Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes: Sexy Fit Vegan-Approved!
Top Healthy, Easy Vegan Thanksgiving Recipe Picks!
Can you believe it’s time to plan your Thanksgiving meal already? As I do every year, I have scoured the internet for the top plant-based vegan recipes that meet all my criteria. Recipes must first of all be easy-to-follow and not contain hard-to-find ingredients to make my recommendation list. The recipe must also be on the healthy side. I say “healthy side” because it is a special occasion so I give some leeway for ingredients not ideal for eating on a daily basis, but that are still not bad for you and are still as nutrient dense as possible for the type of dish. I have included both traditional-style dishes and dishes with different twists for fun. I’ve also included some of the top vegan turkey swaps available on the market this year. (I unfortunately have not tried them all yet, but I listed them in the order that I would buy them to try, based on the brand.) The goal of this post… for everyone to finish their meal feeling happy and satisfied without the guilt that can come along with a traditional, unhealthy Thanksgiving dinner.
I want to share how thankful I am for everyone who have created the recipes on my list. I’m also grateful to YOU for being open to trying new recipes that are vegan and healthy as part of your journey. We are collectively changing our own lives, the lives of animals, and the state of the planet, all for the better! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!
Appetizers
Vegan Spinach Dip by Kathy (Healthy. Happy. Life.)
Brussels Sprouts Sliders by Marla Rose
Spicy Pumpkin Hummus by Jaymi Heimbuch
Stuffing & Casserole
Southern-Style Vegetarian Stuffing Recipe by Heather Barnett
Vegetarian Quinoa Stuffing by Jolinda Hackett
Vegan Green Bean Casserole by Susan Voicin (FatFree Vegan Kitchen)
Soup & Salad
Insanely Cream Vegan Corn Chowder by Brooke (Cheeky Kitchen)
Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup by the Blender Girl
Kale Slaw with Curried Almond Dressing by Dreena Burton (Plant-Powered Kitchen)
Apple Harvest Salad by Natalie (Life Made Simple)
Sides
Gorge Yourself Ginger Cranberry Sauce by the Blender Girl
Herb Roasted Winter Veggies by Vegetarian Times
Garlic and Rosemary Mashed Potatoes by Cara, Fork & Beans and Mushroom Gravy by Kaitlin (the Garden Grazer)
Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Avocado Garlic Aioli by Oh She Glows!
Red Quinoa Pilaf with Kale and Corn by Nava Atlas (VegKitchen)
Vegan Brown Rice Pilaf with Pumpkin Seeds by Jolinda Hackett
Main Dishes
Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf by Susan (Fat Free Vegan)
Portobello Steak by Ricki Heller
Vegan Creamy Broccoli and Chick’un” Casserole byLeanne Vogel (Healthful Pursuit)
Store Bought Turkey Substitutes
Savory Stuffed Turk’y, Holiday Roast, & Turk’y Cutlets by Gardein
Turkey-less Stuffed Roast with Gravy by Trader Joe’s
Tofurky Roasts, Feasts, and Gravy
Vegan Whole Turkey by Vegetarian Plus
Vegetarian Brown Gravy by Hain
Vegetarian Brown Gravy by Simply Organic
Gluten Free Quick Gravy by Road’s End Organics
Desserts
Gluten-Free Pie Crust and Apple-Of-My-Eye Pie by Dreena Burton (Plant Powered Kitchen)
Gooey Pumpkin Spice Latte Chocolate Pudding Cake by Oh She Glows!
Pumpkin Chia Pudding by Deena Burton (Plant-Powered Kitchen)
Maple Nut Cake (gluten free) by Amy (Fragrant Vanilla Cake)
Check out my top ice cream swap HERE
Eggless-Nog
Five-Minute High Raw, Vegan Eggnog by Gena Hamshaw (Choosing Raw)
Store-Bought:
Nog, Coconut by So Delicious
Soy Nog by Earth Balance
ENJOY!!!
Chocolate-Banana Chia Seed Pudding
Add this awesome, healthy vegan recipe to your vegan diet plan today!
Check out my recipe for easy-to-make, guilt-free chocolate banana pudding, made using chia seeds, recently published on TheHealthSite.org
Go Vegan and Go Out to Eat, It’s Easy!
A great social life and being vegan can go hand-in-hand!
One important step in your sexy fit vegan journey is discovering how to eat out comfortably and happily… You can’t have a great social life without going out to restaurants with your friends, right?!
Here’s how I look at it… Truth is, I may not get to be super picky, but there is very rarely a time I go to a restaurant that doesn’t have several menu items that are vegan or can easily be modified to be vegan. In larger markets like Miami, NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc. picking out a vegan option is an easier task, but even in smaller towns it can be done! It’s sometimes good to go online ahead of time to look at menus so you can suggest a restaurant that not only has the atmosphere you and your friends (or date or significant other) are in the mood for, but also has enough vegan-friendly items so that you won’t feel deprived! I actually love going to sushi restaurants because I know I can have edamame, salad, often there is grilled eggplant, mushrooms, &/or shishito peppers (yum!!), and a veggie roll (with brown rice when available)! Even steakhouses can be done (if you are ok with being around all the slabs of red meat on other people’s plates) because they usually have incredible vegetables. Just make sure they are cooked using olive oil instead of butter.
I also want to introduce to you one of the best websites out there for easily finding vegan-friendly restaurants and markets wherever you go… HAPPY COW.NET. It’s easy to use and puts out thorough results. You can filter the results based on the type of restaurant you are looking for, the rating, and price. You can also connect with others on the website and it has a great app for your phone as well. Two other eating out apps that are great for finding vegan-friendly restaurants and menus are VeganXpress and Vegman. All three are worth checking out!
I also like to look at going out to eat as an opportunity to share my decision to be vegan with others. When I request a vegan meal, people often express interest in why I eat a plant-based diet. I’m given the chance to spread the word about all the benefits of a vegan lifestyle. In turn, others are given the chance to learn something that could improve their own health and allow them to make a difference in the world! A win-win!
5 Simple Meal-Time Weight Loss Tricks
Shed those extra pounds on a vegan diet plan with these 5 simple tips!
When it comes to weight loss, it’s great to “think big.” When it comes to changing habits we’ve had for years however, long-term success is usually found by consistently taking small steps in the right direction until you reach your larger goal. In this article we are focusing on “meal time”. These 5 tips may seem obvious, but if you actually follow them, they will truly help you lose those pesky extra pounds!
- Eat slowly.
- Stop eating before you are full.
- Salt and sweeten your food yourself.
- Use smaller plates and glasses.
- Do all your eating at the table.
Let’s break it down…
- Eat slowly. Some of us are naturally fast or slow eaters. If you are a slow eater, congrats! Keep it up! If you tend to clean your plate and as you look around, see that others have barely gotten started, you have some work to do. In order to slow down, take a minute at the beginning of each meal to consciously say to yourself, “I’m going to take my time eating this meal.” Play a game with yourself and see how long you can take to reach your last bite! It takes practice. Put down your fork between bite. Chew each mouthful of food thoroughly before swallowing. Talk to others if you are in a social setting (without food in your mouth!) These small tricks will make a big difference.
- Stop eating before you are full. This is only possible if you are abiding by tip #1, so start there! If you stop eating when you are “stuffed” or even simply “full”, as I’m sure you’ve experienced, shortly after you stop eating you become even fuller. If you can stop yourself just before you get to the point of feeling full, within 20 minutes you will reach that “full” and satisfied feeling you are trying to achieve. It takes this long for your food to travel and settle in your stomach. Simple concept. Simple yet challenging solution. It’s all about being conscious enough to make the decision to stop eating at the right time. Practice… you can do it!
- Salt and sweeten your food yourself. Whenever possible, whether you are buying food at the grocery store or eating out, get foods unsalted and unsweetened. Take out the guess work and take control of your food. Instead of allowing someone else to determine how much, and what kind, of salt or sweetener is added to your food, do it yourself. Use Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt, and pure organic raw stevia as healthier options. If you like chocolate almond milk for example, buy the unsweetened version and add stevia to sweeten it, giving it no extra calories. Saving yourself 10-20 grams of sugar every time you have a glass adds up quickly! For an extensive list of vegan foods I recommend check out the Beginner’s Guide to a Sexy Fit Vegan Lifestyle.
- Use smaller plates and glasses. Sound silly? That saying, “our eyes play tricks on us” is so true! A small plate loaded with food will seem more satisfying than a large plate with the same amount of food. Same with liquid in a glass. If it works, who cares if it’s not based on logic or reality!
- Do all your eating at the table. Taking the time to sit at a table and enjoying your food as your activity for that moment is the way to go. When you have food as your secondary activity as you watch tv or work, you will end up eating much more without even realizing it. You know those times you grab the bag of chips, plop down on the couch, and start watching Tv? Before you know it you’re reaching for the last chip thinking, “I can’t believe I just ate that whole bag!” Make it a habit to eat at the table, enjoying the food you have in front of you before moving on to your next activity.
Now it’s time to take these concepts and put them into action starting right now! It takes consistency and time, but before long these tips will become your new habits and the extra pounds will drop off, and stay off.
A Healthier Halloween: A Sexy Fit Vegan Candy List
Halloween is coming up fast… Time to stock up on vegan candy for the Trick-or-Treaters!
The fact that a surprising number of traditional halloween candy is vegan is awesome! PeTA created a list of the top 25 vegan candies (such as Airheads, Pixi Sticks, and Jolly Ranchers)… check it out HERE!
Unfortunately “vegan” is not synonymous with “healthy”! The list I’ve created here names some of the healthier vegan candy options on the market today that come in trick-or-treat appropriate sizes. Notice I wrote, “healthIER” not “healthy”… just consider them “halloween treats” instead of “halloween junk”! Most of these you will find at Whole Foods, many can be ordered online, and some even found at more progressive mainstream grocery stores. Happy Halloween!
Annie’s Organic Fruit Snacks
Organic Tropical Treat Bunny Fruit Snacks
Organic Berry Patch Bunny Fruit Snacks
Organic Sunny Citrus Bunny Fruit Snacks
Organic Summer Strawberry Bunny Fruit Snacks
Organic Grapes Galore Bunny Fruit Snacks
Organic Pink Lemonade Bunny Fruit Snacks
Annie’s Homegrown Bunny Cookies Snack Pack, Cocoa and Vanilla
Clif Kid Organic Twisted Fruit
Endangered Species
Organic Dark Chocolate Bug Bites
Organic Dark Chocolate Chimp Mints
Panda
Blueberry Licorice
Candy-Coated Licorice
Cherry Licorice
Raspberry Licorice
Soft Licorice
Yummy Earth
Lollipops
Sour Beans
Mixologist Throwdown! Miami’s Badass Vegan Festival Kicks Off!
Ask anyone who went to the Vegan “Mixologist Throwdown” what they did and they will all agree with me… We ATE. DRANK. ENJOYED!
Seed Food and Wine Miami is an incredible 5-day experience for guests who want to sip, savor, and learn about conscious plant-based living. Nightly events, as well as the full-day festival itself consists of so many experiences to be had, from cooking demonstrations, wine, beer and spirits tastings, to body care, workshops, yoga, urban gardening and more. Everything served during the festival is VEGAN and whenever possible organic and non-gmo. What’s so cool about this festival is that it’s appealing to almost everyone. The events are of the same (or better) caliber as the top food and wine festivals in the world… it just happens to be 100% plant-based!
Last night I was a host at the THRIVE Magazine VIP Cocktail party and it was a huge success so I wanted to share! Guests walked the ‘green’ carpet, casted their votes for “Best Cocktail Creation” at the ‘Mixologist Thowdown’, enjoyed delectable bites created by the hottest local and national farm-to-table chefs, and bid on art, travel, dinner and theatre tickets in a silent auction, and walked away with a seriously cool vip gift bag!
Brendan Brazier (Owner of Vega brand supplements), John Salley (NBA Champion, TV Host, & Wellness Advocate, Maranda Lambert (Origins Magazine also hosted the event. Sponsors included some dear friends of mine including Marco Borges (22 Days Nutrition) and John Lewis (Bad Ass Vegan).
Celebrity Chefs included Jamie DeRosa {Tongue & Cheek}, Todd Erickson {Haven}, Nicolas Torrent {Juice Lab}, Robyn Aldomovar {Food Network}, Mark Zeitouni {The Standard}, Nicola and Fabrizio Carro {Via Verdi}, and Robbie Errichetti . There was such a rush of attendees, beyond what anyone expected, and the succulent dish samples quickly ran out… People couldn’t get enough!
Mixologist competed from Tongue and Cheek, Haven, Finka Table and Tap, and Blackbird Ordinary. My vote for the best drink went to Finka Table and Tap… they made a tequila drink (if you don’t know, I’m a tequila girl!) with some amazing ingredients that included fresh beet juice and hibiscus. Incredibly creative and delish!
So there you have it. I just wanted to send out a quick post because I’m so excited to be participating in such a world-class event that emulates compassionate, healthy living… my forte!!!
Marco Borges (owner of 22 Days Nutrition), Sheryn Abalos (Celebrity Vegan Chef), me 🙂
John Salley (NBA Champion, TV Host, Wellness Advocate) and me
My Girls! Sheryn Abalos (Celebrity Vegan Chef), Diana Perez (Jewelry Designer, BluLua), me, Silva Valderrama (Sisley Paris)
The Natural Sweetener Stevia
A big thanks to Marra Chinn for contributing this fantastic article on stevia. Marra is the owner of Sweet Earth Cakes, and I can honestly tell you her Plantain Nut Muffin is one of the healthiest, most delicious, baked food products I’ve EVER experienced!
The Natural Sweetener Stevia
If you are like me, you are probably wondering if Stevia will be another agave story. Truth is, I used to eat agave, but I didn’t do the research on this “miracle” sugar substitute. I naively took advice from a doctor who said agave was so much better than eating sugar or honey—that I should be replacing sugar with agave, period. Now that I know the truth about agave, I don’t consume it. To be honest, before going “sugar free,” I didn’t think I consumed a lot of sugar anyway, but then again, I didn’t realize how much sugar, maltose, dextrose, sucrose or high-fructose syrup was in the foods I used to eat. Added sugar (whether refined or chemical) is commonly found in processed foods. I can go on writing at length about all the “natural” foods that have added sugar. You’d be surprised.
But I digress, when my new doctor told me I could only have stevia, I first did some research to make sure this “sweetener” legitimately didn’t raise blood glucose levels and was natural. I recommend you read more here or do your own research before you try it.
I told my doctor I couldn’t stand the bitter aftertaste of stevia. Then he told me about a product line called NuStevia which I now buy online at vitacost.com. It’s been a lifesaver, and I use it in everything from hot quinoa cereal and smoothies to desserts and afternoon tea. It comes in liquid or powder form, so you can decide what version you like best. There are many brands out there for you to try, but I do recommend ordering online to save up to 50%, compared to shopping at your local grocer.
Please know NuStevia is never going to taste like real sugar, but it is sweet without the harsh after taste of regular stevia and it’s strong, so you’ll only need a fraction of the amount compared to regular sugar. This is your chance to enjoy your sweets without the guilt or nasty side effects!
– Marra Chinn Allen
Owner, Sweet Earth Cakes
Marra Chinn Allen, Owner
Top 5 Exercises for a Better Sex Life
Good sex is a workout in and of itself! By doing certain exercises outside the bedroom however, you can build strength and stamina that will make good sex, GREAT sex!
Squats
If you know me, you know how crazy I am about squats! Not only will they tone your legs and butt, but they will also give you the muscle endurance you need for certain sexual positions so you can add more variety to your play. Heavy weights are not necessary to achieve this… Adding 100 squats, 3 times per week with 5-10 lb weights to your exercise routine will do the trick!
Plank On Hands
This exercise engages your core and helps with shoulder stability and endurance. Planks also help increase strength in your forearms and wrists, all of which can add to your performance between the sheets! Beginners, definitely start on the floor! For my advanced peeps try it on a stability ball to increase your challenge! The goal is to hold your plank for 90 seconds. Even if you start at just 20 seconds, it’s ok! Just go as long as you can, stop the clock when you need to take a little break, and then get right back in position until you have gone 90 seconds total. You will see that doing them consistently, 4-5 times per week will have you able to reach the 90-second goal sooner than you think!
Ab Wheel
I LOVE this product! It’s very challenging for the beginner however, and correct form is absolutely essential to prevent lower back injury. Beginners, start on your knees (advanced, work your way up to your feet!) and pull your belly button in tight, rounding your back. As you slowly allow the wheel to roll out in front of you, keep your tummy tucked and do NOT allow your back to flatten and arch. You may only go a foot or two to start. Then, you basically want to do a “crunch” in order to use your abs to pull the wheel back toward you. Do NOT pull with your shoulders! Do only 10-12 repetitions at first because as your ab muscles tire quickly you are more likely to strain your back. Add 3 sets of 12 repetitions to your workout 2-3 times a week and see a difference in no time!
Up-Dog Push-Ups
This is another one of my favorites! Done right, it challenges your triceps and core, plus you get the bonus of a hamstring and calf stretch… Awesome! Start in “downward dog” position like in yoga. Keeping your hips high, bend at your elbows, keeping them close to your body as you make your way into “upward dog.” From there, simply pull your belly button up toward your spine and press back into downward dog. Repeat. This WILL challenge you, but don’t be discouraged. Just do the very best you can, with the fullest range of motion possible, and your push-ups will improve quickly… along with your bedroom performance!
Kegels
Yes it’s true.. if you are a woman, this tiny little movement is still considered an exercise and it WILL benefit both you and your lover! You perform kegels by contracting and relaxing the muscles in your pelvic floor. As a result you will notice a higher level of sexual satisfaction including stronger orgasms. All you have to do is tighten your pelvic muscles (like you do when you need to pee and have to hold it in), pause for about 5 seconds, relax and then repeat. Just 5 minutes a day is all it takes. And no excuses… you can do it practically any time and anywhere- even as you read this- and you will be the only one who knows!
Favorite Nut Milk Recipe
After much experimentation, I want to share with you my favorite nut milk recipe to date!
It’s made from a combination raw brazil nuts and almonds. I actually love the taste of the milk I make with brazil nuts alone, but the problem is I love it a little too much! Why? Brazil nuts contain a large amount of selenium, an important mineral that gives us antioxidant protection and support for proper thyroid and immune function. We need only a small amount, however, and too much of it in our system can lead to adverse health effects. This is why I decided to do a 50/50 split of brazil nuts and almonds, which I consider a super food due to their LDL cholesterol-lowering effects and high nutrient content including vitamin E, magnesium, and potassium.
The only equipment you need is a high speed blender (I’m partial to the Vitamix) and a nut milk bag, which you can find online or at your local health food store. I also like to order the almonds online to ensure they are truly raw. (almonds grown in the U.S. are required by law to be pasteurized, which typically involves high heat, yet the company is still permitted to label them “raw”.) Find almonds grown outside the U.S. that specifically say they are raw AND unpasteurized. For more information on this topic click HERE.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup raw brazil nuts
- 1/2 cup truly raw almonds
- 3.5-4 cups water
- 3 medjool dates (pitted)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- cinnamon to taste
Instructions:
Soak the nuts in water for a minimum of 12 hours, preferably 24 hours. Rinse thoroughly and place in Vitamix or other high speed blender. Add the rest of the ingredients (less water means creamier and thicker milk). Blend thoroughly. Pour into a nut milk bag that you have placed in a large bowl. Slowly, strain the liquid through the bag by twisting and squeezing it until no more liquid comes out. Pour into container that seal as tightly as possible and store in refrigerator. Best if consumed within 48 hours, but will usually be ok for 72 hours.
ENJOY!!!!
Header Photo Credit: CAN CAN Nut Milk