A New Twist on Thanksgiving Cuisine

Are you tired of the same old Thanksgiving fare? For all of you adventurous souls out there, we’ve decided to put together a very un-conventional Thanksgiving menu—sure to excite the taste buds. Can’t stand the thought of basic mashed potatoes again? Try a tasty batch of homemade polenta. Looking for a quick and healthy new take on savory veggies? Check out this delicious recipe for warm salad, topped with a roasted pumpkin seed crunch. Never knew dessert could pack a nutritious punch? Pumpkin cheesecake has an abundance of carotenes, fiber, and protein. Always feel sluggish after a day of snacking? Try a refreshing green smoothie to boost your energy. Whatever you choose for this year’s holiday feast, here’s wishing everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

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Homemade Polenta

1-1/2 cups polenta

4 to 5 cups water

Pinch of sea salt

2 to 3 tablespoons extra polenta, placed in a flat dish

It is not necessary to dry roast polenta first; however, it makes it taste slightly richer if you do. Make sure you warm up the frying pan first and stir the dry polenta in the hot pan.

Place water, polenta, and a pinch of sea salt in a pot. Cover. Turn the flame to medium-high; just before the water starts to bubble, turn the flame to low (it can be helpful to use a flame diffuser) and cook, covered, for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the polenta from the heat and put it in a dish rinsed with cold water so the polenta does not stick. Leave to cool (this may take a few hours). The deeper the dish, the longer it will take for the polenta to cool down. For this reason it’s best to make it in the morning or even a day before for an evening meal.

You can refrigerate any leftover polenta and use as you desire over the course of a week. Fried polenta also makes a lovely breakfast topped with one or more of the following: honey, maple syrup, fruit purées, fresh fruit, yogurt.

This homemade polenta recipe is from Macrobiotics for Life by Simon Brown. CLICK HERE to learn more about the book!

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Boiled Vegetable Salad with Pumpkinseed Dressing

Chinese cabbage, sliced in thin diagonals

Kale, thinly sliced

Daikon radish, cut into matchstick-sized pieces

Scallions, cut into 3-inch lengths

Pumpkinseed Dressing (see recipe below)

Bring a large pot with 2 to 3 inches of water in it to a boil. Add Chinese cabbage and cook for 45 seconds. Remove cabbage from pot, and drain. Next add kale, cook for 60 seconds, remove from pot, and drain. Follow with the daikon for 60 seconds, and finally, scallions for 5 seconds. The vegetables should be tender, yet retain their bright colors. Arrange vegetables on a serving platter, drizzle with the Pumpkinseed Dressing, and serve.

Pumpkinseed Dressing

1 cup pumpkinseeds

1 teaspoon umeboshi paste

2-3 teaspoons brown rice syrup

1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

1 to 1-1?2 cup water

Roast the pumpkinseeds in a skillet over high heat, then grind in a suribachi (a Japanese-style pestle that uses a mortar called a surikoji). In a small bowl, combine ground seeds with umeboshi paste, brown rice syrup, lemon juice (if using), and half of the water. Mix well, taste, and add the rest of the water if a thinner consistency is desired.

This boiled vegetable salad recipe is from Maximum Healing by H. Robert Silverstein, MD. CLICK HERE to learn more about the book!

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1?2 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Pinch of salt (optional)

1?2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 whole eggs

4 egg whites

1?4 to 1?2 cup maple syrup (adjust sweetness according to taste)

1 15-ounce can organic pumpkin

15 ounces nonfat ricotta cheese (or farmer cheese)

4 ounces fat-free cream cheese

You can substitute organic low-fat cottage cheese for the listed cheeses. However, this will change the texture of the cake slightly.

Combine cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt (optional) in a small bowl. Set aside. Lightly beat vanilla, eggs, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a food processor, combine pumpkin and cheese until smooth. Alternate adding egg mixture and spice mixture to the pumpkin and cheese mixture. (If you don’t have a food processor, a blender will work, but mix eggs first, then gradually add pumpkin mixture.) Mix well, approximately 3 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 425º F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350º F. Bake for 40–50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for about 2 hours. Serve room temperature or chilled. Do not freeze; freezing causes the filling to separate.

The sweetness can be adjusted according to your taste. It goes very well with organic yogurt or low-fat sour cream.

This pumpkin cheesecake recipe is from The Warrior Diet by Ori Hofmekler. CLICK HERE to learn more about the book!

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Freshness Smoothie

6–8 leaves romaine lettuce

1/2 medium-sized honeydew

2 cups water

Blend well. Yields 1 quart.

This green smoothie recipe is from Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko. CLICK HERE to learn more about the book!

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