This year has brought many blessings to Healthy Eats. Copious opportunities but most of all I’ve met some pretty wonderful people. Among one of those blessings, is being invited for another KNDO morning news special: Thanksgiving Healthy Swaps. I’m not exactly sure why, but this was one of my favorite broadcasts to tape. Maybe I was excited about the recipes, time of year, or maybe it was the fact that my nerves about being on TV had finally subsided. I am very thankful for that.
This holiday season I encourage you to find the good in life and take some time to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for. Life is hard but with that comes the beauty for the harder times to grow into grateful moments. Not only am I thankful for the hard times, but I encourage myself in each season to find what changes me for the better. So enjoy the season and the recipes below. I hope they help you find something new to be grateful for this year: good health and cooking.
Sincerely,
Elaina Moon, BS, ACE Certified Health Coach
Thanksgiving Recipes
Mashed Potatoes with Cauliflower and Chives
These are perfect for the picky-won’t-eat-my-veggies eater in the family. They’ll never even know.
Serves 4, makes 4 cups
2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and boiled until fork tender
½ lb. cauliflower florets, boiled slightly past fork tender
1 tbsp. butter, I like Vegan butter Melt
¼ cup each light sour cream and vegetable both
1 tbsp. dried or fresh chives plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
1. After boiling the vegetables, add the cauliflower to a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Mash the potatoes and add the rest of the ingredients including the cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chives.
Calories: 202 Fat: 4.9g Carbs: 36g Protein: 6g Fiber: 5g Sodium: 140mg
Fresh Orange Cranberry Sauce
Half the added sugar than most recipes. Bonus is the added apple for more fiber.
Makes about 1 ¾ cups, serves 8, about ¼ cup per serving
12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries, rinsed
Juice and zest of 1 naval orange, about 1/3 cup of juice at 1 tsp. zest
1 cinnamon stick
1 medium sweet apple, peeled and grated
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ cup of honey or maple syrup
Add all the ingredients to a sauce pot and bring to a simmer over high heat then reduce to medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes with lid on. Reduce to medium low and cook for 7 minutes with lid off, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and take out cinnamon stick. Sauce should be thick and most of the cranberries have burst. Serve warm or cold.
Calories: 99 Fat: 0g Carbs: 26g Protein: 0g Fiber: 3g Sodium: 2mg
Leftover Recipe:
Fall Harvest Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
Perfect use for the cranberry sauce leftovers, that is if there is any left. You may want to make extra.
Serves 8
Dressing
¼ cup leftover homemade cranberry sauce
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. honey or agave
Pinch of salt and pepper
1. Place all the dressing ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Salad
5 oz. container of baby romaine lettuce
1 large pear or 2 small, sliced into ½ inch slices
3 tbsps. sliced almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2. Combine ingredients and toss slightly. Dress with half the dressing and leave the rest on the side. Serve immediately.
Calories: 151 Fat: 7g Carbs: 19g Protein: 3g Fiber: 2g Sodium: 72g
Pumpkin Parfaits with Raw Ginger Cookie
Probably the best thing since apple pie. Guilt free and delicious. Anyone want seconds?
Serves 4, 1 parfait
For the cookie:
½ cup pecan halves
3 fresh dates, pits removed
¼ cup old fashioned oats
1 tbsp. molasses
½ tsp. each ground ginger and pumpkin pie spice
For the pumpkin layer:
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 pinches of nutmeg
2 tbsp. maple syrup
½ cup Cocowhip cream (or homemade coconut whip cream)
½ cup cocowhip
1. For the cookie, add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until very small and pieces are crumbly but stick together. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. For the pumpkin layer, stir together pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and maple syrup. Fold in coconut whip cream. Set aside.
3. Layer the 3 components in a clear glass starting with the cookie, then ½ cup each of pumpkin and 2 tbsp. plain cocowhip. Decorate the top with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Parfaits can be refrigerated overnight.
Calories: 281 Fat: 15.5g Carbs: 37.2g Protein: 4g Fiber: 6g Sodium: 8mg
