Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! What a wonderful time of year this is. It’s a time to reflect on all that we have and are thankful for. And at the heart of this celebration is a warm, delicious meal.

This is my absolute favourite time of the year, and no, it’s not for the pumpkin spice lattes. This is a cozy time of the year for me, and I love it. I love the cool, crisp air. The pumpkins. The garden harvests. The excitement of trick-or-treating kids in the neighbourhood. And who can forget about the fresh baked goodies!

I know for some Thanksgiving can be a stressful time. We often have large family gatherings and cooking for a crowd can be a daunting task. But let’s not forget that the most important part of a Thanksgiving meal is family coming together.

Nonetheless, I’ve decided to share a few of my favourite recipes with you all to try this Thanksgiving! It’s my little treat to you all to say thank you and to show my appreciation for all of you. I hope you try some of these recipes and you and your family enjoy them as much as me and mine do!

Roasted Squash and Potatoes

I make this side dish literally every year for any holiday get-together because it’s just so dang good! It’s super nutritious – full of beta-carotene and healing herbs. This usually makes enough for about 10 servings, so adjust the quantities as you need!

Ingredients:

• 2 red skinned potatoes
• 2 small or 1 large sweet potato
• 1 small/medium butternut squash
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp each of dried parsley, dried thyme, garlic powder, rosemary
• pinch of salt and black pepper

Steps:

1. Line a baking sheet and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel the sweet potato and butternut squash and scoop the seeds out of the squash. You can save these and roast them later for a protein packed treat!
3. Cube up the potatoes and squash in about 1-inch pieces. Place the pieces in a large bowl and add the olive oil and dried seasonings. Mix well.
4. Place on the baking sheet evenly and let them cook for about 35-40 min or until soft, mixing occasionally.
5. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy!

Glazed Carrots

These carrots really are a treat! For this recipe I use raw, local honey to really get the antibacterial and healing properties of the honey. The mass-produced stuff at the grocery store isn’t the same. Actually, most grocery store honeys use corn syrup as a sweetener!

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of carrots
• 4 tbsp fresh butter (or vegan butter substitute), melted
• 2-3 tbsp honey or maple syrup, depending on how sweet you like them
• 1 tsp each of garlic powder, dried thyme
• salt and black pepper, to taste

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet. Depending on how many carrots, you may need 2 sheets.
2. Trim the tops off of the carrots, and peel if desired. Lay them evenly on the baking sheet.
3. Combine the melted butter, honey (or maple syrup), and dried seasonings together. Pour just a little over half of the mixture over the carrots and place them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until slightly browned and soft. Pour the remaining mixture over the carrots and let them roast again for about 5 minutes.
4. Top with some additional thyme if you’d like for presentation and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Okay so this is probably my favourite recipe of all time. I’ve been making it for years and it’s always a hit! The best part is, it’s super easy to make!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 c. melted coconut oil (or high quality oil)
• 1/2 c. maple syrup, room temperature
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2-3 overripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 c. plant milk or water
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/3 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a 9×5” bread pan.
2. In a large bowl add melted coconut oil, maple syrup and eggs, mashed bananas, baking soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Whisk together well. If the coconut oil starts to solidify, just set the bowl somewhere warm for a few minutes.
3. Add the whole wheat flour and gently mix together. Once it’s all combined, gently add in the chocolate chips using a large spoon or spatula.
4. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and bake it for about 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted into the centre and comes out clean.

As you can tell, I try to substitute sugar with natural sugars in my recipes. Little, simple changes like that can really help you clean up your diet while still satisfying your sweet tooth.

Please let me know how you like these recipes! If you decide to give them a shot, post them on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @RosatiNutrition. I’d love to see how they turned out for you!

Wishing you and your family a truly special and happy Thanksgiving!

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