Explore these delightful Thanksgiving side dishes that will keep you from feeling overly stuffed and lethargic after your meal.
Lemon-Garlic Green Beans with Almond Crust
4 1/2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Several cloves of minced garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Juice from one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley (optional)
Toast the almonds in a pan until golden, then grind them once cooled. Heat olive oil in a pan with the ground almonds, breadcrumbs, and garlic. Take off heat, adding parsley if desired, and set aside. Mix olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl, adding salt and pepper. Boil green beans in water for about 5 minutes, then drain and return them to the pot, pouring over the lemon-olive oil mixture. Serve on a platter with the remaining garlic-almond mixture sprinkled on top.
Cranberry-Pineapple Sauce
Cranberry sauce is essential for Thanksgiving, and this version combines sweet pineapple to minimize added sugars.
Ingredients
- 8 oz fresh cranberries
- 20 oz can of pineapple in juice
- 1/3 cup sugar, or agave syrup
Instructions
Let the mixture cool and store in a covered container in the fridge overnight. Drain the pineapple juice into a measuring cup, adding water until you reach a total of 1 cup. Combine in a saucepan with sugar and heat until boiling. Chop the cranberries in a food processor and mix them into the boiling liquid, stirring well.
Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens (approximately 10 minutes). Process the pineapple and add to the sauce, cooking for an additional minute.
Sweet Potatoes
Delight in this sweet potato dish enhanced with apples and natural sweeteners, steering clear of marshmallows.
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled
Approximately 1/3 cup olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1 tablespoon cinnamon
6 Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Pecans or walnuts for garnish, if desired
Cut the sweet potatoes into chunks after peeling. Drizzle with olive oil, honey or syrup, cinnamon, as well as salt and pepper. Peel, core, and dice the apples, mixing them with olive oil and lemon juice. Roast the potatoes at 375°F until tender, about 30 minutes. Add the apples during the last 15 minutes of baking. Mash the potatoes, stir in the apple mixture, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and optional nuts before cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste and serve.
Mom’s Lighter Stuffing
1 (12 oz) loaf of whole wheat French bread, cut into cubes
3 slices of center-cut bacon, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, minced
3 medium celery stalks, minced
10 fresh sage leaves, minced
2/3 cup chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups of fat-free chicken broth
1/2 cup water
Cooking spray
If using fresh bread, preheat your oven and bake the cubes on two baking sheets at 250°F for about 30 minutes until dry, stirring halfway through. Raise the oven temperature to 350°F. In a sizeable sauté pan, cook the minced bacon for about 2 minutes. Add the butter, and once melted, introduce the onions, celery, parsley, sage, salt, and pepper, cooking over medium-low heat until softened (5-10 minutes). Allow it to cool for a few minutes. Combine broth and the beaten egg in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, incorporate the bread with the vegetable mixture, followed by the stock and egg blend. If the stuffing appears too dry, add a small amount of water to achieve the desired texture. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, add the stuffing, and bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
Recipes provided by SkinnyTaste.com
