Healthy Thanksgiving Swaps

How to eat healthy at Thanksgiving!

How to eat healthy at Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is next week!

Can you believe it. 

I still feel like I should be laying out on the beach somewhere full summer mode and here we are freezing cold and the Holidays starting.

As we go into the Holiday season… we will be even more surrounded by tons and tons of junk food and foods that have terrible ingredients in them.

So, how do we prepare ourselves to eat the healthiest throughout the holidays?

Well, let’s start with Thanksgiving!

There are three types of people for Thanksgiving dinner.

1. Those that will be cooking the meal

2. Those that will bring a dish

3. Those that won’t be cooking anything

Let’s start with those that will be cooking the meal. 

You have full control over what you use to cook with. 

Maybe you want to just enjoy the normal traditional meals, but without all the crap ingredients in it. 

Well let me share some ways that you can do that and still get all your favorites.

CRANBERRY SAUCE

Don’t get your cranberry sauce from a can. 

It contains a TON of refined sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, and then more Corn Syrup.

High fructose corn syrup can cause significant more obesity than white sugar 

Princeton university research and science says daily high fructose syrup prompts considerably more weight gain.

Make your own instead:

Ingredients

• 21 ounces or 3 cartons of cranberries cleaned and drained

• 1 and 1/2 cup fresh orange juice

• 1 and 1/2 tsp orange zest (or 3-5 drops of Wild Orange Oil)

• 1 and 1/2 tsp fresh ginger

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 3/4 cup honey or coconut palm sugar

• 1 cup fresh pineapples diced small

Instructions:

1. Bring orange juice, orange zest, ginger, and cinnamon to a boil in a large pot.

2. Add cranberries to mixture, reduce heat and cook 10 minutes.

3. Add pineapple and honey, mix to combine and remove from heat. 

4. Serve immediately or allow to cool before storing for later use.

STUFFING

Many people by the traditional Krafts Stove Top Stuffing. 

Again, this is filled with High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Interesterified Soybean Oil, Caramel Color, Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate, Natural Flavor, BHA, BHT are the main ones, but there are still others that are junk.

Just look at the back of the box to see these listed in the ingredients. 

Make your own instead:

Ingredients:

• 6 cups cubed bread (crusty French, sprouted grain, or mild sourdough)

• 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter

• ½ yellow onion, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

• ½ teaspoon ground thyme

• ¼ teaspoon ground sage

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• 2 cups chicken or turkey broth

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the cubed bread on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly toasted, checking after 10 minutes to make sure the bread does not burn. Let cool to continue to dry out further.

2. Heat the butter in a pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook for 4 to 5 minutes to soften.

3. Add the parsley and spices and stir to combine.

4. Add the toasted bread and mix until well coated.

5. Slowly pour in the chicken broth and stir until fully combined. Cover the pot and remove it from the heat. Let sit for 8 to 10 minutes before serving.

***Use all organic ingredients if possible.*** 

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Most of us make this… but it is the ingredients you choose that make the difference and it is so easy to swap and still taste just as yummy.

• Instead of Conventional Milk, choose Grass-Fed Organic Milk

• Instead of Campbells soup full of MSG, grab an Organic Cream of Mushroom soup in a BPA free package.

• Instead of French’s Crispy Fried Onions, grab some Ghee (clarified butter) and use to sauté fresh onions! You can also try organic breadcrumbs or pecans!

PIE CRUSTS

Toss out the Pillsbury Pie crusts and replace with organic (USDA labeled) Pie Crust. A great replacement option is Organic Wholly Wholesome Pie Crust.

PUMPKIN PIE

Enjoy this healthy pumpkin pie recipe with all the best healthy swaps!

Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut palm sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• 2 large eggs

• 1 can (15 oz.) 100% Pure Pumpkin

• 1 can (13.5 oz.) full fat coconut milk (if you like denser pie, only use half of can)

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl and puree with a stand or hand mixer.

3. Pour filling ingredients into pie shell.

4. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes (or longer) or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

5. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

6. Top with whipped cream before serving.

 ***Please choose all organic ingredients if possible***

PIE CRUST

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 ºF and adjust rack to middle position.

2. Place almond flour, sea salt, egg, and coconut sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process a few times to combine.

3. Add the butter and pulse

4. Wrap the dough in a piece of plastic wrap and press into a 9-inch disk.

5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

6. Remove plastic wrap from the dough.

7. Press dough onto bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch buttered pie dish. Crimp edges of crust.

8. Add pumpkin pie mixture or filling of your choice and bake for the directed time.

COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM

Ingredients

• 1 can (13.5 oz.) full fat coconut milk

• 2 teaspoons coconut nectar or coconut palm sugar

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Place can of full-fat coconut milk into refrigerator overnight.

2. Remove the can from the refrigerator the next morning and flip upside down and open that end of the can.

3. Pour liquid into a small mixing bowl and set aside, you will not be using this liquid for the recipe.

4. Then after the liquid is removed from the can you will see the solid coconut cream on the bottom, scoop out and place in a large chilled mixing bowl with coconut sugar and vanilla extract. Whip coconut cream with beaters until a fluffy consistency is achieved.

***Please choose all organic ingredients if possible***

HEALTHY VEGETABLE SALAD

A favorite in our household that is filled with amazing healthy vegetables packed full of vitamins and minerals. 

Ingredients

• 1 bag of brussels sprouts washed and cleaned

• 1 butternut squash

• 1 cup dried lentils rinsed with water

• 1 tsp http://bit.ly/1dC6vx3">coconut oil

• Dressing:

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp grain mustard

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• black pepper to taste

• ½ cup pecorino romano (sheep's) cheese shredded by hand (Optional)

Instructions

1. Boil 4 cups water with 1 cup lentils, reduce to simmer for 30-40 mins until lentils are soft but not mushy.

2. Drain lentils and set aside

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

4. Cut butternut squash in half and remove seeds and outside skin

5. Cut flesh of butternut squash into cubes

6. Combine butternut squash with http://bit.ly/1dC6vx3">coconut oil and place on a baking dish

7. Roast butternut squash until tender (approximately 35 mins)

8. While lentils and butternut squash are cooking, chop or shred brussels sprouts

9. Combine raw shredded brussels sprouts with cooked butternut squash and lentils with dressing ingredients, shredded cheese and serve immediately

SWEET POTATO RECIPE

Can't forget about the famous absolute fan favorite recipe of Sweet Potato Casserole. So here is a healthy alternative recipe with healthy ingredients. 

Ingredients

• 8 sweet potatoes

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• pinch nutmeg

• ¾ teaspoon sea salt, divided

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• ½ stick + 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 eggs (alternative: use 2 tablespoons flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons of water)

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup, divided

• 1 cup pecans

• Optional topping: Natural marshmallows
  

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Poke each sweet potato with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Bake for about 60-70 minutes or until tender.

2. Scoop out the insides of the sweet potatoes and place in a pot. Add 2 tablespoons maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, vanilla, ½ stick butter and eggs.

3. Blend with a hand mixer until well combined.

4. Place the sweet potato mix in a casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.

5. While the sweet potatoes are baking, in a small bowl, mix together the pecans, remaining tablespoon of maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon salt and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Set aside.

6. When done, take the casserole dish out of the oven and turn the oven to broil. Top the casserole with the pecans and place back in the oven for 2-3 minutes to toast. Enjoy!

***Please choose all organic ingredients if possible***

TURKEY

There are two options when it comes to buying a turkey.

A conventional turkey raised in a crowded shed, GMO/grain fed, may be treated with antibiotics and natural flavors added…

…or Pasture Raised Local Turkey raised outdoor with shelter, natural diet on a pasture, never treated with antibiotics and no added ingredients!

Conventional turkeys or anything is a bad idea because most brands are pumped full of preservatives and natural flavors made in a lab. 

Completely unnecessary.

Many farms use antibiotics in the feed to prevent the turkeys from getting sick in a crowded, dirty living condition. 

Factory farms use 80% of the nation’s antibiotics and it leaches into our soil, water and air - we are being exposed to them at an alarming rate.

Don’t be fooled by the label “No Hormones” because hormones and steroids have been banned from poultry production since the 1950’s. That means that ALL turkey and chicken raised in the United States is raised without hormones. 

Order a pasture raised turkey in advance that hasn’t been fed antibiotics from your local farmers market or natural grocery store.

There are some mail order options available if you can’t find one near you!

I know there are many other recipes out there served at Thanksgiving dinner, but those are the fan favorites!

Lastly, if you are not the one making any meals and have no control over what is being served, but stress about one day.

Enjoy the meal. 

Enjoy your family.

Enjoy the holiday.

One day won’t harm you.

It is the cumulative effect of eating these things every day, week after week!