Thanksgiving may be two Thursdays away, but menu planning... well, you better get on it! It seems that a vegetarian Thanksgiving has been villified to the sorry souls who opt for Tofurky as their meal to give thanks. But, this week we challenge you to create the most deliciously vegan Thanksgiving meal with these abundant recipes that have been bursting from some of the web's best food bloggers. Plus, hosting a vegan Thanksgiving or offering a vegan dish to your gathering is a way to give thanks without supporting harm, an issue that many take with this holiday's dubious roots. 

This time of year is an immune system's nightmare - coughing, sneezing, fever, chills, exhaustion - yep, it's flu season. If you feel the onset of these dreaded symptoms, take a look at what's in your kitchen before getting shot up with a vaccine. If you find lots of salty chips and sugary cookies, your sick coworker's germs may not be the blame; the saying is true: You are what you eat. Processed foods stripped of sustenance will leave you run down and defenseless, while fresh, nutritious fare results in an energized, resilient body.

Save the tissue for wrapping presents - here are the top 5 foods you should be eating for a healthy holiday season.

The Indian spicy sweet tea and milk beverage called chai is more than just a cupful of yummy. The spices are actually tonic herbs that soothe digestion, boost mood and reduce inflammation—which of course can all be thrown out of whack by drinking dairy milk. But you can still enjoy the flavorful brew, without the dairy, and with all the benefits using this simple vegan chai recipe.

Truth: Warm mittens, heat preserving gloves and wooly hats are fun to buy. But, these wintery items are knitable, too. Now, you (like me) may be a bit skeptical about knitting your own winter wear, but worry not; learning how to knit is not as difficult as you think. Sure, it may be hard to grasp at first, but what isn't? Get inspired, buy some vibrant eco-friendly yarn, and join a local knitting circle -- start practicing sustainable knitting know!

Pears are a sometimes-overlooked delicacy. Sweet and refined, with a fragile skin and unique texture, their subtle flavor works with everything from chocolate to cheese. In fact, spiced pears poached in wine are a traditional holiday dessert. Whether you're throwing a holiday bash or just looking for something fun to do with in-season pears, now's your moment to try out fresh spiced cocktail recipes. Here are three to suit any taste.

Holiday cheer, holiday schmear. Do those now empty flowerpots that once burst with happy spring blooms make you feel like an all-around Grinch, even before it’s Thanksgiving? Don’t let those sad-looking containers on your porch, deck or balcony sit barren all winter. Repurpose them into cute decorating vessels for your home—inside and out. These five creativity-inspiring ideas will get you going.

If you’re at all like us, you don’t need another reason to eat pumpkins; what you need is another way to eat pumpkins. Here you have it: Pumpkin Lavender Scones. This tea-time recipe is simply scrumptious! It shows that fall foods can be just as light and lovely as their spring counterparts. And best of all, it's made with heart-healthy olive oil -- no butter! Just add a cup of tea, a spot of jam and perhaps a girlfriend to chat the day away with.

Grilled cheese recipes are in high demand this time of year. Kids love them, parents love them, and yes – even your cocktail companions love them, too. Many grilled cheese sandwiches fall victim to terrible cheese, though. Those American "cheese" slices that jiggle like Jell-O, and have that putrid yellow hue and odd glossy sheen? Not cheese. There’s no reason to reach for that stuff when you can buy tasty, organic cheeses that are good for you. With the right organic cheeses and rustic breads, you can build an awesome, healthier grilled cheese sandwich.

Food trucks are as ubiquitous in New York City as Yankees caps, subway signs and text message-obsessed tourists. Finding one is never a problem; finding one worth eating at, however, is a whole other rub. As someone who lived in that great city for twelve years, I've eaten at—and gotten sick because of—a fair share of food trucks. It's too bad I didn't find out about Tweat.it until now, staring out my window at another coastline (although LA food truck culture is pretty impressive as well).

Seeing that America's food mantra goes something like "More Is Better," it's no wonder we've come to expect the same from foods claiming to be good for us. One such example is The Mighty Multigrain; for if more means better, multi must mean even better, right? And the fact that no such "multigrain" grows  anywhere (yet... surely Monsanto is working on it!), this ubiquitous word found in our processed food options is a little suspect, yes?

Hey, we're not saying we're not going to miss those summer squashes. Or even that we don't love the whole squash repertoire that comes with winter. But, kabocha - also known as Japanese pumpkin - is the undeniable, and oft overlooked, favorite this season. If you've encountered this unassuming gem, it has most likely been that buttery component of a Thai curry you just couldn't place or a veggie tempura deight. It's time to make kabocha the star that it deserves to be. Here are eight reasons we think you should wrap yourself up in a kabocha blanket this winter. (Well, not really.)

Most of us have been to a diner or a “greasy spoon” cafe more than once in our lives. You probably even have a few good stories that go along with those experiences. Maybe you were driving across country with a friend and stopped in at a small town diner. Could be the town where you went to college had one -- the spot where everyone met up late night for the munchies.

Beans and legumes—those magical fruits—are tragically underutilized in the Standard American Diet. They aid in disease prevention, weight loss, energy boosting, and overall vitality. Best of all, they’re vegan and very cheap to buy, especially in bulk. Many people avoid buying dried beans in bulk because they require soaking before boiling, a process which can take hours. Fortunately, there are some legumes out there that don’t require any soaking at all; just take them home and boil them at once.

Tis the season to handcraft your own bronzer! As the color from your face fades, one seasonal spice is here to keep you looking sunkissed and healthy.

Organic Authority is excited to offer our readers a very special promotion in honor of PeopleTowels 2 year anniversary! Don't know what a PeopleTowel is? Read on to find out more about this innovative company with a very simple idea. (Hint: They are more than just Towels for People!)