Thanksgiving Recipes That Cover ALL of the Bases

It’s November with Thanksgiving just around the corner.  For many, it’s the Olympics of food, but you can have a delightful holiday meal without gorging and turning it into a total carb-fest.

The centerpiece, of course, is the turkey, a source of high-quality lean protein; vitamin B12, which helps regulate mood; zinc, good for retina and eye health; niacin, good for healthy skin and nerve function and selenium, an antioxidant that helps with detoxification and thyroid health.

Many people think the key to a delicious Thanksgiving meal is in the sides. I couldn’t agree more! Here’s a suggested Thanksgiving meal that covers all the bases.

THANKSGIVING MENU

For some turkey day inspiration, take a look at my Turkey Three Ways article – Brined, Moroccan or Asian style. Any of these make a spectacular centerpiece for your Thanksgiving meal. Also, if you’d like even more options for side dishes, I have some delicious recipes in my “Give Your Turkey Some Super Side Dishes” article.

Harvest Salad

Most people don’t think of a fresh green salad as a Thanksgiving item. but it’s light and very satisfying. This salad has the classic combination of pears and blue cheese. The colorful red butter lettuce contains more iron than spinach!

Ingredients

Serves four

1 bag of red baby butter lettuce or spring mix

2 pears, cut into chunks, skin on

½ purple onion, sliced

1 cup crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola

(start with a wedge–it tastes better than the pre-crumbled)

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup spiced, toasted pecans  (recipe below)

¾ cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Directions

For the spiced pecans: Place the pecans in a medium high heat skillet. Sprinkle 1 Tbs. sugar and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper. Mix until the sugar melts and coats the nuts. Watch closely so the nuts don’t burn. Let cool.

For the balsamic vinaigrette: In a clean 16-oz. jar, pour in ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar, ¼ tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. maple syrup, dash of sea salt. Shake vigorously and refrigerate.

For the salad: Assemble all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the cooled pecans and drizzle (don’t drench!) with the balsamic dressing; toss gently and serve.

Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate & Walnuts 

Brussels sprouts, pomegranate, and four common pantry ingredients are all that is needed to put together my colorful and crowd-pleasing Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate & Walnuts side dish. Roasted Brussels sprouts are easy to make and filled with digestion-boosting fiber and beneficial antioxidants. Even those skeptical of this healthy cruciferous vegetable will love it alongside tart and juicy pomegranate and chopped walnuts. Enjoy this plant-based dish throughout the fall and winter seasons!

Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Blood Orange Juice and Thyme

Rainbow carrots are visually stunning, and this recipe is easy to prepare. Carrots are full of beta-carotene and vitamin A for eye health. Interestingly the orange, purple and yellow carrots each have different nutrients. For example, purple carrots may help with gut health, cognition, and heart health, while yellow and orange carrots contain lutein, which may help with vision and brain health.

 Ingredients

Serves 6-8

2 lb. rainbow carrots, unpeeled

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. grated orange zest

2 Tbs. freshly squeezed blood orange juice

1 ½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. flakey sea salt

 Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Remove the tops and scrub the carrots with a vegetable brush. Cut the carrots in long diagonal slices. (You want fairly uniform sticks about 4 inches long by ½ inch wide.)
3. Place the carrots on a sheet pan, drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with 1 tsp. kosher salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Toss well with your hands and spread out in one layer.
4. Roast for 15-to-20 minutes, turning once, until the carrots are lightly browned and tender. Sprinkle with the orange zest, orange juice, thyme leaves, sea salt and toss well. Serve hot or at room temperature.
   

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Tropical Yams

My heart-friendly Tropical Yams are tarted up with lime juice and shredded coconut in this festive side dish.  Sweet Potatoes and yams are a staple during the fall and winter months.  They owe their bright orange color to the carotenoid, beta-carotene, which helps inhibit cancer and tumor growth. Beta carotene is an antioxidant that can also ward off free radicals that damage cells through oxidation, contributing to the aging process. Sweet potatoes and yams are also good sources of heart-healthy potassium as well as containing phytochemicals such as quercetin, a strong anti-inflammatory.

Traditional Gluten-Free Stuffing

One of the most difficult challenges for Thanksgiving is figuring out how to create the perfect gluten-free stuffing. My Traditional Gluten-Free Stuffing comes closest to what I remember growing up and goes perfectly with turkey and a generous serving of gravy.  I have also made it with buckwheat bread, and it’s got even more of a crunch to it. After lots of time in the kitchen, some mishaps and disappointments, I’ve gathered more gluten-free stuffing recipes that you’ll also find with my Traditional GF Stuffing recipe.

Mini Pumpkin Tarts

The problem with most pumpkin pies is that they use pumpkin pie filling, which contains all sorts of unnecessary ingredients in my opinion. Plus, at the end of a big meal, who can enjoy a wedge of pie? These tarts are about three delicious bites each.

These individual tartlets are perfect! They’re made with a graham cracker crust, limited ingredients and a healthy dose of warm spices. Pumpkin is loaded with valuable FoodTrients including beta-carotene and vitamin A, which are important for healthy skin, bones, lungs, and kidneys. Additionally, pumpkin provides calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which can help keep your heartbeat regular and your blood pressure low.

Ingredients

Makes 10-12 tarts

 1 15-oz. can of pumpkin puree

3 large eggs

1 ¼ cups packed light or dark brown sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

¾ tsp. ground ginger

⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg

⅛ tsp. ground cloves

¼ tsp. ground cardamom

⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 ¼ cup heavy cream

12 Keebler graham cracker mini tart shells (2 packages)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Whisk the pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, heavy cream, and spices in a medium bowl until smooth.
3. Pour into the tart crusts.
4. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. The tarts are small, so be careful not to let them burn.
5. Let cool before serving or garnishing.
6. Garnish with maple whipped cream.

Maple whipped cream: whip 8 oz. of heavy whipping cream; when the cream forms peaks, fold in ¼ cup maple syrup; take a sandwich bag and snip off one corner; put the whipped cream in the bag and squeeze out a small amount onto each (cooled) tart.