanksgiving Travel Times according to Google Data!

The gurus at Google have just examined traffic conditions from the past two Thanksgivings to help us decipher a method to the madness that is turkey day travel. And, there are a few ways you can avoid some of the congestion!

The Best Thanksgiving Travel Times According to Google

• If possible, avoid making your travel plans for Wednesday! It's the worst day of the week to travel before Thanksgiving and according to Google's data, the worst of it is between 3-5pm on that day! If that's your only day to get to your destination, try to leave earlier or later!
• If you can, schedule your travels for Thursday since the holiDAY is usually the day with the least amount of traffic all week! And if you hit the road between 12-2pm, you likely won't hit any traffic since that's when most people are indulging.
• When the feasting ends, don't get the wrong idea that you'll beat traffic by heading home on Saturday, because everyone else has the same idea. In fact, traffic can be up to 40% worse on Saturday, so relax a little longer and head home on Sunday.

In addition to the road, congestion at the grocery store and any other errands you need to run can be a big contributor to holiday stress. Stay relaxed this Thanksgiving by staying organized and getting your errands done this weekend rather than next week when most people will be rushing around at the last minute!

Most importantly, make sure you stay safe this Thanksgiving in a vehicle that is equipped to protect you, which can be a simple as staying on top of your vehicle's routine maintenance. If it's time to upgrade, come into our Buick, GMC, Cadillac, or Chevy dealer serving Isabella County! At Hank Graff Mt. Pleasant we strive to provide our customers with a car buying experience that is accommodating, stress-free and fun! Visit us at our Chevrolet dealership located at 4580 E Pickard Rd in Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48858 or our Buick GMC Cadillac dealership located at 116 N. Mission St in Mount Pleasant, MI 48858.

Websites: Chevrolet: HankGraffMtPleasant.com and Buick GMC Cadillac: GraffBGC.com
Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, and YouTube

Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipe Ideas

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – It's time to gobble til you wobble! Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we'd be willing to bet that for most people it's the most exciting day of the month! Whether your loyalty lies with the mashed potatoes, turkey, or stuffing, no one likes 'hangry' guests so make sure to consider these Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipe Ideas before finalizing your turkey day menu!

With these pre-feast snack ideas we've served up a little something for everyone. Whether you're into savory, sweet, crunchy, cheesy, or a bit healthy, one of these autumn-themed recipes is sure to strike your fancy! Take a look and let us know what you think!

Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipe Ideas

Cranberry is the perfect flavorful fruit to accompany your Thanksgiving meal and it's delicious in this pre-feast Cranberry Pomegranate Bruschetta recipe that is complimented by a bit of cream cheese! YUM!

Thanksgiving appetizers don't get any easier or tasty than this Carmel Apple Cream Cheese Spread! Cream Cheese, Carmel, Apples, and you're done!

If you're looking for something that's a little more savory to serve up before the big feast, check out these Caramelized Onion, Mushroom, Apple, and Gruyere Bites!

Trying to keep it healthy this holiday season? You can still enjoy the flavors of the season without the holiday weight gain with this incredible Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad! How great does this look?!

Wherever your turkey day travels may take you, we want to wish our entire Mt. Pleasant community a very Happy Thanksgiving! We are very thankful for your continued support and truly love being a part of this community.

If you're spending your weekend getting prepared for the colder months ahead, we can help you find a great winter vehicle from our Isabella County GMC, Chevy, or Buick dealer. At Hank Graff Mt. Pleasant we strive to provide our customers with a car buying experience that is accommodating, stress-free and fun! Visit us at our Chevrolet dealership located at 4580 E Pickard Rd in Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48858 or our Buick GMC Cadillac dealership located at 116 N. Mission St in Mount Pleasant, MI 48858.

Websites: Chevrolet: HankGraffMtPleasant.com and Buick GMC Cadillac: GraffBGC.com
Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, and YouTube