A Happy, Healthy Thanksgiving Meal??

"A Paleo Thanksgiving"

For many Americans, the period of time leading up to Thanksgiving and extending through to New Year's Day tends to be an outright gorge-fest, accompanied by the addition of unwanted pounds.   As a die-hard Paleo Ambassador, I am happy to report, in all honestly, that if one truly adheres to the diet, one will not want many of the 'foods' that tend to grace the typical Thanksgiving table.   Therefore, if it's not appealing you to, you won't eat it!   If you've followed Paleo for a period of time long enough to let your body reap its benefits, you'll glance at the stuffing, the pies, the crackers and cheese and so on, think about how awful you'll feel if you eat ALL that stuff and then reconsider.

Having said that, however, I certainly don't mean to imply that one should skip the holiday entirely!

I've done  Paleo Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners the last few years and they've been a big hit, not only for my husband and myself, but for our non-Paleo-per-say friends as well!

Here's what I featured on the menu:

Crudites Plate (Flash steamed broccoli & cauliflower, baby carrots, cherry tomato) with avocado and lime (OK, NOT seasonal, but you've got to love the avocado!)
Sliced Apples (toss them in lemon juice to prevent oxidation, which causes the brownish color to occur) tossed in cinnamon, served on a platter with raw almonds & walnuts

Mixed Green Salad with dried (no sugar added) cranberries, toasted pecans, red onion, sliced figs & apples
Pureed Baked Yam Casserole, topped with Sauteed Golden Delicious Apples with a hint of rosemary
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Roasted Vegetables
Home made cranberry sauce

Baked apples with cinnamon
fresh seasonal fruit salad

Yes, I made a lot of food (ask my husband and he'll tell you I always make enough for an army), but everyone loved the selections, and no one left asking, "where's the stuffing and pies"?  Rather, they commented that they enjoyed the variety of foods that were still seasonal and the LOVED the fact that they left feeling satisfied but not stuffed!

How nice is that?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Comments

[Ursula]

This sounds so yummy! nell, the baked yam casserole - just yams in a dish, in the oven with apples and rosemary on top? anything else in the yam mix?

[Nell Stephenson]

I like to puree the yams after they've been baked in water. Then layer them in a casserole first, then the sauteed apples (I throw a sprig of rosemary into the apples while they're cooking in a pan w. some light olive oil). Finally, top with toasted pecans. You could also throw some cinnamon into the mix if you're so inclined!

[Laurie Matthews]

Hi Nell,

Thanks for the great Thanksgiving ideas- everything sounds wonderful!

Do you add anything to your cranberry sauce to sweeten it a bit?

Thanks!
Laurie

[Nell Stephenson]

I'll add a splash of orange juice and some orange zest for colour... that makes it look more festive as well!

[Laurie Matthews]

Oh yum, great idea! And very festive! : )
Thanks!

[Nell Stephenson]

Anytime!