Healthy Fall & Thanksgiving Swaps to Nourish Your Body

Happy Fall & Thanksgiving Swaps to Nourish Your Body

Autumn and holidays are upon us! If you haven’t already got on the pumpkin spice everything train, now’s the chance. While comfort food is part of the season, many traditional dishes can leave us feeling sluggish or bloated, or can throw our blood sugar and eating routines out of whack. The good news is that with a few smart swaps, you can enjoy all the flavors of fall while giving your body the nutrients it needs.

Here are some healthy swaps to try this season:

Swap Mashed Potatoes for a Root Veggie Mash

Traditional mashed potatoes can spike blood sugar and leave you sleepy. Swap them for a creamy blend of parsnip and turnip. You’ll get more fiber, antioxidants, and it’s an easy way to sneak veggies in!

Swap Candied Yams for Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Candied yams topped with marshmallows is another sugar crash waiting to happen. Since sweet potatoes are already sweet on their own, roasting them with spices, a drizzle of maple syrup, and toasted pecans is a great swap for this fan favorite.

Swap White Bread Stuffing for Paleo Stuffing

White bread stuffing is heavy, low in fiber, and very low in nutrients. Not only is paleo stuffing full of flavor, but it’s also full of nutrients! If you are not quite ready to go that drastic, try a local organic sourdough bread as the base, then add celery, onions, herbs, and bone broth for a boost of gut-healing minerals no one will expect.

Recommended Recipe- https://40aprons.com/best-paleo-stuffing/

Swap Pumpkin Pie for No Bake Pumpkin Bars

Skip the refined flour crust and excess sugar. Pumpkin is so easy to bake with, you are going to love having other options besides just pie. Just blend up the ingredients, pour and refrigerate, and you have an easy and tasty dessert ready to go for the holiday season!

Swap Apple Pie for Baked Cinnamon Apples

Another way to skip the sugary crust on pie, is baking apples! Again, they are already plenty sweet on their own and it takes no time to fill them up and bake them just like a personal apple pie but with nature’s candy.

Swap Mac + Cheese for Butternut Squash Mac + Cheese

Mac & cheese is the ultimate comfort food, but it’s heavy on refined carbs and dairy that may not always sit well in your guests’ stomachs. It’s simple to make a creamy sauce from roasted butternut squash blended with broth and spices. For extra protein and for gluten sensitive individuals, you can make it with chickpea or lentil pasta!

Swap Flour-Based Gravy for Bone Broth Gravy

Traditional gravy uses flour and fatty drippings. Instead, make gravy with bone broth, garlic, and herbs. Thicken it with arrowroot starch for a gluten-free, gut-friendly option.

Recommended Recipe- https://leelalicious.com/gluten-free-gravy/

Healthy swaps don’t mean sacrificing flavor. They mean elevating your meals, so you feel energized instead of weighed down. No more after meal hour long snoozes. By using seasonal produce, pantry staples you likely already have and more nutrient-rich ingredients, you can celebrate the fall season with food that nourishes your body and soul. For more ideas, follow us on social med

Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.