Happy Thanksgiving!
Whether you’re planning a classic Thanksgiving dinner or adding your own flair, you may still be looking for options to add to your menu or wondering how you can pack some extra greens and veggies into your meal. Whatever the case, we’ve got you covered with a few ideas to accompany your turkey feast this Thanksgiving.
Why add greens and veggies to your Thanksgiving meal? Eating your vegetables helps you stay healthy over the holidays – they are packed with vitamins and fiber that feeds your healthy gut microbes. They can also help prevent blood sugar spikes that will leave you craving more carbs even after a big feast. And what’s more, vegetables will keep you feeling fuller and more satiated for longer after Thanksgiving lunch or dinner.
So eat your vegetables, even on Thanksgiving. Your body will thank you for it as you enter the holiday season with a healthier gut, better blood sugar control, fewer cravings and even a healthier weight.
Try adding the following dishes (recipes by Stephanie Krizman) to your Thanksgiving meal or preparing them later this week!
Spinach and Arugula Soup (Yields: 5 cups)
Spinach is a great way to add high nutrient value to your Thanksgiving meal. It is high in vitamin A and a good source of vitamin C, folate and niacin, a brain protective vitamin that helps your body repair damaged DNA. It is also a great source of iron – enjoy spinach if you are having a vegan Thanksgiving to get your quota of iron!
Arugula is actually a cruciferous vegetable, like broccoli! It is a great source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Enjoy it to maintain a healthy gut over the holidays.
Ingredients
1 cup of diced, yellow onion
2 cups of peeled, diced russet potato
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
5 cups of vegetable broth
4 cups of fresh spinach
2 cups of arugula
Salt and pepper to taste
Squeeze of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Sauté onion in 3 tbs of olive oil until translucent.
- Add potatoes, thyme, and bay leaf. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add broth and cook until potatoes are tender.
- Add greens, salt, pepper, and lemon. Cover pot and simmer just until greens are wilted. Place soup in a blender and purée. Season and garnish with olive oil drizzle, croutons, and herbs
- Enjoy!
Thanksgiving stuffed butternut squash (yields: 6 portions)
Butternut squashes are sweet tasting and yet they only affect your blood sugar in a small way, so are considered low glycemic foods! They are technically a fruit, but count as eating a vegetable (score!).
Butternut squashes get their warm orange hue from eye and brain healthy carotenoids (plant pigments) that they contain. They are also good sources of protein, vitamins C and B6, magnesium, potassium and fiber – a great winter pick-me-up!
Ingredients
3 small butternut squash
3/4 cup small diced yellow onion
1 deseeded, diced geen chili
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 cups diced, peeled russet potato
1 cup diced, peeled carrot
1 cup diced, peeled parsnip
1 cup veggie stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of cilantro
1 cup shredded cheese
1 cup of bread crumbs
Instructions
- Cut squashes in 1/2 and scoop out seeds. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Preheat oven to 350 and place them cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, approximately 45 min- 1hour.
- In a large saute pan, roast spices in 3 Tbs olive oil until fragrant.
- Add onion + chili; sauté until tender.
- Add garlic, thyme, potato, carrot, parsnip, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add vegetable stock. Cover and simmer until most of the stock is absorbed.
- Season with salt and Pepper and allow to cool.
- Fold in chopped cilantro and shredded cheese.
- Fill squash with vegetable mixture and top with buttered breadcrumbs
- Return squash to 350 oven and bake until breadcrumbs are golden brown and fragrant— approximately 35 minutes
- Enjoy!
