Need some inspiration this time of year for what to make for Thanksgiving celebrations, especially if you are vegetarian or considering a low-sugar lifestyle? Here I will feature 10 delicious recipe and product ideas for a memorable and healthy holiday.
1. Vegetarian “Turkey” and “Ham
One of the most popular Thanksgiving table centerpieces is the turkey. What to do if you’re vegetarian or vegan? One of my favorite brands, Tofurkey, offers a plant based “turkey” roast and also a plant based “ham” roast. The turkey roast comes with wild rice stuffing and has 34 grams of protein per serving!
The “ham” roast comes with amber ale glaze. Tofurkey also offers a plant based gravy!
If you can’t find Tofurkey, I also recommend Gardein brand Turk’y roast. It comes stuffed with wild rice, cranberries and kale, and has 19 grams of protein per serving.
Last but not least, Field Roast brand offers a Celebration Roast that comes with gravy. Field Roast can be found at Target or other retailers as shown on their website. Store Locator & Where to Buy | Field Roast
2. Mashed potatoes
These are typically made vegetarian, so I have included a vegan recipe from Simple Vegan Blog in case you are looking for strictly plant-based recipes. The Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes – Simple Vegan Blog
Otherwise, for vegetarians, mashed potatoes are one of the best finds on the typical Thanksgiving menu!
3. Fruit Salad
Many people have fruit salad as part of their holiday table. Many fruit salad recipes include marshmallows, which typically include gelatin, which I personally do not eat as it is an animal product. As an alternative, I choose No Sugar Added Fruit Cocktail (which you can find at Walmart, Target or Pick n Save).
As a fun spin on a classic marshmallow fruit salad, you could try freezing the drained fruit cocktail with some Sugar Free Cool Whip (also great on pie 😉
Most stores sell Cool Whip sugar free varieties in both case and aerosol form.
4. Cranberry Sauce
Most cranberry sauces, although vegetarian, are extensively sweetened with added sugars. If you are looking for a low sugar alternative, try this recipe by Wholesome Yum! Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce (Keto, 4 Ingredients) – Wholesome Yum
It only requires 4 ingredients and takes about 10 minutes to make. This recipe features monk fruit and allulose, 2 of my favorite sugar free sweeteners! (See “My Top 3 Sugar Free Sweeteners – Article Coming Soon)
5. Sweet Potatoes
Many families choose to serve some variation of sweet potatoes, especially sweet potato casserole. But what to do if you want to forego marshmallows and lots of added sugar? This recipe from Don’t Waste The Crumbs has you covered: Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole | Easy Low-Sugar Recipe!
If you’re not a big fan of nuts, you could omit the pecan pieces. Personally I would use allulose, monkfruit or erythritol (I recommend Swerve brand) instead of the coconut sugar, and I would also add a generous sprinkling of Swerve brown sugar replacement (which is erythritol, the 3rd of my top 3 Sugar Free Sweeteners).
If you don’t have time to make your own sweet potato casserole but still want to include the general flavor, what about a savory option?
These sweet potatoes are flavored with ghee, garlic and sea salt, and can be found at Outpost and online through Thrive Market (keep posted for my upcoming review!)
6. Stuffing
Another Thanksgiving staple, but commonly not vegetarian. Here is a recipe from Minimalist Baker sure to satisfy your stuffing cravings: Simple Vegan Stuffing | Minimalist Baker Recipes
Keep an eye out for a future post on egg substitutes, where I will explore alternatives to “flax eggs” as featured in this recipe.
7. Green Bean Casserole
If you’re looking for a healthier recipe for the classic Green Bean Casserole, Wholesome Yum has got you covered! Gluten-Free Keto Green Bean Casserole Recipe | Wholesome Yum
While this recipe, all things considered, might take a little longer than most I would include here on my blog (I favor easy, quick prep and this one requires making your own soup) – it’s both keto and gluten free as well as vegetarian, so suitable for many dietary preferences on the holiday.
8. Buns/Rolls
One of my personal favorite family traditions has been that of the Hawaiian roll. However, since aiming for a lower sugar lifestyle, I have sought out alternatives to the typical. My favorite nowadays is Aunt Millie’s brand “CarbSmart” Hawaiian Rolls which have only 2 grams of added sugar.
Another alternative would be to make some delicious homemade whole wheat bread – I would make this recipe 8-Ingredient Whole Wheat Bread (Soft & Hearty) – Sally’s Baking Addiction and substitute liquid allulose for the honey. Sourdough is also an excellent choice filled with healthy bacteria and with a low glycemic index, and if you’re in a time crunch, you could pick up a loaf from your local Panera bread!
9. Sparkling Cider
What better to make a Thanksgiving feast complete than a festive drink? My personal favorite for this holiday is this non-alcoholic, no sugar added drink by Martinelli’s (you can find it at many Walmarts).
It is made with 100% pure apple juice, no added high fructose corn syrup or even sucralose!
Another suggestion, especially if traveling and needing to serve many, is IZZE’s no sugar added sparkling apple juice, available in packs of 24 on Amazon.
10. Pie!
Enjoy this recipe for classic pumpkin pie without all the sugar by the Sugar Free Diva Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie – THE SUGAR FREE DIVA.
I would use a sugar substitute like Swerve’s granulated erythritol or granulated allulose, and serve with sugar free Cool Whip! You can also serve with sugar free vanilla ice cream, I recommend Breyer’s CarbSmart vanilla.
Whatever you choose to make this Thanksgiving, I hope you have a great one! Thanks for reading!
Please share with me some photos of your Thanksgiving eats at @amilliondreamswithdani on Instagram, #amilliondreamswithdani