Guilt-Free Holiday Recipes (AIP, Paleo and Gluten Free Options!)

A Word from Erica…

Years ago (back in 2010) I was living in downtown Toronto during the holiday season. Isaac and I had just gotten married and our world was full of excitement. We didn’t have much money back then and we were just getting our consulting business started. So, traveling back home to the States for Thanksgiving and Christmas was out of the question.

That meant I needed to stay in Canada for an American Thanksgiving (though I did get to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving which was awesome!). I wasn’t just going to let that day come and go without some fanfare. Even though the Canadians at large weren’t celebrating we (me and Isaac) were going to celebrate.

So, we invited some friends over to our (super small, but very posh) downtown apartment and I contemplated what to make. As I thought about the options of things I could serve, I was flooded with  great memories of times that I had celebrated Thanksgiving with my family. All of those memories were enhanced by the food I got to experience. The aromas….the taste….the anticipation of Thanksgiving dinner.

And instantly, I knew what to make: Roasted Turkey (of course), cornbread type stuffing (my mom always made this), collard greens with vinegar and tomatoes (it’s a Southern thing), green bean casserole and sweet potato pie. Isaac helped me make the meal, we invited our friends over and it was almost exactly like traditional Thanksgiving at home.

Food has powerful anchors. It’s probably one of the reasons why we often struggle to eat well when we’re emotional or why it’s so hard to give up the (unhealthy) foods that we grew accustomed to eating as children. If you’re someone that’s new to healthy living and you’re wondering how to navigate the holidays without going off the rails, there’s something I’d like you to consider.

Instead of feeling bad about the desire to overindulge or choose foods that are not ideal for you, I invite you to explore a new way to enjoy the foods that you’ve always loved. There are tons of recipes available online and there’s a small selection here from The Elevays Team of our favorite holiday recipes.

If you’re already living the healthy lifestyle, we hope that our recipes give you additional options. We know it can be a challenge to stay the course during the holiday season. If we can make it a little bit easier for you, then that’s even better. 🙂 Enjoy these awesome recipes from me and The Elevays Team.

Recipes from Natalie

Thanksgiving has become one of my favorite holidays.  I have a huge family which I love spending time with but since my husband and I have moved to Colorado it has become our own special day where just “our family” gets to spend the day together… getting good quality time with just me, my husband Jim and son Leonardo.  My husband was a professional chef for a long time, and we both worked for Whole Foods for many years so we love the best of the best when it comes to food.  So this is the day we go all out!  My husband makes the best turkey I have ever had (not just saying this)…. He has perfected it over the years and it is absolutely delicious!  

Side note: This recipe takes 48 hours to make as you brine your turkey for 24 hours in advance to cooking it.

[tasty-recipe id=”10710″]

Natalie’s Apple Pear Pie

I personally love to bake.  I am a 2nd generation Italian American and grew up in a house with Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Great Grandma and Uncle.  My Grandmothers taught me so many amazing things about cooking and how “Food is Family” in our culture, but baking has always been my favorite.  There is something about the peacefulness of it, and the memories that I will always cherish when I start different recipes.  It’s like transporting back in time to my childhood with my Grandmothers in the kitchen.

My favorite holiday recipe that we used to make was an apple pear pie.  I still honor them every year by making this for my family.  It’s the perfect combo of fruit as it is not too sweet but just sweet enough.  The combination is magic in your mouth! I have altered it just a little bit to make it on the healthier side, using alternative flours and sugars.  Thanksgiving is the best time for this since pears and apples are at the peak of their season.  My family looks forward to this every year for the end of a perfect Thanksgiving meal!

Side note: I recommend making this one day ahead, as it takes a while to bake and then it needs to set for at least an hour.  If you make it the same day, please make sure it’s one of the first things you make.

[tasty-recipe id=”10718″]

Recipes from Stephanie

Hi there! I’m Stephanie! Ten years ago I was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases (Celiac and Hashimotos) and it changed the way I had to eat.

I am a total foodie, I literally plan vacations with my husband around the restaurants I want to eat at!

The holidays hold some of my favorite meals. I struggled for years to find recipes that were reminiscent of my favorite foods my grandma would make for us during Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you’re on the paleo or autoimmune protocol diet, you know the struggle to find compliant foods that still taste like the real deal!

After a lot of trial and error, I was able to recreate some of grandma’s staples using ingredients that fit the paleo and autoimmune protocol diets.

Here are my recipes for a AIP stuffing, AIP cranberry sauce and an AIP single serving apple crumble that would make my grandma proud! Enjoy!

[tasty-recipe id=”10726″]

 

[tasty-recipe id=”10736″]

[tasty-recipe id=”10746″]

[tasty-recipe id=”10755″]

 

Recipes from Sherri

I grew up in a big family, with big appetites and big hearts. So Thanksgiving for me is all about spending precious time with family and unapologetically eating our way into a Thanksgiving food coma 🙂  

Both my grandmother and my mother LOVE to cook ( that’s definitely where I get my passion for cooking from)  so there was always an over abundance of food. Our home would be brimming over with the smells of apple cider, cinnamon buttered baked yams, green bean casserole, homemade braided breads and of course, the all important roasted turkey. As a kid, it was next to impossible to not attempt to sneak into the kitchen and grab a random bite of food while waiting for the feast to be ready. Everything smelled SO delicious and I want to bring some of that experience to your Thanksgiving table this year. These sage roasted turkey legs are full of holiday flavor and are perfect if you have a big family and need some extra turkey or if you have a smaller family and don’t need to roast an entire bird.

For those with autoimmune disease, bringing your own sage roasted turkey legs to your family feast is a great way to participate in the holiday meal without getting sick! I have Celiac Disease and Hashimoto’s, so I know how difficult this can be. Preparing these turkey legs beforehand and bringing them with you will definitely help you feel a little more normal at big family meals. My recipe for cinnamon buttered baked yams (featured on this page) is also a gluten free recipe that you can make beforehand and bring with you. Definitely check it out as the turkey legs and yams together make a beautiful and easy to travel with meal!

I sincerely hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do and have an absolutely wonderful and delicious Thanksgiving!

[tasty-recipe id=”10757″]

Cinnamon Buttered Baked Yams

Every holiday season, there was one dish that everyone always wanted more of and it never lasted for longer than 5 minutes before it was entirely devoured. It wasn’t the brussel sprouts (sorry grandma). I personally have nothing against brussel sprouts, but they cannot compete with cinnamon buttered baked yams. They are the stuff that dreams are made of and the single dish that absolutely MUST make it to our Thanksgiving table other than the turkey of course.

The wonderful thing is after I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease as an adult, this is not a holiday recipe I had to give up. It’s also so simple and easy to travel with, making it perfect for anyone with Celiac Disease needing to bring their own food to a holiday meal.

So go ahead, dig into this incredibly simple and easy to make recipe and make everyone at your table super impressed and happy too.

Quick note: If you’re making these for a big family, I suggest cutting the sweet potatoes into cubes instead of slicing them into rounds, as you can make more in the same sized dish and it will cook more evenly (and cook faster…. because if your family gatherings are anything like mine, people will be asking if it’s done yet every 2 seconds).

[tasty-recipe id=”10759″]

Recipes from Erica

This is the best stuffing…ever. Depending on the number of people it may be very wise to double the recipe. It’s that good. People will be coming back for more and no matter how much you make there probably won’t be any leftovers.

This recipe is one that I initially found on Food Network but I adapted it to suit our lifestyle and this stuffing just doesn’t miss a beat. It’s amazing! Do yourself a favor and make it this Thanksgiving. 🙂

For a more savory stuffing, stick with a corn muffin recipe that isn’t super sweet. I have a recipe below that works well if you’re interested.

[tasty-recipe id=”10760″]

 

[tasty-recipe id=”10761″]

[tasty-recipe id=”10762″]

[tasty-recipe id=”10763″]