Friday Foodie Favorites – Thanksgiving Special 11.21.14

Welcome back to Friday Foodie Favorites! It’s the Friday before Thanksgiving, and perhaps you already have your menu all picked out for the big day. If not, then hopefully you will find some healthy and delicious inspirations here. I found these recipes by simply typing in “Thanksgiving” on Healthy Aperture. Ready to see what I came across?

 Turkey 

Spicy yogurt marinated turkey | Panning the Globe

I appreciate how Lisa walks you through her experimentation and shares her tips and tricks. I’m very intrigued by this Turkish inspired bird. Never had anything like this on Thanksgiving day!

White wine ginger thyme brined roast turkey | Boulder Locavore

Tim and I brined our turkey 2 years ago, and while it did require a bit more planning and prep work, we wholeheartedly agreed that it was totally worth it! The bird couldn’t have been more moist and succulent. This particular version marries the flavors of France and Asia.

Herb roasted turkey breast | The Spicy RD

4 ingredients, 5 easy steps. Preparing a turkey doesn’t always have to be a production.

Sides

Vegan miso green bean casserole | MJ and Hungryman

I had tons of fun developing the recipe for this one. Instead of the creamy mushroom soup from a can, I made a vegan miso sauce thickened with cashews.

Green beans with fermented black beans | Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Clearly, Asian flavors complement green beans beautifully. I’m def intrigued by this one – “steamed green beans tossed with an umami mixture of garlic, finely chopped shiitake mushrooms and fermented black beans. I’m calling it Dirty Green Beans. {Vegan, low-carb and gluten-free}” ~Katie

Vegetarian cauliflower cornbread dressing | MJ and Hungryman

Cauliflower was a great way to “sneak” in an extra vegetable and some additional flavor while cutting down the amount of stock/liquid needed as it provided plenty of moisture.

Apple and sausage cornbread stuffing with sage | Snixy Kitchen

So when I published my post for the vegetarian cornbread dressing, this was the message I received from my sister. All I can say is she should thank Sarah for coming to her rescue 😉

Sausage and wild rice stuffing | The Lean Green Bean

Here’s another one for my sister. I’m sure I’ll be getting another text from her sometime today.

Kale, caramelized onion and apple stuffing | An Avocado a Day

Roasted apples, caramelized onions…sweet and savory combinations always work for me!

When it comes to sweet potatoes, peeling them is the most time-consuming part. Simply roast them or prepare in a slow cooker.

Warm roasted sweet potato salad | The Cozy Apron

Maple roasted sweet potatoes with curry | Food, Faith, Fitness

Slow-cooker sweet potato casserole | MJ and Hungryman

Desserts

And because I can’t even fathom not ending the feast on a sweet note (can you?!)…

Chocolate swirl pumpkin pie | healthy seasonal recipes

Maple pumpkin cheesecake bars | the roasted root

Mini apple pie tartlets with pecan streusel | joyful healthy eats

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Although not Thanksgiving-related, I just had to share this with you…

How to start a cookbook club  | Meme Inge

I’ve been part of a book club before, but it wasn’t even close to being as delicious and hunger-provoking as this one. Not only is it a great way to build relationships, but it would certainly help me in choosing what cookbooks to purchase. I’m running out of space for them…

How to tap into your most joyous self | Kara Lydon

It’s true. I read a lot of posts. And come Monday, Kara’s weekly series – Mindful Mondays – is the one that helps kickstart my day and week. Coincidence or not, one of the areas in my life that I’ve been working on lately is consciously striving towards clarity of mind, free of distractions, and that’s exactly the insight Kara shared.

That’s all I have for today! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend ;).