Keeping Thanksgiving Simple
We all remember the grand Thanksgiving our parents, aunts, uncles and cousins helped to contribute to when we were young and that our in-laws did even last year. Wow! What a presentation of the absolute best culinary delights of the season, right? With family dynamics changing they way they are and flavorful food becoming Public Enemy #1, where do we find a happy medium where we can partake of the best of the holiday foods and enjoy the essence of Thanksgiving?
You can give thanks for the bounty of the season and fill your plates with the best of it too. I mean, that is the idea of the holiday. The bounty being, butternut squash, string beans, stuffing or mashed potatoes, gravy turkey breast, home-made cranberry sauce and somebody brings the pie of their choice (hopefully its pumpkin!)
This year, lets keep it simple. No intricate recipes or long shopping lists necessary. I've done this Thanksgiving dinner for the past two years and we still get full stomachs and sleepy heads. First year though you might get some grumblings from the Peanut Gallery over waiting all year long for their favorite dish of baked sweet potatoes with marshmallows; so it will take a certain amount of bravery but, their intestines will thank them the days following the holiday.
Here are my best healthy tips for the season. I know you might find some PALEO recipes that are slimmed down more than this but like I said its easy and worked in the past:
Turkey Breast, slathered with at least 4 fresh chopped herbs and coconut oil to retain moisture.
Butternut Squash: roasted squares with coconut oil, garlic, sea salt, cracked black pepper.
String beans: steamed with creamery unsalted butter, sea salt, cracked black pepper.
Mashed potatoes: fresh garlic cloves and one (slightly overflowing) tablespoon of pure mayonnaise (exactly enough luxury for taste); or,
Stuffing: made with your bread of choice and lots on celery, onions, carrots, and mushrooms if you want a meatier taste.
Cranberry sauce: the juice and zest of one orange, ground cloves and 1/4 cup honey. Once its complete add nuts on top.
Gravy: Go for it since everyone gets about 2 tablespoons each anyway!
That's it! I'm not going to give you a slimmed down meal and wag my finger all the way through the recipes! Some things you just have to decide for yourself. After all it's just one day, right?
Happy Thanksgiving!
