Alternatives

With Thanksgiving upon us, there is so much prep and ideas swirling in our heads. I like to change things us and add a new dish each year. Here is a great new gluten free alternative that is tasty and homey and all things great!


Quinoa Stuffing
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 medium celery stalks, chopped (about 4 cups)
2 medium green apples, with peel (about 2 cups)
4 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth
2 cups dry quinoa, rinsed
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup pine nuts

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.

Add celery and apple; cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender.
Add broth, quinoa, salt, cumin, and pepper. Bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until most of liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.

Add cranberries. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
Add cilantro and pine nuts; fluff with fork and serve.


Here is a quick, easy and healthy little bite
Simply pear slices topped with cream cheese, cranberries, and pistachios.










Fluffy Browned Butter Potatoes

3 pounds of (yukon gold or russet) potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup of milk (whole will taste best, but 2% tastes great too!)
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Peel and chop potatoes, then add to a large pot. Fill with cold water – stopping just as the water reaches about an inch about the potatoes. Heat over high heat and let come to a boil, then cook for 25-30 minutes, or until fork tender.
When potatoes have about 5 minutes left, add butter to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Whisking continuously, cook until little brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan, then remove immediately from heat.
Drain potatoes, then add back to the pot, turning the heat to low. Mash with a potato masher to break up the chunks, then add in butter, milk and salt. Mash some more, or use a hand mixer to whip potatoes until creamy. At this point, taste and see if you desire any more flavoring (salt, pepper, additional brown butter, etc).
Garnish with fresh sage and serve.

Sides Sometimes Surprise

Last Minute Thanksgiving Tips and Tricks 
                    or ideas for your Leftovers...

If you haven't already made it to the store to buy all your vittles, here are some last minute tips and tricks that can help you. 
I loved that the first step was to start with something fun!

                I got to thinking about what makes a holiday meal or gathering memorable. I remember the funny shaped veggies trays, the interesting meal ideas or new recipe additions that come when new members come into the family. My Dad fried a turkey several years ago and it was fun sitting out in the cold enjoying the funny conversations and safety tips from my Dad the fireman. What's a Thanksgiving without a butter mold shaped like a turkey or a funky jello mold?

Here's a new twist on beans...

1 1/2lbs trimmed green beans (french are best)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Two oranges imperial cut and zest from 1 orange    Instructions here
1 pomegranate seeded (I just bought the seeds in the produce dept)
2 Tbsp good olive oil or grape seed oil/coconut oil
squeeze of a lemon
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste 

Steam your beans until half tender. Set aside. Bring your oil to a shimmer in a saute pan, add garlic and almonds and cook until fragrant, making sure not to burn them. Add beans back into pan and saute them until they are coated with oil and nuts and garlic. Squeeze on lemon and remove from heat. Toss with oranges, zest,and pomegranates, salt and pepper.

Grain- and Gluten-free Cranberry Orange Cake if you're not gluten free, use the same amount of flour and add 2 Tbsps oil to the recipe 

2 oranges
zest of 2 other oranges
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3 cups almond meal or almond flour 
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
2 cups fresh cranberries

Method

Preheat your oven to 340°F/170°C. Spray a round 8"  spring-form pan with baking spray to grease. Line the base with parchment paper.
Put the oranges in a pot and cover with cold water. They will float a little, though. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and then cover the oranges with cold water again and boil another 15 minutes. Rinse with cold water and let cool for 10 minutes or until you're able to cut them without burning your hands. Coarsely chop the oranges and remove any seeds.
Process the orange pieces in the bowl of your food processor until smooth. Add the zest of two oranges and give it another whirl.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together using an electric mixer. Beat until pale and thick and then gently fold in the orange, almond meal and baking powder. Then fold in half of the cranberries.
Pour into the prepared pan, sprinkle the over half of the cranberries over the top of the batter, and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan before cutting.

Brussel Salad 

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of http://www.saveur.com/

Serves 4
1 lb. brussels sprouts
2 cups toasted walnut halves
⅓ cup grated pecorino, plus more for garnish
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
 
1. Working over a large bowl, shave brussels sprouts into very thin slices on a mandoline, starting from each sprouts top while holding it between thumb and forefinger by its stem. Discard stems.
2. Add walnuts, pecorino, olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper to taste. Depending on the saltiness of the cheese, season lightly with salt to taste.
3. Toss with a spoon until just combined and divide salad between 4 bowls or small plates. Using a peeler, shave more pecorino over the top; drizzle with more olive oil and add more pepper to taste.


Wild Rice Pilaf 
It's better to use real rice for this, not the cultivated variety, for this salad; it takes longer to cook but has more flavor and a better texture. You can actually find quick cooking wild rice in the grocery store on the upper shelf and it's great. It's in a small box.

1⁄2 cup wild rice
5 cups gluten free chicken stock
4 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
3⁄4 cup dried sour cherries
1 rib celery, diced
1 scallion, trimmed and chopped
1/4 cup toasted almonds
Leaves with 5 sprigs parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Put rice into a medium pot, cover with water, and swish around with your hand. Drain; repeat process until water is clear, 3-4 more times. Drain rice; return to pot. Add stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir rice once or twice and reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover pot and cook rice until grains are swollen and tender but not blossomed, 50-60 minutes. Drain rice in a colander and let rest, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. Transfer rice to a large bowl to let cool.
2. Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon and 2 tbsp. of the rendered bacon fat to bowl with rice. Add dried cherries, celery, scallions, parsley and vinegar and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish salad with a sprig of parsley, if you like, and serve at room temperature.
 

 I picked up some tri-color carrots at Trader Joe's the other day, I wasn't quite sure what to do with them. I made carrots salad with half of them and roasted a couple for dinner one night. They are delicious.




Tri Color Carrot Salad  with Pomegranate & Raisins
1 lb carrots, peeled and shredded
1 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 tart apple diced
1 small squeeze lemon juice

Combine and refrigerate. I shredded my carrots in my Cuisinart. You can also purchase carrots already shredded.

Persimmon Sauce
2 persimmons
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar in the raw (you can use regular sugar or a mix of brown and white)
1 sweet apple
1 cup water
1 cinnamon stick

Peel persimmons and apple. Cut them in small pieces. In a saucepan, combine all ingredients, except the vanilla and cook on medium until the apple begins to break down. Once the sauce begins to mash up, add vanilla and use an immersion blender to make more smooth or crush with a spoon or fork until it is your desired consistency. This sauce is really good cold as well as hot. Serve it on your turkey or even mixes into your mashed potatoes, on a roll...or spooned onto a cracker with some cream cheese. Oh so good!

1 1/2 pounds of green beans, ends trimmed

1/2 cup slivered almonds

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

two oranges

1 pomegranate

2 tablespoons olive oil.

1 tsp black pepper

salt, to taste

- See more at: http://www.pacificmerchants.com/blog/category/acaciaware#sthash.g8Le7RAu.dpuf

1 1/2 pounds of green beans, ends trimmed

1/2 cup slivered almonds

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

two oranges

1 pomegranate

2 tablespoons olive oil.

1 tsp black pepper

salt, to taste

- See more at: http://www.pacificmerchants.com/blog/category/acaciaware#sthash.g8Le7RAu.dpuf

1 1/2 pounds of green beans, ends trimmed

1/2 cup slivered almonds

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

two oranges

1 pomegranate

2 tablespoons olive oil.

1 tsp black pepper

salt, to taste

- See more at: http://www.pacificmerchants.com/blog/category/acaciaware#sthash.g8Le7RAu.dpuf

1 1/2 pounds of green beans, ends trimmed

1/2 cup slivered almonds

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

two oranges

1 pomegranate

2 tablespoons olive oil.

1 tsp black pepper

salt, to taste

- See more at: http://www.pacificmerchants.com/blog/category/acaciaware#sthash.g8Le7RAu.dpuf

Bring The Warmth In and Give Thanks

Thanksgiving Traditions At It's Best

Decorating Made Easy

 

So the food is always the start of the show, but why not enjoy the yummy food looking at some amazing decor too. I love these inexpensive ideas that take the things around our house and transform them into simple, easy table settings for your festive get together. 
I love the white pumpkin idea. Take your leftover Halloween pumpkins, paint them white and line them down the center of your table atop of butcher paper. Now as the leaves and pine cones are falling, gather them, dry them and bunch them around the pumpkins to give it some depth. It really is that simple. Right now at Micheal's stores you can get pumpkins on sale, spray paint them and use them year after year.  This idea from My Crafty Spot took a banner from Halloween made of simple brown butcher paper that said Hocus Pocus, turned it around and now says Be Grateful!

The pear idea is ingenious. It smells amazing too. Rachel Gilbert came up with this easy and tasty decor item. Later you can use the pears to make one of the recipes I posted here. You can find a container of cloves at the dollar store and display on a cute pedestal you made from a candle holder glued to a dollar store platter/plate and spray painted in any color you'd like. Here is a 3 tier pedestal I made for a baby shower a couple of years back. I make it out of plastic plates, two candle holders with epoxy and some spray paint. 

Appetizers Ideas for Kids of All Ages

Kids don't want to eat the fancy frou frou appetizers. Short of the cheese and crackers lets face it, they're not grabbing at the veggie tray or the specialty cheeses and spreads. My child had fun making these a couple years ago. Goldfish crackers and popcorn. We even added some m&ms in there too.

Hanging Paper Lanterns
I love this idea from Handmade Holiday Full Tutorial Here


I plan on making these with my 7 year old tomorrow. They are easy to make and a perfect little activity on a cold fall day. The materials can all be purchased at your local craft store and you probably already have these items around your house. We aren't going to use the butchers string, we will use fishing line because that's what we have sitting around our house. Construction paper is a bit to thin for this project, you'll need a heavier paper.

Apple Cider Slush
  
1/4 Cup Splenda
2 Ripe Bananas, Cut up 
1 Can Crushed Pineapple in Juice
1 Cup Cool Whip 
3 Cups Apple Cider
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Cup White Cranberry Juice Cocktail (You can use regular Cranberry to make it pretty too) 
1 Bottle of Diet Sprite or Sparkling Water

Combine banana, splenda, pineapple and juice, and cool whip and mix together. Freeze into slush and then break up or shave. Combine all other ingredients and chill. When you get ready to serve your drink, put a scoop of the slush in the cup and top off with drink mix.

Parent Map has so really awesome children's ideas. At our house for years we had a kids table. Now that my child is the only kid, he sometimes needs to be occupied a bit while the adults savor their Thanksgiving meal and conversation. 


 You can pick up pine cones in your yard, we gather them from Liberty Park because they have larger harder pine cones that can hold a crayon. Give each child a little turkey and a coloring book as a place-mat at the table. They will love it!

It's great to start new traditions and I think that Thanksgiving Day is one of those holidays that really allows you to be creative in unique ways. To have a holiday devoted to being thankful and grateful for what The Lord and this country has given them helps each child, young and old re-prioritize the things that are meaningful and worth mentioning. Go around the table and have everyone express what they are thankful for or use this idea from 16 Thanksgiving Decor Ideas

 Half of a paper towel roll, some construction paper, googly eyes and voila! On the back you can write the names of each person coming to dinner and include pens down the table for each person to list their many blessings. 






Sweet Acorn Bites 
When I showed Sam this idea on Pinterest he squealed!  The original idea was very ambitious making the donuts from scratch, uh not my kind of idea of fun, so I purchased donut holes from the store, dipped the tops in nutella and and peanut butter, crushed up toffee and found brown sprinkles and topped them off with a broken pretzel stick. They turned out really cute and they are so good. I admit even though I'm Gluten Free I still ate a couple. Sometimes we have to sacrifice for the greater good. :)

This runner is way cute! Couldn't be more simple. The kids could literally make this the morning of Thanksgiving Day while they sit down and watch the Macy's Day Parade. It will have time to dry by dinner. What a great keepsake to have for years to come. When kids feel like they get to contribute it creates lasting memories. 

Last but not least these are the best. One of my favorite things in the world. 
Prosciutto Wrapped Cantaloup

1⁄2 medium cantaloupe or honeydew melon, seeded
4 oz. Prosciutto or Serrano ham, sliced into 1 inch strips

*In the deli section of your grocery store you can find already sliced and packed prosciutto, but I prefer to get it directly from the deli where they slice it for me. It's cheaper too.
Toothpicks or Skewers 

I garnished them with a little sage leaf, but you could use mint or parsley

Hope your Holiday is Great!