Vegan diets are becoming increasingly popular in light of the current recession and celebrity endorsements by public figures like Alicia Silverstone. It is extremely likely that you know at least a handful of vegans whether or not you are aware of their dietary restrictions. One holiday that presents an extra challenge for the host of a vegan or two is Thanksgiving.

Turkey, butter-loaded mashed potatoes, and creamy pumpkin pie immediately come to mind when thinking of Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, these items (however tasty and traditional) fall squarely on the vegan’s blacklist. Luckily, there are delicious recipes that capture the seasonal flavors and would please even the staunchest meat-eater, a picky child, and a dairy lover.

Starting with the appetizers, salads and soups are a great addition to any menu and easily adapt to a vegan’s diet. For a simple salad, toss together spinach, dried cranberries, roasted pear, and candied pepitas (pumpkin seeds) with maple balsamic vinaigrette. Several store-bought dressings are vegan, but you can also prepare a homemade version by whisking together balsamic vinegar, pumpkin seed oil, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup. Be sure to avoid any salad dressings with dairy products and honey and substitute olive oil for butter when preparing the candied nuts.

Alternatively, a butternut squash or pumpkin soup is an easy and enjoyable option to start the meal. Try tarragon butternut squash for a unique twist on the dish. Having served this recipe at a recent Thanksgiving dinner, I can vouch for its sensational flavor and simple preparation. In a large sauce pan, sauté onion and fresh garlic in olive oil until the onion is soft and translucent. Add vegetable broth, cubed butternut squash, and salt to taste. Allow the soup to simmer until the butternut squash is tender, then use a blender or an immersion blender to puree the soup to your desired texture. Stir in fresh tarragon and freshly ground black pepper, and top each serving with a dollop of plain soy yogurt or non-dairy sour cream.

For the main course, serve vegan biscuits with crimini mushroom gravy and stuffed acorn squash either instead of or alongside the traditional bird and meat-infused gravy. For the stuffed acorn squash, begin by cutting the squash in half and removing the seeds and stringy pulp. Brush the squash with olive oil and brown sugar and bake at 400 degrees for about ten minutes.

While the squash are cooking, prepare the stuffing. The options are endless for the stuffing and you can opt for a sweet or savory filling. For a sweet filling, combine cubed cinnamon bread, golden raisins, chopped apples, sautéed shallots and summer squash (any variety will work but a combination of yellow and green would brighten up the dish), pumpkin pie spice, and maple syrup. If you favor savory recipes, substitute crunchy French bread for the cinnamon bread and mushrooms for the apples, and add a red or green bell pepper to the mix. After the acorn squash have cooked for about ten minutes, remove them from the oven and stuff them with your filling of choice. Throw the prepared squash back into the oven and continue to bake at 400 degrees for about thirty minutes or until you can easily pierce the acorn squash with a fork.

Finally, a Thanksgiving dinner would be incomplete without the most important part of the meal -- dessert. Dessert options include tofu-based pumpkin pie, vegan apple cobbler topped with non-dairy vanilla ice cream, and vegan gingerbread cupcakes.

For now, follow this advice, uncork a bottle two of vegan wine, and you are on your way to hosting an unforgettable vegan Thanksgiving feast. Your guests will all be satisfied, and any vegans or vegetarians will be thankful that you took the time and effort to cater to their diet.