All posts filed under: Thanksgiving healthy cooking

thanksgiving recipe: french onion green bean casserole

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I love green beans and since it’s on the healthy eating list, I try to at least make a dish once a week with green beans. But, I have always been too intimidated to make a green bean casserole dish for Thanksgiving, so I simply stir fry the beans and put them on the table to eat with a touch of butter. (Boring) This is I am utterly and completely determined to include a green bean casserole into my menu, so I searched high and low, online of course and found the perfect one to make: Here is the recipe for your viewing pleasure and click here  for the video on how to make the casserole. It looks simple and down right delicious. For the onions: 2 tablespoons butter 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced lengthwise salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar For the white sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups milk 1 pinch ground nutmeg cayenne pepper to taste(optional) 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme For the topping: 2 tablespoons melted butter 2/3 cup panko bread …

healthy recipe: thanksgiving salad with kale, cauliflower and parmesan cheese

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Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays celebrated in the U.S., not because of what it stands for from  the historical aspect of it, but because I literally consider it a “thanks” giving day for my family and the many blessing which go unnoticed throughout the year. So, although most of the fun of thanksgiving revolves around cooking a hearty meal to celebrate giving thanks, I can’t help but look for ways to make the meal  healthy and light.  In light of that fact, one must on our dinner table is a salad, so I was glad to come across a recipe  here which I can  surely include on  my menu, while I host this years Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving Sides :: Kale, Cauliflower + Parmesan Salad Refreshing and clean—a welcomed crunch to your Thanksgiving plate. ½ head of cauliflower large bunch of kale Fresh parmigiano reggiano to grate Juice of one lemon 2 Tbsp Olive oil Salt + pepper Wash and tear Kale, removing spine. Slice quartered Cauliflower with a mandolin. Pour good extra virgin …

healthy recipe: thanksgiving menu countdown with williams-sonoma in mind

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One of my favorite stores happens to be, Williams Sonoma. I can walk through the store once a week and feel completely inspired to cook a meal just by all the wonderful gadgets and fancy boxed goods they have so perfectly displayed along the selves. My most favorite time to visit the store however, is the holiday season, which is  from late October through early January, and explore what they suggest to include as part of your holiday menu. The most amazing of course is the smell of cinnamon, warmed apples and various other spices emanating throughout the store, enticing you to follow your nose straight to the cash register with something to take home for the holidays. Anyway, in addition to the store’s charm and decor, they have an entire section on their website with recipes for the holidays. Since I am on a healthy eating kick, I couldn’t help but hone in on the Herbed Quinoa and Red Rice Stuffing with Kale and Pine Nuts. Check out the recipe here or below: Looking for …

dessert recipe: pumpkin crème brûlée

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I don’t know too many people who do not like Crème Brûlée, maybe that’s a bold statement, but I am almost certain, the fact, the dessert is almost on every menu in most restaurants, is a clear indication it is a favorite. So, since  the holiday season is upon us, here in the U.S., I couldn’t help but fall in love with a recipe I found here, concerning crème brûlée and pumpkins. :). Check it out: 1/2 cup granulated sugar 5 egg yolks 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 cinnamon stick 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg 1 vanilla bean 3/4 cup. pumpkin purée 4 tsp superfine sugar reserved for top of brûlée Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks. Combine the cream, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and vanilla bean (de-seeded) in a saucepot, and bring to a simmer. Slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the yolk mixture through a fine-meshed sieve. Whisk in the pumpkin purée. Divide the mixture among four 8-oz. ramekins and place in …

side dishes galore for thanksgiving dinner

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I  spent this past weekend, choosing my recipes and planning my  Thanksgiving menu.  Since I am not a fan of turkey and neither are the members of my family, it is very important to have a fun selection of side dishes which are not only easy to prepare but also fun to eat. So below are the side dishes on my menu for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. {Click on the photo to get the recipe}

healthy baking: fall cake recipe

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I am not a fan of frosted bland layer cakes. I  much prefer bundt cakes made with dried fruits and nuts, maybe some fresh lemon or orange peel shavings (aka rinds), and definitely infused with  cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Since this type of cake is not very popular in the U.S., most restaurants and cafes offer either carrot cake or zucchini bread as an alternative. So I usually order either to give me the fix I need, if and when I crave for a slice of  “robust” cake. I want to state here that I can only tolerate the cream frosting on either cake since it actually and truly compliments the flavors throughout it. Over the weekend, while I searched for a cake to bake for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner, I came across this visually amazing blog and found an interesting recipe for a cake which I wanted to share with everyone who comes across my blog and also make for this year’s Thanksgiving dessert table. Harvest Cake (Makes 1-9inch cake, to make a layered cake …

healthy thanksgiving recipes – pumpkin pie

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I must admit, I am not a fan of pumpkin pie. I prefer more of a fruit based tart if I am forced to eat a pie like dessert. I say give me fresh fruit any day. But just for traditional sake, I always bake a pumpkin pie for my guests. In light of trying to stay healthy and watching my family’s calorie intake, I, once again, have opted for the following recipe which I found here. pumpkin coconut tart INGREDIENTS CRUST 1 1/4 cups white whole-wheat flour, (see Ingredient Note) 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted (see Tip) 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 4 tablespoons cold reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel) FILLING 1 1/2 cups canned unseasoned pumpkin puree 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons dark rum 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 3 large eggs 1 cup “lite” coconut milk GARNISH 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut chips, (see Ingredient Note) or flaked coconut, toasted (optional) PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 11-inch …

healthy thanksgiving recipes – stuffing

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Not a shocker to anyone in the U.S. trying to make it through the holidays without over eating or avoiding eating things that are not good for you. Although if you think about it, the Thanksgiving meal in itself is pretty healthy, based on today’s healthy eating standards.  But just in case you are thinking about how to add more to the healthy Turkey, Cranberry, sweet potato or green beans dishes, I have included a recipe for  stuffing which  I have found  here, that I plan to incorporate to my menu this year. Pear, prosciutto and Hazelnut stuffing INGREDIENTS 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced, cut into ribbons 2 cups onion, chopped 2 cups diced fennel bulb 1/4 cup minced shallot 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary 8 cups stale baguette, preferably multi-grain (not sourdough), cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 Bosc pears, ripe but firm, chopped 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken …

thanksgiving table setting ideas

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Most Americans take great pride in setting up the dinner table for the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. Why not? After all it is probably the most and sometimes the only time a woman has the chance to gather her family and friends around the table to eat at the same time. I am one of those individuals who take pride in setting up my Thanksgiving dinner table and would consider a different theme each year just for the fun of it. Since Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated during the  Fall, I have no trouble incorporating nature throughout the table decor. Just in case you are wondering what I am  going to do this year and even if you are not :), I am getting my table decor inspiration from the following photos and plan to include a bit of something from each suggestion to create an eclectic feel.  Let me know what you think?