Thanksgiving is just around the corner…three weeks from today to be exact! At Integrative Health and Wellness we are getting excited about Thanksgiving and all the delicious food that comes along with it. We have already started thinking about what we might be making! Let us help you make this your healthiest (and maybe most delicious) Thanksgiving and holiday season yet!

Many people expect to be left feeling sluggish after their Thanksgiving dinner, but that shouldn’t be the case. Your Thanksgiving Day can be filled with delicious foods and fall flavors that don’t compromise your health. Easy substitutions can be made for some of the classic dishes. For example, instead of using several cups of sugar in your cranberry sauce, try sweetening it with fruit juice and honey (recipe below). Better yet, what about dessert? Try a naturally sweetened dessert that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth –  insert pumpkin pie bars (recipe below). And of course, we can’t forget about the veggies – we recipes have for those too! Below are a few recipes that are sure to please your family and friends this Thanksgiving. Let us know how you like them!

 

Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Dressing

Ingredients

For the Dressing

  • 1 ½ cup plain Greek-style yogurt
  • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup pure pumpkin puree (can be canned version)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic or about ¼ – ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

For the Salad

  • 1 acorn squash plus olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt for roasting*
  • 1 apple, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup toasted pecans
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • 1 pkg. 5-6 ounces mixed salad greens (you can use any blend that you prefer, but I like a mix that includes broccoli slaw, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, and chicory)

Instructions

For the Dressing

  1. Blend all ingredients in a blender or using an immersion blender. Chill until ready to use.

For the Roasted Squash

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil and set aside.
  2. Slice squash lengthwise, remove seeds, and slice horizontally into ½-inch thick rounds. Place sliced squash in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup, sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon and salt, to taste. Toss squash to coat.
  3. Bake squash at 400 degree F for approximately 20 minutes (or until tender and caramelized), flipping halfway through.

For the Salad

  1. Once the squash has cooled, cut it into bite-sized pieces and place it in a large salad bowl with the remaining ingredients. Add Pumpkin Goddess dressing and toss gently. Serve immediately.

*Recipe Variations

  • Swap out the acorn squash with roasted butternut squash or sweet potatoes
  • Use toasted walnuts or roasted pumpkin seeds instead of the pecans
  • Omit the sliced apple and replace it with sliced pear

https://www.theseasonedmom.com/healthy-thanksgiving-side-dish-fall-harvest-salad-with-pumpkin-goddess-dressing/

 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
  • 2 red Bartlett pears, cored and cut into wedges (optional)
  • 6 shallots, quartered
  • 10 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On two large rimmed baking sheets, toss Brussels sprouts, pears (optional), shallots, thyme, and oil; season with salt and pepper.
  2. Roast until Brussels sprouts are tender and browned, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Toss with lemon juice and serve warm.

https://www.marthastewart.com/1050068/roasted-brussels-sprouts

 

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

For the Casserole

  • 8 cups steamed or blanched green beans, 2/3″ pieces
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small sweet onion, sliced into 1/4 inch thick half-moons
  • 10 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups full fat canned coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch (sub non-GMO cornstarch)

For the Topping (mix together and set aside)

  • 1 cup gluten-free panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish with olive oil or butter.
  3. Heat a large sauté pan to medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Turn pan to coat with oil. Add sliced onions and allow to brown without stirring, for 5-6 minutes. You want to burn the edges slightly. Flip onions with a spatula and cook another 5-6 minutes to brown the other side. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan to deglaze, scraping the bottom and mixing it with the water. Turn down to medium-low heat and cook another 10 minutes.
  4. Remove onions from pan and set aside. Add 2 more tablespoons olive oil to pan, turn to medium heat and add sliced mushrooms. Cook 3-4 minutes without stirring to brown slightly, then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds, stirring.
  5. Add coconut milk, chicken stock, mustard, tamari, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and oregano. Stir to combine. Cook for 15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by approximately half and has thickened.
  6. Whisk arrowroot starch with 6 tablespoons water and add to sauté pan. Stir to incorporate and cook another 2-3 minutes until liquid has thickened even more. Remove pan from heat.
  7. Add steamed green beans and caramelized onions to casserole dish and pour mushroom mixture over. Stir to incorporate evenly. Top with Panko mixture.
  8. Optional but recommended: drizzle top with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

https://llbalanced.com/recipes/healthy-creamy-green-bean-casserole/

 

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs. russet potatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup 2% milk
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced

Instructions

  1. Begin by preparing your potatoes. Wash and pat dry. Then use a sharp knife to quarter. Place in a large pot and fully submerge with water. Add about a 1/8 teaspoon of salt.
  2. Turn to high heat and bring to a boil for 20-25 minutes or until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork.
  3. Strain potatoes and place them back in the pot.
  4. Add salt, pepper, butter, Greek yogurt, and herbs. Use a hand mixer (a potato masher will work!) to mash potatoes and slowly add in milk until you’ve reached the desired consistency.
  5. Serve with another square of butter and enjoy!

https://fitfoodiefinds.com/video-lightened-herby-mashed-potatoes/

 

Wild Rice Stuffing

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown & wild rice blend
  • 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 apple, cored and diced (optional)
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries (optional)
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine the rice and vegetable broth in a large saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover for 35-40 minutes, cooking until the broth is completely absorbed. (Alternatively, you can use half the broth and cook the rice blend in the Instant Pot at high pressure for 25 minutes, with a 10 minute natural release.)
  2. While the rice is cooking, melt the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion and celery until tender, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic, mushrooms, sage, thyme, and salt, and sauté another 8 to 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
  3. Combine the cooked rice and mushroom mixture, and stir in the apple, cranberries, and pecans, if using. Adjust any seasoning to taste, and serve warm.

https://detoxinista.com/wild-rice-mushroom-stuffing-vegan-gluten-free/

 

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

  • 24 oz fresh cranberries
  • ¾ cup pineapple juice or orange juice
  • ½ cup no sugar added applesauce
  • ½ cup water
  • juice and zest of one orange
  • 3-4 TBSP honey or to taste (optional)

Instructions

  1. Put cranberries, pineapple juice, applesauce and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce to medium heat and stir constantly until the cranberries start to explode (about 10-15 minutes).
  3. Reduce to a simmer and add the juice and zest to the cranberry mixture.
  4. Simmer 10-15 minutes and remove from heat.
  5. Cool completely and store in fridge at least 4 hours but preferably overnight before serving.

Notes

  • This is not as sweet as store-bought versions! Taste at the end of cooking. It is naturally sweet from the fruit juice and applesauce but you can add more honey to taste if needed.

https://wellnessmama.com/3392/cranberry-sauce/

 

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients

For the sugar cookie crust

  • 1/4 cup melted and cooled coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup packed fine almond flour (do not use almond meal)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • For the filling
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or can sub coconut milk)
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice or cloves)

Option for topping

  • Coconut whipped cream (recipe below)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor, add in coconut oil, sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Process for 20-30 seconds until well combined.
  3. Next add in almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt. Process until a dough forms. Allow dough to sit for 5 minutes. You can also mix by hand or use an electric mixer, but I find the food processor to be the easiest.
  4. Add dough to the prepared baking pan. Use a rubber spatula or your hands to help you even spread out the dough towards the edges. It should be thin, but don’t worry, it will puff up when it bakes. Bake for 9 minutes, then remove and set aside to cool for 3-5 minutes.
  5. To make the filling: In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, eggs, almond milk, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Pour over the sugar cookie crust, and tap gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 50-60 minutes until set and filling no longer jiggles.
  6. Remove and allow to cool completely at room temperature before covering with plastic wrap and transferring to the fridge for 6-8 hours, or overnight if desired.
  7. Once ready, cut into 12 bars (optional: serve with coconut whipped cream).

https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/paleo-pumpkin-pie-bars-with-almond-flour-sugar-cookie-crust/

 

Apple Crisp

Ingredients

For the apples

  • 5 granny smith apples
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the crumble topping

  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or butter
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel apples and dice into cubes of approximately equal size. In a large bowl, toss with maple syrup, water, and cinnamon. Pour apples into greased 9×9 inch baking dish.
  2. In the same (now empty) bowl, add oats, almond flour, nuts, cinnamon, salt, coconut oil or butter, and maple syrup. Stir crumble topping together and pour into baking dish on top of apples.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes until apples are soft, covering pan loosely with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent from over-browning.
  4. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream or coconut whipped cream (recipe below).

https://popularecipesofoodblog.com/2017/06/best-ever-healthy-apple-crisp-recipe.html

 

Coconut Whipped Cream

Ingredients

  • 5 oz full-fat coconut milk, (1 can) chilled
  • 1 tbsp honey, (or maple syrup)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Place your can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before making this whipped cream.
  2. Chill your mixing bowl for 30 minutes, then open your can of coconut milk and scoop out the hardened coconut cream. Pour the coconut water into a separate storage container and use that in a future smoothie recipe.
  3. Using a hand mixer, fluff up the coconut cream for one minute. Add the honey and vanilla and mix for an additional minute.
  4. Use the coconut whipped cream right away or store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to one week.

https://downshiftology.com/how-to-make-coconut-whipped-cream/