Healthy Thanksgiving Sides Everyone Will Love

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Don’t come after me - I know that Thanksgiving is the one holiday all about eating comfort foods! I am not here to be the healthy food police because I will absolutely be indulging on Thanksgiving just like everyone else! There is definitely no way that you can truly swap out some of the traditional meals of Thanksgiving without compromising taste, and I will be the first to admit that. But, I don’t see any harm in adding in some good sides, too that are full of flavor!

You know I am all about flavor, so one thing you can bet on, is no lack of it from these recipes. I really just wanted to share some of my favorite, lighter side dishes, that you can include in your Thanksgiving this year!

Brussels Sprouts Slaw with Pomegranate, Dried Cranberries, and Almonds

  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

  • Generous pinch of salt

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • ½ cup dried cranberries, chopped

  • ½ cup almonds, toasted and chopped

  • ½ a pomegranate, seeded (optional)

  • 1 small apple, finely chopped (optional, but delicious!)

  1. Place sliced Brussels sprouts in a bowl. Mix garlic, mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, and pinch of salt in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Drizzle dressing over Brussels sprouts and mix well to coat. Add cranberries, almonds, pomegranate seeds (and apple, if using!), and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be made ahead of time; it tastes even better the next day! Just wait to add the almonds (and apple) until immediately before serving.

Roasted Veggies

Ok I know calling this a recipe is a stretch, but I feel like roasted veggies are the underrated side dish of the world and so much flavor can be added just by this cooking process alone.

  • Chop your desired veggies into bite sized pieces and toss on a baking sheet with your favorite cooking oil. Season as desired and roast on the top rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees.

This Thanksgiving roasted veggie recipe is my favorite!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Pecans

  1. Toss brussels sprouts with your oil of choice

  2. Toss cubed butternut squash with your choice of oil, maple syrup (sweetness is good to balance the flavors), and cinnamon

  3. Add both to a 400 degree oven and roast for 20 minutes or until desired brown-ness

  4. Combine roasted veggies with cranberries and toasted pecans and enjoy!

Pumpkin Hummus

  • For when you need a healthy app while the food is cooking and bellies are hungry! Serve this with vegetables or pita/chips of choice.

  • 2-3 cloves roasted garlic (see Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette below for how to roast

  • garlic)

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and de-skinned (rinse  in water to

  • remove skins)

  • ½ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

  • salt to taste

  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse to combine and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt.

Cauliflower Stuffing

Cauliflower is a hero and also super trendy when it comes to a healthy substitute for some other carbs. I actually don't use it as often as I should and Thanksgiving gives me a great reason to do so! I think it’s pretty self explanatory, but my plan is to replace the traditional cubed bread with riced or bite sized pieces of cauliflower. Here is the recipe I am using but feel free to just adjust your family’s favorite one!

  • 2 tbsp of your favorite butter or butter substitute (it is for flavor and making the pan non-stick)

  • 1 cup chopped onions

  • 1 cup chopped carrots

  • 1 cup chopped celery

  • 1 small head cauliflower, chopped

  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms

  • Sea salt and pepper to taste

  • 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth (the reason we want low-sodium is so you can salt this as you like!)

Optional Seasonings/Garnish

  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley

  • 2 tbsp chopped rosemary

  • 1 tsp sage

  1. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until soft.

  2. Add cauliflower and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened

  3. Top with optional seasonings and garnish and stir until combined.

  4. Pour broth over veggies and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. 

Cauliflower Mash

This is another popular cauliflower dish I have been making for a few years now! It is really easy and there are tons of varieties that you can make for your family depending on taste. It can really be as simple as steaming cauliflower and blending it with butter or butter substitute! I like to make my mashed cauliflower garlicky so I will add 1-2 cloves of garlic, salt and herbs. I have also made them where I add ½ cup of cashew cream to make them even creamier and would go for this for Thanksgiving!

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

This is a staple right? The first thing you can do is make green beans with a vinaigrette. But, if you want something creamy - I love the below vegan recipe.

  • 1 lb of green beans (I like to buy them fresh, but you can also thaw some frozen)

  • 1 tbsp of olive oil or avocado oil

  • 1 tbsp maple syrup (this adds a little bit of sweetness, which I always like to balance savory! It won’t be overpowering)

  • 1 tsp garlic cloves, minced

  • 8 oz finely chopped mushrooms

  • 1 cup your favorite nut milk

  • 3 tbsp flour or arrowroot

  • 1 cup of crispy onions for filling, plus another ½ cup for topping

  • Sea salt and pepper to taste

  1. Preheat oven to 375

  2. I like to pre-cook the green beans to make sure they are good to go. Blanching is my favorite way. So you will boil water and add them when it’s boiling for just about 2 minutes. Then remove them and dunk them in a bowl of ice water. This helps to maintain the bright green color and a little bit of bite!

  3. Saute garlic and mushrooms until tender in a large pan with the olive oil.

  4. Add maple syrup, salt, pepper, and flour to pan of mushrooms and stir until covered

  5. Slowly add in the vegetable broth and milk, whisking constantly to incorporate. Cook until the liquid is thick and bubbly.

  6. Add 1 cup of crispy onions and cooked green beans to pan and stir until well combined

  7. Add mixture to a casserole dish and top with more crispy onions. If you want more or less than I recommended, go for it!

  8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned

Dessert! Pumpkin Chocolate Fudge

Of course I had to add ONE dessert, though I’m sure the pumpkin pie will take full stage! This is a nice option to have for Thanksgiving dinner or any time this fall or winter. 

  • ½ cup coconut butter, melted (butter, not oil!)

  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree

  • ¼ cup cocoa powder

  • ¼ cup maple syrup

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  • dash cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

  • dash salt

  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Taste for sweetness - add more maple syrup if necessary. Pour mixture into parchment paper lined pan or small casserole dish. Cover and freeze for at least 1 hour. Eat straight from the freezer or store in the fridge for a softer texture.

I hope that some of these ideas will inspire you to try something new this Thanksgiving! If you have any healthy Thanksgiving side dishes, please feel free to share in the comments, as my menu is always changing!

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