Healthy Thanksgiving Dishes!
I know for the holidays we all turn into foodies!
We rack up the calories in all of the casseroles, butter, mayo, deep fried turkey, honey ham, etc.
The American Council on Fitness states that the average American eats around 3,000 calories on Thanksgiving with 229g of those calories coming from fat. YIKES!
For me, I like to think that each day I am complimenting my goals but most importantly caring for my body. I still eat treats and splurge on food occasionally, but within that I try to incorporate healthy dishes or sides. Don’t get me wrong, we will still have those high calorie dishes at the Thanksgiving table… it’s tradition, but we will have healthy options too.
I personally like to fill my plate with the healthy dishes first and then add smaller portions of the casseroles and higher calories foods last, all while keeping in mind dessert. This is really just portion control.
Here are some dishes that I will be bringing to Thanksgiving meals.
Brunch:
Bring a turkey themed fruit platter.
I love doing a themed platter of either fruits or veggies for the holidays. This allows for socializing and snacking on the healthy stuff.
Dinner:
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
This has become a favorite in our household and when I say that I mean 2 professional baseball players asked me to make this for thanksgiving dinner, That means it is pretty dang good!
Diary Free and Gluten Free
Ingredients:
3 cups butternut squash cubes
1 box (8oz) Banza chickpea elbow pasta
1/2 cups unsweetened cashew milk
1/3 cup Nutritional yeast
1tbsp olive oil butter (optional)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (This adds a spicy flavor to the sauce- adjust as desired)
1/4 tsp Tumeric
Pinch of salt and pepper
What will you need:
Measuring cups and spoons
food processor or blender
Instructions:
Boil water and cook chickpea noodles as directed on the box. Strain and set aside.
Steam butternut squash cubes in a microwave safe bowl with a 1/4c of water.
Microwave squash for 2 minutes continuously until the squash is very soft and mushy.
Add squash and all other ingredients into food processor. Blend until it is a smooth sauce. If the sauce seems thick, add in a few additional splashes of cashew milk until it is to your desired consistency.
To serve, add your chickpea noodles into a bowl and pour the sauce over the top.
Optional add ins:
Steamed veggies, wilted spinach, shredded chicken and/or sausage (chicken/ turkey)
Cauliflower Stuffing
Ok… I have to admit that I cheat on this one. There is nothing homemade about it but let me tell ya, Trader Joe’s knows how to make an amazing cauliflower stuffing.
Steam in a bag and BOOM, you’ve got another healthy dish at the table.
Dessert:
Black Bean Brownies
I know this sounds wild but this has been another staple that we have at our house. If you asked someone to try this, they would never guess what’s in it.
This recipe requires an 8×8 baking pan and a food processor. You can use a blender if you don’t have a food processor but I higher recommend a using one for a smooth texture.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- pinch uncut stevia
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips. This should not be replaced or removed.
Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees
2. In a food processor, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips
3. Blend until completely smooth. You want to avoid any texture in the batter.
4. Place batter in an 8×8 baking pan and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and bake for 15 minutes-20 minutes. You may want to bake slightly longer if you like them less undercooked.
5. Let them cool and then cut.
Serve warm or pop in the microwave for a 15-20 seconds before you eat.
This recipe is from Chocolate Covered Katie Blog.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!
If you decide to bring any of these dishes to your dinner table, I would love to hear how you liked them!
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