A recipe roundup of 10 healthy Thanksgiving recipes for a healthier holiday dinner. Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away! Do you know what’s on your Thanksgiving menu? Read on for some ideas!
I’ve always loved Thanksgiving… partly because it’s always right by birthday and the official start of the holiday season, but also because I love getting together with family and sitting at the dinner table for hours enjoying each others company and our family’s traditional Thanksgiving dishes.
What I don’t enjoy is slipping into a food coma by 4:00 in the afternoon! Did you know the average Thanksgiving meal contains over 2,000 calories?! Yep, that’s more than my petite frame needs in an entire day! I’m all about indulging on the holidays, but surely some of those calories can be reigned in!
Now that we’ve been hosting Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving for a few years, I’ve been branching out a little more with my recipes and experimenting with some healthier options. Some of the things I gobbled up when I was younger (like mushy green bean casserole with those greasy fried onions from the can) no longer appeal to me and the healthier lifestyle I’m trying to lead.
But I certainly don’t want to sacrifice flavor or make my friends and family feel like I’m putting them on a diet by serving them food that tastes like cardboard.
So I’ve rounded up 10 mouth-watering Thanksgiving recipes (and a bonus recipe for your leftovers!) that are a lightened up without sacrificing flavor.
Try some of these recipes for YOUR Thanksgiving dinner and let me know what you think!
Appetizers
Sweet Potato Rounds with Goat Cheese
from Ciao Florentina
Easy and Festive Sweet Potato Goat Cheese Appetizer with Cranberries & Honey Balsamic Glaze, finished with a blood orange infused olive oil and fresh basil!
Image from Ciao Florentina
Carrot Apple Soup
from Our Salty Kitchen
This roasted carrot apple soup is like a big hug – warm, comforting, and nourishing for the body and soul. It’s a nutty and sweet fall soup recipe, and super easy to make.” A kid-friendly, healthy, easy soup recipe that is naturally paleo, whole30, and gluten-free, and great for a Thanksgiving appetizer.
Recipe: Carrot Apple Soup
Image from Our Salty Kitchen
Side Dishes
Fall Harvest Kale Salad
from Spinach4Breakfast
A super easy and healthy salad with lots of festive ingredients for a salad that’s as beautiful as it is tasty.
Recipe: Fall Harvest Kale Salad
Image from Spinach4Breakfast
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
from A Sweet Pea Chef
This Thanksgiving, make this Healthy Green Bean Casserole from scratch and wow your guests and your tastebuds! Make green bean casserole healthier by just replacing a few simple ingredients for a clean and gluten-free side alternative to the traditional overprocessed stuff from cans.
Recipe: Healthy Green Bean Casserole
Image from A Sweet Pea Chef
Healthy Mashed Potatoes with Skin On
from Fit Foodie Finds
Add these lightened up, herby, and healthy mashed potatoes to your Thanksgiving dinner. They’re made with russet potatoes, Greek yogurt, a little bit of butter, and tons of fresh herbs for the most perfect mashed potatoes with skin on… because 1) it’s better anyway and 2) isn’t that waaayy easier than peeling all those potatoes?!
Image from Fit Foodie Finds
Skinny Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Maple Pecan Topping
from Jessica in the Kitchen
This Skinny Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Maple Pecan Topping is a vegan, light and healthy twist to traditional sweet potato casserole. All the comfort food, less than half the calories!
Recipe: Skinny Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Maple Pecan Topping
Image from Jessica in the Kitchen
Easy Gluten Free Stuffing
from Food Faith Fitness
This gluten free stuffing is moist and so packed with flavor, you would never know how easy it is to make! Perfect for Thanksgiving or any holiday meal!
Recipe: Easy Gluten Free Stuffing
Image from Food Faith Fitness
Low Carb Rolls with Everything Seed Blend
from The Foodie Affair
These Low Carb Rolls are gluten-free and net just 2 carbs per piece. Each roll is topped with a blend of onion flakes, sesame and poppy seeds! Serve a batch of these rolls and enjoy the carb savings in a different dish!
Image from The Foodie Affair
Dessert
Pumpkin Cheesecake Protein Mousse
from Fit and Fulfilled
Skip the pumpkin pie or pumpkin cheesecake and enjoy this decadent, creamy pumpkin mousse that only tastes rich! It’s made from low-fat cottage cheese for a high-protein pumpkin treat without all the calories and fat. Or layer it with pumpkin or gingerbread snaps and a dollop of whipped cream for an impressive parfait!
Image from Fit and Fulfilled
Spiralized Apple Crumble
from The Healthy Maven
Instead of spending all your time chopping, spiralize those apples for a quick and healthy Spiralized Apple Crumble. With curly apple noodles and a crispy crumble layer, this dessert is even better, healthier, and easier than apple pie making it the ultimate lazy girl dessert!
Recipe: Spiralized Apple Crumble
Image from The Healthy Maven
Leftovers
Bonus recipe!!
Thanksgiving Leftovers Cranberry Turkey Sandwich
from Nourish Move Love
Got a lot of leftovers? Use that extra turkey in a sandwich, and add a little holiday color and flavor with a slice of avocado and a cranberry puree drizzle.
Image from Nourish Move Love
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving recipe? Leave a comment and let me know!
Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. New posts will not be retrieved.
Log in as an administrator and view the Instagram Feed settings page for more details.
this list looks amazing! thanks for including our salad 🙂
You’re welcome! I made your salad over the weekend for our Friendsgiving and it was a HUGE hit! Everyone kept commenting on how beautiful and festive it looked! And we all loved the light dressing that complemented the fall flavors without being overpowering.
Nice Thanksgiving recipes… I want to make some Carrot Apple Soup!… I am so happy to see your blog…