Cinnamon Spiced Rutabaga

One of the dearest parts of a holiday is getting everyone in the family together and there is nothing quite like a Thanksgiving table to gather around.  I love the melting candles, arrangement of serving plates, festive table linens and of course the delectable aromas that waft in from the kitchen.

It’s a blessing to be able to catch up with family and friends – all while feasting on a beautiful meal!

Balsamic Orange and Beetroot Soup

As you know, a lot of work goes behind creating any holiday spread.  The planning process can often be a more time-consuming task than the cooking!  There is the prepping, timing, meal planning and then the grocery shopping.  Not to mention the non-meal aspects such as decorating, setting the table and creating the ambiance.

There is also the less glamorous aspects such as cleaning the house from top to bottom. Try and get your significant other to help with this step if you have one.  Seems fair to me.

When I was a young girl I simply came to the table at dinner time and ate my meal.  I said thank you but I don’t think I ever really understood how truly thankful I should haven been. Even for daily meals there is a lot of planning, time and love that each meal entails.  I hope to teach my children to respect the ingredients, time and love that goes into every meal.

Maple Drizzled Sweet Potatoes

Allergies and food sensitivities are becoming more prevalent and this can be a challenge for the person preparing the meal if they are not used to cooking allergen friendly.

Fear not! I have put together a sample Thanksgiving (or any holiday!) menu that is very allergen & Paleo friendly.  Four recipes come from my site and the other recipes are links to some really great allergen friendly food blogs.

This menu is:

1. Dairy-free
2. Soy-free
3. Gluten free
4. Grain free

All the recipes are also incredibly healthy.  A little detox from dairy and wheat can do a body good!

Here we go:

Buttery Dinner Rolls

Paleo Pumpkin Bread

Balsamic Beetroot & Orange Soup 

Oregano Roasted Potatoes with Fresh Lemon

Garlic Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes”

Maple Drizzled Sweet Potatoes

Cinnamon Spiced Rutabega-see below for new recipe!

Baked Purple Sweet Potatoes

Caramelized Onion and Sausage Stuffing

Russ Parson’s Dry Brined Bird 

Boiled Orange Chocolate Cake

French Vanilla Coconut Cream Ice Cream

Cinnamon Spiced Rutabaga

The Ingredients:

• 1 rutabaga, peeled & diced
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/8 tsp ground sage
• 1.5 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

The steps:

• Preheat oven to 400f
• Toss ingredients together well in a large cooking dish
• Place in pre-heated oven and cook until soft (Approx. 1 hour)
• Spoon cooked rutabaga into a beautiful serving bowl
• Enjoy!

Any or all of the above dishes will make an excellent & healthy addition to your holiday meal.

How blessed are we to enjoy beautiful, homemade meals in a warm house filled with family, friends and love!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers!

Until next time,

Simply Hollie