Learn to make plant-based Thanksgiving at USC cooking class

Everyone overdoes it during the holidays. There’s the turkey and stuffing, ham and potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce and pies – such an assortment of pies!

While you don’t have to completely give up meat, Columbia’s Cooking, part of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at USC, wants you to know that you can indulge while making healthier choices.

Columbia’s Cooking director and nutritionist Trisha Mandes will be leading “How to Cook a Plant-Based Thanksgiving Meal,” where you’ll learn how to prepare “a satisfying and familiar Thanksgiving meal using only whole plant foods and have fun doing it.”

On the menu: Honey mustard-glazed green beans with slivered almonds, creamy mushroom and gravy potatoes, 15-minute chunky cranberry sauce, a decadent pumpkin pie and more.

Details: “How to Cook a Plant-Based Thanksgiving Meal,” 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, CPCP Kitchen, first floor at 915 Greene St. Cost is $30 per person and includes hands-on class, recipes and free parking in the Discovery Parking Garage. Limited seating. Registration ends Monday, Nov. 9. Register at columbiascooking.org.

Something more: Sign up for the Columbia’s Cooking newsletter and get five free recipes, healthy and tasty versions of classic Southern dishes.

Try it:

Bake sweet potatoes in oven at 400 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes, turning once after 30 minutes. Remove potatoes from oven and let cool.

Remove the ends from the potatoes, then remove potato skins, discard skins.

Transfer sweet potatoes to mixing bowl and mash or beat until smooth. Add cinnamon, syrup, salt and nutmeg and mix to combine. Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pecans or keep warm in oven until ready to serve.

Trisha Mandes, MHPN