A Very THM Thanksgiving

Edited to change stuffing recipe - reduced amount of sage

Let's Talk Turkey!

 Wait turkey is about the only thing we don't have to talk about. A juicy, roasted turkey is perfectly on plan! What about Stuffing? or Cranberry Sauce? or Pumpkin Pie? And how on earth do you THMify (new word!) Sweet Potatoes??? Stick around and I'll teach you!!


   Let's Tackle the Stuffing, First!

   Stuffing?!  Yep. We used cauliflower as the base. The seasonings make it taste a lot like Stove Top Stuffing. I asked Mr. Traditional how he liked it (btw, he doesn't do 'diet' food) he said it was pretty good, but you could taste the cauliflower a little. I don't mind tasting it a little. This recipe is very customizable. I understand some folks like sausage in theirs, brown some and throw it in. Big cranberry fan? Throw some in. Not a fan of thyme? Throw it out.  Customize it to your tastes. ( I would not, however recommend throwing out the cauliflower, just sayin' ;)

STUFFING - S

32 oz of  frozen Cauliflower

1/2 cup of Chicken (or turkey) stock

1 Tbsp of Butter

1/2 large onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, diced

1/2 tsp of sage

3/4 tsp of rosemary, finely chopped

1/2 tsp of thyme

2 tsp of parsley

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup of Almond Flour

3 eggs

1/2 cup of Chicken Stock

Steam cauliflower to a medium consistency. 

In a saute pan add the chicken stock and the next 8 ingredients.

Simmer until vegetables are cooked and about half of the liquid is reduced.

When cauliflower is cooked, drain well.

Add the contents of the saute pan.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir in well, chopping up any large pieces

to a more bread cube like consistency.

Put into a baking dish about the size of an 8x8 pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes.

You want the extra liquid to have been absorbed by the cauliflower.

How About A Lovely Sweet Potato Casserole! It's An S Recipe!

   Next we're going to talk Sweet Potato Casserole. I must say this was the one I thought was impossible. I was going to go off plan have to figure something out because I couldn't figure out how to make change the molecular structure of a sweet potato to make it a THM S.

AND THEN..... (drum roll... chorus of angel...etc,)  I found this next recipe on the THM Facebook  page. I asked Mr. Traditional to taste test it. He said... (another drum roll... another chorus of angels... another etc) 

"I would prefer to have this on Thanksgiving instead of the usual recipe"

Yes, he said that. No, I'm not pulling your leg. This recipe is fantastic! You cannot tell it is "diet". I give this recipe 5 stars. I would give it 6 but the scale only goes up to five ;)

I don't know who came up with this recipe, but it must be said that they are, in fact, a genius. 

(If this is your recipe, let me know. I've always wanted to meet a real food genius. I consider you smarter than Betty Crocker :)

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE - S

1 Head of Cauliflower - steamed

1 c. Pumpkin Puree

1 tsp. Stevia Glycerite

2/3 c. Just Like Brown Sugar or sweetener of choice*

1/3 c. Butter - melted

2 eggs plus 1 egg white

1 c. Coconut Milk (the canned kind)

1 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 tsp. Maple extract

1/2 tsp. Celtic Sea Salt

Topping:

1/2 c. Xylitol

1/2 c. Almond meal (or flour)

1/3 c. cold Butter

1 c. chopped Pecans

1/2 tsp. Caramel Extract**

1/3 c. Unsweetened, Coconut flakes (optional)***

Process Cauliflower in food processor (or blender) until smoother. Add pumpkin and sweeteners and process another min. Add remaining casserole ingredients and process until very smooth. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

While that is baking, make the topping. Mix xylitol and almond meal and caramel extract together. Cut cold butter into that. Stir in pecans and coconut (if using).

(At this point you can freeze it, if you want to make it up ahead. Putting the topping ingredients in a separate container. Then thaw and heat the casserole, covered, until it's hot, to continue recipe.)

Sprinkle topping over top of baked casserole. Increase temp in oven to 400. Bake 10-12 min. watching closely, just until browned.

* I used 2/3 cup of xylitol and 1/2 tsp of blackstrap molasses mixed together with a fork

** I didn't have caramel extract so I used English Toffee Better Stevia (liquid, from Now Brand)

*** My mom doesn't like coconut, so I decided to forgo that option.

On to the Cranberry Sauce...

    I was not really a big fan of cranberry sauce, but I thought this was pretty good. As a matter of fact there was some leftover, I think I'll take a quick break and go eat some ;) ( No seriously, I'll be right back)

INTERMISSION

Ahem... I'm back. Where was I? Oh, Yeah! Cranberries!

As I was saying, this is pretty good. I also found a cranberry sauce recipe from Serene and Pearl.

I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but as soon as I get some more cranberries, rest assured, I will.

Until then, here is the link to their recipe. You decide which one. If I try the recipe before Thanksgiving, I'll update this post and let you know which one I like better.

Serene and Pearl's Red Sauce

And the recipe for the one that I actually made.

CRANBERRY SAUCE - FP

1 cup of Xylitol

1 cup of Water

12 ounces of Fresh or Frozen Cranberries

8 drops of Orange Essential Oil

Combine xylitol and water in sauce pan and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add cranberries and bring back to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While simmering, I use a potato masher to smoosh the berries a little.

Remove from heat. Cool and add orange essential oil.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Some Veggie Ideas 

    

    Let's see... we've addressed the turkey, the stuffing, sweet potatoes, and the cranberries.

What are we missing??.... The vegetables! Yeah, not really everybody's most sought after Thanksgiving dish. But we do have a few ideas for you to help round out your meal.

Stuffed Broccoli and Cauliflower

and

Green Bean Casserole.

It's titled something like Spinach Casserole but they mention you can use green beans. 

We did that for Easter and it was really good.

These recipes are in the Trim Healthy Mama book.

If you don't have the book, you can make cooked broccoli with browned butter.

If you don't know how to brown butter, check out this You Tube Video.

How About Something to Drink?

   Serene and Pearl have created a great new all day sipper that would be perfect for Thanksgiving! I have not actually tried this yet. I'm going to gather the ingredients and try it as soon as I get a chance. However, if you want a special drink for the holiday, this sounds like a very nourishing way to do it!

Apple Pie Sip

    

    Or you could try some THM EggNog! I made this and the family loved it! It's from a blog called New Every Morning. I haven't had a chance to stalk her blog, but after this recipe, I'm going to as soon as I get a chance!

Holiday Egg Nog

Photo used with permission

That's All, Folks, Oh! Wait!

THE DESSERT! You can't have a feast without the dessert! What kind of dessert could we possibly have for Thanksgiving? (I'm thinking, I'm thinking...) Oh! I know! How about Pumpkin Pie?

PUMPKIN PIE - S

CRUST

1 cup of pecans, ground in blender

1 Tbsp of Melted Butter

2 Tbsp of Xylitol

Mix all together in the bottom of a pie pan and press onto the bottom.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

FILLING

2 Eggs

15 oz can of Packed Pumpkin

3 Tbsp of Xylitol

1/4 tsp of Salt

2 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 cup of Heavy Cream

Put all ingredients in a blender or mixer. Blend/mix until smooth. 

Pour into the pie plate.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.

When it is cool, top with Whipped Cream

If you're not interested in Pumpkin Pie, maybe

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

is more to you're liking!

We really hope this post helps you with Thanksgiving. If you have any questions or comments, 

feel free to leave a comment and I'll try to monitor them.

However you choose to celebrate Thanksgiving, we hope you have a wonderful one.

Pumpkin Pie Mousse - FP

 

                                                 I'm not a huge animal fan, but one must admit, this is pretty cute!

 Folks, I am always on the lookout for fuel pull breakfasts. I am still trying to lose a small cow few pounds (40, that's a few right?) so I try to have fuel pull breakfasts often. There are not enough recipes to keep things interesting.

    I love the Fat Stripping Frappa recipe from the Trim Healthy Mama book, but I don't really like drinking it when its cold outside. I like the Muffin in a Bowl, but not all the time. There are really too few fuel pull breakfast recipes. I think this makes a nice addition to the fuel pull line up!

    This would also work for a nice dessert or snack! I love recipes that can pull double duty!

    I don't know where I got this recipe. If it's your's, I'm sorry! Please let me know and I'll give you the credit and a link back.

Pumpkin Pie Mousse - FP

1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese

1/3 cup of pumpkin

1/2 tsp of Vanilla

1/2 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice

sweetener, to taste

Blend all ingredients together. You may want to add some liquid

if it is not blending easily.

Refrigerate until chilled.

( I was in a hurry. I just stuck mine in the freezer for a couple minutes)

Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino - FP

   

    The Trim Healthy Mama book recommended a website called Chocolate Covered Katie. This sounded like a fantastic place to go. I'm basically all for anything chocolate covered! I've found a few little gems over there that were easily converted to THM recipes.

    One of my favorites is this one! I love that it is fuel pull. I freeze this in two separate ice cube trays and then put them in separate bags in the freezer so it's ready whenever I am.

Pumpkin Spice Frappuccinos

 

2 cups of Almond Milk

1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract

2 tsp of instant Coffee Granules

pinch of salt

plan approved sweetener of choice, to taste

1/2 cup of canned Pumpkin

1/4 tsp of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

 

 

Mix the ingredients together in bowl or blender.

Pour into one or two ice cube trays or two shallow

containers. Freeze. Once frozen, pop the cubes or blocks out of the containers

and thaw until just soft enough for your blender to be able to handle it.

Blend until desired slushiness is reached. Add extra sweetener if needed, but

do NOT add ice! It will dilute the flavor.

Pour into two glasses and enjoy!



Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes - S

   

These are good excellent phenomenal! Everybody that has tried them has loved them! I made these for a birthday party and they were a huge hit!

This recipe was the brain child of Serene and Pearl, my aunt, my mother, and me (I do my best work through think-tank situations)!

The base recipe started from the Special Agent Brownie recipe from the Trim Healthy Mama book (If you don't have a copy, get one!! It is worth every penny). We just ran with it from there!

If you're one of those people who like doughnuts and danishes for breakfast, Two of these would make a nice breakfast, I would think.

Don't mind the weird shadow, I'm clearly not a very good photographer

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes - S

1 cup of soaked and cooked white beans

1/2 cup of packed pumpkin

2 eggs + 4 egg whites

2 Tbsp of Ground Flax

2 Tbsp of Almond Flour

1 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder

1/2 tsp of Baking Soda

2 Tbsp of Coconut Oil or Butter

2 tsp of Vanilla

1/3 cup of Cream Cheese

3 Tbsp of Xylitol

3 Tbsp of SJC

2 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice

Process all ingredients in a blender for 3-5 minutes. Pour into prepared muffin pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

ICING

2 Tbsp of Softened Butter

2 Tbsp of Browned Butter*

1/2 cup of Cream Cheese

4 Tbsp of Powdered Xylitol

1 tsp of Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice

Whip both butters and the cream cheese together until well mixed. Add xylitol, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Whip until fluffy (won't be as fluffy as the  real fake  thing) 

I like these best after they have sat in the fridge overnight.

*Brown butter, refrigerate until hardened again, then use. Do not use the hot melted butter or your icing will be runny. If you already did this, try putting icing in the fridge for a few hours then whip it again.

If you don't know how to brown butter, click HERE for a how-to video.



Apple Pie Smoothie - E

 

 I originally saw this recipe posted on Trim Healthy Tuesday and wanted to try it right away, but I had just eaten the last apple (bummer). When I restocked the apples, I went right away and printed the recipe. Then I realized it doesn't use apples but applesauce (I gotta learn to read). I didn't have any of that either. It looked like I was not going to be able to try this recipe for a month. Good grief (and I had just gotten myself all excited about trying it).

    I decided to try and make it the way I had originally thought the recipe said with a few tweaks. I loved it!

    So if you have applesauce and you want to make it that way go to Sheri Graham's site and check out the original recipe. If you have apples and you want to make a smoothie using them, use the recipe below.

This is Sheri's original picture using the apple sauce version.

 

Apple Pie Smoothie - E

 

1 Apple

1/2 cup of Almond Milk

1 Tbsp of Cinnamon

1 Tbsp of Vanilla

sweetener, to taste

(I used SJC)

1-2 cups of Ice

1 Scoop of Protein Powder

 

 

Blend cored and quartered apple to smaller pieces.

It doesn't have to be perfect, the rest of the blending later will make it smaller.

Add almond milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and sweetener.

Blend.

Add desired amount of ice. Blend. Again it doesn't have to be perfect,

 it will blend better when you add the protein powder.

Add protein powder. Blend until it reaches the consistency you want.

 

 

If you use the full 2 cups of ice, this smoothie will be HUGE. Like, big enough for two.

The next time I make this I'm going to try to only use 3/4 of the recipe, except for the protein powder.

Pumpkin Cream Pies - S

   

    Today I'm going to link you to a great recipe that was featured on Trim Healthy Tuesday over at Gwen's Nest and Stacy Makes Cents! If you've seen this recipe and wondered if it was worth making, rest assured, IT IS! (and they're not very hard to make)

    The family members I had taste test these LOVED them. I'm going to a family hayride soon and plan on taking these.

    Head on over to Gal On A Mission  to get the recipe and make some of these fantastic little pumpkin cream pies for yourself!

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake - S

   

I love pumpkin spice everything season. There is something about cool, crisp mornings that makes me want to throw pumpkin in my coffee, oatmeal, yogurt, and desserts ( I didn't really like it in my oatmeal. Which reminds me. Someone once told me chocolate and pumpkin go really well together. They lied. Please don't ever waste perfectly good chocolate by mixing it with pumpkin. Major Yuck. It must be an aquired taste. Which I haven't aquired yet. Nor do I ever plan to.Thank You)

    However, how can you go wrong with Pumpkin Cheesecake? This recipe is very simple to make and has gotten rave reviews. And of course, since it's THM, it's one of the few cheesecakes that will not go straight to your hips!

    We recently celebrated a birthday and this was the requested 'cake' by the birthday person!

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

 

CRUST

 I made the Ginger Snap recipe from the Trim Healthy Mama Book.

(If you don't have the book, get one!I'm sure you could find a good recipe online for a

 gingersnap crust. If not, you can make this without the crust)

After the Ginger Snaps have cooled, I put the entire recipe into a blender or Magic Bullet type cup and blend to fine crumbs.

Dump about 3/4 of it, reserving the rest to garnish the top, into a pie pan or an 8x8 cake pan.

 

 

 FILLING

8 oz of 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

plan approved sweetener(I used about 4 Tbsp of SJC)

16 oz Heavy Whipping Cream,

whipped and sweetened to taste

 

 

Whip cream cheese until softened.

Add the rest of the ingredients except whipped cream, blend well.

Using a spatula, fold in 10 oz ( about 3 cups, whipped ) of whipped cream.
Carefully spread over top of gingersnap crust.
Spread remaining whipped cream over filling.
Sprinkle reserved gingersnap crust over top for garnish


Berry Breakfast Quinoa Parfait

    This is a fantastic summer breakfast. I'm posting it in the fall so you can think about it and drool all winter. You're Welcome.

    Actually, you could try this with apples and I would imagine it would be a very nice fall breakfast.

 

    I'm not sure where I got the original inspiration for this. I'm certain it was online somewhere, but I'm not sure where. So Sorry if I should be giving the credit to someone. If it's you, let me know and I'll link you in.

Berry Breakfast Quinoa Parfait

 Yields 2 Servings

1/4 cup of unsweetened Almond Milk

1 1/2 cups of 0% Greek Yogurt 

4 tsp of Chia Seeds

plan approved sweetener
(I used 2 Tbsp of SJC )

1 tsp extract of choice

3/4 cup of cooked Quinoa, cooled

2 cups of Fresh Fruit*

1/8 tsp Cinnamon

Stir together first five ingredients until well blended.

Layer the ingredients as desired. Garnish with cinnamon.

You can make this the night before so it's ready in the morning when you are!

You also don't have to layer it if you don't want to. You can just stir it together in a bowl.

I have also found the yogurt layer by itself makes a very nice FP dip for berries!

*Fresh Fruit can be a peach, an apple, etc. It does not have to be just berries. Customize it for you!

Linked at Thank Your Body Thursday at Thank Your Body and Tasty Thursdays at Mandatory Mooch.

Pumpkin Latte - FP

    

     This recipe is a great fuel pull breakfast that also gives you that fall feeling. You can also enjoy it for a great warming drink/breakfast in the winter.

    (News Flash Alert!!) Pumpkin is not only available in the fall. I'll give you a moment to recover.
Ya good? Okay, moving on.

    Stock up when your store carries it on their shelves in the fall and it will then be available to  you until the stores carry it again next fall.

    You can now enjoy pumpkin treats all year long ( although really, who looks for pumpkin on the Fourth of July? You may just want this all winter long.(and fall, of course) Your choice!)

    One of the great things about this recipe is that it is Fuel Pull (don't know what fuel pull is? Get The Book)

    Another great thing? It has coffee, it's hot, it's pumpkin (I'm rambling).

Essentially, it's Autumn Morning in a mug!

 

 

This recipe was found on Trim Healthy Tuesday and was posted by The Essential Family

without further adieu (like it needs it) here is the recipe.

 

 

Pumpkin Latte

12 oz of hot brewed coffee

2 Tbsp of canned pumpkin

1/2 scoop of protein powder

plan approved sweetener of choice

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1/8-1/4 tsp of ginger

pinch of allspice

small squirt of light whipped cream (optional)

 

Add everything to blender, except cream. Blend until frothy. Top with whipped cream if you like.

Note: If you would like to make this your breakfast (which I love) simply double the recipe!