November 9, 2019lectinfreemama
You know, there was a time when squashes, pumpkins, potatoes, and corn served a good purpose (other than filling you up on Thanksgiving). For indigenous or any self-sufficient peoples who ate seasonally, it was actually important to use an abundant Fall harvest to prepare for a time of scarcity. Those starchy vegetables (and technically fruits) were perfect for building those fat reserves that would sustain a person through a long, cold winter.
Fast forward to now, and most of us are perpetually in a period of abundance. When the harvest is over, we’ve had our Thanksgiving, and the snow starts to fall, well, we just import our produce from somewhere warmer. So how does one celebrate the holiday and the abundant harvest without over-indulging in starchy vegetables meant to fatten us for winter?
I’m so glad you asked. Here’s an everything-but-the-turkey recipe round-up of my favorite Plant Paradox compliant Thanksgiving recipes. From quick gravy to Dr. G’s millet stuffing to hot apple pie with walnut crumble topping, I’ve got you covered for your turkey day.
Lemon Pomegranate Brussels Sprouts
The perfect pairing of tart lemon zest, sweet pomegranate seeds, and hearty Brussels sprouts for a light Thanksgiving side dish.
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved*
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ounces pomegranate seeds
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Sea salt and black pepper
- PREHEAT oven to 425 degrees F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Toss Brussels sprouts, olive oil, pomegranate seeds, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
- DIVIDE Brussels sprouts mixture evenly between two parchment-lined baking sheets. Roast for 10 minutes, and then rotate the sheets from top to bottom. Roast for another 5-10 minutes until Brussels sprouts are browned and the outer leaves are crispy. Serve immediately or reserve on the baking sheets and reheat at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes when ready to serve.
*Don’t toss the leaves that fall off. Include them in the mixture and they’ll bake into Brussels sprout chips!
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Mashed Root Vegetables
What’s Thanksgiving without the mashed potatoes? Thankfully there are many great alternatives to the starchy nightshade that are more gut-friendly, like sweet potatoes, parsnips, and cauliflower.
To get all the recipe ideas pictured above, plus instructions for cooking, see my post 3 Alternatives to Mashed Potatoes. Below is a new favorite recipe for mashed sweet potatoes. I used almond milk and President’s brand French butter.
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, diced, & baked or steamed tender
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup non-dairy compliant nut milk
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted French butter
- Dried rosemary and black pepper, for serving
MASH sweet potatoes with heavy cream, milk, and butter, until smooth. Serve topped with dried rosemary and pepper to taste.
Where to find specialty ingredients
Specialty ingredients like paleo flours, arrowroot starch, nut milk, and monk fruit sweetener are available through Thrive Market for up to 50% off store prices. Get 25% off your first order below, and stock up for your holiday baking!
Quick Vegetarian Gravy
Gravy made from turkey pan drippings isn’t the only way to enjoy savory liquid goodness over your mashed root vegetables (see above). And you don’t have to spend an hour making a roux either. There’s a quick way to do it, and it’s just as functional and delicious.
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted French butter
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Sea salt and black pepper
BRING broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk arrowroot starch and water together in a small bowl and then slowly pour into the simmering broth, whisking continuously. Cook for 1 minute until gravy thickens. Whisk in the butter and cider vinegar and season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Instant Pot Millet, Apple, & Sage Stuffing
- 2 tablespoons unsalted French butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup chopped fresh sage leaves, plus more for serving
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
- 4 stalks celery, sliced
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 1 cup millet (uncooked)
- 2 tart apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
- 2 large pastured or omega-3 eggs
- 2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- HEAT the butter and olive oil in an Instant Pot using the Sauté feature. Cook the sage, onions, celery, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper, stirring, until soft, about 6-8 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the millet and apples.
- WHISK together the eggs, broth, cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Pour into the Instant Pot and gently stir to combine. Seal the lid and valve and set to cook on High pressure for 30 minutes. Quick release the steam, remove the lid, and allow the mixture to cool 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with additional sage before serving.
Apple Pie with Walnut Crumb Topping
A traditional Thanksgiving dessert with a unique, crunchy crumb topping.
- 1 lectin-free pie crust (click for my recipe)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted French butter
- 4 tablespoons golden granular sweetener, divided
- 1 tablespoon raw, local honey
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
- Sea salt
- 5 Staymen Winesap apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- ½ cup all-purpose lectin-free flour blend
- ¾ cup raw walnuts
- Whipped organic heavy cream, for serving
- PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees F with a rack on the bottom rung. Roll the pie crust into a 12-inch round and press into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold under the edges and crimp, if desired. Place in fridge until ready to fill.
- MELT 2 tablespoons butter and whisk together with 1 tablespoon sweetener, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Pour over the apples in a large bowl and quickly stir to coat thoroughly (before the butter hardens). Reserve.
- COMBINE flour, walnuts, remaining sweetener and ¼ teaspoon salt in a food processor. Cut in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in small pieces and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (don’t over-process).
- ASSEMBLE the pie by spreading the apple filling over the chilled pie crust and evenly spreading the crumbs over top. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 20 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake another 45-50 minutes until the crumb topping is golden brown and the apples are soft. Serve with whipped cream.
