No Guilt Thanksgiving Recipes

Are you picking out recipes for that special dinner where we sit with the people that love us and simultaneously stress us out the most?  What do you serve when one is vegan, one is Paleo, and one is allergic to everything? You serve whatever you damn please, and they can take it or leave it!

This Food Foundation guru serves no guilt Thanksgiving treats handmade with love. I cook without the three ingredients that cause discomfort in all human digestive systems: vegetable oils, sugar, and refined wheat flour and let the rest of the crowd bring their own dishes specific to their own needs.

I make sure to use as much healthy fat as possible, both to satiate my guests, and provide them with the most nutrient dense foods I can offer. Here are a few ideas for you to consider.

If your job is to bring dessert, try one of these 2 recipes. My daughter and I have perfected the healthiest and most delicious pumpkin pie you can find. If someone is already bringing pumpkin, try this extraordinary cheesecake I learned from my grandmother, both with gluten free crusts or no crust options.

The emphasis for Thanksgiving dinner should be about the harvest of your local land. Pumpkin pie is traditional because of the abundance of autumn squash. Root vegetables and sweet potatoes are also more appropriate than crisp summer salads.

Mashed root vegetables are a delicious way to broaden the nutrient range in your mashed potatoes. Make the dish a little more exciting by adding cauliflower, yams, turnips, or rutabaga.

One of the dishes I get the most compliments from is super easy and delicious similar to the sweet potato coins. Instead of slicing sweet potatoes, try slicing Delicata squash into crescent moons. Just a little butter or coconut oil and a sprinkle of salt will roast into a caramelized delight. Or try a medley of root vegetables to create a rainbow of colors.

I love this Orange Honey Cranberry Sauce that honors the tartness of the cranberry without drowning it in sugar. No matter what recipe you use, you can always replace the sugar with honey or maple syrup to at least lower the glycemic load. You'll find that these REAL food sweeteners taste better too.

Whatever you decide to cook, please take your time and enjoy your food. Look for the highest quality ingredients and you won't have to work that hard. A simple cheese plate with walnuts and a drizzle of raw honey will make any hostess smile.

And if your cooking a whole bird, my hat goes off to you. Cook that baby low and slow with plenty of butter and don't get rid of the skin. It turns out the collagen and glycine in the skin makes this the most nutritious part of the bird, not to mention the tastiest. Bump up the heat to 375 for the last 30-40 minutes for a crispy skin.

Remember to give thanks for the massive amount of hard work that went into your meal. From the chef, to the shopper, from the farmer, to the gardener. From the shopkeeper to the truck driver that delivered your food. There's a long line of sweat and tears that goes into your food. Let's honor the animals that nourish our bodies and the friends and family that take time to share the meal with us.

Happy Thanksgiving!