Happy Thanksgiving!

We’re back!  And ‘the boy’ is now officially ‘the husband’.  Ten gorgeous days on the black sand beaches of Costa Rica with the wedding of our dreams taking place on 11-11-11.  It was everything we dreamed it would be and we were so honored to have shared it with our closest friends and family.

Unfortunately I don’t have anything new to share as the only meal I have prepared since we’ve been back is a plate of nachos.  But I did want to pull together some of my favorite Primal / Paleo friendly recipes to share for Turkey Day so that you and your family can enjoy some healthy, figure friendly recipes this holiday season.

And as always at this time of year I would like to give thanks…thanks for an amazing new family that has welcomed me with unconditional love and open arms, thanks for a new husband who is truly the man of my dreams and thanks to a wonderful group of followers like you for taking a few minutes out of your day to stop by this little blog.  I truly love sharing my passion for cooking with others and each little comment you leave below reminds me of how special it is to be a member of such a great group of foodies.  I wish you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving and hope you all take a little time on Thursday to thank those that mean something to you!

So here we go, the Turkey Day Roundup (in order of appearance):

These or this would make a perfect accompaniment for a Thanksgiving morning brunch

For snacking during the big game (Go Pack Go!)

Some amazing side dishes to serve along side your bird here, here and here

And something new this year in place of your standard Pumpkin Pie

Don’t forget to save those bones and make a big batch of stock

And with all that leftover turkey make some of this, just sub the chicken for turkey

White Bean Chicken Chili

It’s finally here, at 1030a tomorrow the boy and I leave for the black sand beaches of Costa Rica and on Friday I will marry the man of my dreams. The last two weeks have been a whirl wind complete with one nasty cold, a bridal shower, a fun filled bachelorette weekend with my bestest friends and last minute packing. I apologize for the lack of posting but I think it’s safe to say those of you that have been through this before can empathize.

So before I go spend the next two weeks in the rain forest with little to no internet access I figured I would leave you with one of my favorite fall dishes, White Bean Chicken Chili. It’s hearty, it’s spicy, it’s down right delicious and I make it by the ton this time of year. While beans aren’t ‘technically’ Primal they are packed with protein and if you live an 80 / 20 lifestyle this is a dish you should definitely try.

White Bean Chicken Chili
Serves 6 – 8

2 bone in skin on chicken breasts, roasted and shredded
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 roasted poblano peppers, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon white pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
5 cups homemade chicken stock
2 cans cannelloni beans, rinsed
½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream

In a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, add the butter, garlic, onion, peppers, spices and herbs and allow to cook until the onions are translucent. Add the chicken stock, shredded chicken, 2 cans of beans and chopped cilantro and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Cut the heat and add the heavy cream.

Serve in a large bowl topped with fresh cilantro, grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin

Potatoes au gratin, one of my favorite dishes of all time.  In my opinion there are few things more delicious then potatoes, or anything for that matter, covered with cheese and baked until brown and bubbly.  With Thanksgiving looming I have been searching high and low for recipes that are Primal / Paleo friendly but don't make you feel like you're missing out on anything, then I found this!

Now I have openly admitted what a carb-obsessed, potato loving freak I was before going Primal.  So when I tell you that I am 100% convinced that this will satisfy my craving for potatoes this holiday season that's a big deal!  The options with this dish are endless, you can make it as I did below or you could skip the sour cream and cheddar and go for heavy cream and gruyere with a dash of nutmeg.  It goes without saying that this is going to become a permanent fixture in my weekly rotation until I find my favorite flavor combination.  Served as a side alongside a tender roasted pork tenderloin, this Spaghetti Squash Au Gartin is a hearty full flavor side dish your entire family will love.

Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin
Serves 6

1 medium spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, cut in half and very thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more if you like it spicy
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
½ cup sour cream
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds.  Place in a covered dish with a ¼ inch of water and microwave for 10 -12 minutes.  In a medium sized skillet over medium heat, add the butter, onions, red pepper and thyme and cook until the onions are slightly brown in color.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

Using a fork, scrape the insides of the squash and transfer to a small bowl.  Combine the squash, onions, sour cream and half the cheese together and mix well.  Transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish and top with remaining cheese.

Place into a 375º for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

Primal Pumpkin Cheesecake

If you’re a fan of Dandy Dishes on Facebook you already knew this post was coming!  So let’s talk cheesecake…my hands down favorite dessert of all time.  Believe it or not it is on my Bucket List to devour every single one on Cheesecake Factory’s menu.  And I’m not embarrassed to admit that I’m halfway there.

However these days I look at food a little differently, not by calories or fat content (obviously), but by the quality of ingredients and how they effect your body.  So when the boy and I were invited to a friend’s for dinner this past weekend and I was tasked with dessert, I knew immediately what I was going to make.

Fall is my favorite time of year, and as I mentioned in my Primal Pumpkin Bread post, I have tasked myself this holiday season with taking some of my favorite fall dishes and converting them to Primal.  I searched the web high and low for recipes and knew immediately that I could take one of my favorite desserts and make it organic, healthy, and 100% MDA approved!  The end result is a cheesecake not only packed with pumpkiny goodness but one that is light, fluffy and made even more amazing when topped with homemade whipped cream.

Do yourself, your friends, your family, heck even your neighbors a favor and make this tonight!  (Yeah I know it cracked but it was still delicious!)

Primal Pumpkin Cheesecake

Serves an army, or 10-12 healthy grown ups

For the crust

3 cups pecan meal

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

4 ½ tablespoons melted butter

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with a fork until well combined.  Press the mixture evenly across the bottom and sides of a 9” spring form pan.  Bake in a preheated 300º oven for 15 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the cheesecake

3, 8oz packages of cream cheese (room temperature)

1, 15oz can of pure pumpkin

3 eggs and 1 egg yolk

¼ cup sour cream

1 cup pure maple syrup (I used Grade B, it’s cheaper)

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon ginger

1 ½ tablespoons coconut flour

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add in the pumpkin, eggs, sour cream, maple syrup, baking soda, spices and combine well.  Add the coconut flour and vanilla and beat one last time until all ingredients are mixed through.  Pour into cooled crust and spread evenly.  Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 1 hour, or until the sides have browned and the center is still a little wobbly.  Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.  Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving, or even better over night.  Serve with homemade whipped cream.