13 healthy Thanksgiving recipes

Roasted Cherry Butternut Squash

Rehydrated dried cherries turn simple roasted butternut squash into a special side dish.

Get the recipe: Roasted Cherry Butternut Squash

Brined, Roasted Holiday Turkey

Heirloom turkeys are becoming more popular these days. Chef Bruce served his family a Bourbon Red, which has a richer meat than do the traditional varieties. Here’s how to prepare a juicy bird for your holiday feast.

Get the recipe: Brined, Roasted Holiday Turkey

Warm Sweet Potato and Kale Salad

Delight your palate with this warm sweet potato and kale salad, featuring a tangy red wine vinaigrette to balance the tartness of kale and the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.

Get the recipe: Warm Sweet Potato and Kale Salad

Orange-Maple Sweet Potatoes

Try this method of cooking sweet potatoes and you’ll discover how subtly delicious they are. Here, they are glossed with an orange-maple glaze. Beta carotene and fibre are the sweet potato’s secret weapons against heart disease.

Get the recipe: Orange-Maple Sweet Potatoes

Wild Blueberry Cornbread Stuffing

Adding fruit to stuffing is a traditional part of the holidays. Wild blueberries offer rich colour and taste-perfect beside favorite herbs like sage and thyme. Whether you stuff the turkey or serve the stuffing alongside, it is an accompaniment that cannot be forgotten.

Get the recipe: Wild Blueberry Cornbread Stuffing

Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

This Brussels sprouts dish can be prepared ahead of time and is a yummy addition to traditional turkey dinner.

Get the recipe: Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Carrots

For a beautiful presentation, cut the roasted carrots in long pieces and arrange on bed of parsley.

Get the recipe: Roasted Carrots

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Adding sweet potatoes to a gnocchi recipe makes it a little easier for the home cook to pull off, because sweet potatoes have less starch than potatoes, and a high starch content can make gnocchi dense and tough. The combination of sage and sweet potatoes is one for the ages.

Get the recipe: Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Butternut Squash Gratin

Hiding inside a butternut squash’s skin is dense, mildly sweet orange flesh that’s an excellent source of disease-battling beta carotene. Butternut squash gratin is a tasty way to enjoy this healthy vegetable. A big butternut can be a bit tricky to cut up; you’ll do best with a large, sturdy chef’s knife.

Get the recipe: Butternut Squash Gratin

Stuffed Mushrooms

These mushrooms are filled with a delicious mixture of finely chopped zucchini, spinach and hazelnuts, then topped with grated Parmesan cheese and baked for delicious, hard-to-resist party bites. They look their best if the mushrooms are all about the same size.

Get the recipe: Stuffed Mushrooms

Roast Root Vegetables with Herbs

Use this recipe as a basic guide for roasting single vegetables, such as potatoes or parsnips, as well as for a superb dish of mixed root vegetables. Serve these roast root vegetables with herbs in generous quantities with roast poultry or meat.

Get the recipe: Roast Root Vegetables with Herbs

Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Arugula

Try serving these colourful, flavour-rich Brussels sprouts with walnuts and arugula alongside your next turkey dinner.

Get the recipe: Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Arugula

Baby Pumpkin Puddings with Cinnamon Whipped Cream and Pecan Brittle

These delicate baby puddings scented with a touch of rum and orange zest began as filling for pumpkin pie. And since pastry requires a deft hand, you can skip the crust on the traditional Thanksgiving dessert and make these sweet little desserts instead.

Get the recipe: Baby Pumpkin Puddings with Cinnamon Whipped Cream and Pecan Brittle

Related:
• Hearty fall recipes
• 10 healthier treats
• 6 reasons to eat more squash

More delicious dessert ideas

Not a fan of pumpkin pie? There are plenty of other delicious recipes from around the world to choose from in Desserts. From brownies and tiny tea cakes to tortes and delicate pastries, you’ll satisfy the sweet cravings of your family and friends at your Thanksgiving feast with this wonderful treat. With easy step-by-step instructions, you’ll whip up yummy time-tested classics from cheesecakes, crisps, and strudels to more exotic delights such as mousses, madeleines, and sorbets. Delish!

Available now in the Best Health Store.