Most Thanksgiving dishes are soft, brown, fat laden, and sweet. Think: Buttery mashed potatoes, green bean casserole with mushroom soup and fried onions, sweet potatoes with maple syrup and marshmallows, decadent mac and cheese, and of course, stuffing loaded with oily sausage, covered in gravy.
Wake up your plate by balancing your Thanksgiving meal with colors, flavors and textures that will WOW your guests while cleansing the palate of fatty foods.
Not only will these “on the lighter” sides leave room for dessert, you will have delicious and nutritious leftovers to nourish you into the chaos of the holiday season.
All of these recipes are gluten and dairy free, and will satisfy any guests who are vegan, vegetarian, keto, Paleo, low fat, plant based, or anyone who just want to eat a little healthier.
The salad can be made ahead. The green beans and purple cabbage recipes cook quickly, and can be put in the oven while the turkey is resting. The broccoli rabe is the only stove top recipe.
Rainbow Kale Salad
Ingredients
Salad ingredients
- 1 large bunch of shredded kale I like Lacinato, but any variety is fine
- 2 cups citrus segments e.g. red grapefruit, orange, blood orange
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 avocado sliced
- ¼ cup toasted cashews chopped
Dressing
- ½ cup vinegar of choice I like Trader Joe’s Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 th tsp sea salt
Instructions
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Place shredded kale on a platter, and arrange remaining ingredients on top
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Top with dressing ingredients and serve
Blistered Green Beans with Shallots and Shitake Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 lb haricot verts
- 10 oz sliced shitake mushrooms
- 2 medium shallots
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees convection roast
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Wash haricot verts and pat dry with paper towel
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Peel and thinly slice shallots
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Place haricot verts, mushrooms, and shallots on a baking pan
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Toss with extra virgin olive oil
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Bake for about 15 minutes, or until green beans begin to brown, but are still crisp
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Remove from oven, add salt and pepper, and serve
Recipe Notes
Haricot verts, a French green bean, are thinner and more tender than the American green bean. The American green bean can be substituted if you cannot find haricot verts from your grocer.
Tips:
Use a parchment lined pan for easy clean up
Don’t over crown the pan or the veggies will get soggy and cook unevenly
Make sure ingredients are dry
Don’t salt until after coming out of the oven or veggies will get soggy
Roasted Purple Cabbage with Gomasio
Ingredients
Cabbage Ingredients
- ½ medium head of purple cabbage
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8-12 tbsp Gomasio* 1/2 – ¾ cup gomasio
Gomasio Ingredients*
- 1 cup unhulled sesame seeds
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt
- 4 ” strip kombu
Instructions
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If you are making your own gomasio, roast all ingredients in a heavy skillet over low heat, stirring frequently, until sesame seeds begin to brown and pop. Turn skillet ingredients to a plate and let cool. Grind in batches in a coffee grinder until is it flaky. Do not over grind or it will turn into a butter. Store in a clean jar in the refrigerator, and use within 4 weeks
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For the cabbage:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees
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Cut cabbage into thin wedges, about 1/3” thick, leaving some of the root end intact to hold it together
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You will get about 8 – 12 wedges from ½ head medium purple cabbage
Recipe Notes
*Gomasio is a dry condiment made with unhulled sesame seeds, sea salt, and a sea vegetable called kombo. It’s nutty, salty, rich flavor compliments many dishes, so it’s worth taking the time to you’re your own. Sprinkle it over salads, popcorn, sweet potato fries, kale chips, grains, or anywhere you might use salt. The sesame seeds are a good source of fiber and nutrients to support healthy bones, decrease inflammation, and lower blood pressure. Kombu is an excellent source of iodine and other trace nutrients. You can make the recipe here, or buy it already prepared from a company like Eden Brand
Broccoli Rabe with Hot Pepper and Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe
- Salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large cloves of garlic chopped
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
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Trim 1/2 inch off stem ends of broccoli rabe and discard
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Rinse broccoli rabe well and let drain in colander
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Steam broccoli rabe in a pan with about 1” of lightly salted water for about 2 minutes
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Drain in a colander, and shaking water from broccoli rabe
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You can do this a day ahead of time, and refrigerate at this point, or continue to next step
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Add olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes to a medium sauté pan over medium heat
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When garlic begins to sizzle, add broccoli rabe and use tongs to toss broccoli rabe to coat with oil
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Cover and let heat through, about 3 minutes, add salt if desired, and serve
