Time to gather around the table with your family for Thanksgiving this week. Thanksgiving is the official start to the holiday season, which can leave you with extra pounds on your waistline by the time New Year rolls around. We want you to enjoy every part of Thursday, especially the food. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite side dishes that focus on whole, fresh ingredients that are satisfying but won’t weigh you down.
Italian Turkey Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing
Forget stuffing from a box. One of our reader’s sent us her stuffing recipe for a healthy makeover. The stuffing recipe is now lighter and fresher, swapping ingredients like Craisins for real cranberries. You, too, can enjoy our Italian Turkey Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing with reduced calories, fat, and sugar.
Need a delicious and healthy holiday appetizer? Stay away from the cheese dips and try our Pumpkin Hummus! People usually have pumpkin in a dessert after dinner, but our pumpkin appetizer is healthier and delicious enough to kick off the day!
Mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple! Try to add something new to your traditional mash with one of our newly “pimped” recipes. One includes creamed kale. Another is topped with balsamic caramelized onions for a Paleo option. The last recipe has beets, parsnips, turnips, and pears.
Steamed cauliflower for a side dish at Thanksgiving sounds a little boring, right? Try to make some roasted cauliflower, which is a favorite vegan side dish of Bob Harper’s! A few herbs will add subtle flavor to this wholesome side dish.
Need a diabetic friendly side dish? Our Cornbread Dressing recipe is suitable for diabetics! It is easy to make and will taste just like how grandmother used to, but be so much better for you.
Canned green beans are a miss this Thanksgiving! A healthy holiday meal calls for fresh green beans like you’ll find in this Almond-Green Bean Salad recipe adapted from the Almond Board as a delicious and fresh side dish.
Molasses Whipped Sweet Potatoes
If you love hearty root vegetable, then you’ll love this Molasses Whipped Sweet Potatoes recipe! This was originally served at President Obama’s inaugural luncheon in 2005, but it’s perfect for setting a Thanksgiving table.
Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
Nutritious America has a kid-approved recipe for mac and cheese with butternut squash! It’s healthier than any macaroni and cheese you get from a box and far less fattening that the standard baked version. The kids at your Thanksgiving meal will approve of this guilt-free side.
Crispy Onion-Green Bean-Mushroom Casserole
Chef Aida Mollenkamp created a healthier version of the classic green bean casserole for Biggest Loser 12. Green bean casseroles are a Thanksgiving favorite, but after a healthy makeover it is still packed with flavor, but with less fat and calories!
Another dish created by Chef Aida Mollenkamp for Biggest Loser 12 is an Orange-Cranberry Relish. Ditch the canned cranberry jelly “stuff” and serve this bright, sweet dish instead for a true taste of how cranberries should be enjoyed.