We are so excited for Thursday! We just can’t wait. Last year, Thanksgiving was effectively canceled for many Americans. Between travel mandates, stay-at-home orders, social distance rules and personal concerns, many of us missed out. It’s a holiday that most Americans have beloved traditions around. Many of us tried to forge new traditions or make the most of it. We held Thanksgiving meals outdoors, had long distances Thanksgiving celebrations. But, it wasn’t the same.
This year people are coming together again, and we couldn’t be happier. Of course, holiday meals can always have landmines for people with blood sugar concerns. We want to help you enjoy Thanksgiving more easily. Remember that you can enjoy holiday foods by thinking about your choices, prioritizing the “can’t miss” dishes and planning out your day. Another way to help your blood sugar and meet your health goals is to add some low-carb options to your spread to be sure there are things you can indulge in without worry! Here are four great dishes to enjoy this Thursday!
It’s a big claim to say a recipe for mashed cauliflower is better than mashed potatoes. If you’re mashing them with just milk and butter, we say that it’s impossible. Mashed cauliflower — while tasty — just isn’t starchy enough to have the mouthfeel of potatoes. They always turn out too wet. But this recipe dries out the cauliflower well, using a microwave to pull out water but then adds butter and heavy cream to give some moisture back and add a creamy, tasty finish. With some cheese mixed in, these work. They’re wonderful! A serving has just 148 calories and four grams of carbs. Get the recipe.
Food snobs may hate cranberry sauce from a can. We like it! But the problem is the processed kind can have a lot of additives depending on the brand, and it has a ton of sugar. Cranberry sauce is excellent with turkey, chicken, meatballs and other meat dishes. Even if you aren’t serving turkey, it’s a great sauce to have on hand! It’s the ketchup of the holidays! And, this recipe takes just 10 minutes, which is a huge plus in our books. A serving has just 32 calories, six grams of carbs and two grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
We’re huge fans of cornbread and stuffing. But the high amount of carbs can be a big turn-off for anyone watching their blood sugar. That’s why we love this recipe. It lets you bake your own low-carb cornbread and turn it into a delicious sausage stuffing that you can enjoy without thinking about your blood sugar! It’s savory with a touch of sweetness. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. A serving has 309 calories, 7.8 grams of carbs, 2.1 grams of fiber and 2.1 grams of sugar alcohol for a total of 2.7 grams of net carbs. Get the recipe.
Green bean casserole is one of those dishes: you love it, or you hate it. Our team has mixed feelings. Some folks won’t hear an ill word against it; some won’t touch it with a ten-foot pole. Love it or hate it, we all agree on one thing: it is filled with calories, carbs, salt and fat. While this recipe isn’t low in sodium, it’s a lot lower than the original. Overall, this is a lot healthier than the traditional version. But, it’s still creaming, delicious, filled with green beans, mushrooms, onions and all the flavors you expect. It’s not exactly like Grandma’s, but it might get the people who usually swear it off to try it! We think it’s pretty great. A serving has 124 calories, 9.3 grams of carbs and three grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
We hope you enjoy these recipes. And we hope you have a very happy Thanksgiving; however you’re celebrating!
