Ok, so I am trying something new. And by new, I mean, I have been doing this pretty regularly since March 3rd. It is November and we fell off the wagon this summer, and of course, dealt with the health issues that came with it. The bloating, joint pain, lack of energy, etc. So last month, I started it back up again. Hence – NEW. But really, I have been learning this for the past 8 months. I have figured out our likes and dislikes, I have figured out where we need to be hardcore and where we can bend the rules a little, and I am enjoying the process of making food OH SO MUCH MORE now that I don’t hurt after every bite I eat.
This new food philosophy is loosely based on Trim Healthy Mama book by Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison. I have gained much understanding about sugar cycles and the way my system deals with sugar. So, soon, there will be more information on sugar… but for now, on to the feast!
I hope you enjoy this feast as much as I loved making it. For weeks we have had all of our snacks with Thanksgiving day feast foods so I could get all of these just right. I learned cauliflower does not belong in stuffing (even if it is gluten free) and there is no getting around mashed potatoes if I don’t want my daughter to revolt in protest and that sometimes, you just have to use some honey. But for the most part, this feast is all whole and beautifully good for you foods and not a can of Cream of Mushroom in site! Enjoy!
Turkey - simple recipe. Turkey with butter and fresh herbs. I rinse and dry my turkey. Then I mix a stick of salted butter with chopped thyme, sage, rosemary, and chives. I stick the herbed butter under the turkey skin in as many places as I can reach. I oil and salt the skin on the outside with olive oil and pink salt and preheat my oven to 475*… yes… that hot. And I put the turkey in for 20 minutes. After that I turn the temperature down to 250* and cook until the thigh meat is 165*. Best turkey ever! Be prepared with a turkey baster, because you are going to have more drippings than you know what to do with to make the best gravy ever!
Gluten Free Gravy - This requires a special ingredient… Glucomannan powder is the thickener in this stuff. When your gravy is seasoned as you want it (I use the drippings almost exclusively for this. They have enough flavor (and butter!) to make an amazing gravy. Salt to taste.) add tiny shakes of glucomannan powder and mix until combined… then wait a little while. It thickens as it cooks and it takes a minute to reach it’s full thickness. Do that repeatedly until you have the consistency you want. It is added in tiny amounts so your gravy doesn’t turn gelatinous, but it’s perfect to add to your thanksgiving feast!
Mashed Potatoes – Potatoes spike your blood sugar. They just do. And I feel better when I don’t eat them much. But, it’s Thanksgiving. And my daughter would rebel if I didn’t have mashed potatoes. My recipe is simple; sour cream, Lawry's Seasoned Salt, and butter. In amounts that make it taste amazing. Which usually means a lot of everything.
Cheddar Biscuits – I made these last night and was SO tired that I forgot to take a picture… but dang. They were amazing. (Adapted from this recipe.)
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 3 Tbs melted butter
- 4 eggs
- pinch of garlic powder
- pinch of onion powder
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Sift coconut flour into a bowl and mix in all ingredients except cheese until smooth. Then fold cheese in, careful not to over mix. Drop biscuit batter spoonful's onto parchment paper and bake at 350* for 15 minutes. Take out and serve right away.
Pumpkin Custard Cups – OMGosh. These are like crustless pumpkin pie. I plan on topping them with whipping cream and 85% dark chocolate shavings on top of each ramekin cup. 12 packets Truvia, blended until powder, in a high-speed blender. Then add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup heavy cream. Place in ramekins (fills 4 small ones) and preheat the oven to 350*. Place ramekins in a larger shallow baking dish and pour boiling water on the outside of the ramekins about halfway up. Bake for 45 minutes or until they are firm (shake the pan gently to test).
(Recipe above – tripled, and put in a lightly greased tart pan. Turned out great!)
For whipping cream - pint of heavy cream whipped and added in 1 heaping Tbs of sugar and a dash of vanilla. Yes I am using real sugar. But it is less than a teaspoon per serving. I just don’t like the flavor of stevia sweetened whipping cream.
Paleo Cranberry Sauce – This one took a while. So enjoy it!
- 1 can of apple juice concentrate
- 1 bag of frozen cherries (the small, 6-8oz bag)
- 1/2 a bag of cranberries (or 6 oz)
- 1 small piece of ginger
- 3 Tbs honey (if needed)
Defrost apple juice concentrate in a sauce pan, place cranberries and ginger and boil on medium until cranberries ‘pop’. Add in the bag of frozen cherries and remove the piece of ginger. Use a potato masher to mash the cherries and cranberries together boil until slightly thick. Remove from heat when mashed thoroughly and add in honey if needed. It will thicken as it cools.
For stuffing, I just used gluten free bread in place of my regular cornbread and then followed my old stand-by recipe. Link here.