Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Not only do we celebrate food but also dedicate the day to being thankful for the blessings in our life. Feelings of gratitude benefit our mind and body. When we make the choice to shift into a place of gratitude we open up new pathways in our brain, the brain actually changes. The more we practice feelings of gratitude the more these pathways open up. Momentum builds and gratitude becomes part of our daily life..

Research shows grateful thoughts don’t just stay in your mind, messenger molecules instantly transmit their effect to the body’s 100 trillion cells,

Grateful thoughts are like little messengers that transmit positive energy throughout our entire body. The more this positive energy flows the more it infuses our entire system.

“EVERY GRATEFUL THOUGHT MAKES ME HEALTHIER”

Tapping is a wonderful tool to raise your energy to experience more gratitude. I wrote this for myself when things weren’t going the way I wanted and it was hard for me to feel gratitude. It shifts my energy. Click here for my Tapping into Gratitude Script.

Thanksgiving Recipes

I absolutely love Thanksgiving. It is exciting to plan and prepare for the feast. I look forward to spending time with family and friends. On this day everyone is comfortable eating. I can’t wait to welcome my family and friends to my table filled with beautiful handmade nourishing foods.

Usually the meal focuses around the turkey but for me, the two best parts of the meal are the side dishes and desserts. I personally love the vegetable dishes that accompany the turkey so I wanted to give some of my favorite recipes here.

Even though I am still gluten free there is no reason for anyone to feel the slightest bit deprived. All my dishes are full of delicious flavors, satisfying textures and exciting spices.

Desserts are such a treat. They are my favorite part of the meal. These dessert recipes are the perfect end to the Thanksgiving meal. They will round out your Thanksgiving menu because while they look stunning and impressive on your table, they are actually easy recipes. All are gluten free and naturally sweetened. They won’t send you to the couch in a food coma. They will make your Thanksgiving just a little bit sweeter.

I created this list of some of the best Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes. They are festive, healthy and easy. There are also some healthy and delightful dessert recipes to help you make this glorious holiday oh so wonderful. Some are from my blog and others from some of my favorite bloggers. I have made all of them and picked a few for this year’s menu.

All are gluten free and refined sugar free. A few have cheese that you can leave out if it’s not on your eating plan. I picked Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes and healthy desserts that aren’t complicated. You can relax and enjoy the day. I do hope that this list of Gluten-free recipes will help you plan your best Thanksgiving, yet!

Vegetable Side Dishes

Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower

Commonplace cauliflower gets an upgrade and it becomes holiday fare. The textures and spices of this dish create a unique taste and flavor.

Herb Crusted Acorn Squash

Almond flour and herbs give acorn squash a nice crunchy crust. Easy to make and you don’t even have to peel the acorn squash.

Roasted Broccoli Steaks with Pine Nuts

This is a simple, pretty dish you can put in the oven after the turkey comes out. The Parmesan cheese is optional.

Sautéed Kale with Fennel and Carrots

Fennel looks like a cross between an onion and celery. It has a sweet, perfumy, anise-like flavor. When cooked doesn’t taste like licorice, it imparts a light, bright quality to the kale dish. Fennel is also really good for you. Fennel kale and carrots is a dish in perfect harmony. Yum!