Brimming with colors and flavors, this Thanksgiving menu is a delightful healthy feast bringing together fifteen vegetables and fruits (cranberries, blueberries and apple), whole grains, four herbs and three different nuts.
My intention was to celebrate nature’s bounty; the end result is dairy-free, mostly gluten-free with plenty of vegan food.
Taking the flour out of breakfast is one of the best things we can do for our health. It’s been a challenge! But over gradually I’ve found some tried and true favorites that are more nutrient-dense. My basic guidelines are:
Sweet Potato Muffins – Happy Healthy Mama
I make a batch of breakfast sausage to go along with them. Add additional spices (ginger, pinch of cloves…), top with nuts or pumpkin seeds. They also make a great afternoon snack.
Healthy Quinoa Breakfast Bowl – Color My Food
Versatile, variable and satiating, this is one of my all time favorite breakfast options. You can change it up so many ways with fruits or veggies, spices, nuts/seeds, nut butters. Mix in kefir, Greek yogurt, milk of choice or drizzle coconut milk over it.Eat color or warm. Pack it in a mason jar to go.Go seasonal. Swweet potato, dried cranberries and toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds). Pear/cardamom/pistachio. Blueberry/lemon/pecan. Mhmmm, so many possibilities.
Overnight Buckwheat Groats – Fool Proof Living
A great alternative to overnight oats with all the benefits: make ahead, easy, delicious and nutritious. Also versatile: use different fresh and dried fruits, spices, nuts and seeds. I’ve discovered buckwheat is protein-rich and also fairly free of pesticides. Did you know that despite the name, buckwheat isn’t’ even related to wheat? It’s the seed of a plant related to rhubarb.
[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”Margaret Wittenberg” source_title=”The Essential Good Food Guide” full_quote=”Buckwheat is rarely grown with agricultural chemicals. Fertilizer tends to encourage too much leaf growth, and pesticides harm or kill the bees needed for pollination. Because it contains all the essential amino acids, including lysine, buckwheat can almost be considered a complete protein. It also contains good amounts of calcium, iron and B vitamins” short_quote=”Because it contains all the essential amino acids, buckwheat can almost be considered a complete protein. “]Oatless Oatmeal – Dr. David Perlmutter
This sounds contradictory but it really gives the sensation of oatmeal without the oats. Dr. Walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds, pumpkins seeds and almond butter makes this a stellar nutrient-dense, breakfast. This is from Dr. Perlmutter a preeminent neurologist and authority on brain health (author of Grain Brain ) You can use different nuts and seeds, use different spices, top it with seasonal fruits.
Sweet Potato Hash – Delicious Meets Healthy
Egg-based breakfasts are part my weekend. Make enough to have later in the week. Love this hash for the versatility. Use it as a base recipe and add other veggies, use sausage or leftover chicken, add spices: cumin for Mexican, oregano and basil for Mediterranean, turmeric, cinnamon and cumin for a Moroccan flavor print.
Huevos Rancheros Casserole – A Zesty Bite
You can add nutrients simply by adding beans, and toppings: salsa, guacamole, hot peppers, chopped cilantro.
Toasted Coconut Berry Grain-Free Granola
Granola is a staple in my house. I use this one to top chia puddings, oatmeal or on a baked sweet potato. It’s spectacularly delicious. It also makes a marvelous gift for gluten-free friends.
Green Smoothie Bowls – Simple Green Smoothies
Last but not least, smoothie bowls make an awesome breakfast. Pay attention to the macronutrient ratio. Make sure you’re getting protein and healthy fats.
Which one is calling your name?
For More Empowerment
Five Favorite Chia Puddings – Yovana Mendoza
These are a wonderful make-ahead, and “take-it-to-go” option. Originating in Mexico where ancient Mayans and Aztecs recognized chia as an exceptional source of nutrients, these tiny seeds are rich in omega-3 fats, higher in dietary fiber than flax seed and loaded with antioxidants and minerals.
Do you have a favorite gluten-free breakfast option?
The mushroom leek stuffed pork tenderloin makes an elegant dinner. It delights me that there are more than twelve plant foods in this meal, but it is so delicious no one enjoying it thought of it as a “healthy” dinner.
Gluten-free, flourless and fast, these blender muffins are spectacularly delicious. And not just for gluten-free eaters, but all eaters great and small. Some recipes use nut butter as a key ingredient, other recipes use oats and yogurt. I top them with nuts, berries and other fruits, enhancing their wide range of flavors .
Absolutely spectacularly chocolaty, crispy on the outside, somewhat gooey-chewy inside. One of my all-time favorite cookie recipes. Gluten-free too.
Active Time: 10 min
Total Time: 50 minutes
Because it’s tasty, hearty and nutritious, this is a regular fall dinner at our house. It can be made a day or two early for those busy weeknights.
Variations:
It’s a great way to use leftover Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Puree after Thanksgiving. Layer it over the leftover Wild Rice, Turkey Sausage and Leek Stuffing. If no stuffing is left, make the filling with leftover turkey instead of turkey sausage.
Serve it with Kale, Apple and Cranberry Salad with Pumpkin Seeds
Absolutely spectacularly chocolaty, crispy on the outside, somewhat gooey-chewy inside. One of my all-time favorite cookie recipes. Gluten-free too.
Active Time: 10 min
Total Time: 50 minutes
Because it’s tasty, hearty and nutritious, this is a regular fall dinner at our house. It can be made a day or two early for those busy weeknights.
Variations:
It’s a great way to use leftover Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Puree after Thanksgiving. Layer it over the leftover Wild Rice, Turkey Sausage and Leek Stuffing. If no stuffing is left, make the filling with leftover turkey instead of turkey sausage.
Serve it with Kale, Apple and Cranberry Salad with Pumpkin Seeds