Thanksgiving.

Let’s talk about it. And the approaching holiday season as well.

For most, Thanksgiving marks the time of the year where people let themselves go. The 5-7 lb creep as the year comes to an end.

For some, even the anticipation of holidays coming makes them go off the deep end with their food, workouts and health in general.

People freak out because holidays mean food, and lots of it.  While the dieters and calorie counters out there get sent into a tailspin over the “heaviness” or high calorie count of holiday food, I actually think that traditional holiday food is a great thing.

I love this time of year, especially Thanksgiving (weird, right? I love food if it’s not obvious). Most Thanksgiving food is  nutrient dense, real food that has been around longer than we have. Turkey, mashed potatoes, root vegetables, cranberries  & pumpkin for the pie?

All seems real to me (same goes for your body when you digest it- it can actually recognize it and use it as energy).

So, enjoy it.

Every last bite.

And then, {after leftovers of course}…..be done with it.

I’ll give you a tip here. Just because it’s holiday season, doesn’t mean that every day from Thanksgiving through New Years is a holiday.

But most of us treat it like so. Just like the rest of the year, there is room for all the things you love and enjoy- baked goods, pies and desserts, wine and your special Starbucks drink.

Just not every day, multiple times a day. Then, they are no longer “treats” but necessities to make it through the day.

Enjoy your food and savor it.  Don’t beat yourself up about it.

Pick the treats that you love and and savor those too. Don’t beat yourself up about those either. Just enjoy it.

But, a word to the wise- don’t get in the routine of having whatever you want, at whatever time, because it’s this time of year or because there is more of it around, because that will always be the case. As helpful as it would be for all of that stuff to disappear, its just not going to happen. So learn how to navigate it instead.

And, in more occasions than we probably care to admit, the real treat can be not having the dessert. Especially if you don’t care about it.

And let’s not forget that holiday season is not all about the sugar and flour based foods and alcohol, although some people easily forget that.  Some of the best veggie dishes I know of are in season this time of year, so it is possible to still eat great, healthy food that makes you feel good the next day too.

In honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving week, I thought I’d share my 2 favorite side dishes- Golden Crusted Brussel Sprouts & Nutmeg Spiked Delicata Squash. I can’t get enough of either one of these at the moment.

Here’s to a happy & healthy Thanksgiving..and whole holiday season ahead!

Golden Crusted Brussel Sprouts with Shallots & Rosemary

Ingredients:

1 bag brussel sprouts

1-2 shallots (optional)

rosemary

sea salt, pepper and parmesan cheese

Wash and trim ends off brussel sprouts. Slice in half. Remove skins from shallots and slice into crescents.

Add brussel sprouts to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with rosemary, sea salt and pepper and toss to coat completely. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and turn to medium heat, not too hot. Place brussels cut side down on skillet and cover to cook for a 5 min or until they begin to soften.

Uncover pan, turn the heat up, and let the cut side turn a golden brown. Then, add your shallots and toss around. Serve hot with a fresh grating of parmesean cheese.

1-2 delicata squash

oragnic, extra virgin, unrefined coconut oil

nutmeg

sea salt

Heat oven to 400. Cut off ends of squash. Stand up on cutting board and slice lengthwise into two halves. Scoop out seeds with a spoon.

Place squash halves flesh side down on cutting board. Slice into half-moon shapes.

Melt a few tablespoons of coconut oil on the stove. Add generous amounts of nutmeg with some sea salt. In a large bowl, add the squash pieces and toss with the coconut-nutmeg mixture.

Roast and toss half-way through until each side browns nicely.

And note, yes, you can eat the skins. They taste even better the next day if you have leftovers, or for as easy appetizer, thread several squash pieces on skewers.

Love this recipe? You’d love the cookbook then too, or the Simply Real Health Healthy Holiday Recipe Collection (with over 70 easy, healthy upgrades to the dishes we all love!)

And be sure to check out the brand new Food Academy, now open for enrollment, and the seasonal meal plans.