This morning I went looking for healthy Thanksgiving dishes to try this year.
I’m opting for healthier meals these days, as you know. And right around the corner, in just a month, is the most “foodie” holiday of the year.
I’ve found some old favorites, though healthier versions of the old recipes.
I really don’t mind not having turkey. I’m not big on meat, so I don’t know why I’ve taken the easy route and eaten meat all these years.
What I really look forward to are the side dishes and pumpkin pie.
I’ve found some recipes I’m considering making for the holiday and I’m sharing them with you today.
Traditional Herb Stuffing:
My very favorite food at Thanksgiving is always the stuffing. I love stuffing.
This stuffing recipe is by Persnickety Plate and I think I can handle this one with 10 ingredients. She uses dinner rolls instead of cornbread. And eggs will act as a binding agent.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes With Rosemary:
The blogger at Killing Thyme says she has a potato-loathing husband, so she didn’t fix potatoes for years.
Then she decided she wouldn’t give up her potatoes just because he hated them. So she prepares them now just for herself.
So she now happily prepares her dish of roasted garlic mashed potatoes with rosemary.
You go, girl!
Easy Vegan Gravy:
The blogger at Yup It’s Vegan says that, unlike its non-vegan counterpart, vegan gravy needs a little bit of love in the flavor department.
This vegan gravy is thickened with beans instead of flour. You cannot in any way taste the beans, she says.
Beans in gravy? Oh well, she’s the expert.
The flavor of this super umami vegetarian gravy is nutritional yeast, miso, and soy sauce.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Cinnamon Butternut Squash
The blogger behind Julia’s Album says this is a perfect recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or any time you like.
This side dish is packed with vegetables and nuts. It’s healthy, gluten-free, vegetarian, and rich in fiber.
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes:
This blogger at Lazy Cat Kitchen is from Bristol. She uses regular potatoes as well as sweet potatoes in her vegan scalloped potatoes.
Ania says: “You know those people who think being vegan is a bit sad? Well, there is nothing sad about this dish, let me tell you. It’s pure comfort and indulgence – very appropriate for the cold winter months ahead.”
Vegan Green Bean Casserole:
Do you find yourself feeling nostalgic for the classic green bean casserole you probably ate when you were a child? Well, here’s the vegan version.
“Who,” the blogger behind Minimalist Baker asks, “can resist anything baked in a creamy sauce and topped with crispy fried onions?”
This dish uses just 10 ingredients and takes up only 30 minutes of your time from start to finish.
She says the magic happens when the crispy fried onions come on the scene. And she suggests getting the fried onions from Trader Joe’s.
Homemade Healthy Cranberry Sauce:
Joy, at Build Your Bite, says it’s just not Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce.
Her cranberry sauce recipe uses only 3 ingredients. Fresh cranberries, pure maple syrup, and salt.
Marshmallow Topped Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole:
This vegan sweet potato casserole is a dairy-free spin on the classic.
It features creamy coconut milk, toasty spices, crunchy pecans, and fluffy toasted vegan marshmallow topping.
Easy Homemade Dinner Rolls:
This recipe for homemade dinner rolls was created by Rena at Healthy Fitness Meals.
These healthy homemade dinner rolls are made with whole wheat flour, a hint of honey, olive oil, milk, and some fresh herbs.
The Best Healthy Pumpkin Pie:
This healthy pumpkin pie recipe was created by the blogger behind All The Healthy Things. I go to her blog a lot when searching for recipes.
This healthier version of traditional pumpkin pie is naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup. It is dairy-free and can easily be made gluten-free so that everyone can enjoy a slice.
I agree, Brenda – Thanksgiving is all about the side dishes to me! I do like turkey (and somehow, I’ve been roped into making it every year, and shlepping it to my cousin’s house), but I’d gladly skip it to make more room for the sides! I’m going to try the cranberry recipe – I like the idea of using maple syrup instead of sugar. I’m getting hungry!
EVERYTHING looks scrumptious! 😋
All your selections are try worthy Brenda!
I just L O V E heart ❤️ my home made dressing & garlic mashed
Also will prepare simple mushroom gravy!!!
Thanksgiving 🎃 is easy to do, but time consuming.
Many of the dishes can be prepared in advance.
No “from-scratch” pies these days. We order a few from our favorite bakeries!!!
Hope everyone has a 😋 yummy holiday season.
Roasted Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite things on the planet!
Some yummy looking ones here…thanks for your research Brenda!!
Fantastic collection of recipes I will surely be trying eventually as I like healthy choices between some of my weaknesses like pizza. I try to balance out foods. Turkeys (frozen) usually are a good price in November at grocery stores here so I try to buy a couple for a meal that goes far for us over winter as I can make so many casseroles with leftover turkey.
That will keep you fed and save you money!
Thank you, Brenda, for all the lovely suggestions, I have signed onto most of the food blogs you mentioned. I have got a little lazy lately and haven’t tried anything new for a while. You had me at the vegan green bean casserole!
I thought the green bean casserole looked especially good!
Thank you for the delicious looking recipes and new sources to try! No need to wait until Thanksgiving! These days there is no limit to the number of recipes being posted by chefs, food bloggers and homecooks and it’s fun to make new dishes! Over the years some sources I frequently refer to are Martha Stewart, Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten), Southern Living, Smitten Kitchen, Half Baked Harvest. Bon Appetit!
I know! There are so many food bloggers it’s amazing.
I can’t wait to bake or smoke a turkey this yr! I usually buy two and save one for the summertime to smoke on my grill. I’ll be sure to do that this yr.
I make all my favs and try some new recipes too!
I’ll probably be cooking for myself unless Steve is around. I imagine his daughter will be cooking. Either way, lots of leftovers!
Love the idea of using my crockpot for the turkey breast. Not sure why i never thought of that as I do use it for a whole chicken for
the dogs.
We eat gluten free at home now due to daughter’s wheat allergy. I tried a gf dressing mix last year that was awful so will
definitely try this one. It sounds more
like my mom used
to make. And I will try the cranberries. That looks delicious. Thank you for finding all of these for us🎃🧡🍂
I’m not gung-ho about changing all my eating habits. I’m just trying to replace them with healthier versions.
Well, I’m not even vegan, and these all look pretty tasty. I do occasionally have company that is vegan, so I appreciate all the good ideas. Thank you!
I’m not trying to go all-out vegan.
I looked at the ingredients in some of the vegan recipes. I’ll stick with my usual Thanksgiving dinner of medium rare filet mignon and mashed potatoes made with butter and cream, or a baked potato with butter and tons of sour cream, and a slice of my apple pie with crumble topping for dessert.
Of course you should eat what you love! That’s part of the holiday.
Nice selection. Are you going vegan/vegetarian mostly these days? I like more traditional ingredients like butter & dairy.
And I like meat. The garlic mashed potatoes with rosemary sound tasty.
We will maybe only have two for Thanksgiving this year so will prepare only one dessert. It’s so hard to decide which one! I do want to make cranberry sauce. It’s so delicious & easy.
Thanks for whetting my appetite for my favorite holiday!
I’m still eating dairy and butter. I’m just trying to cut out meat (aside from fish). Many consider meat to be the flesh of animals used as food. In other words, warm-blooded animals. Fish is a cold-blooded animal, and under this definition would not be considered meat. Just trying to balance my cholesterol and intake of fried foods.
Where I use to work they had this fair once a yr called well fair. They cked your cholesterol and a few other things. Well everyone wanted to know what I was eating bc my cholesterol was spot on the nurses said. I ate alot of chicken and pork with veggies. Sometimes some steak and hamburg or sausage.
I eat everything in moderation and never deprive myself in eating anything I want and it works.