2023 Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Guide
Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday season. While this time of year can bring up a lot of emotions, I think it is important to find things that spark joy. My goal when hosting family and friends is always to make people feel taken care of and welcome. To me, this can come in the form of many things, but food is a great start. Below are some of the recipes I plan to make over Thanksgiving. Some are more “traditional” than others, but I think it’s good to have a mix. I hope that you are able to make some of these with your loved ones. The recipes for each dish are on my website and linked below!
For the week of Thanksgiving, I will have Banana Bread and Blueberry Bread ready to go. These are great breakfast items because they are easy to eat before the chaos of the day begins. For the actual day of Thanksgiving, we eat later in the afternoon, so it is always important to keep people fed so they don’t get “hangry” as the day progresses.
Potatoes are my favorite side at the Thanksgiving dinner table so I am sharing three of my favorite potato recipes: Herb Sweet Potatoes, Smashed Baby Red Potatoes, and Basil & Oregano Red Potatoes. All of these recipes are really easy to make when the Thanksgiving kitchen gets chaotic. The Herb Sweet Potatoes are a fantastic non-traditional sweet potato side to serve for any holiday gathering. The Smashed Baby Red Potatoes take the most time of the three, but I promise, they are SO worth it. The Basil & Oregano Red Potatoes are simple and delicious. They crisp up really well in the oven and are great if you have any dietary restrictions in the group.
My Herb Butternut Squash is also really simple. By adding the butter, there is a richness that is brought out of the Butternut Squash. The key here is making sure that you cook them long enough so that they crisp up fully. Also, be careful when preparing! Butternut squash can be tricky to peel and cut.
I love a veggie sheet pan. They are simple to make and also easy to pack in a lot of flavor. For my Butternut Squash, Zucchini & Broccoli Sheet Pan, I season each veggie differently to highlight the flavor of each individual vegetable. While I think this is a great combination of flavors, you can use any combination of vegetables to make your ideal veggie sheet pan.
I LOVE a non-traditional Thanksgiving main dish. However, if you are still planning to serve Turkey this year, I recommend making this Ground Turkey Chili on Black Friday. This is the perfect game day recipe and it’s amazing for the day after Thanksgiving.
In my opinion, dessert is the best part of any gathering. My family and friends have a lot of allergies though and I actively try to make sure that there is a dessert that everyone can eat.
The Pumpkin Cupcakes are nut-free, however they do contain Gluten and Dairy.
The Chocolate Chip Brownies are also nut-free, but they have Gluten and Dairy.
The Brown Butter Almond Flour Cookies are Gluten free, but do contain Almond products and Dairy.
My Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies are great for family and friends with Gluten intolerances, Dairy intolerances or peanut allergies. However, they do contain Almond Flour.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this guide. I hope that this inspires you to get in the kitchen with your loved ones this holiday season. My goal is to share things that you all need and want. If you have ideas or requests for my Christmas Guide, Winter Recipe Collection, or New Years Collection, please DM me on Instagram (@measure.with.ariana) or email me at measure.with.ariana@gmail.com.
With love,
Ariana
