Closed Loop Weekly Newsletter 11.21.24

CLC Weekly 🦃 Holiday burnout, begone!

Author

Hawnuh Lee
November 21, 2024

Hi friends,

Re-evaluating tradition this year and considering what’s worth habituating. I’m grateful to bring friends and family together for good mood food but exhausted by my own tendencies to over-do. Who deemed holiday burnout an annual ritual and how do we take back our moments of occasion? This season, I’m advocating for ce-less-bration (and better puns, please) to protect our peace. Maybe this November I don’t need to wrangle a ladder in the rain and forage my own persimmons–maybe I can source in bulk from my local Asian grocery store and still find gratitude for my seasonal produce.

I’m saving energy for intentional time with those closest. More communal moments making fire cider and prepping for potluck style dinners. Less time overextending holiday plans or prep when I’m out of spoons. (I need those for comfort eating.) Practicing mindful togetherness (or solo time) feels like the sustainable holiday tradition we need, nearing the end of 2024.

This week, sharing your must make Thanksgiving recipes and the same intentions from some CLC friends. A virtual Friendsgiving style shareout that I hope inspires your seasonal practices. Scroll on for more!

What traditions are you letting go of this year? Reply back, and as always–

Stay hungry,
Hawnuh Lee | Founder, Closed Loop Cooking

Ginger pomegranate lime mocktail.

Your plant-based, low waste Thanksgiving cheat sheet!

Sharing ideas and inspiration for your holiday spread. And, if you have a question, consider my DMs open for the Thanksgiving hotline!

For soups, gravies, grains, and more–make your own package free vegetable stock.

Sides

Soups

Salads

Mains

Sweets

Sips

No bake pumpkin pie fudge.

A CLC virtual friendsgiving

In the push towards more community action, we asked some of our favorite CLC friends how they are planning to celebrate (or not!) Thanksgiving this year. What’s on their plate, how they might be spending the day, and if they’re finding gratitude anywhere in this moment on transition. So appreciative of this incredible group and we hope you can take some inspiration in redefining your own traditions this holiday season.

Pull up a chair and if you have plans of your own to share, reply back!

Miso mushroom + kale lasagna with lemony tofu ricotta.

Moji Igun | Blue Daisi Consulting

Moji is the founder and CEO at Blue Daisi Consulting. A firm that provides support and guidance for small businesses that want to strike a healthier balance between people, planet and profit by pursuing a zero waste approach. Follow Moji on IG here.

“I plan on taking it easy this year for Thanksgiving. I'm very excited to use the time to rest so I'll most likely be making a simple, yet cozy meal for myself. I live in Seattle and my immediate family lives in Michigan + Washington DC. At some point in the day,  we'll all be gathering virtually over Zoom to check in and chat so we still have that quality family time. I also have some tentative plans for some casual Friendsgiving meals in the days surrounding the holiday. Finally, I have plans to pack up some extra meal portions to drop off at my local community fridge.”

Ronna Welsh | Purple Kale Kitchenworks

Ronna is the founder and chef behind Purple Kale Kitchenworks, a cooking school near the Brooklyn waterfront. She is also the author of The Nimble Cook. Follow along or sign up for a class (she has online options!)

“This holiday, I'll be thinking a lot about tradition and place. The house I grew up in was recently sold. The dining table that sat twelve went to auction. But by tradition, I'll cook the same two things to place on whatever table we gather around, namely mashed potatoes, with loads of cream, butter, salt and pepper. Thanksgiving meal isn't my favorite, usually, but I'll be grateful for the continuity it provides, especially this year.”

Wishing we could join for the virtual holiday leek cooking class!

Nikki Arce | Camellia Pistrina

Nikki is the baker behind the Portland-based Camellia's Vegan Patisserie. She is also the pastry chef at Obon Shokudo, a restaurant that serves plant-based Japanese comfort food. Peep her cute pastries on IG.

“For the holidays I'll be prepping a vegan kobocha squash tart to share with friends. (Probably in the same day) I'll be working away in the kitchen to prep for European Market 11/29 + 11/30 in SE Portland. 100s of Canelé and macarons will be baked and shared.”

Alex Gamboa Grand | Way of Being

Alex is the co-founder and chief of strategy behind Way of Being, a low-waste and plastic-free store front with locally and inclusively sourced goods. Way of Being is Portland-based and they have an online shop! Follow Alex on IG here.

“We typically travel to visit my husband’s family or mine for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it’s really special that this will be our first year hosting in our own space and having family come to us in Portland! My mom and grandma’s holiday dishes are truly the best I’ve ever tasted, so I’m looking forward to cooking all of the classics with them—yams, dressing, greens, and cranberry sauce are my personal favorites. 

Although I typically only cook vegetarian food at home (but consider myself a flexitarian), my mom insisted that we provide a turkey, which I’m very intimidated by. I made sure to order one that was raised as locally and humanely as possible, and I hope I do it justice with the simplest recipe I could find. I’m also excited to have control over sourcing all of the other ingredients intentionally (AND gluten-free, which is always a struggle when others are leading the meal). I’m seeing this big Thanksgiving grocery bill as a great opportunity to support local farmers and sustainable, intentional makers.”

Chloé Lepeltier  |  Conscious by Chloé

Chloé is a sustainable lifestyle blogger who is passionate about zero waste, slow living and sustainable fashion. Check out some of her amazing sewing projects along on IG.

“Having been born and raised outside of the U.S., I’ve never had any historical or emotional connection to Thanksgiving. I remember my first Friendsgiving at a new friend's house, where I was unexpectedly asked what I was thankful for as we went around the table. It caught me off guard, and I wasn’t sure how to respond, since I hadn’t yet processed the holiday's significance in the context of American culture.

Over the years, I’ve done a bit of research, but I still struggle to connect with the history or the narrative surrounding Thanksgiving. Despite being invited to numerous gatherings, I’ve never fully resonated with the idea of celebrating gratitude when the origins of the holiday are rooted in such a complex and painful history. I've often made excuses to avoid the traditional celebrations.

More recently, I’ve been exploring ways to incorporate new traditions that better align with my values and help me stay in tune with the seasons and the cycles of nature. So this year, I have decided to spend Thanksgiving soaking in hot springs. I plan to connect with nature, reflect on my own gratitude, and embrace the simplicity of being present in the moment. Finally, I can say that I have plans for Thanksgiving!

I’m really looking forward to seeing how others are approaching this season of gratitude, and I appreciate the opportunity to share my journey.”

Kaitlyn Chock | Tender Sprout Coaching + CLC

Kaitlyn is an ADHD coach and a contributor at Closed Loop Cooking. She helped Hawnuh launch Scrap Supper (now Tzimmy) back in 2018. Follow her on IG for all the ADHD tips.

“Thanksgiving is a complex holiday because of its fraught history. I do love opportunities to be in community with others and do love the emphasis on gratitude but I did want to call out the fact that the US has a dark history that involves the brutalization of native folks.  

I thought I was going to sit out the holiday but was invited to a last-minute get-together with a friend. She was planning on doing the holidays with her in-laws but her mother-in-law ended up getting assigned a shift on Thanksgiving so they canceled. Thanksgiving is the day after my friend gets back from her honeymoon in Europe and she wanted to make it easy so I'm on deck to pick up our food order from Comfortland.

She, of course, ordered dessert but I still plan to make some. My go-to dish is butter mochi, a classic Hawaii dessert. My goal is to find or develop a good vegan recipe for it (it has butter, naturally, and eggs) so if anyone has any tips for eggless mochi cake, please share. I've seen someone substitute the eggs for silken tofu / applesauce and I think that's worth a try.”

Kelly Hardesty | Impact event producer

Kelly is a Portland and San Francisco based experience and event planner. She believes events have the power of positive and lasting impact on their audiences,  and that the foundation starts with great planning and communication. Connect with her on IG.

“This year we are we are breaking with the traditional full family dinner, and enjoying a quiet cabin dinner on Mt. Hood. I’m grateful to be with my parents, and an old friend I’ve know for 30 years. We are keeping things traditional on the food front, with the usual suspects, Turkey, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, and store bought pumpkin pie. Looking forward to snow, a fire, and some competitive Yahtzee.”

Joyce | Goodies Snack Shop

Joyce is a co-founder of Goodies Snack Shop, a Portland-based marketplace that curates classic childhood flavors and the brightest in new and emerging independent brands. Check out the goods on IG. 

“Thanksgivings growing up were always a little different every year mainly because we moved around a lot, and especially after our parents separated, but my fondest memories are of when we’d go to our favorite Chinese restaurant and feast. It always felt so special to be able to eat till we felt like our belly’s would burst, and take home leftovers we’d munch on throughout the day in between naps. My brother and I always loved Lord of the Rings trilogy and made it our tradition to watch these on repeat during holidays. 

This year, though my family wont be in town - I do get to spend it with my partners family as well as our chosen family of friends. The day after TG we plan to go crabbing with friends, and hopefully bring home a catch to make a feast to share. I’m grateful during this time of year for the warmth friendships have brought to our everyday, and just happy to spend quality time with loved ones.”

Holly Holton | Workplace Resilience

Holly is a Certified Gallup Strength Coach, Certified Enneagram Practitioner, HeartMath Resilience Facilitator, Workplace Strategist and the creator of The Decision Umbrella deck. She’s on a mission to change the way people feel about themselves and you can learn more on her IG. 

“This year, I'm celebrating a special Friendsgiving gathering—14 amazing friends who feel like family. We’re welcoming people into our home to share turkey, mushroom vegan loaf, cajun cornbread stuffing, Rocco's famous cauliflower mashed potatoes and several kinds of PIE! This year, I am especially thankful for the meaningful connections we have with our group of friends. In a time where unity and understanding matter more than ever, it feels good to come together in community.”

Ashley Castellanos | Vegan Ventures

Ashley is a multi-hyphenate who documents where to eat and travel as a vegan on her website and Instagram. She runs the Portland food tour and is the photographer, videographer and marketer behind Venture Agency. 

“As the leaves turn golden and the air grows crisp, I find myself reflecting on the abundance of gratitude that fills my heart this Thanksgiving. Firstly, I am grateful for the opportunity to co-host and share plant-based events and experiences. I am grateful for where my work has taken me but also, I'm deeply thankful for my community and relationships I have amongst my friends and family.  It keeps me grounded. On Thanksgiving, I'll be spending the morning doing the annual Portland Tofurkey Trot. A 5k put on by NW Veg and sponsored by Tofurky. The money raised from the Tofurky Trot goes to local farm sanctuaries. Last year, they raised over $11,600 and the goal is to surpass the number for this year. If you're interested, you can still sign up even on the day of!

Later, I'll have a meal with my immediate family and my beloved partner. Growing up Mexican American, our Thanksgiving table always changed year to year. Some years there would be more Mexican dishes, other years traditional American dishes. So while my mom this year will most likely be making some Mexican dishes, I'll be making some traditional Thanksgiving dishes that I've been craving. With vegan versions of my all-time favorites like a rich, comforting mac and cheese and a seasoned stuffing. Though one dish that is always on the table that my whole family enjoys is pumpkin pie. Which is what I look forward to most about Thanksgiving if I’m being honest. It's my favorite!”

Sharing gratitude for all our new traditions. Thank you friends or showing up and helping us move towards community this holiday. <3

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