Planning a Thanksgiving dinner that is both healthy and satisfying can be tricky. Check out my favorite dishes for Thanksgiving that will satisfy veg-heads and comfort-foodies alike!
Most days I wake up craving fresh fruits and vegetables, raw foods, and earthy flavors. They energize me and leave me feeling pure and on top of the world. But other days…I really miss junk food. That is to say I miss the warm salty flavors and reassuring feelings I get from eating familiar foods. What I don't miss is the inevitable can't-move, bloated, sick feeling that comes along with junk food, not to mention the unseen havoc it causes my digestive and immune systems.
It was on one of these junkfood-minded days that I came up with this recipe. My perspective is that eating should be fun and intuitive and not about deprivation so when I feel like I need comfort foods, I embrace it. I wanted to make something comforting to satisfy my craving without the heavy feeling and negative repercussions. With this criteria in mind I came up with Vegetable Pockets stuffed with eggplant, mushrooms, cashews and more. It's not quite Indian, not quite Chinese, although it hints at both dumplings and samosas. Usually stuffed foods are wrapped in white flour based pastries or noodles which offer little to no nutritional benefits. White flour also spikes your blood sugar (hello, disease fuel) and is one of the most common triggers for people with food sensitivities. Instead I used rice paper because they are light and gluten free. Rice paper wraps hold everything together without adding much to taste, allowing the vegetable flavors to shine through.
Growing up as a vegetarian on Thanksgiving, there was always Chelsea's food and everyone else's food. And while I do like steamed vegetables, it seemed like that was always the only option for me other than rice. As an adult, I love having Thanksgiving as an opportunity to make vegetarian dishes that the whole family (meat-eaters included) will enjoy. This Butternut Squash Orecchiette is the perfect side dish to win over any picky eater. I have included the vegan and gluten free variations in the recipe as well so that everyone can enjoy it.
I feel like I've indulged so much already this holiday season that all the sweets aren't even tempting anymore. Now all I want is something healthy that is hearty enough to fill me up. This recipe is the perfect way to eat clean and still feel satisfied. And it just happens to be vegan and gluten-free so it is likely to please anyone at your holiday table no matter what their diet may be.
A diet that doesn't leave room for french fries simply will not work for me. Fries are delicious. There is no way around it. And while I sometime need the real thing (never from fast food restaurants though), other times I can make healthy substitutes to satisfy my craving. I created this recipe for Turnip Fries for Linn at Straightforward Nutrition. Check it out and check out Linn's delicious recipes. And the raw avocado dip is amazing on everything, so try it!
