Thanksgiving is the best food holiday of the year; don’t y’all agree? Sure, Christmas is great with your classic standing rib roast/rack of lamb/festive decorated cookies, but Thanksgiving takes the cake because it’s a holiday that’s ALL. ABOUT. THE. FOOD and trying out new Thanksgiving recipes.

This year, many of our holiday gatherings will probably look different because of COVID-19. Covid will absolutely affect my family gatherings this Thanksgiving, but we will have another huge change- we’ve gone low sugar and low carb! In recent months, my family has made significant dietary adjustments that have completely transformed what we serve on the table now. We are now eating more of a whole foods diet—one that is lower in fat, sodium, carbohydrates, and sugar. It’s been going well so far, but I have to admit- I felt concerned when I thought ahead to Thanksgiving. I was worried that Thanksgiving wouldn’t be… Thanksgiving.

If you’re in the same boat as me, don’t worry! I’ve asked friends and looked all over the Internet for the some *reimagined* Thanksgiving recipes… all with fewer carbs and fewer grams of sugar. Happy cooking!

Mains

1. Thanksgiving turkey is almost always the star of the show for Thanksgiving dinner. I typically brine my turkey in a delicious salty citrus water bath before slathering it with a stick or two of butter and popping it in the oven to roast. Unfortunately, our current diet doesn’t allow for that much salt… or any butter. Enter this amazing recipe from A Sweet Pea Chef. There’s no brining involved and instead of using butter, you use heart healthy olive oil to crisp up the exterior of the meat. I can’t wait to try this one out!
2. Looking for a vegetarian main to add to your list of Thanksgiving recipes? This stuffed acorn squash is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving feast. Loaded with quinoa, black beans & avocado, it will be a flavorful and delicious entrée for everyone to indulge in!

Sides

1. Sweet potato casserole is one of my favorite sides at Thanksgiving dinner every year. There’s something about the satisfying crunch of pecan against the soft fluffiness of sweet potato that gets me every time. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to indulge in this treat this year since we are eating low sugar, but this paleo SP casserole recipe ticks all my boxes. I have tried it personally and it is delish, y’all!!
2. Green bean casserole. Besides pumpkin pie, can you think of another dish that is more synonymous with Thanksgiving? I first tried this recipe at a Friendsgiving gathering one year. It was so yummy that I completely did not realize that it was, in fact, a vegan recipe. Incorporating tons of fresh mushrooms and beans brings the dish to life. I promise you won’t miss the can of cream of mushroom soup that goes in the other version.
3. We have been trying to eat as many colors as we can during meal times and this rainbow autumn salad does the trick beautifully. The farro makes it more filling and the homemade apple cider vinaigrette adds punchiness without using highly processed ingredients. Yum!!

Desserts

1. We go through tons of chia seeds at my house because you can use it to whip up so many healthy desserts. Lisa Bryan of Downshiftology has a recipe for pumpkin pie chia seed pudding mousse is soooo good, y’all. I’ve made it probably 5 times already and it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet!
2. Give your oven a break this year with this healthy slow cooker crustless apple pie provided courtesy of Skinnytaste via Amy’s Healthy Baking. Make it a la mode with a vegan ice cream or simply dollop over plain, no sugar Greek yogurt. Eating healthfully doesn’t mean eating without flavor.

What Thanksgiving recipes are you trying out this year? 

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