Healthy Thanksgiving Dinner: With Thanksgiving around the corner, there is no reason to deviate from your health pursuits.

The Recipe Guide:

This recipe guide will inspire a dinner that offers all the flavor and traditional-style recipes, without preservatives, refined sugars, or vegetable oils. From turkey and sides to delicious desserts: just real, whole, natural ingredients, and easy to make homemade food.

 

Turkey with Paleo Stuffing

 

Paleo Stuffing Recipe

The key for stuffing is actually not to stuff the turkey at all. Bake the stuffing as a side dish and serve it, but fill the actual turkey with aromatics like lemon and herbs. You can also drizzle some of the turkey drippings into the stuffing and toss it before serving, but by not stuffing the stuffing into the bird, you avoid it becoming a pile of mush.

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• ½ cup celery
• ½ cup carrot
• ½ cup your favorite nuts (like pecans or almonds)
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 handful of fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Chop the cauliflower, onion, celery, carrots, and parsley roughly
3. Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend on high until all the ingredients form a crumbly mixture
4. Spread the stuffing well spaced out on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.

Turkey Recipe

A perfectly cooked turkey doesn’t have to be complicated. A few tips include:

1. Opt for a high-quality turkey, which means raised ethically, and fed a natural organic diet.
2. The rule of thumb is to buy about 1.5 pounds of turkey per person so that an eight-person dinner would call for a 12-pound turkey. This factors in some leftovers!
3. If you’re buying a frozen turkey, it needs at least an entire day in the fridge to thaw (even for a 4-pound turkey), so consider thawing it two days in advance just to be safe.
4. Don’t baste the turkey, which helps keep heat in the oven, ensures an even cook (and can avoid it from needing to cook it longer and drying it out).
5. The general rule is 20 minutes in the oven per pound (so 4-hours for that 12-pound turkey), but use a thermometer to check when it is finished. It is cooked at 165 degrees F, and you can measure the temp by leaving the turkey in the oven and poking it deeply with a food thermometer. Once it reads 160F, remove it from the oven and let it rest outside of the oven covered in foil for the last 5 degrees. Make sure to let it rest for 15-30 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

For Turkey:

• Wild and organic turkey (1.5 pounds per person eating)
• 1-2 granny smith apples
• 1 large onion
• 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 lemons
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 4 or 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• Sea salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons of grass-finished butter (or olive oil)

 

For Butter Sauce:

• ⅓ cup of grass-fed butter (or olive oil)
• 3 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/ 165°C (for standard ovens), or 300°F/ 150°C (fan-forced).
2. Pat down the turkey with a paper towel.
3. Seed the apples, and chop the apples, onion, garlic, and lemons into quarters.
4. Stuff the cavity with lemon, onion, garlic, apple, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, a few cracks of salt, and pepper.
5. Using your fingers, tuck a few pats of butter or a good drizzle of olive oil under the skin of the bird, just above the cavity (on the top side of the turkey).
6. Make a butter (or olive oil) sauce to coat the outside of the bird by melting the butter with the dried thyme and rosemary, and painting it on the entire exterior of the bird (wings and all), using a brush. Make sure it’s well coated.
7. Place the turkey in the center of the oven, uncovered, cook for about 20 minutes per pound (but use a thermometer as your actual gauge for when to take it out).
8. The turkey is done once the food thermometer reads 160F, but keep an eye on the turkey as it cooks since every oven is slightly different. Once the bird is well golden, if the reading doesn’t hit 160F, cover it with foil to prevent it from getting any browner.
9. Let the turkey rest for 15-30 minutes before serving.

Paleo Gravy

Gravy typically contains flour, but this thick mushroom gravy uses tapioca flour instead. You’ll want to save the juices from your oven-roasted turkey (recipe above), but you can also use bone broth if you want to make the gravy recipe but haven’t cooked the turkey or have access to the drippings.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter, ghee, or olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour (made from cassava)
• 2 cups drippings from the turkey (or bone broth)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a pot over medium heat, melt your fat (butter, ghee, or olive oil) and add in the tapioca
2. Using a whisk, whisk vigorously until fully smooth, and continue to mix for 30-60 seconds; after that
3. Add in the drippings slowly, continuing to whisk vigorously until all the liquid is incorporated.
4. Keep on medium and slowly whisk non-stop until the gravy thickens to the desired consistency.
5. Whisk in a few cracks of salt and pepper, and then serve immediately!

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Za’atar Dressing

 

This side dish is always a family favorite. Not only is it delicious, but roasting a cauliflower whole presents so well on a big holiday table! And it’s an excellent side for anyone on a low-carb diet plan too.

Ingredients

For the Cauliflower:

• 1 large cauliflower head
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon za’atar spices

For the Dressing:

• ½ cup tahini
• ¼ cup hot filtered water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Toppings:

• A handful of fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Cut the stem and leaves off of your cauliflower head, leaving the rest whole.
3. Place the cauliflower head on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
4. Drizzle olive oil all over the cauliflower, using your hands to make sure every bit of the top and sides are covered in a light but even layer, and then sprinkle evenly with za’atar spices.
5. Bake in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, checking it to ensure the top doesn’t burn. If it’s getting too brown, simply place a sheet of foil over the cauliflower.
6. While it bakes, make the dressing by adding all the ingredients into a high powered food processor and blending until smooth.
7. Just before serving, drizzle the cauliflower head with the tahini sauce and freshly chopped parsley.

 

Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casseroles are a thanksgiving classic with crispy onions and crunchy green beans, sitting in a creamy mushroom broth. This recipe dished out all the creamy and crunchy without nasty vegetable oil, refined sugars, or flours!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of green beans
• 8 strips of nitrate-free bacon

For the Creamy Sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter (or another oil like olive or coconut)
• 10 cremini mushrooms
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 tbsp coconut or cassava flour
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 cup of full-fat cream (or coconut cream)
• 1 cup of milk (or coconut milk)
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Onions:

• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil, butter, or ghee
• ½ cup almond meal
• 1 tbsp tapioca flour
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese or savory yeast flakes
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ cup almond milk

Instructions

For the Bean Prep:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F
2. Trim the green beans (snip the tips on both ends)
3. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and boil green beans for 5 minutes.
4. Blanch the beans after 5 minutes (strain them from hot water and dip in ice water to stop them from cooking further)

For the Creamy Sauce:

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large pan.
2. Add thinly sliced mushrooms with thyme, salt, and pepper.
3. Fry the mushrooms until golden, and then add in the chopped garlic.
4. Add in the milk, cream, and flour and stir with a whisk until well combined.
5. Continue to simmer and stir regularly until the sauce thickens.

For the Onions and Bacon:

1. Slice the onions thinly and separate the pieces.
2. In a bowl, combine the almond meal, tapioca flour, cheese, and salt.
3. Soak the onion slices in almond milk and then toss the pieces in the coating
4. In a pan on medium heat, place 2 tbsp olive oil, butter, or ghee, and fry the onions up until golden brown and crispy.
5. Once the onions are fried off, cook bacon as per package instructions and chop into small pieces.

For the Casserole:

1. In a large tray, place all the green beans in the tray, pour the creamy sauce all over the top. Top with bacon and crispy onions, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
2. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Roasted Vegetables

This fool-proof recipe is a must for any large gathering. Roasting vegetables is a great way to pack in a nutritional punch, load up on fiber, and balance out a meal with micronutrients. The vegetables can be swapped out for any of your family favorites!

Ingredients

• 4 large carrots
• 3 large parsnips
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 2 large white potatoes
• 1 large red onion
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F
2. Chop all the vegetables roughly into cubes and place in a large bowl
3. Drizzle olive oil all over vegetables and toss with your hands to coat all of them. Use more oil if needed.
4. Add all the herbs, salt, and pepper and toss again.
5. Place all the vegetables on a baking tray lined with baking paper, without too much overlapping. Depending on the size of your tray, consider spreading them out along two separate trays.
6. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown, tossing them halfway.

Cheesy Brussel Sprouts

You can never have too many sides at Thanksgiving, and this low-carb (and surprisingly high-protein) dish is excellent for any family members on a keto diet.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of Brussel sprouts
• 3 tbsp of grass-fed butter or olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ¾ full cream
• 1 cup of grated cheese (a combination of any of your favorites; we like white cheddar and gruyere)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ black pepper
• Small pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Cut your Brussel sprouts in half
3. In a large, oven-friendly skillet (like cast-iron), add butter or oil, minced onion, minced garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
4. Cook until tender, stirring regularly (about 10 minutes).
5. Remove from heat and stir in the cream, and then sprinkle all the grated cheeses on top.
6. Bake in the oven until the top is golden brown (about 8 minutes); you can also use the broil function on the oven for the last 10-30 seconds for extra browning, but keep a close eye– it burns fast!

Baked Mini Apple Crumbles

This pie alternative skips the pie crust and makes for individual baked apple pies with a gluten-free crispy and slightly sweet topping. All the joys of apple pie, without the lethargic sugar high!

Ingredients

• 6 apples (granny smith or pink ladies)
• ½ cup almond meal
• ¼ cup cassava or coconut flour
• ¼ cup shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (soft or melted)
• 2 tbsp raw honey
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp nutmeg powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• ½ tsp all-spice powder
• ¼ tsp ginger powder
• chopped pecans or hazelnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Core the apples, trying to avoid cutting through to the bottom
3. In a food processor, place all the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until it forms a rough crumble
4. Place all the apples on a baking tray lined with baking paper, stuff the apples with the crumble mixture, and cover the top of the apple.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the apples are soft.

Keto Pumpkin Pie

Is it really Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? Luckily this recipe is all about real whole food ingredients so you can finish off your feast without spiking your blood sugar or getting that food-coma post-meal crash.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 2.5 cups almond flour
• ⅓ cup monk fruit sweetener
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup grass-fed butter or ghee or coconut oil
• ½ tsp sea salt

For the Pie Filling:

• 1 can of 100% pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup of heavy cream
• ⅔ cup monk fruit sweetener
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1 tsp vanilla powder
• ½ tsp ginger powder
• Pinch of clove powder
• Few cracks of black pepper powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp blackstrap molasses (optional, but adds a lovely flavor)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish with baking paper
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl
3. Whisk in all the wet ingredients and then use your hands to form a dough
4. Press into the pie pan evenly and bake for 10-13 minutes (until golden brown) *make sure you pre-bake the crust before filling it with the pie filling*
5. While the crust cooks, prepare the pie filling: beat eggs in a large bowl, add in the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and molasses (if using), continue to beat until smooth.
6. Add in the rest of the ingredients and beat until incorporated.
7. Pour in the pumpkin filling into the pie crust once it is cooked and bake for 50-65 minutes (until the top is well firm and a toothpick comes out clean).
8. The pie needs to ‘set’ out of the oven, first by resting for an hour, and then spending a couple of hours in the fridge!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!