Are you ready for a stress-free and naturally delicious, yet low carb, Thanksgiving? There’s plenty to be grateful for when you have a plan. First, check out my suggestions for enjoying a low carb turkey day.
Next, if keep up with your meal planning and smart shopping strategies, this food-centric holiday will be a success. Here’s how:
1) The bird is usually the star of the show, and fortunately you can enjoy the turkey and all the trimmings without guilt if you stick with a naturally low carb Thanksgiving menu like this:
You can’t go wrong with this tried-and-true turkey recipe.
You’ll combine sage and fennel with pork sausage to make this hearty and savory stuffing. You can sub any low carb wheat bread for the Atkins Low Carb Wheat bread recipe.
Fennel is in season and adds light and bright flavor to this rich and cheesy dish that usually features potatoes.
You’ll love low carb twist on mashed potatoes.
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Parmesan
Bacon and Parmesan cheese turn ordinary Brussels sprouts into a side dish everyone will devour.
Hopefully you’ve saved room for dessert. Pecans add a delightful crunch to the crust.
2) Once you’ve reviewed these recipes, mix and match dishes to create your turkey day shopping list.
3) Augment your shopping list with other produce that is in season, such as broccoli, beets, chard, mushrooms, spinach, fennel and winter squash, plus fresh herbs like rosemary, parsley, sage and thyme. This will add variety to your meals and leftovers for the week.
4) If you are hosting houseguests, plan some make-ahead dishes for breakfasts and lunches that anyone can heat up when hunger strikes. Here, you can make use of leftover turkey and side dishes:
This Mexican breakfast egg casserole can feed a crowd. Whip it up before your guests arrive so breakfast is ready to heat and serve all week. No houseguests? It’s still a great dish to have on hand when you want a convenient low carb meal in minutes.
This is the perfect use for leftover turkey and cauliflower. You can also sub in Brussels sprouts. Top with a fried egg, if you’d like, or serve with scrambled eggs for a hearty low carb breakfast.
The leftover turkey-on-white-bread sandwich gets an update with this recipe. The low carb version features low carb wheat bread, a kick of hotness from Srichacha, plus the crunch of radicchio, and, of course, bacon.
If the weather is chilly, you can turn your leftover turkey into a comforting low carb stew or chowder:
5) My final shopping tip:
The day before Thanksgiving is usually one of the busiest grocery shopping days of the year. Plan accordingly and get your shopping done before, or, for a little extra money, many grocery stores let you order your groceries in advance and schedule a time to pick them up or have them delivered.
Happy Thanksgiving!
