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Combine traditional fare along with raw and vegan options. These options are more eco-friendly, and usually healthier. (Photo © Stephanie Frey | Dreamstime.com)
As we move into the cooler months, the weather conjures up thoughts of the traditional Thanksgiving feast. Your idea of traditional fare depends on what part of the country you grew up in but, most importantly, what foods make you smile when you think about Thanksgiving?
For me, the holiday evokes aromas of roasted, succulent turkey and Grandma’s cornbread stuffing, along with freshly cooked cranberries, mashed sweet potatoes, garden-grown green beans with crisped onions, and, of course, pumpkin pie—my favorite!
Over the past 10 years, I have had the wonderful opportunity to combine traditional fare along with raw and vegan options. These options are more eco-friendly, and usually healthier. Here are some great dishes to try. We are not going to talk turkey here, and I will leave the main course up to you!
These recipes will have your family and guests smiling:
Thanksgiving Menu
Tropical Fruit Salad with Arugula and Goat Cheese
Ingredients:
1 medium shallot (1 to 2 ounces), sliced into very thin rings
2 tablespoons Champagne or rice vinegar
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 cups baby arugula or watercress
1/4 cup roasted, salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh mint
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil
Freshly ground black pepper
3 medium-firm to ripe avocados (6 to 7 ounces each), pitted, peeled, and sliced lengthwise 1/4-inch thick
2 kiwis, peeled, halved, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 medium mango seeded, peeled, and sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
Directions
In a medium bowl, toss the shallot with the Champagne vinegar and a pinch of salt and set aside for 10 minutes, stirring once. Drain the shallot into a small bowl and reserve the vinegar. Whisk the olive oil and red wine vinegar into the shallot vinegar.
In a medium bowl, toss 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette with the pickled shallots, arugula or watercress, pistachios, mint, basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Arrange the avocado, kiwi, mango, and pineapple on a platter. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the arugula mixture and crumbled goat cheese, and serve immediately.
Serves 4 to 6 people. (Based on a recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine, volume 103, page 49)
This recipe is so easy to make, healthy, and rich in live enzymes. Serve at room temperature.
Ingredients:
3 cups carrots, chopped
2 cups water
2 avocados (hass variety )
1 clove garlic
3 teaspoons ginger juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
In a high-speed blender or Vitamix, process all ingredients until smooth and creamy. (From Gabriel Cousens, Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine)
Surprise South Beach Diet Mashed “Potatoes”
Once you try these, you may never go back to regular potatoes again!
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds cauliflower, cut into large florets (about 8 cups)
3 cloves garlic peeled
2 of 14 ounce lower-sodium chicken broth (I use low-sodium, organic vegetable broth)
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh chopped parsley or basil, to garnish with
Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine cauliflower, garlic, and broth. If cauliflower is not completely covered by broth, add water to just cover. Bring to a casino boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 12 minutes.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid, then drain cauliflower and garlic. Transfer cauliflower and garlic to the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, pulsing in some or all of the reserved cooking liquid, if necessary, to moisten mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, place garnish on top and serve warm.
(From South Beach Diet Supercharged by Arthur Agatston, MD)
Ingredients:
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, yellowed leaves and stem end trimmed off
¼ cup pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil of choice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place a casserole dish inside to heat up.
Quarter the Brussels sprouts and add them to the hot casserole dish along with the pecans, oil, salt, and pepper. Toss the vegetables to coat and then bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender and very lightly browned.
Remove from the oven, toss with the butter, and serve hot.
Serves 4 to 6 people. (From The Blackberry Farm Cookbook by Sam Beall)
Once you try this, you may never want baked apple pie again. This is the perfect season to use fresh apples!
Almond Pie Crust:
2 cups almonds, dry
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups pitted dates
Syrup:
1/2 cup pitted dates
1 orange, peeled and seeded
water, as needed
Filling:
5 cups apples, peeled, seeded, thinly sliced, about 5 or 6 apples
1 cup raisins
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Directions:
To make crust, pulse almonds and salt in food processor until nuts are in small pieces. You want your crust to have chunks of almonds in it, so do not over process. Use some of the finer powder to “flour” the bottom of your pie dish.
Slowly add dates into processor in small batches to mix with almond bits. The dates will bind the almonds to form a dough. Press dough into the bottom of “floured” pie pan. Set aside (and try not to eat all your crust while you”re preparing everything else!).
To make syrup, place orange into your blender first. Then add dates and blend. If needed, add small amounts of water to help everything mix well (I haven”t “needed” this but like to add the water to make more volume of the syrup). Set aside.
To make filling, place sliced apples in a large bowl with raisins. Toss with cinnamon and syrup. Spoon filling into pie crust. Will keep for several days in the fridge. (That is, in the unlikely event that you have any leftovers.) (From Ani Phyo’s Raw Food Kitchen)
Have some great recipes of your own? Share them on our Facebook page! Now have a wonderful, eco-friendly feast.
For related articles, see:
Recipe for Healthy Eating: It”s “Morselicious”
White Christmas—How About a Green Thanksgiving?
Gobble Gobble Green
© 2011 SCGH, LLC.
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