15 Clean-Eating Thanksgiving Recipes

I originally wrote this post for The Huffington Post, but I just HAD to share it with you all as well! 

A Turkey Day sans plates on plates of pumpkin pie, fluffy sausage stuffing, sweet tater soufflé, and green bean casserole would be just plain wrong. Thanksgiving is a mighty celebration of calories and you'd be lying if you said you haven't fallen victim to over-indulging at least once on this special day.

But eating fried onions from a can and MSG-laden condensed mushroom soup is NOT written in the laws of this cherished feast. Did you know that the typical American consumes a whopping 4,500 calories worth of turkey and all the trimmings on this special day? With these healthier, whole foods-based Thanksgiving recipes, you can focus on stuffing the turkey, not yourself!

1. Healthy Green Bean Casserole

2. Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars

3. Herbed Wild Rice & Quinoa Stuffing

4. Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash Rings

5. Charred Green Beans with Garlic and Pomegranate Seeds

6. French Bread Stuffing with Swiss Chard and Caramelized Red Onions

7. Maple Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

8. The Best Damn Vegan Mashed Potatoes

9. Maple Roasted Butternut Squash and Beets

10. Festive Kale Salad with Wheatberries and Tempeh

11. Curried Brussels Sprout Salad

12. Maple Roasted Vegetables with Toasted Walnuts

13. Lentil Mushroom Walnut Balls with Cranberry Pear Sauce

14. Paleo Pumpkin Pie with Pumpkin Seed Crust

15. Wild Mushroom Gravy