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The holiday full of family, friends, thanks and turkey!
Thanksgiving is almost here and we wanted to share some of our favorite Thanksgiving dishes!

CRANBERRY SALSA

Ingredients

Cranberries (one 12 oz package)
1 large Granny Smith apple (peeled, cored, and diced fine)
1 Anjou pear (peeled, cored, and diced fine)
1/2 large or one small red bell pepper (seeded and diced fine)
3 green onions (thinly sliced)
1/4 red onion (diced fine)
1/4 cup freshly extracted apple juice (or bottled organic)
2/3 cup raw unfiltered honey
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (minced)
1/2 tsp cumin
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp lime zest
Pinch of cayenne (to taste)

Directions

1. Sort and discard soft or blemished cranberries.  2. Rinse cranberries in cold water and drain.  3. Place cranberries in food processor with “S” blade and pulse until coarsely chopped.  4. Transfer to a mixing bowl and fold-in apple, pear, red pepper, green onion, red onion, and set aside.  5. In a separate bowl whisk together apple juice, honey, cilantro leaves, cumin, lime juice, lime zest, and cayenne. Mix well.  Chill before serving.

Image & Recipe via Hallelujah Acres

FESTIVE PUMPKIN DIP

Ingredients

12 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup chopped dried beef
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 round loaf (1 pound) Italian or pumpernickel bread
Fresh vegetables, crackers or corn chips

Directions

1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese, pumpkin, taco seasoning and garlic powder until smooth. Stir in beef, peppers and olives. Cover and refrigerate until serving.  2. Just before serving, cut top off bread; scoop out bread from inside, leaving a 1/2-in. shell (save the bread from inside to make croutons or bread crumbs or save for another use). Fill shell with cream cheese mixture. Serve with vegetables, crackers or corn chips. Yield: 3 cups.

Image & Recipe via Taste of Home

WARM SWEET POTATO & QUINOA SALAD

Ingredients

1/4 of a large sweet onion chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 medium sized sweet potato cut into cubes
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (86g)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 cups of water
Kosher Salt

Directions

1. Heat a pot over medium-high and spray with non-stick cooing spray.  2. Add the onion and potato, sprinkle liberally with salt and brown.  3. Heat a pot over medium-high and spray with non-stick cooing spray.  4. Add the onion and potato, sprinkle liberally with salt and brown.  5. Bring to a boil and continue to boil uncovered for about 5 minute until the potato softens. Cover and lower to a simmer.  6. Continue to simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes until the remaining liquid is absorbed.  7. Separate into 2 equal sized portions and enjoy!

Image & Recipe via Green Light Bites

ROASTED BEETS ‘N’ SWEETS

Ingredients

6 medium beets, peeled and cut into chunks
2 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 large sweet onion, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).  2. In a bowl, toss the beets with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to coat.  3. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. 4. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar in a large resealable plastic bag.  5. Place the sweet potatoes and onion in the bag.  6. Seal bag, and shake to coat vegetables with the oil mixture. 7. Bake beets 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Mix sweet potato mixture with the beets on the baking sheet.  8. Continue baking 45 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.

Photo & Recipe From: All Recipes

THE BEST VEGETARIAN GRAVY

Ingredients

8 cups good vegetable stock (or 7 cups stock and 1 cup good, dry white wine)
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup butter (to make it vegan, substitute a good olive oil)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Marmite

Directions

1. Pour the vegetable stock into a medium pot.  2. Rinse the shiitakes well and add to the pot.  3. Bring stock to a boil over high heat, then remove from heat and let mushrooms steep for 30 minutes.  4. Pour stock and mushrooms into large spouted measuring cup or bowl, and wipe out the pot with a paper towel.  5. Add the butter to the empty pot and melt over medium-high heat.  6. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until it turns very lightly golden, about two minutes.  7. Pour in the stock with the mushrooms in a stream, whisking the whole time.  8. Add soy sauce, marmite, and a few grinds of pepper.  9. Bring stock back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until gravy is reduced by almost half, about 20 minutes.  10. Taste for seasoning and add salt and additional pepper if desired. Remove mushrooms before serving.

Image & Recipe via Umami Girl

VANISHING VEGETARIAN STUFFING

Ingredients

1 pound of italian loaf
8 tbsp butter
12 ounces mushrooms
2 carrots
1 onion
1/3 cup cranberry sauce (if no cranberry sauce is available double the dried cranberries)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 cups vegetable stock
10 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped finely
10 leaves fresh sage, chopped finely
8 leaves fresh basil, chopped finely
2 sprigs rosemary, chopped finely
3 tbsp chopped italian parsley
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
2 tbsp poultry seasoning
1 16 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  2. Cut the bread into small cubes (I try to keep it under a square inch). Spread bread evenly on 2 baking sheets.  3. Toast the bread in the oven until browning – careful not to burn!  4. In a large sauce pan fry the onion with a couple tablespoons of butter cut with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Saute onions until translucent.  5. Slice the mushrooms and add to the onions. Slice the carrots (for the larger slices I’ll cut down the middle – into a half moon shape), add with the mushrooms. Saute on medium low head until mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Add more butter if necessary.  6. Add the thyme, sage, basil, rosemary, and 2 tbsp of the parsley with 2 cups of vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste.   7. Allow to simmer for a couple of minutes then add the bread cubes. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl if you don’t have a large sauce pan like I do.  8. Mix well with cranberry sauce and dried cranberries. If you don’t have cranberry sauce around, just double up the dried cranberries.  9. Transfer the stuffing to a baking pan. Bake in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crunchy.  10. When it’s done baking top it with the left over parsley (1 tbsp). Enjoy!

Image & Recipe via Vegetarian With Benefits

THANKSGIVING SWEETS

PUMPKIN PROTEIN CHEESECAKE MOUSSE

Ingredients

1 cup low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup milk of choice
1 tbs sugar-free instant butterscotch (or vanilla) dry pudding mix
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3-6 packets stevia, or to taste (or sweetener of choice to taste)
Optional toppings:
 gingersnaps 
light whip cream

Directions

1. Place everything in a blender, and blend until smooth.  2. Serve immediately or cover and place in the refrigerator until chilled — at least one hour.  3. Top with light whip cream and/or crushed gingersnap cookies if desired!

Image & Recipe via Fit Sugar

HEALTHY APPLE PIE IN A CUP

Ingredients

3 Apples
1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup Oats (Bob’s Rolled Oats)
1 tbsp water
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tbsp Truvia/Stevia/Sugar/Splenda
Whipped Cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.  2. Chop Apples into small pieces, about half an inch thick. Place in a medium sized bowl and add White Wine Vinegar, Cinnamon, and Truvia (or sugar sub.), then toss.  3. Add oats and water, then mix well.  4. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from oven and transfer to mugs. Top with Whipped Cream.

Image & Recipe via Createlive

THANKSGIVING BREAKFAST

PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST BAKE

Ingredients

3 1/2 – 4 1/2 cups 1-inch bread cubes (depending on type of bread)
7 large eggs
2 cups milk (any kind)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup pumpkin BUTTER (or 1/2 cup pumpkin puree)
3-4 tablespoons brown sugar for topping

Nuts, like pecan or walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Cut any kind of bread into 1-inch cubes – I recommend a crusty, whole grain variety, but sandwich bread will work, too. Just use enough slice to fill a lightly greased 9×13-baking dish quite full.  2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin butter and pie spice until well combined.  3. Pour over bread and push down with a spoon or your hands until it’s all soaked and mostly covered.  4. Cover with saran wrap or lid and refrigerate overnight.  5. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and top with brown sugar, additional pumpkin pie spice and nuts (optional).  6. Bake for 35-45 minutes or golden brown and no longer wet.  7. Serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or agave nectar.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator covered for up to a couple days.

Image & Recipe via Minimalist Baker

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