Hello, and happy Thanksgiving week! I have had a lot of questions about what vegan dishes to make for the holidays – do not fear! There are plenty of delicious and healthy options. I have compiled a list of some of my favorite dishes and desserts that you can whip up for the upcoming holiday and enjoy completely guilt-free. All of the recipes are my own except for one very special guest… scroll down to see who it is!
I also want to take this time to say that just because the holidays are coming up doesn’t mean that you have to fall off the health wagon and overindulge. You can enjoy your favorite Thanksgiving treats in moderation and still feel fantastic the next morning. Who wants to be rolled out of the Thanksgiving dinner table anyway?
Five quick tips for not overeating this Thursday are:
- Eat a snack before you go to your Thanksgiving dinner. Have an apple – it’s full of fiber and will fill you enough so that you aren’t starving when you get there but you’ll still be able to enjoy a little bit of everything. A banana is a good pre-dinner snack too. Any fruit or veggie is a good idea!
- Bring healthy options! If you are worried that your family or friends will not have many healthy options at the dinner table, prepare your own salad, vegetable dish or one of the recipes I have provided below.
- Eat breakfast and lunch. Many people wake up early on Thanksgiving to start preparing for the threateningly large meal ahead and they decide to skip out on meals so that they’re extra hungry for the Thanksgiving meal itself. Do your body a favor and stay on track instead. Just because Thanksgiving food is yummy doesn’t mean we have to eat twice as much of it. (And it’s fun to have leftovers, right?!)
- Focus on spending time with your loved ones, having meaningful conversations and making memories rather than on the food. This might mean pulling yourself away from the dessert table or resisting on going back for seconds and thirds. Remember what this day is all about – the ones you love.
- Move your bod. There is no better thing you could do for your body than get up and moving after having a big meal. Go for a walk after dinner or do some stretching before bed. You’ll thank yourself in the morning
Now for the recipes…
Kale Butternut Squash Salad
– This is an original recipe I created specifically for Thanksgiving. The recipe can be found in my article on WorldLifestyle.com. 
Healthy Vegan Cranberry Sauce
– This is also an original recipe I created specifically for Thanksgiving. The recipe can be found in my article on WorldLifestyle.com.
The Blonde Vegan Salad
– Recipe can be found here. (Hint hint: this recipe will also be in The Blonde Vegan cleanse!!! Eek!!!)
Pumpkin Almond Butter Oat Bars
– Recipe can be found here.
Pumpkin Spice Dessert Smoothies
– Recipe can be found here.
Vegan Nutty Apple Crisp
– Recipe can be found here.
Pumpkin Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
– Recipe can be found here.
Autumn in a Jar
– Recipe can be found here.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
– Recipe can be found here.
Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
– Recipe can be found here.
FullyRaw Pumpkin Pie Brownies
– This recipe was created by FullyRaw Kristina, one of my greatest inspirations. I will definitely be trying this recipe this year! Recipe can be found here on Kristina’s YouTube Channel.
