Everyone seems excited about dinner this week.
You can have my turkey.
I’ve never been a holiday meal person. Giant turkeys, honey baked hams, casseroles, mashed potatoes, that green bean thing with onion straws on top… you can keep it. Don’t touch my dessert though.
No, my favorite part about holidays is the morning after. I’m a breakfast junkie. As such, I thought I’d skip the turkey round up and put together a list of fun breakfast recipes for the family.
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Tradition has never done it for me.
Shocking. I know.
I’ve mentioned before what a terrible Southerner I am. I don’t like fried okra, creamed corn, or cornbread (with the exception of this recipe)… I can leave 99% of the traditional Southern stuff behind. This includes traditional Thanksgiving food.
This year I fled to Arizona where these were the new classic appetizers:
Classic. And klassy.
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I don’t always make mac ‘n cheese…
…but when I do, it’s for flower-senders.
When the sender of the flowers came to visit, I had to make mac ‘n cheese by request. Of course, I couldn’t just make a normal recipe. This Spicy Butternut Mac ‘n Cheese has a strange twist or two, but I assure you it is good! Apparently I’m on a butternut squash kick!
Even done with a Laura-like spin, you don’t go wrong with a pan of cheesy noodles! And… ahem… it would be the perfect side for a bird next week.
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Dessert is my favorite part of a fiesta.
Christmas counts as a fiesta, no?
I made this for Thanksgiving, but it would be fantastic for a Christmas dinner, too. Or New Years. Or just for breakfast.
When you read the ingredients in this cake, you’ll see that it actually wouldn’t be so bad to have at breakfast. It’s full of healthy fats and protein, and sugar-free! This brings me to the strange. The healthy fat in this one is avocado. It’s good, I swear.
Between the avocado, eggs, and yogurt, this is one of the lightest, moist cakes you’ll ever have. It’s the perfect end to a heavier dinner. You could eat half of it without blinking an eye. Not that I would know.
The almond, cinnamon, and cayenne are the Mexican part. If you’re concerned about the cayenne, you could leave it out. It’s not overwhelming; it simple gives the smallest hint of “hmmmm” at the end of a bite.
The icing on this cake was yet another healthy fat addition. I whipped coconut cream into a pillow-y spread for the cake. Don’t worry if it doesn’t seem stiff enough at first – it will firm up as it settles.
You can have fun with the flavors here. I added vanilla and cinnamon, but a liqueur like Frangelico or pie spice would be excellent as well.
I know several of you made these Chocolate Avocado Cookies or these (Vegan) Blood Orange Scones… vouch for me! You really can’t taste the avocado.
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a bundt pan.
In a small blender, mix the avocado and eggs until smoother. Stir in xylitol, yogurt, and extracts until combined.
Whisk together dry ingredients. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet.
Once combined, add in milk and beat well.
Pour into bundt pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 10-15 minutes in pan and then transfer to wire rack to completely cool.
Eat as-is, or ice the cake with whipped coconut cream frosting. I used this recipe for the coconut cream whip, only I subbed more xylitol for the sugar, and added vanilla and cinnamon.
Note: Like most cakes, the flavors improve after that cake has a day to rest. Do wait to frost it until the day of.
How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.
Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂
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My mom took home a couple of slices and called the next day (at breakfast) to tell me it had gotten even better! I think day 2 is the perfect storm for this one.
Avocado. Would you bake with it? Have you ever?
What is your favorite dessert for the holiday season?
I spoke too soon.
I’ve often said I need a 5 second delay on my mouth.
This Thanksgiving I ate turkey, and I liked it. My uncle brought the most deliciously moist (yeah, I said it) smoked turkey. So partially I take back what I said about not liking Thanksgiving food. I still passed on the green bean casserole and the stuffing.
First let’s back up. I headed to my mom’s house on Thanksgiving morning to drive the family to my grandparents house in north GA for the festivities. They said they were ready to go, but when I got there only the dog, Honey, was ready.
We finally did get on the road and made it the party without incident (I did have to swerve to miss a kitten in the middle of the road).
The good thing about being late everywhere is that everything is ready when you arrive. We had quite the spread! The turkey didn’t fit on the counter so it’s off to the side, along with a table this size filled with desserts. I’m lucky my whole family likes food as much as I do!
After pre-gaming with cheese crackers, I stacked round 1 with my kale salad, turkey, mac ‘n cheese, sweet potato souffle, pumpkin beer bread (recipe coming!), and had a side of my grandmother’s turnips and ham and a glass of rosé wine I brought back from Napa.
Round 2 looked about the same, but with a deviled egg someone had forgotten in the fridge. 😉
There was PLENTY of dessert too… I brought 4 different desserts, so I’m going to be sharing some fun sweet recipes just in time for Christmas. Yes, I use Thanksgiving to test desserts for Christmas parties.
Today’s sweet treat is from Gabby’s recipe for a gluten-free Apple-Bacon Crisp. I followed her recipe, but added a twist… where she sautes the apples in the bacon pan, I also added 2 tablespoons of whiskey.
The whiskey I used, Balcones Baby Blue, was a smooth addition. The blue corn whiskey from Texas is one of my favorites with its slightly sweet vanilla-caramel taste and notes of candied citrus and baking spices. My other modification was to use hazelnuts in the topping. The rich taste played well with the coconut flour.
It. Was. Awesome. I am thankful for Gabby and her #strangebutgood bacon idea. I scooped it on to my dessert plate with glee.
The leftover whiskey was great to have on hand for the weekend, too. I went to the Tech–UGA game with my cousin and friends Kathleen and Matt. We were all smiles at the tailgate and the first half of the game.
Then the second half happened, and we realized Tech is as bad at football as we feared. It’s a good thing they’re smart.
Kathleen and I, pre-loss
Whiskey is a good wound heal-er. 😉
If you’re like me, you need a very short break from the heavy food, so today I’m also sharing the easiest kale salad you’ll ever have. It’s simply dressed, and you can make it the night before. It’s pretty marvelous.
This was my healthy contribution to Thanksgiving, but kale salads are also one of my favorite things to make during my weekly food prep. Their hearty leaves only get more delicious as they soften in the dressing and the flavor soaks in.
This dressing is light, but doesn’t lack in flavor. It is zesty and garlicky with a little heat on the end. If you really like it hot, add red pepper flakes to the top. I did.
In a mini food processor, process the garlic, lemon, oil, marjoram, pepper, and cayenne until smooth. Taste and adjust flavors, if needed.
Pour the dressing onto the kale and massage it into the kale with your hands. Allow to soften in fridge at least 30 mins, or overnight.
Just before serving, top with cranberries and cheese.
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I’ve been craving greens after the brown fest that is Thanksgiving!
What was the best dish from your weekend?
Are you punctual, or are you the last to arrive? I’m trying to get better… but it hasn’t taken yet.
Sometimes you need a holiday break to be a real break.
Not that holidays aren’t nice…
This year I was feeling run down after training so hard from my competition, working, and – yes – consistently blogging. I love all of these things, don’t get me wrong. I also love my family. However, a true vacation getaway was in order. When Heather and Kirk (her hubby) extended an invitation for me to crash their Thanksgiving vacation on the slopes in Vail, CO I jumped at the opportunity.
We ate fantastic food, drank amazing wine, skied, cooked a vegan Thanksgiving, and even ran a 5K (my first in at least 6 months). There was also a tasting dinner before we left for Vail, but that’s another post.
I am relieved to report that after a 2 year break, I can still ski. There were a couple of falls, but nothing bad and after a couple of runs I was able to keep up with Heather and Kirk on their snowboards. I can tell my legs are much stronger now than they were two years ago. I guess hack squats work…
We took a break from the slopes for Thanksgiving. We earned our turkey with a 5K Turkey Trot! It was a lot of fun… and I realized exactly how much harder it is to run at 9000 ft.
Following the run, Heather made her famous doughnuts. These were her Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts with Cranberry Frosting. All vegan, and all delicious. Heather had to adjust the recipe due to the high altitude; I’m totally impressed by her ability – they were absolutely perfect. I ate mine at a painfully slow pace (like my 5K – haha). It was so delicious I didn’t want it to end!
I should also note the lovely orange plates provided by the condo owners. Seriously. Doesn’t they know that orange does NOT photograph well?!
We spent the rest of the day watching football, playing Scrabble, and being bums. It was awesome. We got up every once in a while to begin another dish for out dinner, so when it was time to eat everything pulled together quickly.
This was my first vegan Turkey Day. I’ve never been a big fan of traditional Thanksgiving food anyway, so this was absolutely perfect for me. With a spread like this, why would anyone miss the turkey?
Clockwise, left to right: Kirk opening the champagne, Heather’s Beer & Butternut Mac ‘n Cheeze, the spread, and our vegan hazelnut cranberry roast en croute.
Each dish was better than the last. Heather’s vegan mac ‘n cheese was every bit as good and the “real” thing. She also made the first cranberry sauce I’ve ever liked! I made a version of other Heather’s Caramelized Onion, Cranberry & Kale Saute. It was basically the same except I added jalapeno and used fresh orange juice in place of maple syrup for the vinaigrette.
My (orange) plate:
Much more to come on our adventures, but I’m sure you’ve seen enough orange plate photography for one day. 🙂
Thank you again to Heather and Kirk for letting me crash their holiday and being such incredible hosts!
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I fell in love with Colorado. I may have considered pitching a fit when I had to go to the airport.
Have you ever had a “Friendsgiving” or another friend-holiday?
What was the best dish at your table this year?
My Friendsgiving crew (Heather and Kirk) already completed a 5K Turkey Trot (NOT as easy at 10,000 ft.) and we’re on to breakfast before my very first Vegan Turkey Day Feast!
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Today I am especially thankful for friends that stick by and support through thick and thin, crazy training plans, meals of epic proportions, and everything in between.
Quick – name one thing you’re thankful for!
Are you geared up to eat?
My stretchy pants are ready.
Before you start the Thanksgiving extravaganza, I have an awesome guest post from Allie about vegetarian protein sources. Allie decided to start training for a her own figure competition, and began working with my trainer a couple of months ago. We’ve worked out together a few times and let me tell you – this girl lives up to her blog name (Forgotten Beast). She is a beast.
You guys know the crazy amounts of protein I’ve been eating? Well, Allie has a very similar nutrition plan, only she’s doing it vegetarian! While you may not need quite as much protein as we try to eat, it is important to have an adequate amount (typically 0.8g per pound of body weight for athletes).
Instead of a typical What I Ate Wednesday, check out the creative ways Allie crams in the vegetarian protein in a day.
Be sure to click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is ramping up for Turkey Day!
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Hey kids, I’m Allie! You may have seen me pop up on Laura’s blog from time to time, since this wonderful guest-blog-post-host inspired me to get on the figure competitor train and has put up with me showing up on her doorstep three times now. Training for a figure competition requires mega-protein, and I’m trying to do it on a vegetarian diet. This may seem impossible, but I wanted show just how easy it can be with some pointers/ideas for getting vegetarian protein in any diet.
I’m grouping these together to keep it short and sweet. I mean, those are the pretty obvious sources of vegetarian protein, right? But if you’re in a rut or just don’t know what to do with it, you’ve got to give Laura’s Chick-less Nuggets and TVP Oatmeal (20g protein) a try – or pick up a package of tempeh (23g) to make “meat” sauce, stir-fries and more.
I feel like nuts are another obvious source of veggie protein—but what about seeds? Sunflower seeds (7g protein), pumpkin seeds (9g protein) and hemp seeds (11g protein) are all fabulous sources of protein – and they taste pretty darn good too.
Whole eggs (7g protein) and egg whites (4g protein) are some of the most adaptable proteins. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert – there’s no wrong time for scrambled eggs, PB & Jeggs, or an omelet.
Greek yogurt tops the charts in the protein-from-dairy category (23g protein in brands like Fage and Trader Joe’s). Other good dairy-based protein sources include cottage cheese (15g protein) and ricotta.
Not an option for the wheat and gluten-free among you, but otherwise? 23g of protein in one serving – and there are SO many ways to use VWG. You can make your own seitan, faux chicken, faux breakfast sausage (Editor’s Note: I’ve made Allie’s recipe with TVP and it is really good!), high-protein bread and more. Save money and all the preservatives and sodium you find in the vegan “meat” options at grocery stores by making your own.
Protein powder is an easy way to get a protein boost. While it is not a replacement for real, whole foods, it can supplement shakes, meals and an overall balanced diet. There are so many good vegan protein powders out there that there is no reason feel powders are limited to those who can/want to drink whey and casein. (Or beef protein powder. Really? Has anyone tried this?)
Of course I can’t omit the veggies! Don’t let these precious grams of protein go unnoticed! While a serving may only have 1-3g of protein, if you get 5-6 servings in a day, you’re adding 15g of protein!
Here’s a sample of what a day may look like for me (keep in mind I’m eating seven meals and aiming for crazy amounts of protein – just like Laura – you only need a few of these to meet everyday health goals!):
And not an animal in sight. Half of these options are vegan as well, so, even if you omitted the eggs and dairy (and I do mean omitted—not even substituted one of the other many amazing and completely plant-based protein options), this day would still have 140g of protein – much more than average daily protein needs (which seem to be around 50 – 100g for ladies, from what I’ve read).
While I’m not a huge fan of numbers when it comes to food and nutrition, they can be a helpful guideline, so I’ll include this: this entire day comes in at under 2000 calories and balances out to a 40/40/20 macro ratio.
I hope this answers some questions/busts some myths about vegetarian protein!
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Thanks again to Allie for such an incredible post. I am so impressed by her dedication! For Thanksgiving I’m taking a few days off to relax. I hope you all get to do the same.
How are you “falling into good habits” over the holiday season?
Do you make an effort to get protein throughout the day? Post-exercise?
