Hosting and preparing a Thanksgiving meal can be hectic enough. Meeting everyone’s dietary needs does not have to be the thing that tips your very full metaphorical plate.

For some advice, LAist asked one of L.A.’s premiere vegan chefs, Maciel Bañales Luna of Maciel’s Plant-Based Butcher & Deli in Highland Park .

A vegan butcher? Explain yourself!

Bañales Luna creates her own meat substitutions from scratch so her shop is part deli, serving sandwiches and sides, and part butcher counter where you can buy plant-based “meats” like vegan pastrami and mesquite turkey, all made in-house and plant-based. Read my full write-up from Maciel’s early days here.

It's all about sides and substitutions

Start with traditional Thanksgiving recipes and substitute with vegan options.

These days,

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