Bring These Healthy Sides to Thanksgiving Dinner

Bring These Healthy Sides to Thanksgiving Dinner

A delicious feast isn’t complete without a few healthier options that are flavoured with fresh herbs and spices that pair perfectly with the satisfying umami of turkey and stuffing. Having some well-prepared veggies will also help you avoid the feeling of doom that can come after gorging on turkey and gravy, potatoes and gravy, and gravy.

To enhance the health and freshness factor, bring your dishes to dinner covered by Abeego’s all-natural beeswax food wrap. Forget using wasteful plastic wrap that can contaminate food with toxins. A beeswax wrap is reusable, washable, and fits over containers of all shapes and most sizes.

It is designed to let vegetables and fruits continue to breathe and thrive, instead of being throttled and staled by plastic. And it can be used to wrap up food directly with no bowl or container needed, so use beeswax sandwich wrap for your turkey sandwich or leftover desserts the next day.

Potatoes are good for you, but the way they’re often cooked is not. Here’s a recipe from Food and Wine for Healthy Potato Gratin with Herbs.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus some for the pan)
• 1 large shallot, minced (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 pounds medium red potatoes, very thinly sliced
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper

To Prepare

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Oil an 8-inch round cake pan. Line it with parchment paper you’ve also oiled.
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan.
• Add shallots and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft (3 min).
• Then add thyme and rosemary and cook for another minute.
• Next, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Cook over med-high until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup (10 min).
• Arrange a layer of potato slices, overlapping, in the lined pan. Season as desired with salt and pepper and spoon some of the reduced broth over top. Repeat with another layer of potatoes and reduced broth, alternating until filled. Top with remaining broth.
• Cover the pan and potatoes with another sheet of oiled parchment paper and top again with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• Bake in the center of the oven until the potatoes are a soft, tender consistency (1 hour).
• Remove the covering foil and paper and bake for another 10 minutes to slightly crisp the top.
• Remove the gratin from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, turn on the broiler.
• Invert the gratin onto a heatproof plate and remove the formerly bottom parchment.
• Broil the gratin several inches from the heat source until lightly browned (2 min).
• Serve by cutting into wedges or simply use a large serving spoon.

For a great healthy appetizer, try this Butternut Squash Soup – from The Food Network

Ingredients

• One 2- to 3-pound butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To Prepare

• Cut squash into 1-inch pieces chunks.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan.
• Add onions and cook until translucent (8 min).
• Add stock and squash pieces.
• Simmer and cook until squash is tender (15-20 min).
• Remove squash with a slotted spoon and puree in a blender.
• Return blended squash to the pot and stir.
• Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to season as desired.

These Herbed Roasted Vegetables give a twist on plain, old, boiled yellow potatoes. Courtesy of Eating Well.

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• a medium red onion, quartered
• single tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs (marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and oregano)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

To Prepare

• Place potatoes, carrots, parsnip, and red onion in baking pan.
• Combine oil, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Drizzle over vegetables and coat.
• Cover with foil.
• Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes.
• Remove foil and stir vegetables.
• Continue to bake uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

What are some of your favourite sides to bring to Thanksgiving?

Let me know, til then–cheers m’deres!