The Most Amazing Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes!

My FAVORITE holiday of the year is Thanksgiving. The reason being, it is a time to be with family and friends, reflect on life, and be in a place of gratitude without be diluted with spending an exorbitant amount of money on presents. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy gift-giving. It’s just that Christmas, which is supposed to be about the celebration of the birth of Christ, seems to have been overtaken by spending money versus “giving.” Giving comes from a place of gratitude. During Thanksgiving, I am deep in a place of gratitude and enjoy giving to those less fortunate.

Another reason I love Thanksgiving is the amazing food we create as a family. We focus on healthy options that are incredibly delicious and always have a special treat, without overdoing it. Below are my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. I hope you enjoy them! :)

Pumpkin Soup (Appetizer)

The Perfect Turkey (Main Course)

Root Vegetable Bake (Complex Carbohydrates)

Green Beans Almondine (Green Vegetable)

Apple Crisp (Dessert)

Pumpkin Soup (Appetizer)

Pumpkin is rich in fiber, which improves metabolism and glucose tolerance, and helps you stay fuller longer. It is also high in beta carotene and vitamin C, both of which helps your body fight off bacterial and fungal infections.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 8)

1 small pumpkin or 2 cans organic pureed pumpkin 3-4 medium carrots ½ tsp mustard 4 cup vegetable broth ½ small onion, chopped ½ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp cumin ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground ginger 1 cup organic full cream milk or coconut milk 2 TBSP honey 1 tsp salt

1 TBSP butter

Crushed almonds or pumpkin seeds (optional) PREPARATION

Cut up carrots and place in stock pot with 2 cups vegetable broth.
If using a whole pumpkin, peel, chop and add to stock pot.
Simmer until tender.
Sauté onions in butter.
Puree tender carrots, pumpkin and sautéed onions and put back in pot.
Add remaining vegetable broth and spices
Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Add honey and milk.
Serve hot w/ crushed seeds sprinkled on top (optional).

The Perfect Turkey (Main Dish)

Turkey is actually low in fat, is long as you don’t eat the skin. Each 5 oz serving is loaded with vitamins B, B1 (thiamine) and B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, potassium and zinc, all of which lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, regulate blood pressure, aid in nerve function, and boost the immune system. If you eat the “dark meat”, you will also get vitamins A, K, B12, niacin, pantothenic acid (B5), selenium and Omega-3 fatty acid. Also, we can’t discuss turkey benefits without touching on the infamous “tryptophan.” Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is available in many plant and animal proteins. It is a precursor for serotonin, which calms you down and can make you sleepy. Tryptophan also helps control hyperactivity and relieves stress!

INGREDIENTS

Whole turkey

1 stick butter

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon basil

Stuffing (use your favorite recipe or simply stuff with quartered onions and celery)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 325°
Pull out all the giblets from turkey cavity
Wash turkey, including cavity
Pat dry
Rub sea salt and pepper all over turkey and inside cavity
Melt butter and add garlic and basil
Baste with 1/3 butter mixture
Make 5-6 cuts in the top (breast) of the turkey
Add sprigs of rosemary to cuts you just made
Stuff cavity with stuffing
Place “covered” in oven and cook about 12 min per pound
Baste w/ 1/3 butter mixture half way through cooking
Last 45 min of cooking, uncover and baste with remaining butter mixture
Remove from oven and let stand for 15-20 minutes before carving

Root Vegetable Bake (Complex Carbohydrate)

Root vegetables provide warming, grounding qualities, which are needed this time of year. They are also high in fiber and some (like carrots, squash and sweet potatoes) are also high in antioxidants. Onions are great for blood purification and serve as natural antibiotics.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 8)

1 acorn squash (can peel if you want; but don’t need to)

1 small bag baby carrots

2 medium parsnips

2 medium turnips

1 large sweet potato

1 onion or small bag of pearl onions

1 tablespoon olive oil (or melted butter)

8 oz chicken or vegetable broth

½ teaspoon basil

½ teaspoon garlic

½ teaspoon thyme or rosemary

¼ teaspoon turmeric

Sea salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut all veggies into 1 inch chunks.
Coat with olive oil or butter.
Mix spices with broth.
Pour broth mixture over veggies and mix to coat.
Bake for 60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes

Green Beans Almondine

(Green Vegetable)

Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin K, which is needed for the transport of calcium throughout the body, as well as proper blood clotting. They are also a good source of manganese, vitamin C, folate, and fiber.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 8)

2 lb fresh green beans

2 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup slivered or sliced almonds

Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Heat butter and oil in pan on medium heat.
Add green beans and garlic to pan.
Sauté for about 5 minutes.
Add almonds and sauté another 5-10 min, stirring occasionally.

Apple Crisp

(Dessert)

The old adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” came from the fact that apples are high in antioxidants and fiber. Some studies show benefits for brain health, heart health, diabetes, and cancer. Note that by adding nuts (protein) to sweets, you help slow the release of sugar into the blood stream.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 8)

4-6 large Granny Smith apples

8 graham cracker squares (can substitute gluten-free cookies)

¾ cup packed brown sugar (can substitute Xylitol mixed with 1 TBSP molasses)

½ cup rolled oats

½ cup flour (can substitute gluten-free flour blend)

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ cup butter, melted

½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°
Peel and core apples
Slice apples evenly and lay in a 9X9 greased baking dish
Crush graham crackers
Combine cracker crumbs, sugar, oats, flour and spices (and nuts, if using)
Add butter and mix well
Spoon mixture over apple slices
Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes, until apples are tender
Cool slightly
Serve alone or with ice cream (I like the “So Delicious” brand of coconut milk ice cream)