Healthy Thanksgiving side dishes are not always part of the thought process when planning your holiday dinner, so we thought we’d take all of the thinking out of the equation and provide four delicious side dishes that will go perfectly with your turkey this year.
Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes For Dinner
Green Bean and Onion Casserole
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, plus more for frying
- 1 pound petite green beans, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ cups sliced small bottom mushrooms
- 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk, homemade (page 34) or store-bought
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
Recipe:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the grapeseed oil.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until bright green, about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Whisk in the almond milk, tapioca starch, salt, and pepper and cook until thickened, about 7 minutes. Add the green beans and cook until the beans are completely tender, about 7 minutes. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a serving dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, spread the onion slices on several layers of paper towels and pat dry. Pour about ¼ inch of grapeseed oil into a small sauté pan and place it over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry onions until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel– lined plate to drain. Sprinkle over the green bean mixture just before serving. Serve hot.
Wide Rice and Pecan Stuffing
Ingredients:
- 2⅓ cups filtered water
- 1 cup wild rice
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups chopped button mushrooms
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- ½ teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
Recipe:
- In a small saucepan set over high heat, bring the water and rice to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 50 minutes. Set aside, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, fennel seeds, salt, and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the wild rice and pecans. Serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.
Cranberry Leek Quinoa (with butternut squash)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 2 cups finely chopped butternut or acorn squash
- 2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, washed well and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 cup cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Recipe:
- In a medium saucepan set over high heat, bring the water and quinoa to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the squash and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Add the leeks and sage and cook, stirring, until the squash is tender and the leeks are lightly golden, about 6 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook just until they start to pop, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley, agave, and lemon juice. Add the cooked quinoa and stir well. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot, warm, at room temperature, or cold.
Curried Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
- 1 ½ cups fresh orange juice
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
Recipe:
- In a saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine the cranberries, orange juice, and maple syrup. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped and the juices have reduced, about 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
- To serve, pour the mixture into a serving dish and stir in the allspice and curry. Serve warm or chilled.
Recipes and photography share from Pure Food Cookbook by Veronica Bosgraaf
[…] for a great side dish? This Hot Buttered Rum Yams Recipe is the perfect side dish for your turkey regardless if you bake, glaze, rotisserie, deep fry, or serve it in a soup. […]