Healthier Takes on Thanksgiving Classics

In the United States and Canada, Thanksgiving is an annual national holiday celebrating the harvest, as well as other blessings from last year. Thanksgiving Day is a day when Americans give thanks for all that they have. On Thanksgiving Day, families and friends gather for a meal, which traditionally includes roast turkey (served up in a beautiful silver dish from the likes of Williamwalter and similar others) , stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, gravy, and pumpkin pie. Thanksgiving fare in America often includes turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Football and parades are also traditionally associated with the holiday. Some cities and towns host parades during the Thanksgiving weekend. The holiday season begins during these festivities, and in many areas, so does the Christmas shopping season.

1. Cream of Corn

The traditional recipe calls for heavy cream, sugar, and butter. No one wants this much fat from just a side dish. So this modern take on the dish not only eliminates the fat, but it is also vegan.

http://greatist.com/eat/recipes/healthier-creamed-corn-vegan

2. Cranberry Sauce

This dish normally comes out of can so you don’t really know what’s in it. People who do make their own traditional cranberry sauce usually end up using a lot of sugar. This recipe does not have an extra sugar added it uses honey instead and you can decide how much of it you want to use.

http://greatist.com/eat/recipes/cranberry-orange-sauce-thyme

3. Green Bean Casserole

We all know that this is not the healthiest side dish on the Thanksgiving table, but it tastes so good! This healthier recipe uses eliminates the crunch onion topper and uses other ingredients.

http://greatist.com/health/dangerfood-green-bean-casserole-and-healthier-recipe

4. Stuffing

Personally, I love stuffing. It’s my favorite part of Thanksgiving. That being said, it is also very unhealthy. This recipe helps make stuffing healthier by using wheat bread and adding kale, leek, and even butternut squash.

http://greatist.com/eat/recipes/kale-and-butternut-squash-stuffing

5. Apple Pie

This recipe turns the traditional apple pie on its head. It is a much healthier interpretation to the classic Thanksgiving dish.

http://greatist.com/eat/recipes/baked-apples

6. Fall Fruit Compote

If you’re not a pie person this recipe is perfect for you on Thanksgiving. It incorporates fruits like apples and strawberries into a compote that is healthy and tastes good too.

http://greatist.com/eat/recipes/harvest-fruit-compote