The traditional Thanksgiving dinner table is overflowing with delicious, mouth-watering foods that you’ve spent an entire year waiting for. Unfortunately, a lot of these feasts are also packed full of unhealthy fats and sugars. Before you worry about making the impossible choice between your long-term eating habits and your holiday favorites, try some of these easy substitutes for a healthier meal that’s sure to please!
Monk Fruit Sweetened Apple Pie
Recipe from Erin Kailin – Photo by Priscilla Du Preez
Apple pie is a seasonal favorite for a reason, and this recipe lends its own spin on the classic by replacing sugar with all-natural SweetLeaf® Monk Fruit Sweetener. You’ll want to add this one to your recipe box.
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup SweetLeaf® Granular Monk Fruit Sweetener
8 medium Granny Smith apples
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Melt your butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour to form a paste.
Add water and SweetLeaf® Granular Monk Fruit Sweetener, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and let simmer.
Place the bottom crust (store-bought or homemade is fine) in your pan.
Fill with apples, slightly mounded. Pour 1/2 of your sweetener liquid over the apples and cover with your top crust (lattice-work crust is recommended).
Carefully pour the remaining sweetener liquid over the top so that it does not runoff.
Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Continue baking at reduced heat for 35-45 minutes, or until the apples are soft.
Brown Butter Sweet Potatoes
Recipe and photo courtesy of Chef Amanda Prewitt of TrueFit Foods.
This sugar-free spin on a traditional classic is sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes
1/2 tsp. SweetLeaf® 2oz. Liquid Stevia Pumpkin Spice Sweet Drops®
2 lbs. sweet potatoes
3 oz. butter
1/4 cup almond milk, unsweetened
1 orange, zested
1/2 tsp. salt
Meringue Topping
3 packets SweetLeaf® Stevia Sweetener
4 egg whites, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Directions
Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into large pieces. Boil until soft and tender all the way through.
Heat the butter in a saucepan on medium heat until it begins to brown. Set aside to cool.
Mash the sweet potatoes until they are smooth. Then add the browned butter, almond milk, orange zest, Pumpkin Spice Sweet Drops, and salt. Mix to combine.
Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a baking dish and allow enough space to top the potatoes with the meringue.
Combine all meringue ingredients in a bowl and use an electric mixer to whisk the egg whites on medium-high speed until they reach medium peaks and are glossy.
Spread or pipe meringue onto the sweet potatoes and bake at 270 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until the meringue has browned and obtained a crust. Remove from the oven and serve.
Classic Cornbread
Original recipe from Food Network
Complete your cooking repertoire with this no-sugar-added recipe.
Ingredients
1 1/3 Tbsp. SweetLeaf® Stevia Sweetener
1/3 cup vegetable oil, plus more for the baking dish
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil.
Whisk the cornmeal, flour, SweetLeaf®, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
In another bowl, whisk the egg, vegetable oil and buttermilk, then fold into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes.
Transfer to a rack and let cool 15 minutes before serving. Cut into 8 squares.
Holiday Yams
This recipe is featured in our cookbook, Cooking with SweetLeaf Stevia®.
This holiday season, serve up everyone’s favorite holiday side dish—sweet, yummy yams—without the sugar.
Ingredients
4 packets SweetLeaf® Organic Stevia
6 cups yams, peeled and cut into 1/2-to-1-inch cubes
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Toss the cubed yams and melted butter together and spread the coated cubes onto a parchment-lined cookie or baking sheet.
Season yams with salt, pepper, SweetLeaf® Organic Stevia, and cinnamon.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until yams are cooked through and slightly caramelized.
Cranberry Sauce
Lighten up this traditional holiday side dish with SweetLeaf® Organic and SweetLeaf® Liquid Stevia SteviaClear® Sweet Drops®.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp SweetLeaf® Organic Stevia Sweetener
5 to 6 drops SweetLeaf® Liquid Stevia SteviaClear® Sweet Drops®
4 cups (1 pkg.) cranberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup cranberries, dried
Zest of 1 orange
Directions
Add ingredients to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer, stirring every few minutes until the berries start to burst and the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. If necessary, add more orange juice to reach desired consistency. Remove from heat and transfer to a shallow dish to cool.
Easy Pumpkin Pie Dip
Recipe courtesy of Kraft Food & Family.
Using just four easy ingredients, serve the flavor of pumpkin pie as a fluffy, creamy, and festive dip.
Ingredients
4 packets SweetLeaf® Stevia Sweetener
1 package (8 oz.) Philadelphia Neufchatel Cheese, softened
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Directions
Beat all ingredients with a mixer until smooth. Spoon into a serving bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Regardless of what you are cooking up this Thanksgiving, SweetLeaf® all-natural sweeteners can elevate your holiday favorites, bringing you a healthier dinner that’s better for your health.
