It’s a cold, hard truth that people who prefer chicken breasts to thighs are less sensual. Like the plastic-wrapped styrofoam packaging you’ll find them in, boneless, skinless, joyless chicken breasts take the primal pleasure out of eating.

The things that remind us that the meat came from a living, breathing animal — bones, skin, fat, collagen — are the very things that make the thigh so damn delicious, and the visceral nature of eating it should be embraced.

Buying a vegan roast is very much like playing tofu roulette. Your options ping-pong between "legitimately tasty" and "old boots with a whiff of sage". If you're sick of the usual faux-meat options, I have great news: You can totally make your own.

Chicken breasts don't have a particularly strong personality, but they're a very amicable protein. No matter what flavour profile you're going for, you can depend on the chicken breast to provide the perfect protein canvas without distracting from or clashing with bolder, more pronounced flavours. Structurally, they take very well to stuffing, making them the perfect vehicle for almost any filling you can dream up.

What I'm about to say may come as a shock but you should make your chicken stuffing with oven-dried, not stale, bread.

Cauliflower is a really awesome vegetable that can be used to replace carbier fare in recipes. If you can't or don't eat bread, but still want a flavorful, homey side for your turkey, consider making this cauliflower "stuffing" from delish. (Technically I think this would be a "dressing," but I'll let it slide.)