Giving Thanks for Healthy Options...

Thanksgiving is a fantastic meal...I mean turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, squash casserole, green bean casserole...stuff my gut casserole...I feel kind of gross already! Ha!

I mean really, I do love Thanksgiving and it is just one meal - which won't break you, but you may just feel kind of icky the rest of the day.  And then there are the left-overs...which, that might break you.

So, this Thanksgiving, why not swap out a casserole for a healthier option...or just add a healthier option.  Adding some variety might liven up your Thanksgiving meal from the typical casseroles and might end up being a huge hit!  

Here is a Autumn salad recipe that will tickle taste buds and feel pretty good in your belly. Plus if you serve it with the dressing on the side, it would make a great left-over meal for lunch. :)

AUTUMN SALAD WITH CINNAMON CRANBERRY VINAIGRETTE

PREP TIME: 10 to 15 mins COOK TIME: 35 to 45 mins SERVES: 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

Use organic ingredients where possible.

AUTUMN

SALAD:

7 to 8 cups packed baby spinach

2 cups sweet potatoes, scrubbed and chopped (peeled, if desired)

1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped (about 2 1⁄2 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil

A pinch of salt

1 cup apple slices (any mild, sweet variety)

1 cup pear slices (any variety)

1⁄2 cup toasted pecans (*see directions for toasting)

1⁄2 cup Feta cheese

CINNAMON CRANBERRY DRESSING:

1⁄2 cup olive oil

1⁄3 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, defrost until soft)

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1⁄2 teaspoon Cinnamon

A pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE SALAD:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

On a greased baking sheet, place the sweet potatoes and butternut squash, then sprinkle with salt and toss with olive oil.

Roast the sweet potatoes and butternut squash for 20 to 30 minutes, until soft with slightly crispy corners.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

In a large salad bowl, combine all ingredients and gently toss, being careful not to bruise the pears.

FOR THE DRESSING:

In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients and pulse for about 60 seconds, until mixture is creamy and smooth.

Pour salad dressing over the salad until lightly dressed.

If you have leftover dressing, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

*FOR THE TOASTED PECANS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a greased skillet, scatter pecans in a single layer.

Bake pecans in oven for 15 minutes, checking on them after about 7 minutes, until well toasted and fragrant.

Allow to cool before adding to salad.

Thanksgiving Day Meal Swap

Ahhhhh, I can smell the Turkey already...can you?

Thanksgiving dinner is so yummy, I really start craving all the carbs right around October. But while I love the carbs, I hate the overloaded and bloated feeling I get after stuffing myself full of the carbs.

Here is a recipe you can try this year - replace the regular mashed potatoes for mashed sweet potatoes!  YUM YUM!

Sweet potatoes are loaded with nutrition and make deliciously sweet and creamy mashed potatoes. Plus, they look more festive than russet potatoes with their bright orange color! The coconut milk in this recipe makes the side dish extra special.

Total Time: 35 min.

Prep Time: 15 min.

Cooking Time: 20 min.

Yield: 6 servings, about ½ cup each

Ingredients:

2 lbs. medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into cubes

Hot water

½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt), divided use

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme, reserve a small amount for garnish

Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)

Preparation:

1. Place sweet potatoes in medium saucepan. Cover with water. Add ¼ tsp. salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat. Drain water from sweet potatoes and place in a medium bowl.

2. Add ½ cup coconut milk; mash with a potato masher.

3. Add additional coconut milk 2 Tbsp. at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Season with thyme, remaining ¼ tsp. salt, and pepper; mix well.

4. Garnish with thyme, if desired.

21 Day Fix - 1 ½ yellow, ½ blue

Calories - 161
Total Fat - 3 g
Saturated Fat - 2 g
Cholesterol - 0 mg
Sodium - 281 mg
Total Carbohydrate 31 g
Dietary Fiber - 5 g
Sugars 7 g
Protein 2 g

21 Days of Gratitude

I love reading social media in November. Everyone does the 30 days of being Thankful challenges, and every day they post their gratitude for something or someone.  I love how so many focus on sharing every day, it is like we are one with the universe.

For me, it wasn't until I lost my job recently when I realized how ungrateful I have been. Yeah, sure I was thankful for the house and my car and my job.  I was thankful for my husband and kids. I was into a routine, get up, go to work, come home, take care of the family, and repeat.  I was too busy to think about my gratitude. Don't get me wrong,

I would take a moment on Thanksgiving or maybe while reading a message on Facebook and think, "yeah I have it good."

But it really goes so much deeper than the stuff at surface value.

Gratitude is deep, you have to really dig deep into your soul to find the root causes that bring joy in your life. And when I lost my job, I had to dig deep, otherwise I would be focusing on the things I lost and worrying about the future.

Not to say I don't have worries and haven't felt extreme sadness, because I have...but sitting here dwelling on what I lost, isn't how you bounce back. I can't give up...I have kids and a family.

So every day for a month, I gave thanks for 10 things in my life that I was grateful for. Things that bring me joy and happiness.  Then I decided to pass it on, because that too brings me joy.

For 21 Days in November  - leading up to Thanksgiving - I am hosting a FREE event that focuses on gratitude. I will be helping you dig deep to find that joy in your heart and soul, so by the end of the 21 days your eyes are open to all of the beauty that surrounds you every single day.

So please join my event, its not too late...you will be grateful that you did.

Taco Tuesday Rice

We just love Taco Tuesday in our house.  I always try to mix it up a bit with different side dishes to keep it interesting.  I don't typically buy the prepackaged mixes from the grocery store because they are loaded with sodium and sugars - two things I try to keep at a minimum. 

This week we tried a simple Mexican rice side dish. It was deeeeelishhhhh!  I also liked that it had fresh veggies mixed in and my kids loved it too.

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked (unseasoned) brown rice or whole grain rice

1 teaspoon coconut oil

½ medium onion, diced

1 medium tomato, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

½ teaspoon cumin

¼ paprika

dash or more (your choice on how hot you want it) cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

chopped cilantro, optional

Directions:

 Cook rice according to package directions. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the onions, tomatoes and sauté until just tender, about 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté for another minute.  

Add the tomato paste, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper.  Stir to evenly coat the vegetables.  Add the cooked rice, stir, and cook for 1 minute or until heated through. Mix in cilantro before you serve.