My Fav Thanksgiving Smells, Foods, Recipes & Giggles
Thanksgiving is here! Boy did this year fly by or what?!! Are you looking for new Thanksgiving recipes that won’t make your belly’s feel bloated from all the gluten and processed packaged products known to show up at Thanksgiving?
Iam sharing my favorite recipes for Thanksgiving.
Want to know one of my secrets to baking gluten free?
I swap out wheat flour and use coconut or almond flour. YUP! It’s that easy … and these flours are packed with phyto-nutrients too! BUT, just because it’s gluten-free, and has good stuff in it, that doesn’t give you license to eat the whole thing. I recommend, slicing your baked goods into SMALLER than normal portions because we all know we just devoured more calories than we actually need, and our eyes are bigger than our bellies! Here’s a few more tips:
1. Be sure to eat slowly.
2. KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT YOUR LAST MEAL!! 🙂
3. Fill the INSIDE of your plate 1X
4. Protein is a fist size
5. Veggies are 2 -3 fits (umm, if they aren’t loaded with marshmallow)
6. Don’t snack on the appetizers
7. Drink 8-10oz of water 30 minutes BEFORE you eat!
8. Never eat without a napkin on your lap (translates to: don’t eat standing up)
9. Stop before you’ve cleared that plate and ask yourself, “Am I still hungry?”
10. ENJOY the people. The LOVE. The Gratitude. That’s truly what this holiday SEASON is all about.. not the food.
11. Take a tupperware container and pack some of this goodies you couldn’t finish in your plate for another meal.
I told you I was going to share my families ole time “Spicy Pumpkin Soup Recipe,” and actually, many our friends have come to expect it served every time we feast together. I don’t know about you, but i like it rather spicy! You can control your spice level by serving some crushed red peppers on the side for those who delve into the hot zone! My kids BEG for it all year long!
The rest of my Thanksgiving recipes are below. Let me know if you used these recipes! I also wanted to share one of my FAV Thanksgiving traditions that I started before my kids could even write.
I trace their hands and on each feather (finger) they would tell me what they were grateful for. I love looking back at their gratitude and how their hands grew in size. It warms my heart to see how precious they are and the thoughts they had and how they have grown in both size and heartful love. As toddlers they expressed things like family, friends, zoo animals, swings, their books and the beach. I can’t wait to read what they share this year!!
Wishing you all the happiest, healthiest and most joyful Day of Thankful Giving!
Love ya to bunches,
Becca
THE GLUTEN-FREE STUFFING
Ingredients
1 loaf of Udi’s Whole Grain Gluten Free Bread
1 loaf of Udi’s White Sandwich Gluten Free Bread
1/4 cup of fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons of fresh sage
Salt
Pepper
1 cup of unsalted butter or margarine
2 onions (or 1 large onion)
1/2 cup of chopped fennel
1/2 cup of chopped celery
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions
Lightly butter each side of Udi’s Gluten Free Whole Grain & White Sandwich breads. Broil Udi’s Gluten Free Whole Grain & White Sandwich Bread till slightly brown/toasted. Allow bread to cool completely on a wire rack. Put bread in a Ziploc bag and slightly break toasted bread into bread crumbs (or cut into pieces). Place in bowl with parsley, sage, salt and pepper. Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat; add onions and saute until onions are softened. Add fennel and celery, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft. Transfer vegetables to bowl with the toasted Udi’s gluten free bread crumbs. Add eggs, stock, cream and gently toss. Transfer mixture to a buttered shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in middle of oven for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. To brown the stuffing, uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
SWEET POTATO PIE
Ingredients
1/3 cup real butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches – See recipe below)
Directions
1In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Add milk, sweet potatoes, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 35-40 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 6-8 servings.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
Servings: 24 Muffins
Ingredients
5 Eggs
1 cup of pumpkin puree (pumpkin only… check the ingredients)
¼ cup coconut oil or butter (softened)
½ cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 Tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
¼ cup honey or a few drops of stevia extract
Instructions
1Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2Put all ingredients in medium sized bowl
3Using strong whisk or immersion blender (recommend!), mix until smooth and well incorporated. If batter is too thick, add a little coconut milk or water to thin, but don’t let it get runny at all.
4Put into greased muffin tins or an 8×8 baking dish (a regular loaf pan doesn’t work well)- For muffins, I use a ¼ cup measure to make pretty even sized. Batter will be somewhat thick.
5Bake for 13-18 minutes (muffins) or 20-25 minutes (bread) until lightly browned and set in middle.
6Optional topping: finely grind almonds or pecans and mix with butter or coconut oil to make a crumble topping.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
Servings: 8 Slices (or 12 slivers)
1 14 or 15-oz can organic pumpkin
1 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk (or vanilla soy/almond milk)
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla
2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer
3/4 cup organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup Coconut flour (or see tips below)
2 tablespoons tapioca starch/flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions:
Cover and process until smooth and creamy. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl, if necessary to incorporate all of the dry ingredients.
Pour into the prepared pie plate and smooth evenly. Bake in the center of a preheated oven for about an hour until done. The pie should be firm, but still give a little when lightly touched. The center should not be wet. It will fall a bit as it cools.
Cool the pie on a wire rack completely. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving.
1 hour
GLUTEN-FREE PIE CRUST
found on: http://glutenfreehomemaker.com/gluten-free-pie-crust/
INGREDIENTS
1 cup brown rice flour
½ cup millet flour
½ cup potato starch
1 Tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter or shortening (Earth Balance sticks should work too)
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon ice water (maybe a little more)
INSTRUCTIONS
1 In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, starch, sugar, xanthin gum, and salt.
2 Add the cold butter, cut in chunks. Use a pastry blender (you can probably get by with a fork) to cut the butter into the flour until you have pea size or smaller lumps.
3 Add the egg. Beat it a little with a fork and then mix it in with everything.
4 Add the ice water and mix it in.
5 Use your hands to press the dough until it hold together. If it is still very crumbly and will not hold together, add a little more ice water, about one teaspoon at a time. Try pressing it together after each addition.
6Place the dough on a pastry mat, wax paper or parchment paper. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 10½ to 11 inch circle. The edges will be ragged.
7Keeping the dough on the mat or paper, transfer to a cookie sheet, large plate, or cutting board and place it in the freezer while you work on the pie filling. Once chilled, flip the pastry mat over on top of the pie dish. If it breaks and cracks as you put it into the pie plate, press it together with your fingers
8There should be some overhang around the edges which you can cut or break off. Finish the edge of the pie how you like.
9Add filling and bake the pie according to recipe instructions.
10Makes one bottom crust.
a lil about Becca:
My edu-taining, public speaking engages women and supports corporations to achieve higher productivity and bring out their aspirations to, inter-connect to their bodies and teach them ways to build a strong mind, healthy body and enlightened spiritual soul.
