Holiday Healthy Eats: Spiced Cranberry Sauce and Creamy Garlic Sweet Potatoes (Vegan & GF)

Yea it’s Friday!!

For me this means my weekend has begun!! I am watching my nephew while my sister and her hubby go out on a much needed date tonight….hence the delay in posting, I have been busy!! 🙂 I love being able to steal him for a couple of hours. He is getting so big!! He also loves taste testing my food….if a picky 19 month boy likes my food then I think it’s safe to share with you all!!

Tomorrow I plan on starting the day early to get a run in before heading to a friends house to watch her two little boys so her and her hubby can go to the WSU Football game. Haven’t seen those little guys forever!! It will definitely be a fun weekend, but I am sure by the end I will be pooped from running after little boys!!

Here are some recipes to use for Thanksgiving dinner or for some of those holiday parties you’ll be attending in the next couple of months!! Yep the holiday season is here already!! These are my favorite dishes of Thanksgiving made healthier (minus the pumpkin pie, that will follow). Hope you enjoy!!

Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Cranberries are great foods, packed with  But traditional cranberry sauce is loaded with sugar. I never used canned cranberries for my cranberry sauce, as they are flooded with sugar and unnecessary preservatives. I like my sauce to have a bit of tartness.

I use orange zest, orange juice and ginger to give it a spiced tasted. It’s great hot or cold, but I prefer my cold.

Prep time: 5 minutes      Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1/3 c chopped dried apricots
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c dried cranberries
• 1 c water
• 3 c fresh cranberries
• 2 tsp grated orange zest
• 1/4 c orange juice
• 1/2 – 3/4 tsp ginger

Directions: In medium saucepan bring apricots, sugar and dried cranberries with water to boil. Reduce to simmer. Let mixture simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat until fresh cranberries have popped and mixture has thickened (about 8-10 minutes). Served chilled*

*If you like your sauce warm, go for it!!

Servings: 8

(There’s less than 100 calories per serving)

Creamy Garlic Sweet Potato Au Gratin (Vegan and GF)

In past years I have made these with half and half, so the sauce is thicker. This year I tried them completely vegan with coconut cream and coconut milk. I find them to taste even better!! They are a healthier version of the sugar laden, high fat sweet potato dish most often served at holiday dinners. Don’t get me wrong those sweet, sweet potatoes are great…you know the ones of puffed marshmallows on top, but these are much healthier and the coconut gives them a sweetness without the added sugar. And the many health benefits of garlic, such as  make this dish a much better option.

I got the recipe from my mom’s friend and recreated it to make it more healthful, but still great tasting. And you don’t just have to serve it for holiday dinners, it’s great any time of year!!

Prep time: 5 minutes             Cook time: 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 4 medium Sweet Potatoes or 2 large sweet potatoes, sliced with skins left on
• 2-3 Tbs coconut cream
• 1 1/2 c coconut milk (from can)
• 2 Tbs garlic, pressed
• 3 Tbs coconut oil, melted
• salt and pepper (to sprinkle over layers)
• 1/4 c Parmesan Cheese (optional, if vegan go without it)
• 1/4 c Ground Flax or Bread Crumbs

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. In small sauce pan heat 1 Tbs coconut oil over medium heat. Add in coconut cream and coconut milk. Add in pressed or minced garlic and stir. Keep stirring until milk has thickened some. Meanwhile lay sweet potatoes in pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue this for 3 layers. Once coconut milk has thickened, pour mixture over sweet potatoes. Bake for 45 – 60 minutes, or until sweet potatoes just tender when poked.

Remove from oven and sprinkle Parmesan and ground flax or bread crumbs on top, and finally drizzle 2 Tbs coconut oil on top. Bake for another 15 minutes. Enjoy!!

Servings: 8

Pumpkin Mousse

Everyone needs dessert!!

I wanted to try a pumpkin mousse, since I love chocolate mousse and of course I made it vegan. I love that it’s not too sweet and it’s still thick. I enjoyed eating it after dinner for a healthier dessert. Let me know what you think!!

Prep time: 10 minutes              Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients: 

• 2 c pureed pumpkin, (canned or fresh)
• 2/3 c coconut or almond milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1-2 Tbs maple syrup
• 1/4 c coconut oil
• 1 Tbs chia seeds (optional)

Directions: Combine all ingredients except chia seeds together in blender or food processor until smooth (make sure to process long enough for the coconut oil to mix in well). Transfer to a bowl, stir in chia seeds and let set in fridge for an hour. Enjoy!!

Servings: 4 – 6

Well there you have it!! Some dishes for Thanksgiving to try!! I have a vegan pumpkin pie in mind, but I won’t be posting that until right before Thanksgiving, so you might have to save it for Christmas or other holiday parties.

I get to make my sister and her family Thanksgiving Dinner this year. I am doing cheesy potatoes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bars, and Marc is doing Green Bean Casserole. My sister is in charge of the meat and stuffing (as you know I don’t go for the meat 😉 ). They aren’t much into cranberry sauce or sweet potatoes, so I made these early for Marc and I to enjoy.

Enjoy your weekend and Happy Wholesome Cooking!!