We understand that being on a restricted diet can cause a certain amount of stress during the holidays (“what will I eat?” may be on your mind). With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we thought we’d help ease some of your stress and pass along some suggestions on how to still have a delicious Thanksgiving meal on a restricted diet.

Snack Time!

Below you will find list of options for snack foods and hors d’oeuvres to serve during the day before the main meal is served. All the suggestions come from our book or web site so will comply with your current restrictions and better yet, your guests will not be disappointed! If you have certain restrictions beyond the scope of the diet, feel free to make substitutions that suit your needs.

Snack Foods and Hors D’oeuvres

• Deviled Eggs (page 85)
• Curried Cashews (page 135)
• Salted Roasted Chickpeas (page 135)
• Artichoke Hummus (page 138) served with Seed Crackers (page 134).
• Guacamole (page 199) served with organic blue corn chips.
• Mustard Ranch Dressing (page 283) served with cucumber, carrot and celery sticks.

The Fixings

It is Thanksgiving, so it’s a given that turkey is on the menu. Here’s a roasted turkey recipe that we found online if you’re looking for a good recipe. It is dairy-free if you substitute the butter with olive oil (and it’s naturally gluten-free). If you’re gluten-free, stay away from the stuffing and gravy (unless you make it with a substitution) as it’s generally thickened with white flour.

Now on to our suggestions for your upcoming holiday dinner. If you are hosting the event your “food stress” can be eliminated by making meals that you can eat! If you are not hosting, you can always check with the host and find out what’s on the menu and offer to bring a few side dishes that comply with your diet that will go well with the turkey. Below are some options for some in-season recipes.

For starters you can offer soup and/or salad:

• Butternut Squash and Apple Soup (page 185)
• Cauliflower Carrot Soup (page 91)
• Apple and Pear Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing (page 133)
• Spinach and Lentil Salad with Warm Honey Vinegar Dressing (page 131)

For the side dishes choose from any of the following:

• Green Beans with Shiitake Mushrooms and Almonds (page 98)
• Slow Cooked Brown Rice Risotto and Mushrooms (page 109)
• In place of canned cranberry sauce you can serve, Cinnamon Apple Sauce (page 296) or Cran-Raspberry Sauce (page 275)
• Baked sweet potatoes (no recipe required!)
• Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins (online exclusive)

Save Room For Dessert

• Pumpkin Custard (page 162), which has a wonderful pumpkin pie flavor that goes wonderfully with a nice warm cup of herbal tea.
• Maple Walnut Shortbread Cookies (page 232)
• Chocolate Coconut Macaroons (page 251)

And one last tip. If you are hosting, prepare as much of the side and main dishes, and/or the sauces and condiments beforehand so you can spend your time with your guests instead of in the kitchen. Enjoy your holiday!

If you ever have any cooking questions, please let us know on our Facebook page!

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