Desserts are many people’s favorite part of Thanksgiving. Carb loaded crusts, pastries, cookies and sugary fillings frequently make desserts something to avoid for those of us with blood sugar concerns. With Thanksgiving coming up this week, we wanted to give you some last-minute recipes. Maybe you haven’t decided what you’re bringing to the potluck or maybe you’re already looking toward other winter holiday feasts, either way, we hope these recipes for the quintessential holiday flavors of apple, pumpkin and pecan help you through the season!
There are few things better than apple picking in the autumn: the crisp air and going home with delicious fruit. Apples, while quite high in carbs, are high in fiber and some studies have found they can improve insulin resistance.
First up, we have a mock apple cobbler. It has all the flavor of an apple cobbler but is made with chayote squash. Of course, you can swap in your favorite lower-carb filling. What made us interested in this recipe was the topping. Made with almond flour and non-sugar sweetener, the cobbler yields six 189 calories servings with only three grams of carbs per serving. Next up, we have a healthy apple pie that weighs in at 129 calories for a slice — the pie should have 10 slices. This pie has almost 23 grams of carbohydrates per serving. After a Thanksgiving meal that might be a bit high. It’s much lower in carbs than most apple pies so if it’s just not Thanksgiving without a slice of apple pies, this is for you. The great thing about this is that it should be eaten within 24 hours of baking. So, if you have been looking for a recipe for Thursday, you aren’t behind schedule with this one! Finally, we have a healthy apple crumble with nuts as the topping. The nut crumble cuts a great deal of the carbs but a serving still has 20 grams of carbohydrates and 359 calories. If you cut out the sweetener and substitute it for something calorie-free, you can make the recipe 14 grams of carbs, which is significantly better!
Apple pies and desserts can be found at any party with an American in attendance year-round. Pecan pie is only ever served in fall and winter. This comforting nut pie comes in many forms but they all taste the same: delicious! Though the three recipes we have here are quite different approaches, at the end you’ll be left with a nutty pie to share with your gang.
We start off with a sophisticated brandy pecan pie. The alcohol evaporates and leaves the flavor behind. An eighth of the pie is 330 calories with only five grams of carbs. If you are looking for a more traditional, ooey-gooey pie like the perfect ones your mother cooked, this sugar-free pecan pie strikes the right chord. A tenth of the pie is 390 calories and has less than six grams of carbs. Last but not least, we have one specifically for people who can’t get enough of nuts. This low carb pecan pie recipe is totally nuts! The recipe yields eight servings that clock in at 261 calories each with only six grams of carbs.
Pumpkin is, arguably, king of the fall. The squash’s silky texture lends itself to many creamy recipes. Without pumpkin spice, the squash is a delicious side in the same manner as acorn and butternut squashes. But add in the spice mix, and that tasty squash becomes something linked inextricably to chilly weather and warm coats. Nostalgia ramps up our love for pumpkin desserts at this time of year. It's the taste of family parties.
We have three different pumpkin recipes for you to choose from this autumn. The first, pumpkin pie cupcakes, is perfect for those of us who struggle with portion control. These cupcakes are like a mini pie with a crumble topping. They are also gluten-, nut- and dairy-free making it so that almost anyone can enjoy them. With 88 calories, these are the lightest treat on our list but they do have 10 grams of carbs each. We couldn’t consider this list complete without a pumpkin pie. This pumpkin pie recipe yields eight slices with 232 calories and six grams of carbs each. That’s pretty darn good for the classic dessert. Finally, we have our most out there recipe, pumpkin pie pudding. There is nothing bizarre about pumpkin pie pudding in and of itself. But this one features tofu and almond butter. It might sound weird but it looks delicious and takes 20 minutes to prepare. Around the holidays, we’re always interested in fast recipes!
