Loaded Fall & Thanksgiving Festive Healthy Dishes

I love the Holidays, and there are plenty of ways to keep healthy while enjoying all the festivities. Check out our Thanksgiving lineup of awesome recipes. Let us know in the comments below, which one is your favorite!

Cauliflower Mash

Ingredients 

• 1 large head of cauliflower (2-2 ¼ pounds)
• 1 cup low sodium broth (either vegetable or chicken)
• 3 Tablespoons milk (anything but skim)
• 3 Tablespoons light or nonfat cream cheese
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
• freshly ground black pepper and salt
• freshly chopped herbs like parsley or chives

Instructions 

1. Separate the cauliflower into florets and chop the core finely.
2. In a pot over high heat, simmer the broth. Add the cauliflower, cover, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the cauliflower is very tender, about 12-15 minutes.
3. Drain and discard the liquid (the drier the cauliflower is, the better!). Add milk, cream cheese, and garlic salt.
4. Mash with a potato masher until the desired consistency is reached. For a creamier consistency, run the mashed cauliflower through the food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with chopped herbs (optional) and enjoy!

Healthy Thanksgiving Stuffing

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 (8 oz.) yellow onions, finely chopped
• 5 oz. bacon, diced
• 8 oz. celery root, diced (or about 3-4 celery stalks)
• 1 apple, grated
• 2 oz. pecans, chopped
• 2 buns or slices of low-carb bread
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 lbs lean ground beef (93/7)
• fresh sage 2-3 sprigs, finely chopped
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp butter (for greasing the baking dish)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Brown the onions, bacon, and celery root in butter in a saucepan or pot.
3. Stir in two-thirds of the sage (saving the rest for garnish), plus all the grated apples and pecans. Set aside and let cool.
4. Tear apart the slices of low-carb bread in a big bowl and pour the heavy cream on top. Let the bread soak a little.
5. Add the ground beef, spices, bacon, and the browned onion and spice mixture. Toss together to combine the stuffing, but don’t overdo it. The stuffing should not be too uniform or compact. You can use a large wooden fork or your (clean) hands.
6. Place in a greased baking dish and bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes or until the meat is thoroughly cooked.
7. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and serve!

No-Bake Low-Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

Crust Layer

• 2 cups almond flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup powdered erythritol sweetener (or Stevia)
• 6 tbsp butter melted

Cheesecake Layer

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered erythritol sweetener (or Stevia)
• 1/3 cup whipped topping (sugar-free cool whip)

Pumpkin Layer

• 15 oz pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1/3 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 box sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
• 1 tsp vanilla

 Instructions

1. To create the crust layer, mix the almond flour, cinnamon, powdered sweetener of choice, and a pinch of salt.
2. Pour the mixture into a parchment paper-lined baking dish or pan. Pour melted butter on top of the dry ingredients and stir them together so the dry ingredients are coated. Press the crust down firmly. Set aside for now.
3. To create the cheesecake layer, mix the cream cheese and powdered sweetener of your choice until you have a smooth texture. Fold in the whipped topping, then pour on top of the crust. Place in the refrigerator for now.
4. To create the pumpkin layer, mix the pumpkin puree, the sugar-free vanilla pudding mix, and the milk. Add vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until you have a smooth, creamy texture. Pour on top of the cheesecake layer.
5. Place the bars in your freezer to set, for about 3 hours.
6. Remove the cheesecake bar from the freezer, slice, and serve!

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Muffins

Ingredients

• 16 ounces cream cheese (or try 1/3 less fat), room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1/2 cup sweetener, such as monkfruit or Stevia
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

 Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Beat together the cream cheese and eggs until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the pumpkin, sweetener of choice, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla to the cream cheese mixture and continue mixing until smooth and creamy. Do not overmix.
4. Pour the batter evenly to fill the 12 muffin wells.
5. Bake muffins for 20 minutes or until just slightly jiggly in the center.
6. Let the muffins cool completely before transferring them to the refrigerator to finish cooling.

Roasted Turkey Breast

Ingredients

• 3-pound turkey breast (boneless)

For the Marinade

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tsp dried herbs (thyme & oregano)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Prep your turkey by rinsing it well and patting it dry.
2. Prepare the marinade by placing all the marinade ingredients (mustard, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper, garlic, smoked paprika, and olive oil) into a bowl and stirring to combine.
3. Rub the mixture until the turkey is coated. If possible, refrigerate the turkey overnight to marinate, or leave it at least 1 hour before roasting.
4. Place the turkey breast into a baking pan, or baking sheet.
5. Roast for 45 minutes to one hour, until the thermometer reaches 170F (77C).
6. Let it stand for a couple of minutes then slice to serve!