Holiday meals are a great time to showcase how beautiful a real food diet can be. This isn’t about shoveling down low-fat, low-satisfaction meals, but rather enjoying the amazing variety of the natural ingredients around us in food form.
I have really been getting into the Holiday spirit this last week, and when I look on my calendar I realize that Thanksgiving is already creeping up on us! So in light of the holiday excitement we have over here, this week we are going to be sharing some holiday worthy dishes with you. But I don’t want you to miss out on my other holiday dishes, so here is a list of some of the most popular ones already here at The Nourishing Gourmet.
And because I like dessert, let’s start there.
Pie, Pie and more Pies
1. An early recipe shared here on The Nourishing Gourmet was this Maple and Honey Sweetened Pumpkin Pie. There is only a terrible picture to go with it (let’s just say I’ve learned a lot about how to take food pictures since then!), but it’s a recipe I still have people contact me to say “thank you” for.
2. This Pumpkin Streusel Pie is a great grain-free version.
3. And these gluten-free apple cranberry hand pies were a great hit last year.
4. For a non-pumpkin related pie, why not try this Paleo Chocolate Pecan version?
Whipped Cream!
I don’t know about you, but for me pie is only half the dessert. The whipped cream is the other vital part. I thought I was doomed when I couldn’t have dairy anymore, but I have been incredibly happy to find out a method of making coconut whipped cream that works for me!
Here are three versions of it:
5. Vanilla Coconut Whipped Cream
6. Chocolate Coconut Whipped Cream
7. Stevia sweetened Vanilla
8. and 9. However, if you can have dairy, don’t miss this maple sweetened whipped cream, and this chocolate whipped cream recipe!
More Pumpkin Desserts:
Pumpkin is obviously an important part of Thanksgiving and pie is the traditional form. But here are some desserts that you can use to use that traditional ingredient in new ways.
11. Decadent Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream (dairy-free)
12. Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes, gluten-free (pictured above)
13. Or try this recipe for Paleo (and Vegan) Pumpkin Parfait!
The Turkey
14. and 15. Now that we have the most important dish (the dessert) covered, let’s go on to the big number two, the bird. I recommend that you buy a truly free-range turkey, if you can. The one problem with them is that they can be a little tougher. However, the year I was in charge of the turkey I used a wet brine, and my turkey was tender and moist and flavorful and WONDERFUL. Unfortunately, I already lost the paper where I jotted down the exact ingredients I use, but I basically used a recipe like this one, and adjusted it to use unrefined salt and sweeteners (I used white wine instead of sugar in mine). Another option is Jenny’s recipe for slow roasted turkey that was developed especially with free-range turkey’s in mind.
Cranberry Sauce:
16. And, in my opinion, it’s not Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce. This Spiced Orange Cranberry sauce is a personal favorite.
17. But growing up we also made a dessert form of cranberry salad. Here is my dairy-free, refined sugar free version. It was my absolute favorite part of Thanksgiving for years.
Other sides:
18. This Sweet Potato Casserole is a traditional favorite in many people’s homes.
19. This non-traditional stuffing can is made on the stove. Stovetop Quinoa and Mushroom Stuffing.
20. and 21. Here you can find my recipes for long-simmered green beans and dairy-free mashed potatoes!
22. For those who can’t enjoy mashed potatoes, this mashed cauliflower version is a great substitution.
23. And if you really want to make your meal nutrient dense, why not serve this surprisingly people-friendly liver pate? It’s a great appetizer that adds a lot of nutrients to a meal! And plus, it’s very much like something served at many a fancy restaurant.
24. and 25. And if you have a little pumpkin puree leftover? Why not make a Pumpkin Spice Latte or Pumpkin Chai Latte with it?
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YUM!
What a fantastic way to feature fresh, real food. And, yes, YUM! Thank you so much for this post.
You are so welcome, Pamela! Thanks so much for the comment. 🙂
Hi Kimi,
I read your blog and just wanted to take a minute and actually WRITE and tell you how grateful I am for all that you share here. It’s one of those situations where I often think of it when I’m not online. This time I actually remembered to do it! I love all the inspiring posts, beautiful pictures, frugal tips and just general happiness I experience when perusing your lovely site. Thanks so much–hope you have an excellent Thanksgiving holiday.
J.P.,
Thank you so much for that heartfelt comment! I was really really blessed by it! I hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving too. 🙂
I keep coming back to the lovely pumpkin pie recipe! So wonderful.