Thanksgiving Menu

The following are some highlights from our grain-free/sugar-free/fruit-free Thanksgiving dinner menu. If there's one thing I've learned in the last six months, it's that there are wonderful substitutions for our favorite foods.

Turkey Prepared with Cheesecloth
Soak a double layer of cheesecloth (enough to cover the turkey) in ghee or butter. Expeller-pressed coconut oil can also be used. (Expeller-pressed is a great cooking oil because of its neutral flavor. It truly doesn't taste like coconut!) Drape the cheesecloth over the bird. Baste occasionally and remove the cheesecloth one hour before taking the bird out of the oven.

Dressing
I'm using a recipe provided by pecanbread.com, which includes:

4 cups coarsely chopped peeled yellow onion
4 cups de-strung, coarsely chopped celery
2 cups almond flour
2 jumbo eggs
4-6 tablespoons poultry seasoning blend
2 teaspoons baking soda

Green Beans
Stir-fried in expeller-pressed coconut oil with garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and seasonings.

Mashed Cauliflower
Our oldest daughter has achieved a recipe that honestly tastes just like mashed potatoes!

Ingredients:
- At least 2 heads cauliflower, steamed until very soft
- Chicken broth
- Boiled chicken (can't have too much)
- Basil (dried is fine)
- A few garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- Salt and pepper

Steam cauliflower, then transfer into some chicken broth. Add garlic. Add boiled chicken and puree (we love our stick blender for this). Add basil and salt and pepper to taste.

Try to serve right away, but can keep in the oven to warm. Does not do well for leftovers.

Crustless, Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie
2 eggs
2 c. fresh cooked pumpkin or 1 can pumpkin
1/4 c. stevia or sweetener of choice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 2/3 c. coconut milk
1/4 c. sprouted almond flour or coconut flour

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Beat eggs slightly; beat in remaining ingredients. Place pie plate on oven rack; pour in filling. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until knife comes out clean, approx. 45 minutes.

Pumpkin Muffins
12 eggs
1/2 c. coconut oil or ghee, melted
1 c. pumpkin puree or other squash puree
Stevia or other sweetener
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. coconut flour

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Beat eggs and add other wet ingredients. Combine and whisk until lumps are gone. Scoop into muffin tins and bake 15-20 minutes.

Homemade Peppermint Patties
Back by popular demand, our peppermint patty recipe from Halloween. We use carob, cacao, and stevia.