Remember when Thanksgiving menus consisted of turkey, a few unhealthy sides (sourced from the labels of canned goods) and pumpkin pie? The nostalgia! These days everyone’s a foodie, which means that the ante has been majorly upped when it comes to what’s expected of a Turkey Day meal. Whether you’re hosting your own dinner, braving your sig other’s family gathering, or partaking in a friendsgiving, you’re going to want to bring your A-game this year. Here, 5 recipes to get you started.
Pumpkin Goat Cheese Polenta with Brown Butter Thyme Mushrooms & Kale
If this dish doesn’t make your mom proud, we don’t know what will.
Ingredients
7 ¼ cups water
¼ cup heavy cream
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
Pinch baking soda
1 ½ cups coarse corn meal
1 tablespoon browned salted butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 ounces goat cheese + 1 ounce for garnish
1 ½ ounces hard parmesan, grated
See full recipe here
Roasted Squash with Bacon and Maple
If anything can get your dad to eat squash, it’s bacon.
Ingredients
2 small acorn squashes
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 thick slices bacon
See full recipe here
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese (Vegan)
This one is for those of you who want to sneak something vegan into the mix without being banned from next year’s festivities.
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
3 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
1 ¾ cup nut milk
½ cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon white miso
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 pound elbow pasta
2 cups cooked vegetables (steamed spinach, broccoli, etc.)
½ cup hulled raw sunflower seeds
See full recipe here
Savory Stuffed Pumpkin with Sausage and Gruyere
Presentation is everything. This dish makes turkey look like a TV dinner.
Ingredients
1 large baking pumpkin
1 loaf day-old crusty bread (french baguette or sourdough)
1 ½ cups grated Gruyere
2 tablespoons Canola oil
1 pound uncooked Italian sausage
3 large shallots, thinly diced
2-3 large garlic cloves, minced
4 large eggs
2 cups half and half
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup grated Parmesan
See full recipe here
No Bake Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Perfect for those who are low on time but high on a need to impress their mother-in-law.
Ingredients
8 baby pumpkins, hollowed out with tops removed
3 tablespoons light brown suga
1 ½ tablespoons superfine sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream
5 egg yolks
1 cup whole milk
⅔ cup pumpkin puree
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
pinch ground cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 tablespoons raw sugar
See full recipe here
