For many people, Thanksgiving dinners have had the same food every year for as long as they can remember. As the people of 2020 we have a new generation full of recipes at our disposal. We should begin to add our own dishes to the tables and say it's time to shake it up a bit.
I have for you 15 flavorful recipes to make your family say, "WOW!" while you earn your keep at bringing the food, not cleaning it up.
1. Root Vegetable Bake with Spicy Pecan Topping
Are you tired of the same mashed potato or the infamous sweet potato casserole dishes year after year? Shake it up this year with some roasted vegetables instead.
2. Mushroom, Corn & Zucchini Bake
This is a recipe that will take a bit of time to prepare, but is worth the trouble in the end. This vegan dish can be eaten as a main dish or a side and will go with any palette. It is flavorful, filling and fiercely loved by anyone that tastes it.
3. Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
I have a serious girl crush on Kristin Cavallari. I cooked my way through her first cookbook "True Roots" and had her second, "True Comfort," on pre-order. This dish from "True Comfort" is one of my favorite side dishes I have ever made.. I didn't even know you could eat the outside of acorn squash before making this one! The maple flavor gives the squash just the necessary sweetness while staying within the healthy limits. I prefer to cut mine into chunks instead of slices for better arrangement on the baking sheets, but you do whatever works best.
4. Bacon Wrapped Goat Cheese Dates
Listen up, everyone. I started making these little appetizers about a year ago to take to our Football Sundays with friends, and I never come home with leftovers. I tested out a lot of different cheeses for the right flavor, specifically for my group of friends, and our winner was the herb & garlic goat cheese. I recommend using a slotted roasting tray to get the bacon extra crispy without sticking to a baking sheet.
5. "Rock Cakes"
Here's a fun recipe for all of you "Harry Potter" lovers (just like me!) out there. These rock cakes will be a focal point in place of a regular biscuit at your meal. Not to mention, if someone doesn't like them you can just call them a "Muggle" and walk away because all real wizards will appreciate this recipe.
6. Pumpkin & Date Biscuits
This is a second recipe from the Vegan Holiday Cookbook because there really are so many great recipes throughout it that have gotten me through relearning how to bake without dairy and eggs. Pumpkin and dates are a match made in heaven turning a biscuit into what could be considered a dessert.
7. Layered Arugula Salad
Let me tell you, Joanna Gaines knew what she was doing when she put this salad together for Magnolia Table. This dish is quick to put together and looks beautiful with the bright colors mixed together. You will look like a professional chef with a dish that only takes minutes to prepare!
8. Sweet Potato Brownies
Yes, you read that correctly. Brownies made with SWEET POTATOES! I stumbled across this recipe quite a while ago after my son developed an egg and a dairy allergy, which resulted in a lot of trial and error baking afterwards. I promise, they're amazing, and you can't even taste the sweet potatoes. You can feel less guilty about indulging in this dessert knowing they have a healthy twist!
9. Roasted Cauliflower with Grapes
If you have never had a roasted grape before, this is the dish you need to try first. The sweetness will linger in your mouth and mix with the nutty flavorings of the cauliflower and pecans. This is a great beginner dish that takes almost no effort to prepare.
10. Caprese Stuffed Mushrooms
Caprese Salad has become an Internet sensation over the last few years, and unless you have never tasted one, you know why. The bright colors and fresh vegetables drizzled with a balsamic dressing blend together so effortlessly. However, this is Thanksgiving dinner, and it's time to step it up a notch and turn that salad into a mouthwatering appetizer by putting the ingredients together INSIDE of a Portobello mushroom. I personally LOVE mushrooms and prefer to switch up how I stuff them every year to keep my guests excited.
11. Baked Pears
Pears are not a typical Thanksgiving dish, but stuffing them with pecans and cranberries will convince even the toughest critics that they belong there this year. The slight bitterness of the Gorgonzola cheese offsets the sweetness just enough so the dish isn't overbearingly decadent.
12. Harvest Quinoa Salad
This is a great recipe to have on hand if you know there will be a Vegan at your Thanksgiving dinner. The quinoa and butternut squash make for a filling meal alone before topping them off with cranberries and a pumpkin dressing. Even the non-vegans will want to add this to their plate!
13. Honey Sriracha Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts are another one of those underrated but extremely healthy vegetables that everyone needs a great recipe for. Sriracha became one of the most popular hot sauces over the past few years, and you can put it on ANYTHING and it will taste even better. I recommend putting a warning label in front of this dish to save a lot of pain for your guests that can't handle the delicious heat.
14. Pumpkin Pie Bombs
It's the year 2020, and we are living in a worldwide pandemic. You may have guests (or even yourself) that don't want to share an actual pie, so that's where these mini pie bombs come in handy. It's an individual pie for every guest that is filled with all of the flavor of a traditional pumpkin pie.
15. Butternut Squash Bread
We've all heard of zucchini bread by now, unless you have been living under a rock for most of the last decade. Adding vegetables into desserts or breads is becoming more common, but butternut squash always tends to get the raw end of the deal when it comes to being featured in a decadent flavored way. This bread recipe can be a healthier alternative to a regular dinner roll on your plate while satisfying all of the desire for carbs.
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