It’s almost time for Thanksgiving! This year has generally been pretty rough, but thankfully, Thanksgiving is a time for you to just relax, be grateful for those around you and eat good food. Has anyone else experienced a severe food coma at the end of Thanksgiving dinner? This usually happens because Thanksgiving meals tend to have a lot of butter, oil and fat. Instead of going into a food coma and feeling greasy at the end of the night, opt for some healthy alternatives to Thanksgiving food! Here are five recipes that are relatively healthy alternatives to classic Thanksgiving meals:
- Healthy Mac And Cheese
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Mac and cheese is a universal comfort food perfect for Thanksgiving. Usually, mac and cheese requires a ton of butter and flour, which is not as healthy.
Ingredients:
– 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni – try to get gluten-free, whole wheat, vegan, chickpea-based or quinoa-based!
– 1 tbsp of butter
– 1 small yellow onion, sliced
– 4 cups of butternut squash, peeled and cubed
– 5 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
– ¾ cup of milk
– ⅔ cup of shredded cheese (the more, the merrier!)
– Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Cook the macaroni noodles according to the package directions. Different types of macaroni may require different cooking processes!
2. Heat up the pan with the butter on medium-low heat, and cook slices of onion until they are golden.
3. Boil the broth in a pot and add the squash until tender.
4. Save ½ of the broth, and drain the rest. Add the remaining broth, onions, squash and milk to a blender and puree until creamy.
5. Add the pureed sauce to the noodles, add the cheese and stir until you reach your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mashed Cauliflower
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Instead of mashed potatoes, you can make mashed cauliflower! As long as you mash it well, it should taste the same and have the same texture as mashed potatoes.
Ingredients:
– A whole head of cauliflower
– Minced garlic
– Butter
– Shredded cheese
– Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Break the cauliflower into smaller pieces. Boil water and place the cauliflower pieces inside until tender.
2. Add some butter to the pan and cook the garlic until fragrant and tender.
3. Drain the water from the pot with cauliflower and place it into a stand mixer or a food processor with the garlic, shredded cheese, salt and pepper, and mix until smooth.
- Roasted Vegetables
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Instead of a wilted green salad, opt for roasted vegetables that are more nutritious and filling.
Ingredients:
– Any vegetables you like! Some recommendations are cauliflower, brussel sprouts, zucchini and broccoli.
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Wash all of your vegetables well. Cut them to bite-size pieces.
3. Toss with oil and seasonings, such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and other preferred spices.
4. Make sure you place your veggies with the flat side down.
5. Bake your vegetables for around 25 to 30 minutes or until tender. Turn the pan halfway through to get an even roast.
- Keto Pumpkin Pie
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Pumpkin pie is one of the staples of Thanksgiving. After eating tons of savory food, pumpkin pie is one of the desserts to balance out your meal with some sweetness!
Ingredients:
– Almond flour pie crust (or another healthy alternative to regular pie crust!)
– 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
– ½ cup heavy cream
– 2 large room-temperature eggs
– ⅔ cup of powdered erythritol (sugar replacement)
– 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
– ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions:
1. Mix all the ingredients together until smooth.
2. Pour the filling into the pie crust, and make sure to tap out all the air bubbles.
3. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until it is slightly jiggly in the center.
4. Cool completely, and try to refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
- Roasted Turkey Breast
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You can’t leave out turkey on Thanksgiving Day! Typically, people tend to eat the entire turkey, but it’s actually healthier to only eat the breast part of the turkey!
Ingredients:
– ½ turkey breast, skin-on
– Spices: garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika and thyme
– 1 tbsp of butter, melted
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2. Brush the turkey with the butter and add your desired amount of spices to both sides.
3. Place the turkey breast with the skin side up on a baking sheet. Spray the top with avocado oil.
4. Roast the turkey for 20 minutes, then cover the top with foil to prevent the skin from burning. Roast the turkey for another 30 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
5. Make sure to let it cool for around 20 minutes before carving.
Now, you can eat at Thanksgiving without a guilty conscience. Dig into all of these delicious foods, and don’t forget to express gratitude to yourself and others on Thanksgiving. Happy cooking!