Healthy Thanksgiving side dishes ideas/menu alternatives

[Anonymous]

Please share some ideas and recipes for a heart healthy Thanksgiving dinner. While I love and will miss the traditional comfort foods, I’m trying to create a menu for an aging family with heart issues.

[Anonymous]

There are some good ideas here:

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/meals-menus/g37341311/healthy-thanksgiving-recipes/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=mgu_ga_pw_md_pmx_hybd_mix_us_18891731492&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAABxutSrs2sx-bDnnZHiioELduvLqM&gclid=Cj0KCQiAoae5BhCNARIsADVLzZfeRtVzwpKeE-JjnfRxS2WaBvLfygGPPo90dX5fC5QFb2rEO1gorp4aAiCKEALw_wcB

[Anonymous]

Mashed sweet potatoes. Bake them first to really bring out the natural sweetness.

Kale salad with walnuts

Stuffing made with good quality whole grain bread, olive oil, fresh herbs.

[Anonymous]

I feel like everyone has different visions of what makes food heart healthy.

If I was making a "healthy" meal based on my own ideas about what's healthy, I'd probably think about:

Appetizers (so no one comes to the table hungry): Raw veggies with a dip

First course: Some kind of homemade vegetable heavy soup. Minestrone gets a lot of love in my house, but I might try something new. Again, the goal is to both experience deliciousness, and take the edge off the appetite.

Main meal: A roast herbed turkey breast or two depending on numbers.

This salad: https://cookieandkate.com/roasted-delicata-squash-pomegranate-arugula-salad/ with the goat cheese on the side.

Roast broccoli with olive oil and lemon juice

Steamed carrots and parsnips

Baked sweet potatoes with plain lowfat greek yogurt and chives (because that's what I like, obviously there are other ways)

Really good whole grain bread of some sort.

Cranberry sauce

One or two beloved comfort food recipes. In my house this would be my SIL's baked mac and cheese. I know for other people it would be mashed potatoes, or stuffing. I might try to make it a little healthier, but not so much so that it is unfamiliar. I think the fastest way to fall off a "healthy" diet is to be too rigid.

Dessert: Baked apples, with homemade caramel ice cream. Yes, I know ice cream is not heart healthy but see above. (But I am not a pumpkin pie fan)

[Anonymous]

Baked sweet potatoes. A little butter for flavor.

Sauteed green beans (olive oil)

Roasted fall vegetables with herbs.

Green salad.

Shaved brussel sprout salad.

[Anonymous]

We make

Turkey and homemade gravy, mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, baked sweet potatoes, cranberry relish, apple crisp

Reasonably healthy, all gluten free, still is Thanksgiving

[Anonymous]

If you can find good asparagus, then sesame asparagus with garlic. Roasted Brussels sprouts with a dusting of Parmesan cheese. Broiled acorn squash with roasted pecans. White bean and broccolini salad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:White bean and broccolini salad.

Do you have a recipe to share?

[Anonymous]

This Wegman’s butternut squash recipe is easy to prepare, healthy, beautiful on the table with its autumn colors, and best of all, it’s delicious. I look forward to it every Thanksgiving.

https://shop.wegmans.com/recipes/4355/roasted-butternut-squash-with-baby-spinach-cranberries?cid=HolMeal_SideRec_BNSQ:HP:RE:ViewRecipe:HP:Value

[Anonymous]

We do minestrone soup which is pretty heart healthy because it’s loaded with vegetables.

I like a salad of either spinach or arugula with chopped apples, pecans, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a maple mustard vinaigrette. You can also add a sharp cheddar or machego and/or butternut squash cubes and/or use roasted pear instead of the apple.

There’s lots of lighter ways to do green beans but roasted with salt, olive oil and shallots is nice.

I would not chintz on the gravy. With mashed potato’s you can use 2% milk instead of cream but you really need lots of butter. You could use the heart healthy fake butter made out of olive oil though.

For oie, you can do an apple pie without a bottom crust and that cuts out half the fat immediately. Or an open lattice on top.

[Anonymous]

Wild rice with craisins. It's also vegan, should anyone need that option.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in pot

Add 1 cup wild rice, toast until oil is absorbed

Add 3 cups of liquid (you can use water or vegetable broth or stock) and 1/3 cup of craisins.

Bring to a boil then turn down to heat to low.

Allow rice to simmer for 45 minutes. Check rice occasionally to ensure there is enough liquid in the pot and rice doesn't stick to the bottom.

Remove from heat, add sage or other herb(s) of your choice.

Optional: you can add salt when you add liquid if desired. Garnish with chopped pecans if desired.

[Anonymous]

This is a favorite side dish in our family - very adaptable (we add cranberries)

https://cookieandkate.com/quinoa-broccoli-slaw-recipe/

[Anonymous]

Last year I made a kale salad, mainly because I was on a particular diet. I didn't expect anyone else to eat it. But I put it out, and they did, and they raved about it, and I was asked for the recipe.

Salad:
Bunch of kale, de-stemmed and cut into strips
Red onion rings
citrus sections (I use grapefruit)

Dressing:
garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
1TB soy sauce
1TB rice vinegar
1 TB honey
1/3 cup neutral oil

For dressing; Whisk together dressing ingredients, except oil. Then slowly whisk in oil, to emulsify.

To make salad: Kale should be cut into pretty thin ribbons. Wash, and make sure dry well before putting into bowl. Cover with dressing. Massage well into the leaves -- really get in there and mash it all up. Add onion and citrus and toss. Let sit for at least 30 mins before serving.

[Anonymous]

Roasted veggies - any kinds - with light olive oil or a health healthy oil, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon, and herbs. I like rainbow cauliflower, brussels sprouts, red cabbage (with balsamic glaze drizzle).

Lemon carrots: carrots, salt and pepper, a little olive oil, lemon juice and zest, a little maple syrup.

Mash sweet potatoes with orange juice, zest, and pulp. Add a little brown sugar and maple syrup, salt, pepper, garlic (trust me), and a little butter (or butter alternative) with more on the side. Toasted pecans and orange wedges to squeeze on the side also.

Kale salad marinated in a dressing of cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, lemon juice, and a little bit of oil (doesn't need to be half oil). For veggies I add thinly sliced apple, celery, and some green onion. You can add toasted slivered almonds or pecans and a cheese if you like.

Roasted butternut squash tossed with dried cranberries, pickled red onion, and I like it with a little cilantro and corn but that might derail your theme. You could try other more appropriate green herbs and omit the corn.

You can mash potatoes with skim milk, roasted squishy garlic, and some fat free sour cream. Use a lot of salt. Doesn't have to be all butter.

I like to bake regular cornbread and top with extra honey and sage. Butter on the side, compounded with herbs. You can add creamed corn to it, or blend some cooked corn.

Any cranberries. I like to cook them down with sugar, frozen cherries, and a little kirsch.

Turkey breast instead of dark meat.

[Anonymous]

We do oven roasted asparagus and Brussels sprouts.