Navigating Thanksgiving can be quite a challenge, especially if you are trying to adhere to a diet or keep your weight in check. Thanksgiving does not have to sabotage your healthy journey or your weight. With a little knowhow, you can enjoy your annual favorites and make it out of Thanksgiving without entering a massive food coma. The only thing that should be stuffed on Thanksgiving is the turkey! In this article we’ll detail some thoughtful tips to help you stay as healthy as possible this Thanksgiving Day.

Eat Breakfast

It is very common for people to avoid eating until the big meal. The thought process is that saving up calories will be a smart play. Nutritionists suggest that eating a small, balanced meal in the morning can give you more control over your appetite. Begin the day with a fruit and vegetable smoothie, cup of chia pudding, bowl of oatmeal (not the packaged stuff), or a cup of overnight oats. Eating a fiber-rich meal with a variety of vitamins and minerals will actually help you control yourself at the Thanksgiving table. 

Lighten It Up

What we mean by this is that you should have some lighter food options at your Thanksgiving table. Whether you are hosting or attending, bring a couple dishes that contain far less fat, sugar, and calories than everything else. Try using salt-free chicken broth to baste the turkey or make the gravy. Experiment with fruit puree instead of oil in baked goods. You can also make a fall-themed roasted vegetable medley, salad, or root vegetable puree in place of mashed potatoes. 

Get Active

There is no need to go hard in the paint, but it is a great idea to move the body before the big meal. You will likely not want to move after, so burn off some energy and calories earlier in the day. Go on a long walk with family, engage in an at-home HIIT workout, or do a family yoga practice. Make fitness a family affair! You can even encourage everyone to go on a post-dinner stroll to help encourage healthier digestion. 

Skip Seconds

It is difficult, but we believe that you have the willpower to resist a second helping of food. Plan your plate accordingly and enjoy the food you selected. Save a little room for a piece of dessert you want and let that be the end of the meal. Choose the best selections at the buffet, not just a little of everything because it’s all there. Nutritionists state that roasted sweet potatoes, thin gravy, plain vegetables, and white turkey meat are your best lower-fat, lower-calorie options. Plus, you can always have another plate the next day when you reheat leftovers. 

Go Easy With Alcohol

It can be easy to overindulge in both food and alcohol, especially if you are watching the games with family and friends. Alcohol, especially beer, can increase your caloric intake quite a bit, and that is something you don’t need on Thanksgiving. Enjoy sparkling water, plain water, or iced or hot teas on thanksgiving to promote healthier digestion. Additionally, avoid sugary sodas to limit sugar and caloric intake. 

Savor Your Food Slowly

Eat slowly this Thanksgiving, savoring every bite of food you put in your mouth. Put your fork down between bites and pay attention to each mouthful. That’s the best way to feel satisfied with your plate of food. Additionally, choose dishes that contain whole grains, vegetables, and broth-based soups this year. 

Focus On Family And Friends

Yes, Thanksgiving revolves around food, but it also is a time to be thankful for the relationships between family and friends. The main event of the day should be socializing with friends and family. Spend quality time with them because you may not see some of them again for a while.

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Fall and winter invite many different squash types. They are gorgeous in color, unique in shape, and are quite versatile. You can steam them, roast them, boil them, puree them, and even add them to foods such as breads and pies. Although the more unique and seasonal varieties show up at local farmers’ markets, you can typically find a good variety at most major grocery stores during fall and winter. 

Squash is very dense and packed with flavor and nutrients. Most squash tends to have an orange flesh, such as pumpkins, butternut squash, or kabocha squash, which means it is rich in carotenoids. Those plant compounds benefit eye health, skin health, and immune function. They also contain complex carbohydrates and make great alternatives to classically unhealthy starches. Continue reading to learn more about winter squash and how to use them. 

Butternut Squash

A popular winter squash that is typically available year round, butternut squash is the sweetest and most flavorful during the fall and winter. It has a deep, orange-colored flesh that is sweet, nutty, and rich. You can use it in both sweet and savory recipes, such as soups, salads, vegetable medleys, baked goods, casseroles, and pies. You have to peel butternut squash and cut it in half to remove the seeds and stringy bits. 

Acorn Squash

An acorn squash is typically showcased in a themed, decorative box when you enter a grocery store during fall. It has a dark green skin and the shape resembles an acorn, hence the name. The flesh is either bright white or orange. This squash is perfect for roasting. Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast it cut-side down until you can easily pierce it with a knife. Serve it as a side dish or stuff the center of a roasted half with quinoa and diced vegetables.

Delicata Squash

This is a cylindrical squash with a delicate, cream-colored skin that has splashes of orange, green, and yellow. The delicata squash, also referred to as the peanut squash or Bohemian squash, can be sliced into rounds or half-moons. It is best roasted, but make sure to scoop out the seeds prior to cooking. It makes for a great side dish, but it can also be a main course if you want to stuff it with different things, such as rice, quinoa, or meat. 

Sugar Pumpkin

The sugar pumpkin, or pie pumpkin, is potentially the most popular winter squash. It is the type of pumpkin that you use if you want to make pumpkin pie from scratch, or if you want to make your own pumpkin puree. They have a bright orange skin with bright orange flesh and tend to be much smaller than traditional carving pumpkins. The rich, buttery flavor lends itself to both sweet and savory recipes. If you roast the pumpkin, you can also add it to a blender and blend with other ingredients to make a pumpkin soup. 

Spaghetti Squash

We saved the most unusual for last, as this oblong winter squash has a stringy flesh that resembles spaghetti once you cook it. Make sure not to overcook the squash or else it will just become mushy. When cooked properly, the strands come apart and you can use it as a pasta substitute. It has a mellow flavor, so it easily takes on a variety of herbs and spices, or even sauces. Cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and roast cut-side down until you can pierce the skin easily with a fork.

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Fall means changing leaves, brisk weather, and lots and lots of pumpkin. Pumpkin is synonymous with fall these days, primarily because of the pumpkin spice latte craze. We are not interested in providing you with recipes that contain over 40 grams of sugar and 500 calories in just one serving. This recipe is a major departure from the classic coffee shop pumpkin spice latte. It involves 100% pure canned pumpkin puree, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, 100% pure unsweetened applesauce, and maple syrup. That’s because we don’t have time for added sweeteners and excess calories!

Do you remember eating fruit leather as a child? You are probably familiar with the chemically-dyed and artificially flavored sugary fruit gummies. To group those processed, sugary items with real fruit leather is quite insulting, primarily because the fruit is almost non-existent. This recipe uses real fruit, which you blend together and then spread evenly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper is key, folks, because that will allow for easy removal from the pan. The last thing you want is for your fruit leather to get stuck to your baking sheet.

As a quick note, fruit leather does take a few hours to bake (roughly three to four hours). We want to prepare you for that cook time, so you don’t start making this recipe at 8 p.m. What you can do is bake it around 5 p.m.and then allow it to cool overnight before removing it from the parchment paper. Once it cools, you can slice the “leather” into strips and roll each strip up. You can also tear it into pieces, cube it, or enjoy it however you please.

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Yes, folks, that time of year has arrived. Pumpkin spice is here to stay for the next couple months, so you can expect some more pumpkin recipes to come your way. Some will be savory, utilizing actual pie pumpkins, and others will be on the sweeter side. The sweeter recipes, like this pumpkin pie pudding, tend to utilize pumpkin puree. Before we tell you more about this pudding, we have to make the distinction between pure pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. One is 100% pumpkin, with no added fats, sugars, or preservatives, while the other rich in sugar, natural flavors, and, quite frankly, devoid of nutritional value.

Fortunately for you, this pumpkin pie pudding is a healthy, guilt-free dessert that you’ll be enjoying throughout autumn. It is a wonderful vegan creation that contains nutritionally-dense ingredients, including raw cashews, pumpkin puree, pure maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice. Pure maple syrup is a much healthier sweetener to use in place of granulated sugar. It also adds a unique sweetness that works particularly well with fall flavors, such as pumpkin pie spice. Just make sure that you opt for pure maple syrup and not the unhealthy corn syrup ones that do not require refrigeration after opening.

This pudding is extra creamy because of the pumpkin puree and raw cashews. Make sure to soak the cashews for at least two hours in order to soften them. That makes them a lot easier to blend, but make sure to discard the soaking liquid before adding them to the blender or food processor. Cashews are great sources of copper, magnesium, manganese, vitamin K, zinc, and phosphorus. Plus, you get tons of vitamin A from the pumpkin!

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Yes, it is that time of the year when we get to welcome all things pumpkin. Although we don’t encourage flocking to coffee shops to indulge in overly sweet and fattening pumpkin spice lattes, we do welcome healthier pumpkin recipes. We prefer the pumpkin recipes, like this overnight oat one, that provide fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and a diverse mix of vitamins and minerals. And that is truly what we aim to provide you on this website, whether you are cleansing or trying to adopt healthier eating habits.

These pumpkin pie overnight oats contain pure pumpkin puree. Now, it is very important that you purchase that and not canned pumpkin pie mix. The former is 100% pure pumpkin, while the latter is calorically dense, rich in sodium, and high in sugar. Pure pumpkin puree contains fiber, protein, lots and lots of vitamin A, potassium, vitamin C, iron, and a small amount of calcium. Although the pumpkin puree helps flavor and color these overnight oats, let’s not forget about the oats. For vegans, oats are great sources of protein, fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. They help keep you full and sustain energy until your next meal!

And because we love nutrition so much, we could not exclude chia seeds from the recipe. Chia seeds are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and protein. They also contain vitamins B1 & B3, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, zinc, and several antioxidants, including quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid. These antioxidants can help protect your cells from damaging free radicals, which contribute to aging and several diseases, including cancer.

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After dealing with a bad case of indigestion or food poisoning, the first foods you reach for when you’re ready to eat are simple and easy to digest. Nobody has the desire to wolf down a double cheeseburger after dealing with stomach issues. More often than not, you choose plain crackers, soup, bread, or rice to remedy symptoms. 

A common theme among easy to digest foods is that they are low in fiber, fat, and flavor. They lack acidity, spice, and are usually soft or easy to chew and swallow. Eating foods that are harder on the digestive system may worsen symptoms, so you choose foods that are more digestible to give your digestive tract a break. Digestion requires energy, which includes mechanical and chemical energy processes like chewing or the work done by acid in the stomach. 

By choosing foods that are easy to digest when you don’t feel 100%, you give your gastrointestinal (GI) tract a break. Your body has to work a little less hard to carry out the digestive processes. That is what you want if you experience diarrhea, indigestion, vomiting, or other digestive issues. Continue reading to learn about some of the easiest food groups to digest when your digestive system isn’t in the best shape. 

Well-Cooked Vegetables

Raw vegetables can be harder to digest than cooked vegetables. When you cook vegetables, their plant cell walls soften and their starches become readily available to enzymes in the digestive system. That makes for an easier digestive process. Consider cooking the following vegetables if you need easily digestible healthy options: 

• Spinach
• Green beans
• Carrots
• Zucchini and squash (seeded)
• Beets
• Potatoes (peeled)

Peeled Or Stewed Fruits

Just like raw vegetables, fresh fruits are high in fiber, which can make them tougher for the body to digest. Because the bulk of dietary fiber in fruit exists in peels and seeds, health experts suggest eating peeled and seeded fruits after dealing with an upset stomach. It can be beneficial to choose fruits lower in fiber, such as ripe bananas or melons, especially if you struggle with diarrhea or nausea. If you choose to eat fruits like pears and apples, remove the skin. Softer fruits like stewed peaches or plums are also good options if you have an upset stomach.

Soups, Smoothies, And Purees

The way you prepare food can influence how your body digests it. Texture modification strategies, such as blending, doesn’t change the fiber content, but it can reduce the size of fiber particles in plant-based foods. That’s why smoothies, soups, and purees are much gentler on the digestive system. Raw kale, for example, is bulky and tough, while cooked or blended kale is soft. The change in texture allows for easier digestibility. The same goes for berries and other fibrous fruits, which you can enjoy if you blend into smoothies. Blending or pureeing these plant-based foods essentially pre-digests food, which takes the majority of the work away from your digestive system. 

White Flour Products

After a bad bout of food poisoning or general GI discomfort, you usually choose white foods, including rice, bread, and plain crackers. As you know by now, high-fiber foods can be difficult to digest if you’re experiencing abdominal bloating, diarrhea, or nausea. White bread, white pastas, and white rice, although not the healthiest foods, have had their fiber components removed. You can temporarily choose these foods to enjoy when dealing with digestive problems, but don’t eat them regularly. 

Soft Proteins

Animal proteins don’t contain fiber, but they are difficult for the body to digest, especially if they are rich in fat, tough, or chewy. Choose softer, easy-to-chew proteins that are low in fat. Scrambled eggs, smooth nut butters, and soft tofu are nourishing options that are typically easy to digest.

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Pumpkin spice is in the air, which means fall is in full swing. You cannot go out without seeing pumpkin spice! From coffee creamers and baked treats to lattes and more, pumpkin spice is in nearly everything. Not only is pumpkin spice or pumpkin pie glorious, but it is also warming, comforting, and tasty. And the great thing about this recipe is that you can enjoy it without the added sugars and excess calories.

Pumpkin puree, not sugary pumpkin pie filling, is highly nutritious. Orange pumpkins are naturally rich in potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin A, which is a key nutrient for eye health. Like other orange fruits and vegetables, pumpkins have lots of beta-carotene, an integral antioxidant that may keep your skin glowing. The fiber in pumpkin puree helps you feel full, so you won’t reach for unnecessary snacks after eating it. But pumpkin isn’t the only star of the show in this recipe. The chia seeds provide an impressive nutritional profile.

Chia seeds provide a similar amount of omega-3 fatty acids as ground flaxseed, but it is in the form of alpha linolenic acid (ALA). They are rich in fiber, which may help reduce cholesterol levels and promote healthier digestion. Because chia seeds can clump easily in this chia pudding, you have to whisk thoroughly before placing in the fridge to set overnight. After about six hours in the fridge, the liquid-like mixture thickens to turn into a pudding that has a similar texture to tapioca. Enjoy it as a healthy dessert or as a nutritious breakfast. Just as a reminder, though, this is only for people who are not cleansing because it is not raw vegan.

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There is a snack problem in the United States. Too often to people snack on foods that don’t satisfy their hunger. It is impossible to only reach into a bag of chips a couple times if you want to snack. You can easily finish a bag of chips because there are no real nutrients. Snacking on processed foods will only lead you to eat more, increasing your caloric intake and your risk of weight gain. Instead, it is better to snack on foods that satiate you, such as energy balls.

With the arrival of fall comes the tidal wave of pumpkin spice, and we are more than ready for impact. Pumpkin spice utilizes warming fall spices and other seasonal ingredients. Although canned pumpkin puree is available year round, it is more prevalent on supermarket shelves during the fall and winter months. It is very important that you do not purchase pumpkin pie filling for this recipe. Pumpkin pie filling contains preservatives and excess sodium and sugar. So make sure to get 100% pure pumpkin puree to stay healthy.

Before you scroll down to the ingredients, please note that you should not substitute the coconut flour with another type of flour as a one to one ratio. That will not work. Coconut flour acts like a sponge, absorbing liquid incredibly well. You can keep this keto-approved by using almond meal or almond flour, but you will have to double the amount. Should you use another flour like oat flour, the recipe will no longer be keto-approved, nor will it be gluten-free.

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Who doesn’t have a bag of frozen peas in their freezer? Whether you need to ice a sore neck or make a shepherd’s pie, frozen peas have their purpose. Green peas have an impressive nutritional profile and their calorie content is fairly low. About 70% of those calories come from complex carbohydrates, while the rest come from protein and healthy fats. Plus, peas contain nearly every vitamin and mineral you need. In fact, a half-cup serving of peas contains:

• Calories: 62
• Carbohydrates: 11 grams (g)
• Protein: 4 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Vitamin A: 34% of the recommended daily intake (RDI)
• Vitamin K: 24% of the RDI
• Folate: 12% of the RDI
• Manganese: 11% of the RDI
• Thiamine: 15% of the RDI
• Vitamin C: 13% of the RDI
• Iron: 7% of the RDI
• Phosphorus: 6% of the RDI

The great thing about this pea puree is its versatility. Use it as a dip with raw vegetables or spread it on a crisp crostini. Making a meal? Use this pea puree as a hummus substitute for your pita pocket. If you want to get really fancy, consider spreading it on the bottom of your plate and topping it with sautéed portobello mushrooms and their cooking juices. You can even use this as food for babies just starting on solid foods! You really want to know the best part? Simply defrost the peas, blend the ingredients together, and then enjoy.

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It may or may not be up for debate, but pumpkin seems to be the official ingredient of the holidays. There are endless pumpkin creations, from muffins and pies to coffee drinks and soups. People tend to use fresh pumpkin in savory recipes, although you can make sweeter recipes and pumpkin puree from raw pumpkin. Pumpkin puree, which you can easily buy in a can, is what we will be using for this no-bake cheesecake.

There is a difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree is 100% pumpkin and does not contain any sugars, artificial flavors, dyes, unhealthy fats, or processed ingredients. Pumpkin pie filling, on the other hand, is very unhealthy and loaded with sugar. That means that you need to pay attention to what can you purchase when you go to the grocery store. Get the 100% pumpkin puree in a can!

This recipe is the perfect dessert for the holidays, being super rich, satisfying, and delicious. The best part is that even though this dessert is not overly sweet, it contends with classic pumpkin pie recipes. The nuttiness of the crust complements the sweetness of the pumpkin filling, which has a luxurious texture from the fatty coconut milk. Now, eating a lot of this dessert is very easy to do, but it is calorically dense, so just be careful with your servings.

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