Thanksgiving Feast Recipe Round-Up

Here are some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes to get you through the big day tomorrow! Since turkey is the main star of the show, I included the top 20 recipes in the following categories: breakfast, sides, and desserts!

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday tomorrow! Happy Thanksgiving!!

Breakfast:
Pumpkin Spice Muffins (GF if using all-purpose GF flour)

These muffins are soft, full of pumpkin flavor, and not overly sweet. I included ways to make them a tad bit healthier in case you want to save your indulging for the dessert table!

Apple Crisp Muffins

All the flavors of an apple crisp, in muffin form! These are really good and taste like eating dessert for breakfast!

Pumpkin Spice Latte (GF, use non-dairy milk for vegan)

Skip the Starbucks line–this is the best way to start Thanksgiving morning! Double the recipe for a bigger crowd.

Homemade Sausage Balls (No-Bisquick!)

Flour, baking powder and salt replace the bisquick in these homemade sausage balls. They’ll be gone quick!

Sides:

100% Whole Wheat Soft Dinner Rolls (vegetarian)

These do take a little bit of time to assemble but they are so worth it! Soft, fluffy dinner rolls always have a place on the Thanksgiving table, right? Right.

Roasted Spiced Sweet Potatoes (GF, vegetarian, vegan)

One of the most popular recipes on the blog! Super easy, and super delicious.

Skinny Garlic Mashed Potatoes (GF, vegetarian option)

Garlic transforms these mashed potatoes in a major way while milk, light sour cream, and broth keep the potatoes soft and smooth. Again, this recipe is great if you want to save your calories for another side or dessert.

Autumn Chopped Salad (GF, optional vegetarian/vegan)

LOVE this salad! It is always a hit. Apples, pears, peanuts, dried cranberries, feta, bacon, and a poppyseed dressing–you’ll want to leave a little bit of room for this on your plate!

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Kale (GF, vegan)

This salad is tangy, savory, and filling. Lots of textures make this dish really interesting!

Roasted Green Beans (GF, vegan)

Hands-down, the best way to prepare green beans. Sprinkle a bit of shredded parmesan on the top and these are to die for!

Roasted Parmesan Sweet Potatoes (GF)

A more savory option for sweet potatoes (as opposed to the spiced version above which is sweeter). Easy and delicious!

Butternut Squash Soup (GF, DF, vegan, paleo)

A small ramekin of this soup would be an awesome side dish for Thanksgiving! It has a little bit of a kick (if you want it!) and caters to every family member’s dietary restrictions.

Parmesan Upside-Down Baked Potatoes (GF, vegetarian)

Last year’s top recipe–and for good reason! These are awesome!

Farro with Roasted Green Beans, Cranberries, and Feta (vegetarian, omit cheese for vegan)

Farro has an awesome texture and this combination just screams fall!

Baked Spaghetti Squash and Cheese (GF if using corn starch)

This casserole tastes super rich thanks to a butter/flour roux and cheddar cheese! One of my favorites.

Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash (GF, vegetarian)

My favorite way to prepare butternut squash. Parmesan, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper transform this butternut squash into something special. Not too soft, not too firm–just perfect!

Desserts:

The Best Apple Pie Ever. (vegetarian)

The title says it all! This is literally THE BEST apple pie I’ve ever made, and it’s the only dessert I’m bringing to Thanksgiving this year! I make it with my one minute home-made pie crust.

Chocolate Puffs with Mascarpone Cream (Vegetarian)

If you want a show-stopping, mouth-watering, completely unique dessert, you should make these. They look and taste gourmet!

Perfectly Chocolate Cake with Nutella Buttercream Frosting (Vegetarian)

This one is for all the chocolate lovers out there! This is the only chocolate cake recipe I use now! It truly is perfect, and the nutella buttercream is an awesome flavor combination.

Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies (vegetarian)

Umm yeah. Just look at that! I don’t think I need to convince you how awesome these are!

 

 

 

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Spinach and Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potatoes. (GF)

 5 simple ingredients come together to create a comforting side dish perfect for holidays, guests, or just a weeknight meal!

It’s the week of Thanksgiving!!! The last month has been an absolute WHIRLWIND and I’m so thankful for a week off to catch up on every area of my life. You too? I thought so.

All you need is a scoop of creamy, lusciously savory spinach & goat cheese mashed sweet potatoes to know holiday time is here. Not that you couldn’t make it year-round (guilty!), but it’s the type of dish that looks and tastes fancy. I mean spinach + goat cheese + sweet potatoes? That could definitely be on a restaurant menu.

So, if you’re looking for a really unique side to bring to impress all your foodie friends, or you just want to step up your weeknight dinner game, you’ve got to make this dish.

Also–feel free to swap out the spinach for kale depending on what you have on hand! Enjoy!

Spinach and Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potato

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes (I used 1 large and 2 medium)
• 4 cups chopped spinach
• 3/4-1 cup milk (I used non-fat)
• 4 oz goat cheese
• Freshly cracked pepper and sea salt

1). Bring a large pot of water to a boil Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-2 inch cubes. Add the sweet potatoes to the boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes or until softened.

2). Drain the sweet potatoes. To the now empty pot, add the spinach, milk, and goat cheese and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, until the spinach has wilted. Turn off the heat and add salt and pepper.

3). Add the sweet potatoes back to the pot. Mash until you reach your preferred consistency. Add more milk if necessary. Enjoy!

Servings: about 4. Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories: 181 Carbs: 22g Fat: 6g Protein: 10g Fiber: 3g Points+: 5 
Recipe adapted from here. Adapted recipe courtesy of Audrey’s Apron.

Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash

I absolutely LOVE butternut squash. It is one of my favorite root vegetables, and I love it in soups, pasta sauces, or simply roasted by itself. Roasting vegetables seems to be my go-to method, but that does not mean it has to result in redundant dishes! A couple of flavorful additions make this butternut squash fantastic. The key player here is the parmesan cheese. A little bit goes a long way! I used 2 pounds of chopped butternut squash and only 1/4 cup of cheese. You could certainly use more if you prefer.

The texture of the squash was perfect–not too firm but definitely not mushy. I do not care for mushy squash! I liken this to the “al dente” bite of pasta when cooked properly. Plus, this is so simple to make; a quick toss and this dish is ready to go in the oven. The parchment paper ensures the squash will cook evenly and without sticking. I made this side dish for my family this past weekend and we all enjoyed it a lot!

This is quickly becoming my favorite way to cook butternut squash and I think even picky eaters will love it! I may never roast “plain” butternut squash again.

This would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving meal as well!

Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chopped butternut squash
• 1-2 tbsp EVOO
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsely, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large ziplokc bag, combine all of the ingredients. Shake to mix well.

2) Transfer to a parchment-lined baking pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender.

Servings: 8. Nutritional Information per serving: Calories: 97 Fat: 5g Carbs: 10g Protein: 4g Fiber: 2g

WW PointsPlus: 3

Recipe adapted from http://ohsheglows.com/2009/02/08/garlicky-baked-butternut-squash/