Skip to main content

21 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love

It’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Which, for many of us, means total diet destruction is officially on the horizon. But here’s the thing: You can still enjoy all the deliciousness of this food-heavy holiday without committing to an entire season of stretchy pants. Find all the guidance you need to get your fill of the festivities (and the food!) with our ultimate guide: 23 Ways to Lose Weight This Thanksgiving.

And show up to your gatherings with any of the guilt-free Thanksgiving recipes below. They’re delicious and on-plan. So you can enjoy the festive fare without ever having to worry about sabotaging your slim-down.

1. Green Bean Casserole

green bean casserole
A Thanksgiving go-to, Green Bean Casserole is often packed with more calories and fat than green beans. But not this Green Bean Casserole! This delicious dish goes heavy on flavor, not on guilt.

2. Twice Baked Cauliflower Casserole

twice baked cauliflower casserole
Oh yes. The perfect blend of creamy and cheesy, this is one side dish that’s sure to steal the show at your Thanksgiving dinner.

3. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apple

brussels sprouts with apple
We are so very thankful for recipes like this one, which strike the perfect balance between sweet and savory flavors.

4. Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Mashed Faux-tatoes

mashed cauliflower
These Garlic Herb Mashed Faux-tatoes sub potatoes with cauliflower for a lightened up take on a seasonal staple. Want to make mashed cauliflower without the time commitment of the crock pot? Check out this alternative cooking method for this delicious dish.

5.Stuffed Acorn Squash

Squash
Add a little color to your dinner table with this Stuffed Acorn Squash that’s almost as pleasant to look at as it is to eat!

6. Simple Slow Cooker Apple Sauce

apple sauce
Who needs sugar anyway? Not this delicious Slow Cooker Applesauce. It just might be the easiest recipe on this list. But that definitely doesn’t mean it’s the least flavorful! Serve it right out of the slow cooker for a warm and cozy comfort food you won’t regret eating tomorrow.

7. Butternut Squash Turkey Chili

chili
Give traditional turkey dishes a break and try this Butternut Squash Turkey Chili. Packed with all of fall’s finest flavors, it’s a satisfying soup known to prompt some bowl-licking around these parts!

8. Easy Thumbprint Cookies

easy thumbprint cookies
Volunteered to bring a post-meal treat? Show up with these Easy Thumbprint Cookies and you’ll forever be assigned to dessert duty.

9. Butternut Squash Chicken Chowder

chowder
Butternut Squash Chicken Chowder? Somebody pinch us! This soup is overflowing with flavor and texture. Dive in to a bowl before the main meal is served, and you may just be satisfied enough to skip seconds later.

10. Crock Pot Pumpkin Rice Pudding

rice pudding
This pumpkin rice pudding combines two of our favorite things: Pumpkin and rice pudding. Your guests will love the scent of pumpkin wafting through the house. But that’s nothing compared to how much they’ll love eating it.

11. Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

butternut squash soup
Are you starting to sense a theme here? We love butternut squash! That’s because it’s a seasonal staple that’s brimming with flavor… and nutrition! This soup might sound basic. But there’s nothing basic about the creamy texture and full-bodied flavor.

12. Savory Roasted Artichokes

roasted artichokes
Roasted Artichokes are a delicious side to any of your Thanksgiving main meals. Even better, they’re packed with filling fiber so you’ll be less likely to overeat dessert.

13. Crustless Pumpkin Pie

pumpkin pie
This Crustless Pumpkin Pie is a delicious way to satisfy that urge to splurge on seasonal staples without ruining your diet.

14. Honey Balsamic Glazed Carrots

carrots
These Honey Glazed Carrots are seriously scrumptious. We suggest doubling the recipe since side dishes this delicious are sure to go fast.

15. Skinny Mashed Sweet Potatoes

sweet potatoes
These healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes put a sweet twist on a Thanksgiving must-have. Sweet and creamy, they’re almost like a diet-friendly dessert.

16. 4-Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies

pumpkin brownies
These rich 4-Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies meet all of our criteria for a five-star dessert. They’re decadent, guilt-free and super simple to make.

17. Beetroot and Quinoa Superfood Salad

Beetroot Quinoa salad
This deep red Beetroot Quinoa Salad is a delicious and beautiful compliment to any of your main dishes.

18. Filling Fennel Salad

fennel salad
This Fennel Salad with apples and celery is the perfect way to cleanse your palate after some of the heavier Thanksgiving dishes.

19. 5-Ingredient Banana Nut Muffins

banana nut muffin
These Banana Nut Muffins are the perfect thing to leave out on the table for between meal noshing. Featuring just five simple ingredients and a whole lot of flavor, they’ll be a highlight of your holiday.

20. Vegetable Tian

tian
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without a vibrant veggie dish. Enter Cheesy Root Veggie Tian. It might look and sounds fancy, but it’s really quite simple to make.

21. Slow Cooker Kale & Beef Meatballs

kale and beef meatballs
These slow cooked kale and beef meatballs is a great alternative for those who are all turkey-ed out! They’re the perfect blend of hearty and healthy.

The post 21 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love appeared first on The Leaf.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How to Make a Healthy Charcuterie Board

There’s no question that charcuterie boards are currently all the rage. While it’s certainly not a new idea—in fact, charcuterie style eating dates back to the 15 th century in France, according to TimesColonist.com—social media has blown this trend up. Whether for the holidays or just an everyday get-together, a classic charcuterie board is a great way to entertain. While these delicious spreads are a ton of fun, they’re not necessarily known for being terribly healthy. After all, Oxford Languages defines charcuterie as “cold cooked meats.” A charcuterie board is traditionally known for featuring a wide variety of cured meats and cheeses. But that’s not to say that you must be resigned to certain choices. There are certainly ways to boost the nutrition power and make a healthy, low-calorie charcuterie board with ingredients that you and your guests will still love. Here are a few of our best tips. 5 Delicious Mocktail Recipes You’ll Love Read More Step 1: Make wise low-calo...

Here's when calories really matter

The divide continues to grow between those who swear by the “calories in vs. calories out” method and those who tout that body composition changes will come by following a nutrient-dense whole-food diet. When counseling clients, starting out many of them have these types of pre-conceived beliefs on how they should be losing weight or making changes to their body composition overall. Acknowledging calories continue to be a hot topic of conversation, we’ll dive into the science of calories, the complexity of them and when they really matter.   What is a calorie? A calorie, as we often see it on a nutrition label, is actually a kilocalorie. To make it simple for consumers, it became a Calorie with a capital C, and since then has been used so often without the capital C that we just use calorie. The true Calorie, or kilocalorie, is a measure of the energy required to raise one kilogram of water one degree Celsius. Originally, the calorie value of a food was determined by burning i...

What is Ranch Water? The Summer Cocktail You Need to Try

Losing weight in the summertime can be tough. From unhealthy picnic food to drinks at the beach bar, it can be hard to resist the warm weather temptations that try to sabotage your success. However, with a little planning and some simple swaps, you can stay on track with your weight loss goals while still partaking in some summer fun! All you need is some healthy recipes for the grill , some summer-inspired sweet treats and a go-to, weight loss-friendly cocktail that you can sip on all season long. For us, that cocktail is Ranch Water; the refreshing beverage that’s easy to make, easy to enjoy and easy to incorporate into your weight loss plan! What is Ranch Water? In short, Ranch Water is the trendy summer cocktail that’s perfect for chilling out and staying cool in the summer heat. It’s a super simple drink that only requires three ingredients to make: Tequila Lime juice Topo Chico Mineral Water 1 Never had Topo Chico? This refreshing water is a naturally carbonated minera...