It’s that time of year again… the holidays are right around the corner and this means lots of opportunity to make delicious special dishes that are actually good for you, too!
Chef James and I are working hard on another project right now, so we didn’t have time to come up with any new recipes for you, so I reached out to some of my favorite other bloggers to get THEIR favorite recipes. This is the best of the best!
Check out this delicious Roasted Sweet Potato Puree with Coconut, Orange and Ginger from Ariana at And Here We Are. In her words: “This is one thing that I have made every single year, for almost 15 years. I came up with this recipe in my vegan days, and even though I’m now an enthusiastic omnivore, it’s still exactly how my family and I want our sweet potatoes! It’s also a great option for anyone who doesn’t tolerate dairy.”
Here’s another delicious sweet potato recipe – a little something to mix it up from that horrid marshmallow-covered nightmare you see so often. Raia from Raia’s Recipes has a great alternative: Honey Spiced Sweet Potatoes. With this yummy recipe you get all of the sweet with none of the syrupy nastiness. In her words: “I am SO not a fan of those sweet potatoes with marshmallows that my relatives always brought over for the holidays, so this is my version, which is 100x better IMHO.”
Here’s one that looks delicious if you eat grains: Autumn Rice Pilaf by Tiffany at Don’t Waste the Crumbs. In her words: “My favorite holiday side dish because it’s practically effortless, can be made ahead of time, suitable for almost all allergies and fits with whatever you currently have in the pantry. And it’s very, very frugal!” Not to mention it looks beautiful!
What about this Grain-free Stuffing by Trisha at Go Eat Your Beets? Perfect for anyone on GAPS or other special diets! In her words: “This stuffing (or dressing I suppose, since we don’t actually STUFF it) was really important for me to create. It is delicious and you don’t need any gluten free bread, etc. When we started GAPS with my youngest I was really worried about Thanksgiving because I do it up big for that holiday. I wanted to make sure he could eat EVERYTHING I made and at that time he couldn’t tolerate almonds or coconut, so it’s just sausage and veggies.”
Here’s another delicious paleo and GAPS-style grain-free stuffing from Megan at Eat Beautiful. In her words: “Stuffing is the ultimate comfort food. We LOVE this recipe because it’s “bread” for those of us who are grain-free. It’s not just bread actually: it’s full of butter and bone broth and sausage and spices and caramelized onions and cauliflower. Delicious!!”
This paleo Pumpkin Pudding by Sylvie at Hollywood Homestead looks incredible! And I’m always looking for easy do-ahead dishes that can be whipped out whenever you need them. In her words: “It’s quick to put together and can be done ahead of time so you can focus on making the main entree and just pop them out of the fridge when you’re ready to serve!” Yum!
Personally, this is my favorite use for cauliflower: Creamy Cauliflower Fauxtatoes by Kate at Real Food RN. In her words: “LOVE my creamy fauxtatoes because they have the same texture and flavor of the real thing, but with much less effect on your blood sugar!” I agree entirely! These will definitely be on our Thanksgiving menu.
Okay, so there could be NOTHING worse than a dry turkey on Thanksgiving. Dry turkeys make me want to cry, but they are so common! Not with this fabulous tip from Emily at Holistic Squid. Check out her Butter Rub technique. She says herself “Makes the most moist and delicious turkey!” I’m in!
You guys know how much I love cultured foods, so imagine how delighted I was to come upon this gem from Jacquelyn at Little Owl Crunchy Momma: Cultured Cranberry Sauce. In her words: “It’s a fun take on an old tradition with a burst of probiotics to help you digest that holiday meal. It’s absolutely delicious, refreshing and just beautiful.”
Who doesn’t love eggnog!? I do, but it’s definitely a guilty pleasure. Here’s a great recipe for eggnog that actually boosts your metabolism! Sound too good to be true? Check out this Metabolism-Boosting Raw Egg Nog recipe from Kristen at MIX Wellness. In her words: “Takes the guilt out of your annual egg nog indulgence, with a secret, metabolism-boosting ingredient!”
Cranberry sauce is a Thanksgiving staple, but there’s got to be other things you can do with these little nutrient-dense powerhouses? Lisa from Real Food Kosher has the answer: Cranberry Crumb Bars with Pecans and Rosemary. Yum! As she says: “I love this recipe because I love cranberries and wanted them in a dessert. You can also use leftover cranberry sauce for the filling. And everyone loves it from kids to adults – and it’s easy to make ahead.”
For some of us with dietary restrictions, the holidays can mean deprivation, and that’s no fun at all. Kelly from Primally Inspired knows this well: “Where I come from, Thanksgiving isn’t complete without a pumpkin roll. But during my first year of eating strictly grain-free, I felt so deprived on Thanksgiving because I didn’t have a slice of that white flour, sugary laden pumpkin roll. The very next day, I made it my mission to create a grain-free, healthier version. This grain-free and paleo friendly pumpkin roll is now requested at each Thanksgiving. It’s the real deal — even my gluten loving family approves!”
Here’s another delicious holiday classic conversion: Steamed Persimmon Pudding by Trish at Keep the Beet. This recipe is GAPS-friendly, Auto-Immune Paleo, grain-free, sugar-free AND egg-free. But no less delicious. As Trish says: “I love this recipe as I converted it from a traditional old family recipe and I find this new version even better: delicious, rich and great for the Holidays!”
If you’re a pumpkin pie lover, you may want to give this one a try: Crustless Butternut Squash pie. Rumor has it, it has even better flavor than pumpkin, and is super easy to make! Not to mention no crust = no fuss. Check out this creative recipe from Alisa at Paleo in PDX.
And for the purists out there, here is a simple and delicious pumpkin pie recipe by Dina-Marie at Cultured Palate. In her words: “Being a type A personality, this is my favorite Pumpkin Pie recipe – it is made in the blender and poured into the pie crusts and baked – talk about easy – there is next to nothing to clean up!”
Now just in case you think I have a hate-on for marshmallows, that couldn’t be further from the truth. But the chemical-laden store-bought concoctions have got to move over for this goodness: Honey-Sweetened Cinnamon Marshmallows by Emily from Recipes to Nourish. In her words: “Homemade marshmallows are one of my favorite things to make for the holidays. Not only does my family love to eat them and enjoy them with a cup of hot chocolate … we love to give them away as gifts too. Everyone is always thrilled when they get a little package full of homemade marshmallows. They’re absolutely delicious.”
For the truffle lovers among us, these are a must-try. Gingerbread Truffles by Jenny at Au Naturale Nutrition. In her own words: “When I was a little girl, we’d make gingerbread men, and part of the fun was eating some of the dough leftover from the cookie cut-outs. I think these truffles taste just like that yummy dough. Oh… the good ol’ days!” Did we mention these are no bake, gluten free, and dairy free – just the good stuff!
Here’s a fun seasonal treat: Almond Butter Pumpkin Bars by Kim of Nearly Natural Momma. Have it for breakfast with butter and your hot beverage of choice. Yum!
No time to check out the recipes now? Pin it for later!
This is wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing collection. I love how personal it is too. Thank you for sharing one of my recipes too.
Honey spiced sweet potatoes looks great!