Thanksgiving Roundup

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I'll be working on Thanksgiving, so I'm starting to prepare now. Even for those of you with time off, now is the time to start getting things together for your holiday meals to make them more enjoyable and less stressful.

My Thanksgiving meal will be mostly Paleo and/or Whole30 with a few non-paleo options thrown in for other family members (like traditional mashed potatoes and sourdough bread). We will be roasting whole chickens instead of baking turkey or ham because, well, I don't really care for turkey OR ham (Please don't disown me. I just have never really liked either of those!)

Cauliflower Rice Stuffing - The Healthy Maven

This cauliflower rice stuffing by The Healthy Maven is delicious and light. It's plant-based, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, keto & Whole30 friendly (but it's also sure to please other members of your family without special dietary needs. www.thehealthymaven.com/2015/11/cauliflower-rice-stuffing.html

Brussels Sprouts Slaw - Paleo Comfort Foods

I've taken this Brussels sprouts slaw to many gatherings and it never disappoints. It's even sure to win over people who *think* they don't like Brussels (because it's really all about how they're cooked... who wants mushy, slimy Brussels?! Not me.) paleocomfortfoods.com/recipes/brussels-sprouts-slaw-converting-the-masses/

Apple Cranberry Sweet Potato Bake - Steph Gadreau

I make this recipe almost weekly during the fall and winter because it is so good and so simple. I eat it pretty much for breakfast, lunch or dinner a few months out of the year and never get tired of it. This is a great way to have sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving that aren't covered in crap (did y'all grow up with sweet potatoes smothered in marshmallows? Me, too. But seriously. This is way better.) www.stephgaudreau.com/2011/11/08/apple-sweet-potato-bake/

Paleo Green Bean Casserole - Fed & Fit

f\Green bean casserole with the canned, fried onions and cream of whatever soup (mushroom?) was a favorite of mine growing up. I'll be fixing a recipe similar to this one out of Danielle Walker's "Celebrations" cookbook www.booksamillion.com/p/Danielle-Walkers-Against-All-Grain/Danielle-Walker/9781607749424#nav that I highly recommend any paleo enthusiast purchase. This one is similar with the creamy sauce and crispy onions that we all associate with green bean casserole. fedandfit.com/paleo-green-bean-casserole/

Cranberry Sauce - Against All Grain

I was able to find a sneak peek of a recipe out of Danielle Walker's cookbook I mentioned above. There's really no reason to buy canned cranberry stuff when making your own is this easy. Most any grocery store will have fresh cranberries in stock this time of year and they're just too good to pass up. againstallgrain.com/2017/12/06/paleo-cranberry-sauce-recipe/

Paleo Pumpkin Hummus (Legume-Free) - Simple Mills

I made this Paleo Pumpkin Hummus last year as a snack and it was a hit! I love hummus and crackers and even though I've successfully reintroduced legumes, you won't miss them in this creamy hummus recipe. Pair this with some veggies and grain-free crackers for a snack everyone can enjoy while watching football or parades. www.simplemills.com/pages/paleo-pumpkin-hummus-legume-free

Simple Mills Crunchy Toasted Pecan Cookies

For pie, I like to make a variation of this vegan & paleo recipe by Healy Eats Real healyeatsreal.com/paleo-vegan-pumpkin-pie but with a spin on a graham cracker crust. Last year, I googled "graham cracker crust" and replaced the graham crackers in the recipe with these Simple Mills Toasted Pecan Cookies. Ohmygoodness. Definitely making a repeat this year!

Toasted Pecan Cookie Shortbread Crust (to pair with your pumpkin pie recipe of choice):

1 1/2 cups finely crushed Simple Mills Toasted Pecan Cookies
6 tablespoons ghee/grassfed butter/coconut oil (melted)

Combine cookie crumbles and oil of choice in a bowl and mix until crumbly. Transfer to pie pan and press firmly to make a crust. Pre-bake 5 minutes or so (on about 350F) until lightly browned. Then follow your pumpkin pie recipe.

The crust will be crumbly (like a shortbread) but it is oh-so-good when paired with pumpkin filling.

Last, but not least, I'll serve mulled wine made with a couple bottles of red wine and a bag of mulling spices that I'll put in my slow cooker to keep warm all day. It's a wonderful, warm treat to have that everyone seems to enjoy. The mulling spices I use are  from here www.worldmarket.com/product/world-market-whole-mulling-spice-bag.do?sortby=ourPicks

I wish you and your family and friends a very Happy Thanksgiving! May you remember what the day is truly about and not get lost in the stress of making everything perfect (been there, done that). No one will notice if there's dust on your baseboards or a cobweb on your ceiling. Enjoy the time spent making memories with those you love.