Thanksgiving recipe swaps can leaving you feeling all the more grateful after enjoying a delicious and healthy meal. Our Functional Medicine Team invites you to celebrate your Thanksgiving meal with more abundance and a few mindful swaps that can only enhance your dinning experience:
Eat roasted sweet potatoes instead of candied yams
While we say you should focus on nutrition over calorie counting, there’s something to be said about being able to try a bit of everything at a holiday meal. Sweet potatoes do it all, offering more potatoes for fewer calories and a healthy helping of vitamins and nutrients!
Avocados over butter
You are welcome, friends. Another awesome reason to adore avocados. When baking, try avocado in place of two sticks of butter. This dessert came changer offers potassium and heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids and fiber.
Skip mashed potatoes and mash cauliflower instead
There are health benefits to both potatoes and mash cauliflower. However, if you have company looking to lower or balance carbs, you can enhance a holiday classic with this simple swap.
Vegan friendly egg swap
For vegan-friendly treats, substitute egg with a mixture of Chia seeds and water. Start with 1 tablespoon of freshly ground flax or chia seeds. Whisk with 3 tablespoons of water. Refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes. Use as you would egg in baking recipes.
Thinned plain yogurt in place of whole milk
Whether you’re making cornbread or another classic holiday recipe that calls for whole milk, replace it with low-fat buttermilk or thinned plain yogurt to cut fat and calories. Plus yogurt swaps are a great source of probiotic that can aid in digestion.
Go bananas instead of butter or eggs.
A mashed banana can replace butter or eggs to help lower the recipe’s cholesterol and sodium. In addition, bananas are high in potassium and vitamin C.
Aquafaba over eggs (Vegan Friendly!)
Aquafaba is the common name for the cooking liquid of beans. It increases fiber in recipes and makes for an easy egg binder or whipped egg substitute in dessert recipes like meringues.
Look for brands that make it easy.
Brands like Simple Mills offer products for dinning and baking that are already gluten free, grain free, soy free, non-gmo, and paleo friendly.
Contrary to general belief, healthy foods can (and should) taste amazing. Plus, eating healthy will make you feel amazing, too! On the other hand, foods that are loaded with sugar, salt, and processed ingredients can trick you into culinary enjoyment, only to leave you feeling terrible later on.
Getting to know what food works best for your body (and what food does not work for you) can bring your peace of mind with every meal. Learn more about Functional Medicine and Clinical Nutrition by scheduling a free consult at one of several clinics, here.
