A Feel Good Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is such an easy time to overeat and hurt our bodies, and we let ourselves do so! Thanksgiving doesn't have to be painful to your stomach or your body. You can make a few changes and make this the best Thanksgiving yet! 

Happy November Friends! I can't believe that we are just a few weeks away from Thanksgiving! Where is this year going?! As we all begin our preparations for the holiday, I wanted to share some very important tips to make this Thanksgiving not only the most delicious, but also one that you can walk away from feeling amazing! It is so easy to overeat and overeat so many foods that are so hard on our systems. They leave us feeling bloated, sick, and not how we want to feel. Holiday's should never be a reason to feel this way - and they never have to be again! 

• As the meal is cooking, gather up the whole family and get outside! Get your bodies active and the blood pumping. Play a fun game of family football, take a walk around the neighborhood, or play other fun games everyone can join in on. Being active before any big meal will help you digest better, not hurt as bad after the big meal, and keep you feeling energized throughout the rest of the day. 
• Your desserts don't have to be chock full of processed sugars. Try finding sugar-free, less processed, and healthier versions of your traditional favorites! There are so many incredible recipes out there, it'll be hard to pick the best one! 
• The holidays are a wonderful time to bring out your favorite bottles of wine, eggnog, and other festive drinks. There are so many empty calories in these beverages, and they add up. Be very decisive when you want to use these calories, and when you want to save it for something else throughout the holidays. 
• Practicing the art of mindful eating is something that you can add to your life any day throughout the year, but it is very important during the holidays. During Thanksgiving, check-in with your body and ask if you are still hungry when you're looking at going back for more helpings. 
• Carbs don't have to fill up your Thanksgiving plate, there are tons of amazing dishes to be made that don't need any carbs to make them delicious. 
• Load up on the Thanksgiving veggies! Fall is such an amazing time of year for some pretty spectacular root vegetables. Sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, acorn squash, broccoli, green beans, spinach, kale, brussels sprouts, and red or purple potatoes are just some of the amazing options out there for you! They not only make your body feel amazing, but they also look amazing on your Thanksgiving table! 

With all of those tips in mind - I wanted to take a classic recipe and change it up a little bit. We are going to be taking your classic bread stuffing, and making a farro and Vegetable stuffing that is SO delicious I can't wait for you to try it! Take this for a spin, and make your Turkey appreciate it too! farro is an ancient grain, just like flaxseed, and a wonderful ancient grain to have in your diet. It also can hold seasoning and flavor so well that it's very easy to add into dishes that you might usually use rice or other similar heavy carb items.  

Ingredients: 

• 4 tbsp Butter
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• About 5-6 small purple potatoes, chopped into 4-6 pieces. 
• A handful of fresh Asparagus 
• 1 packed of Small ( baby) portabello mushrooms, chopped. This is about 1- 1 1/2 cup. 
• 1 cup fennel (about 1 bulb) 
• 2 Tbsp freshly chopped Rosemary 
• 1 Tbsp freshly chopped sage 
• 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable or chicken broth 
• 1/4 
• Kosher salt 
• Black pepper 
• 3 Cups farro (enough for a serving of 6) 
• 9 cups of water 
• Olive oil 

Directions: 

• You will need to prepare the farro first since it will take the longest to make. There are many different ways to prepare farro, you just need to find what works for you. But if this method works for you, wonderful! 
  • Rise and drain the 3 cups of farro. 
  • Place the drained farro into a pot and add the 9 cups of water. 
  • Season with a pinch of salt and add just a little bit of olive oil. 
  • Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes. 
  • Once it is cooked, drain the extra liquid and place it aside. 
• Towards the end of making the farro, put the potatoes on a baking sheet and cover lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast them for about 5 minutes at 450 degrees. When they're finished, set them aside. 
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. 
• Add onion, shallot, fennel, carrots in until they are soft. 
• Add mushrooms and asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender. 
• Add parsley, rosemary, and sage and stir until everything is combined. Pour the broth over this mixture of veggies and let it cook until there is just a little liquid left. 
• At the very end, add in the farro you've set aside and let it mix in until the broth has absorbed and the farro is hot. 
• Enjoy! 

Who says Thanksgiving can't be delicious AND make you feel good? Make your own rules this Thanksgiving, and try something different! 

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