Thanksgiving Side Dishes for Optimal Energy

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

From Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, people tell me they're tired and overwhelmed from all the extra activities.  Let me tell you I understand. We have so many things to do and so little time to do it in!

The good news is, there are easy things we can do over the holidays to combat fatigue and increase energy, and it can be as simple as this:

Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.  

How do fruits and vegetables give us stamina?  The fiber and water in these delicious fresh plant foods help us to satisfy our hunger with less calories and feel fuller longer.  This, in turn, helps regulate our blood sugar and promote a more steady release of energy throughout the day.

To top it off, they're packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals - which are essential for getting through the holiday season without getting sick, and for keeping healthy, holiday skin.

Green Beans with Dijon Vinaigrette

The best way to eat them is fresh, unprocessed, baked, grilled, steamed, or roasted, with minimal sauce, butter or cream. 


Of course, on Thanksgiving, the tyrosine in the turkey makes us feel sleepy if we eat too much of it.  But, you can't blame it all on the bird!

When we overload on any kind of food it makes us sleepy and steals our energy.  Junk food in-particular (buttery, sugary, white-flower laden foods) will slow us down and screw up our digestion big time if we don't keep it to a minimum.

For Thanksgiving Day, serve up some healthy vegetable options that will keep you and your guests feeling satisfied but not stuffed for hours (save that for the turkey).  Great side dishes can be made with little or no butter, salt, cream or cheese and still taste great.  Trust me!

I'm sharing 4 side-dish recipes that are a Thanksgiving hit with all my guests time and time again. I guarantee you, they are fast and easy recipes. As I reviewed them earlier I realized how little patience I have for cooking!

Cider Roasted Vegetables 

The best part is they're delicious and they can be made throughout the winter. The green beans are raw and can be part of a raw diet, but you can steam them if you prefer.  Take a look and see if there's anything you'd like to try.

This year my guests are bringing dishes so I'll probably just make one of them.  Which one should I make? Give me your vote in the comments below!

Acorn Squash with Apple and Cranberry