Thanksgiving is a time of indulgence and gratitude for the abundance we have been blessed with. The really good news is, that with a bit of care and planning you can easily stick to your low carb, Paleo or even Ketogenic diet plan.
These recipes will help you create Low Carb Thanksgiving Feasts that everyone in your family will love.
Though the recipes below are all low carb, one of the tricks of staying on your diet, is portion control. Yes, you can have some of everything, but the key is in choosing to have small portions. You will actually find yourself enjoying Thanksgiving more, because if you don’t over dose on food, you will manage to stay awake … and have time to enjoy your friends and loved ones, the football game, a movie or some board games.
Another trick to sticking to your diet is to have your main meal earlier in the day and save dessert for four to five hours later. This will help even out your blood sugars without the humongous spikes that eating the whole meal at one time causes.
In MY family, we PLAN on leftovers. We actually cook way more than needed and package everything up so that, other than making a fresh salad, we don’t have to cook for the next two to three days. Try it once and it may become a tradition with your family too!
Low Carb Thanksgiving Feasts: Main Dishes
How to Cook A Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey
Thanksgiving is not complete without Turkey on the center of the feast table. I know that a lot of people think cooking a perfect Turkey is hard. The good news is that it is actually easy, especially with all the online tutorials and videos and books that include plenty of details. Here is one post that walks you step-by-step through cooking your Turkey. 10 Tips for Cooking the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey This coming holiday season enjoy cooking your Turkey without alarming the fire department.
The Low Carb Roasted Turkey and Pan Gravy
The Low Carb Roasted Turkey and Pan Gravy is a classic Turkey recipe that you should try out. This is one of the simplest and easiest Turkey recipes I have found so far. Yummy and healthy, it is Low Carb, Paleo and Keto friendly.
Have you ever tried brining your turkey? Many cooks swear by it.
Here’s a best selling brining kit from Amazon.
Fire and Flavor Turkey Perfect Herb Brining Kit
Look at one happy customer had to say. Hmmm I think I need to try this!
This mix made me look like a master chef. Not only was it tender and moist, but the meat was subtly infused with flavor and the skin roasted to a beautiful, over-all golden brown. It was, therefore, also the prettiest turkey I ever presented to the Thanksgiving table. With minimum effort, I looked like a master chef. Believe me, I’m sold on this product.
Cranberry-Spinach Stuffed Pork Loin
The Cranberry-Spinach Stuffed Pork Loin is perfect to add to your Holiday table. Cautionary NOTE: this recipe is NOT for beginner cooks. It has multiple steps and takes some advanced planning because you need to brine the pork in cold maple for between 6 and 18 hours. It is worth the extra prep time and you won’t regret preparing this for your family and guests.
This recipe is on the high side of low carb. It definitely is NOT Keto but is a safe bet for Paleo. You can reduce the carbs a bit by leaving out the dried cranberries and substituting chopped fresh cranberries. You can also carve THIN slices for anyone who really needs to track their carbs.
I have indulged in a 1/2 inch slice, enjoyed every fork-full, and kept my blood sugar under control.
Easy Low Carb Baked Ham with Cranberry Apricot Glaze
Aside from turkey, ham is normally the second star on a buffet table. If you’re looking for a sugar-free glaze for your holiday ham, I suggest trying the Easy Low Carb Baked Ham with Cranberry Apricot Glaze. A fabulous dish for the whole family, it’s also Low-Carb, Sugar-Free Paleo and Keto
I have used Smucker’s sugar free Apricot preserves not only on ham, but for a great chicken sauce.
Smucker’s Sugar Free Preserves with Splenda-Apricot-12.75 Oz-2 Pack
Low Carb Rosemary Garlic Standing Rib Roast
No time to prepare and cook a turkey? I found this quick and easy recipe that you can prepare on Thanksgiving. Christmas or any occasion. This Low Carb Rosemary Garlic Standing Rib Roast tastes so delicious you will never mis the turkey. This recipe is Low Carb, Paleo and Keto friendly.
Low Carb Thanksgiving Feasts: Side Dishes
Gourmet Keto Thanksgiving Stuffing
Many people on low carb type diets imagine that they can never eat turkey stuffing again … well think again because this Gourmet Keto Thanksgiving Stuffing is perfect side dish you don’t want to miss. It is easy to prepare and a perfect choice for anyone on low carb, Paleo and Keto diets.
And yes … that does look like bread in the photo. It in fact is an easy to make keto legal bread version, so will help you get past all those cravings!
Spicy Sausage and Cheddar Stuffing
If you’ve been following me for any time you already know, I LOVE “spicy.” So I was thrilled to find this Low Carb and Gluten-Free Spicy Sausage and Cheddar Stuffing recipe. It is an awesome side dish for any holiday turkey dinner. This is made with spicy sausages and cheddar stuffing that is so amazingly good and still Low Carb. Your family will love it and friends will ask for a copy of your recipe.
Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
When I was a kid I used to hate Brussels Sprouts with a passion. Now I always have a brussels sprouts side dish on the Holiday table and THIS recipe is a favorite … simple and quick. Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. It is made with only 4 ingredients and is low carb and Keto friendly.
One of the things that really makes this dish a winner is that you can prep and cook it the night before and then the second you take the turkey out of the oven to rest, jack up the heat and put your Brussels Sprouts in the oven to warm up.
Roasted Carrots and Mushrooms with Thyme
Carrots make a beautiful and colorful addition to the Holiday table. Roasted Carrots and Mushrooms with Thyme is not only easy to make but fits into almost every diet there is. One BIG problem is that people love them so much they want another helping and then … another!
IF you are on a diet … keep your portions small, eat slowly and savor every forkful. NO seconds. OR put aside your seconds, wait 4 – 5 hours and have them for dessert! This recipe is Vegan, Paleo, Keto, Whole 30, Gluten-free, Dairy-free,and South Beach Diet friendly.
Cooks Note: Normally carrots are considered to be high in carbs but adding the mushroom to the recipe considerably lowers the carbs per serving.
Easy Low Carb Cauliflower Soufflé
Add fancy to your holiday cooking with Easy Low Carb Cauliflower Soufflé. This impressive souffle will make the kids giddy for more, so they won’t notice it contains vegetables. The combination, the taste and texture of this recipe is just fantastic. Low carb and Keto friendly.
Don’t let the word souffle scare you off … this is an easy dish to make and will NOT suffer from any disastrous deflating.
Low Carb Thanksgiving Feasts: Desserts
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
When you look for desserts this Holiday season, you probably want the near impossible … something that will satisfy your sweet tooth and not overload your body with carbs. Well I found this mouth watering gem, The No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake the proves you can enjoy your desserts without worrying about Carbs and Sugar.
It is not only low carb, but is Paleo and Keto friendly. At the risk of getting boring I’m going to repeat my caution on portion control. You can eat a lot of different, wonderful and decadent dishes, just watch your portion sizes. You’re goint to stay on track if you slowly savor ONE portion, if you vacuum down all six portions you are in trouble!
Here’s a simple “recipe” for making your own Pumpkin Puree
OR if you don’t have time get it in a can.
Farmers Market Organic Pumpkin, 15 Ounce (Pack of 12)
Low Carb Chocolate Mint Truffles
Another fabulous dessert you will love to try are these Low Carb Chocolate Mint Truffles. This dessert will delight kids and adult alike. Low Carb and Sugar-free. Sweet and Minty after dinner treat.
Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse
This fabulous no-bake Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse is made with just 6 ingredients only! Quick and easy to prepare, you can serve this in no time. It is also Keto, Sugar-free and Gluten-free.
Low Carb Lemon Meringue Pie
Not everyone is a fan of pumpkin, so it is nice to have an alternative to Pumpkin Pie. This Low Carb Lemon Meringue Pie is classic recipe that is both decadent and refreshing. It is an amazing treat that is Low Carb and Sugar-Free. It is the BEST way to end your Holiday feast without going Carb crazy.
Pecan Pie Tarts
These Pecan Pie Tarts are the perfect treat to serve with tea or coffee. Just by looking at them you would never guess they are low carb, sugar free and THM:S. In fact you will have to TELL your guests that they are on the safe eating lists.
BULK NUTS NUT USA. PECAN HALVES JR MAMMO, 5 LB keep them fresh by storing them in the freezer.
Almond Flour Crepes
Crepes make such an elegant end-of-the-meal statement. Just looking at them makes my mouth water! This Almond Flour Crepes recipe is made with just 4 ingredients: ground almond flour, eggs, coconut and cinnamon. So easy and quick you can prepared this together with your kids. No one will believe it is Low Carb, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Dairy-Free and Sugar-Free.
You can make your own almond flower by finely grinding whole almonds or …
Almond Flour Blanched, Anthony’s 4lb Bag, Certified Gluten-Free