It's hard to believe that 2021 is winding down. As Thanksgiving approaches, I hope that you're all able to celebrate the harvest and other blessings this past year. With a full heart and grateful spirit, I would like to share some healthful recipes with all of you that I hope you enjoy.

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

So, why would we want to mash cauliflower? For one, it's a cruciferous vegetable rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, such as glucosinolates that have a favorable effect on hormone metabolism and offer anti-cancer activity. Additionally, if you're trying to limit carbohydrates, hence limiting your consumption of mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower may be a great alternative or merely something different and a new way to include more vegetables into your diet.

Recipe adapted from Love & Lemons https://www.loveandlemons.com

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower, 2 pounds, chopped

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter [Miyoko’s is tasty]

• 7 cloves roasted garlic

• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Chives, for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Slice off top of the head of the garlic. Drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in foil and place in a shallow dish. Roast until soft, ~40 minutes. Once cool, cloves can be squeezed out.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and boil until knife-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a food processor.

3. Puree the cauliflower with the butter, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Season to taste and garnish with chives, if desired. Just a note that my family preferred the texture when I pureed the cauliflower for a shorter time, less creamy and also less like baby food. Prepare as you would enjoy most!

Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions

These 'baby cabbages' are also part of the cruciferous vegetable family. Brussels sprouts contain the highest glucosinolate content of all. Additionally, they're rich in vitamin C, vitamin, K, and dietary fiber. Beyond their anti-cancer benefits, they offer cardiovascular protection as well. The bioactive compounds in Brussels sprouts help reduce inflammation, strengthen immune function, and promote natural detoxification.

Recipe adapted from The Vegan Table written by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, cut in half

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground

• Spritz of extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2/3 cup pistachios, toasted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Alternatively, you can air-fry the Brussels sprouts for 20 minutes at 390° F.

2. Place Brussels sprouts in a large bowl or cookie sheet; spritz with olive oil, add salt and pepper, and mix.

3. Place in oven or air fryer until roasted, ~20-40 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add olive oil and onions at medium heat. Continue stirring occasionally until onions are caramelized, approximately 20-30 minutes.

5. While onions and Brussels sprouts are cook, toast the pistachios at 200° F for a few minutes. Let cool and coarsely chop.

6. Toss together onions, Brussels sprouts, and toasted pistachios.

Cranberry Sauce 

Brightly colored cranberries are loaded with protective phytochemicals, including polyphenols, anythocyanins, and ellagic acid. And they're rich in vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber. The challenge - they're VERY tart. Traditionally, cranberry sauce recipes contain considerable sugar to balance the tartness. I created this recipe with very little added sugar using 100% pure monk fruit extract powder, which has no effect on your blood sugar. You could use all monk fruit and no maple syrup; I found it doable, my family was not so thrilled. Hence, I created a recipe with a blend of monk fruit and maple syrup. 

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained

• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated

• 2 tablespoons orange zest

• 1/3 cup orange juice

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1/4 teaspoon 100% monk fruit extract powder

• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Rinse cranberries and discard any squishy ones.

2. Add cranberries, maple syrup, monk fruit, and orange juice to a small pot.

3. Bring to a boil covered, reduce heat to medium and cook for 6 minutes.

4. Remove lid, add ginger, orange zest, and cinnamon, stir and cook for 3 more minutes or until cranberry sauce has thickened.

Pumpkin Pie

Adapted from the kitchen of Café Gratitude

This is a non-traditional pumpkin pie recipe - it's vegan, raw, very low in added sugar, and gluten free. Hope you enjoy it, I find this pie delicious.

Ingredients
For the crust:

• 2 ½ cups pecans

• ¼ cup well-packed, finely chopped dates

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla

• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

For the filling:

• 3 cups butternut squash (shredded and medium-packed)

• 1 ½ cups coconut milk

• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut nectar

• 1 tablespoon vanilla

• 2 pinches sea salt

• 2 teaspoons ginger powder

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/8 teaspoon clove

• Pinch of turmeric

• 2 tablespoons lecithin

• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons raw coconut butter

Garnish:

• ½ cup pecans

Instructions
To make the crust:
In the bowl of your food processor fitted with the ‘S’ blade, process pecans, vanilla, and salt briefly. Continue processing while adding small amounts of the date until crust sticks together. Press crust into a greased 9-inch pie pan.

To make the filling:
Blend all ingredients except lecithin and coconut butter until smooth. Then add lecithin and coconut butter, blending until well incorporated. Pour into prepared crust and set in fridge/freezer (about 30-45 minutes). Once set, decorate with pecans.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

All the best,

Natalie