So how many of you pigged out on Thanksgiving? This year I looked at Thanksgiving differently – no pigging out – no food free for all – just good, enjoyable food with activities planned after we ate. We played many rounds of table tennis, changing partners, changing sides, cheating when ever possible, then we had desert, then more table tennis topping the evening with a couple games of pictionary. No extra pounds gained, no rolling ourselves out to the car to go home, just a healthy wonderful dinner with family. I think this is what Thanksgiving was meant to be.
Here is how our Thanksgiving went…
This year I wanted a special Thanksgiving at our house. My daughters Alex and Kyra felt the same, so we planned an Organic feast.
Kyra found most of our menu from a vegetarian website vegkitchen.com. The mix and match options were perfect for our different tastes. Cranberry chutney, pecan and apple stuffing, maple/tarragon sweet potatoes, scalloped corn, pumpkin brulee and chocolate pecan pie (with vegan carob chips) were all prepared with organic ingredients the evening before. It was a night of female bonding and enthusiasm over a fabulous bottle of Organic wine!
The table was set in beautiful fall colors of brown and gold. Place cards were made with green and yellow maple leaves that were blanketing the yard from changing of the seasons. My friend Jeri arrived with the most colorful flower arrangement to complement our motif. It was warm, simple and earthy.
Our Organic Thanksgiving dinner was a success, the fresh feast was enjoyed by all. Truly a day of appreciation and love shared by family and friends!
The table favorite was, by far, the sweet potatoes. Here is the recipe for this delicious dish:
MAPLE AND TARRAGON SWEET POTATOES
8 to 10 servings
Maple syrup and tarragon, a sweet herb, are wonderful enhancements for the flavor of sweet potatoes.
* 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
* 1/2 cup maple syrup
* 1/4 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, melted
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons dried tarragon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange the sweet potato slices in overlapping rows in an oiled shallow 2-quart casserole. In a small bowl, combine the syrup, margarine, juice, cinnamon, and salt. Pour evenly over the potatoes. Sprinkle the tarragon over the top.
Cover with lid or foil and bake, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until readily pierced with a fork but still firm. Bake another 20 to 25 minutes, uncovered, or until glazed and golden around the edges.