Healthy Thanksgiving Dishes
Thanksgiving may be the time to give thanks, but it’s also a season that’s loaded with unhealthy foods. Have you ever noticed that you seem to pack on the pounds as the year draws to a close? You’re not alone. Most of us tend to overeat and why shouldn’t we? This is the season to celebrate a fantastic year! So, how can you celebrate properly without having to buy bigger jeans? Easy. Swap some of your unhealthy Thanksgiving favorites with these lighter options! They’re still packed full of your favorite holiday flavors, but will save your waistline. Plus, when you use all natural ingredients and produce from Farmview Market, you’ll have the added benefit of supporting local farms and eating all local and organic. Now, that’s something to be thankful for!
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Make sure Brussels sprouts have trimmed ends and yellow leaves are removed. Then, slice all Brussels sprouts in half. In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix. Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.
You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven.
In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine. (OPTIONAL): For more sweetness, add 2 or 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired – do not add all maple syrup at once, start with 2 tablespoons, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Once boiling, cook the cauliflower for 8-10 minutes or until fork tender. Remove and drain cauliflower.
Place cauliflower along with all other ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss together all ingredients and spread out on a 15x10-inch baking pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Bring 5 cups broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add quinoa, salt and pepper and return to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the quinoa is tender and the broth is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit undisturbed 5 minutes. Remove lid, stir in kale, cover and let sit.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often until the onion is very soft and starting to brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Add garlic, sage, thyme and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, 30 to 90 seconds. Add celery and the remaining ½ cup broth, and cook, stirring often until the celery is crisp-tender and the liquid is mostly evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes.
Stir quinoa mixture, the celery mixture, walnuts and cranberries together in a large bowl. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake until the mixture is hot, the celery and kale are tender and the top is golden along the edges, 22 to 30 minutes.
Notes: To make ahead, you can prepare steps 1-4, up to 24 hours in advance. Heat covered with foil for 20 minutes before removing foil and continuing with directions in step 5.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and drain the cranberries and place them and the frozen blueberries in a square baking dish. Sprinkle with the 3 Tablespoons of sugar.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, gluten free flour blend, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
Add the vegan buttery spread, and mix together using a pastry cutter until it resembles a crumb topping.
Spread the crumb topping over the berries and bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes or until the berries are bubbly and the crumb topping is lightly browned.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries
Ingredients
- 3 cups Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- 1 and 1/2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 tbsp. maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2-4 tbsp. maple syrup (optional)
Directions
To Roast Brussels Sprouts
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Make sure Brussels sprouts have trimmed ends and yellow leaves are removed. Then, slice all Brussels sprouts in half. In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.
To Roast Butternut Squash
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix. Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.
Note
You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven.
Assembly
In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine. (OPTIONAL): For more sweetness, add 2 or 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired – do not add all maple syrup at once, start with 2 tablespoons, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.
Rosemary and Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower, chopped into small florets
- 3 oz. low fat cream cheese
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped into small pieces
Directions
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Once boiling, cook the cauliflower for 8-10 minutes or until fork tender. Remove and drain cauliflower.
Place cauliflower along with all other ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy.
Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
- 8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss together all ingredients and spread out on a 15x10-inch baking pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Gluten Free Walnut and Kale Quinoa Stuffing
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cups vegetable broth, divided
- 2 1/2 cups rinsed quinoa, rinsed if necessary
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
- 4 cups finely chopped kale
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh sage
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Directions
Bring 5 cups broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add quinoa, salt and pepper and return to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the quinoa is tender and the broth is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit undisturbed 5 minutes. Remove lid, stir in kale, cover and let sit.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often until the onion is very soft and starting to brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Add garlic, sage, thyme and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, 30 to 90 seconds. Add celery and the remaining ½ cup broth, and cook, stirring often until the celery is crisp-tender and the liquid is mostly evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes.
Stir quinoa mixture, the celery mixture, walnuts and cranberries together in a large bowl. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake until the mixture is hot, the celery and kale are tender and the top is golden along the edges, 22 to 30 minutes.
Notes: To make ahead, you can prepare steps 1-4, up to 24 hours in advance. Heat covered with foil for 20 minutes before removing foil and continuing with directions in step 5.
Gluten Free and Vegan Cranberry Blueberry Crisp
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen blueberries
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 3 tbsp. sugar
- 3/4 cups light brown sugar
- 7 tbsp. vegan buttery spread, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup gluten free flour blend
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and drain the cranberries and place them and the frozen blueberries in a square baking dish. Sprinkle with the 3 Tablespoons of sugar.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, gluten free flour blend, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
Add the vegan buttery spread, and mix together using a pastry cutter until it resembles a crumb topping.
Spread the crumb topping over the berries and bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes or until the berries are bubbly and the crumb topping is lightly browned.