Fresh, Small-Batch Nutrition for Better Health & Performance

Healthy Eating Series: Recipes for a Fresh Take on Thanksgiving


Thanksgiving can be a meal that's as healthy as it is delicious. Try including these vegan and vegetarian recipes shared with us by Real Athlete Diets into your feast for a fresh take on the holidays.   

Roasted Lemons/GF/DF/NF/VEGAN

Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes - Roasted Lemons

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut two lemons in half and rub generously with olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil.

Set aside.

Heat a medium sized oven-proof sauté pan. Keep heat at medium so pan remains hot.

Place each lemon in the hot pan face down and let cook until each lemon is nice and brown. You want a great roasted flavor, so the more color, the better, but try to avoid burning them.

Once each lemon is browned, place the pan in the heated oven and roast for 18-20 minutes. They should be browned, but not burnt.

Let cool and use as needed. These are great for squeezing over just about anything, adding small thin slices to a salad, rice, etc. 

 

White Bean Salad/GF/DF/NF/VEGAN

Yield: 6 portions

Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes - White Bean Salad

6 cups cooked, cooled white beans

Zest and juice of one lemon

¼ cup chopped parsley

¼ cup chopped basil

1 cup finely shredded raw red cabbage

1 cup finely shredded chard (rainbow is our favorite) *be sure to use the stems and the leaves

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons maple syrup

¼ cup olive or avocado oil

 

Make sure you have a bowl large enough to mix this thoroughly.

This could not be any easier to make.

Once the knife work is done, place everything in the bowl and gently mix until everything is combined. We usually use our hands and mix softly as to not break up the beans.  Be sure to taste it after mixing and adjust seasoning if needed. The beans will absorb flavors over time, so be sure to double check the seasoning if the salad is made in advance. This can be eaten cold, at room temperature or heated quickly on the stove.  Whenever we have this salad left over, we heat it in a pot on the stove and add stock as needed. Once hot, add this to a blender, puree and make a great bean soup!

 

Braised Fennel+Coconut

Yield: 4-6 portions

Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes - Braised Fennel + Coconut

3 large bulbs fresh fennel (fronds removed)

3 cups unsweetened canned coconut milk

4 tablespoon coconut oil (make sure it is in liquid state)

Zest of 1 lemon

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or red chili paste

1 cup nutritional yeast

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut each fennel bulb lengthwise into half and then half again. Lay fennel rounded side down into a flat oven safe dish and set aside.

Place all other ingredients into a large bowl and mix well using a whisk. Once ingredients are combined, pour over the top of fennel. Cover dish with foil and place in oven.

Bake in oven for one hour.

After one hour, remove foil cover and return dish to oven continuing to bake for an additional 30 minutes. The fennel will start to brown and liquid becomes thick and bubbly.

Serve as is or as a side.

 

Roasted RADicchio+Chickpeas/GF/NF/VEGETARIAN

Yield: 2 portions

Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes - Roasted RADicchio + Chickpeas

1 large head radicchio

2 cups cooked chickpeas

1 avocado

½ cup goat cheese

¼ cup fresh parsley leaves

¼ cup fresh basil leaves (gently torn in half)

½ roasted lemon

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

4 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon maple syrup

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cut head of radicchio I half and then half again. Set on sheet tray or oven proof pan and set aside.

Carefully cut the avocado in half and remove pit. Place on sheet tray with radicchio.

Heat a large sauté pan and add chick peas, oil, mustard salt, both peppers and maple syrup to pan.

Stir all ingredients together as it heats. Once combined, stop stirring, but continue to cook on medium heat for 1-2 minutes. It should be bubbly.

Remove from heat and carefully spoon everything over the radicchio.

Place pan in oven and heat for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and place one side of avocado and half of the radicchio on to each plate. Gently spoon half of the chickpeas and liquid over each. Sprinkle half of the goat cheese and parsley over each and serve.

 

 

These recipes were shared with us by Kelly Bailey Newlon, co-founder of Real Athlete Diets. RAD creates delicious performance-oriented food and brings it to you. Using the best ingredients is paramount to RAD. It uses locally grown, organic produce and protein to feed its clients. If you are lucky enough to live in Boulder, CO you can order individual meals from RAD via its website. You can also find RAD traveling around the country to feed folks at races, athlete camps, clinics and workshops. 

 


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