Refreshing Your Thanksgiving Feast with Nutrient-Packed Delights

Seeking healthier options for your Thanksgiving meal? Look no further! We’ve crafted mouthwatering plant-based recipes that are both seasonal and nutritious to satisfy your holiday cravings.

Harvest Board

BREAD, CRACKERS, DIPPERS

• Sourdough
• Roasted purple potatoes

DIPS & SPREADS

• Roasted Carrot Spread
• Mushroom Pate
• Herbed Almond Cheese Ball
• Orange Beet Hummus

FRUIT, DRIED FRUIT

• Fresh fruit like grapes, oranges, apples
• Dried apricots
• Dried figs

NUTS, SEEDS, BEANS

• Rosemary almonds

VEGGIES & PICKLED ITEMS

• Pickled veggies
• Olives
• Carrots

Roasted Carrot Spread

INGREDIENTS

• 10 Carrots
• 2 TBSP Avocado oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon Za’tar
• 2 TBSP of Tahini
• 3 cloves of Garlic (you can roast along with the carrots)
• Lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
• Toss carrots with 1.5 tablespoon of avocado oil, salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon of za’tar
• Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and starts to brown
• Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature
• Use an immersion blender or food processor to blend the carrots with remaining ingredients. Season to taste with salt and more lemon juice as needed.
• Garnish with a drizzle of oil and a good sprinkling of za’tar. Serve with pita chips and crudite. Enjoy!

Beet Hummus from Minimalist Baker

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small roasted beet
• 1 15-oz. can cooked chickpeas (mostly drained // 1 can yields~1 3/4 cup)
• 1 large lemon or orange (zested)
• 1/2 large lemon or orange (juiced)
• 1 healthy pinch salt and black pepper
• 2 large cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 heaping Tbsp tahini
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C), remove the stem and most of the root from your beets, and scrub and wash them underwater until clean.
• Wrap beet(s) in foil, drizzle on a bit of olive or avocado oil, wrap tightly, and roast for one hour or until a knife inserted falls out without resistance. They should be tender.
• Once your beet is cooled and peeled, quarter it and place it in your food processor. Blend until only small bits remain.
• Add remaining ingredients except for olive oil and blend until smooth.
• Drizzle in olive oil as the hummus is mixing.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, lemon juice, or olive oil if needed. If it’s too thick, add a bit of water.
• Will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Purple Potato Chips  inspired by Well Plated

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small purple potatoes (appx. 8 oz. each)
• 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

• With a mandolin, slice the potatoes cross wise into VERY THIN rounds—1/16-inch thick. Place in a large bowl and fill the bowl with cold water. Rinse, moving the potatoes around, then drain. Rinse once more, repeating as needed until the water runs clear, not white (this removes the starches so the chips can crisp). Spread the potatoes onto a layer of paper towels or clean kitchen towels and pat dry. Dry the bowl.
• Return the now-dry potatoes to the dry bowl and top with the oil, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper if desired. Toss to coat, ensuring all of the slices are seasoned.
• Preheat your air fryer to 325°F. Spread the potatoes in the bottom of the basket in an even layer so that you have no more than two layers of potatoes overlapping. Air fry for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are dark golden at the edges and crisp, tossing them with tongs every 5 to 7 minutes so they cook evenly. If some chips finish earlier than others, remove them to a plate as they are ready. Repeat with remaining potatoes. For two potatoes, I end up doing four batches total.

Garlic-Maple Butternut Squash w/ Whipped Ricotta & Goat Cheese from Star Infinite Food

INGREDIENTS

For the squash:

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled/halved/seeded
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• Maple syrup

For the whip:

• 2 oz soft goat cheese
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon zest or orange zest
• Squeeze lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt, pepper

Toppings:

• Chopped dates (3-4)
• Chopped parsley (2-3 tbsp)
• Sunflower seeds (1-2 tbsp)
• Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, drizzle with olive oil and set aside.
2. Place the squash on a cutting board with two wooden spoons or chopsticks on either side of the squash halves and make thin slices throughout. Repeat for the second half. Use a fork to open some of the slices and stuff the halves with the garlic. Drizzle and brush with oil, then season with the salt, pepper, nutmeg and fresh rosemary. Place in the oven for 45 minutes (cover if the garlic starts to brown).
3. After 45 minutes, remove, drizzle with the maple syrup. Place back in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
4. Make the whip. Add the goat cheese, ricotta, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor. Process until smooth.
5. Spread out the whip, top with the squash, parsley, dates and sunflower seeds. Drizzle with olive oil.

Roasted Cauliflower Salad from Love and Lemons

INGREDIENTS

• Florets from 1 small head of cauliflower
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 2 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup cooked Lemon-Herb French Green Lentils
• Lemon wedges, for squeezing and serving
• 1/2 cup Tahini Sauce
• ¼ cup Pickled Onions
• ¼ cup pine nuts, sliced almonds, or pepitas
• 4 dried apricots or dates, diced
• ¼ cup chopped olives or 1tablespoon capers
• Microgreens, optional

For Lemon-Herb French Lentils

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Tahini Sauce

• ½ cup tahini
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

DIRECTIONS

• Roast the cauliflower. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the cauliflower florets with drizzles of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and roast for 20 to 25minutes, or until browned around the edges.
• In a medium bowl, toss the arugula and roasted cauliflower with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of salt. Spread onto a platter and drizzle ⅓ of the tahini sauce on top. Sprinkle on the lentils, the pickled onions, pine nuts, apricots, and olives. Drizzle with the remaining tahini dressing (or as much as you like) and top with microgreens, if using. Season to taste and serve.

Chai Poached Pears from Love and Lemons

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups water
• 8 chai tea bags
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 6 star anise
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 Tb black peppercorns
• 4 unripe pears, peeled, halved and seeded

For the yogurt

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1Tb maple syrup
• 2 Tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

DIRECTIONS

Poach the pears: Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off heat and place the tea bags, maple, star anise, cinnamon, and peppercorns into the pot. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and bring water to a boil. Add the pears, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 28minutes, or until tender. Stir occasionally to make sure the pears are submerged. Allow to cool slightly.

Prepare yogurt by mixing ingredients together. Spread yogurt onto plate and top with poached pear, topped with roasted nuts (optional)