3 Healthy Thanksgiving Sides You'll ACTUALLY Wanna Eat

Alexa Luckenbach
Nov 15, 2017
5 min read

I'M BACK!!! I know, I know, its been SO long since I blogged last. For those who don't know, I've actually been sharing my journey via blog for YEARS and it was really one of the first things I did to share about my health and wellness journey. (Here is one of my FIRST blog posts from Spring of 2014 when I hit my first major milestone of losing 50 lbs on my journey.)

I LOVE blogging because it allows me to write a little longer and really just get my thoughts and feelings out! My goal is to pump out at least ONE blog post a week from now on and I'm sharing that today, November 15, 2017, to hold myself accountable!!

That being said, can we take a quick moment to acknowledge that Thanksgiving is next week?! What in the ACTUAL fuck?? I can't believe it but hey, I LOVE me some Thanksgiving food!! Especially now that I'm 10-almost 11 weeks preggo - I'll be 12 weeks on the dot next Thursday on Thanksgiving, and will be for sure getting DOWN on some stuffing and mashed potatoes!

But one thing I will be trying is at least adding in a LITTLE more veggie love to our Thanksgiving table this year!! I'm not saying you can't indulge on your faves - girl, eat that pumpkin pie like you mean it! But adding in some extra veggies is good for you, your family and will help offset the Thanksgiving indulgence just a tad!!

I found 3 veggie side recipes that ACTUALLY look freaking delicious, and wanted to share with you to show that veggies on Thanksgiving do NOT have to be boring and neglected on your table!!

Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Maple Glaze

There is nothing I love quite more in the fall than maple things - the sweetness and flavor just makes EVERYTHING taste better - including roasted carrots!! Give this easy recipe a try to add some fall flava to your veggies!

Recipe by Beachbody Blog

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

Parchment paper
Nonstick cooking spray
2 lbs . small rainbow heirloom carrots (or baby carrots), scrubbed, tops trimmed to ½-inch, cut in half lengthwise
1 Tbsp . + 1 tsp. olive oil
½ tsp . sea salt (or Himalayan salt), divided use
½ tsp . ground black pepper , divided use
¼ cup pure maple syrup (preferably dark amber)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ tsp . ground cumin

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450º F.
Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly coat with spray. Set aside.
Combine carrots, oil, ¼ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper in a large bowl; toss gently to blend.
Spread evenly on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, rotating pan once, or until carrots are crisp.
While carrots are baking make glaze. Combine maple syrup, vinegar, cumin, remaining ¼ tsp. salt, and remaining ¼ tsp. pepper in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; gently boil for 15 to 20 minutes, or until glaze has thickened. Remove from heat.
Pour glaze over carrots; toss gently to blend. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender-crisp, and glaze is shiny.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Figs & Goat Cheese

The combo of sweetness from the sweet potatoes and figs combined with the creaminess of goat cheese is literally one of THE best you will have. Pretty sure this will be a bigger hit than you may expect from a typical veggie side dish.

Recipe from Beachbody Blog

Total Time: 40 min. Prep Time: 10 min. Cooking Time: 30 min. Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch thick lengthwise batons
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. chipotle chili powder (or chili powder)
Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) (to taste; optional)
4 ripe medium figs, cut into quarters
4 tsp. crumbled goat cheese
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° F.
Place sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil; toss gently to coat.
Season with chili powder and salt; toss gently to coat.
Spread sweet potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, turning once, until brown and tender.
Cool for 5 minutes.
Serve sweet potatoes topped evenly with figs and cheese. Drizzle evenly with vinegar.

Cauliflower Pumpkin Casserole

I know this may seem like an interesting combo, but this casserole is packed with flavor and has a creamy, cheesy sauce that brings it all together. Don't knock it til you try it, yo!

Recipe from Fixate

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 48 minutes

Total Time: 58 minutes

Servings: 6 servings, about ¾ cup each

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower , cut into florets
Nonstick cooking spray
Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground white pepper
(to taste; optional)
¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
⅓ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup pure pumpkin puree
1 tsp . Dijon mustard
¼ cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425° F.
Place cauliflower on baking sheet that has been lightly coated with spray.
Season with salt and pepper if desired.
Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
While cauliflower is cooking, bring almond milk to a boil in medium saucepan over medium high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Add cheese, pumpkin, and mustard; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until well blended.
Add cauliflower; mix well.
Pour cauliflower minute into 8 x 8-inch casserole dish that has been lightly coated with spray.
Top with bread crumbs.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Wanna get healthy with me in December?!

I KNOW how tricky this time of year can be when it comes to eating healthy. Maybe you'll read through these recipes and think - yeah it sounds nice to be eating healthy on Thanksgiving, but can I really do that?? The answer is YES and I truly believe with the right support system, a plan to follow to keep you going, and a realization of your WHY (ask yourself - why do I wanna get healthy, or lose weight, or lower my blood pressure, etc.? What can it do for me in the long run? What about my family?) you CAN do this.

I want to help you make it happen. I will be hosting a NEW challenge in December with my team to help you get on track with your goals. We KNOW December can be hard, but you don't have to try to do this on your own - let me help you get a headstart on your resolutions!

Apply to join my December Healthy Through the Holidays Challenge and I'll reach out to you about getting set up to get a headstart on your resolutions!