Thanksgiving is an annual event where loved ones come together from all over the place to spend a night of warmth, good food, and great company. While there's no denying the positive aspects of socializing and bonding, you can't exactly say the same when it comes to eating too much turkey or mashed potatoes. Especially now, in 2020, where being healthy is of utmost importance.
So, how exactly do you combine Thanksgiving and healthy eating? Is there even such a thing? As it turns out, it's totally possible to have a really healthy Thanksgiving dinner, and it's all about healthier alternatives.
To help you (and your loved ones) have a healthier Thanksgiving, we gathered 9 healthy alternatives to old Thanksgiving favorites.
To make casserole healthy, you have to forego the usual cream of mushroom soup and go for a much lighter sauce using milk. This recipe also ditches fried onions for the sauteed version.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
FOR ONION TOPPING
FOR CASSEROLE
Cauliflowers on their own are really healthy. In fact, they're kind of like broccoli, except they're not as popular for their health benefits. But really, cauliflower can do some of the things broccoli can like help with weight management and help improve gut health, among other things.
So, imagine making an entire recipe around cauliflower for Thanksgiving? That's exactly what this healthy recipe did. And don't worry; there's gravy, so it will still taste like Thanksgiving.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients:
For the gravy
We have to double down on cauliflower. Too many people sleep on this amazing vegetable, so we decided to list a cauliflower recipe that turned it into stuffing. Many people are already skipping bread, so you can now offer them a healthier alternative.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
Just because Halloween is over doesn't mean pumpkins are out. And of course, it's not a real Thanksgiving without the Pumpkin Pie. So, why not give this vegan alternative a try. Just a bit of caution: You might not go back to the "real" thing after tasting this.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
FOR THE CRUST
FOR THE FILLING
FOR THE TOPPING
Pumpkin Pie may be in, but cheesecake never goes out of style. If you're a fan of cashews, then you'll love this.
Prep Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Ingredients:
Mashed potatoes and Thanksgiving just mash together, you know? And for that reason, we searched for a healthier version of an all-time potato recipe.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes are packed with fiber, vitamin C, and are incredibly filling. They can be cooked and eaten in many ways, but by far, baking them has to be the simplest and perhaps the most versatile in terms of what you can do with baked sweet potatoes.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
Going gluten-free doesn't have to mean you can't eat gravy anymore. This recipe relies on good butter, pan drippings, and of course, the herbs and spices. This gravy recipe could just make the folks at KFC make a run for their money.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Last but certainly not least on our healthy Thanksgiving recipe list is everyone's favorite Brussel's Sprouts. Their golden and caramelized look, plus the fact that they're just easy to pair with other meals, will make it hard for anyone to resist these tiny rounds of healthy goodness.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
Eating healthy on during this holiday is possible. In fact, it is easier than you think. Enjoy and happy Thanksgiving!
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