Between the pies, casseroles, and pumpkin beer, Thanksgiving pretty much equals an automatic food coma. Unless, of course, you've filled your festive table with the following better-for-you dishes.
From autumn-inspired salads to cleaned-up desserts, these 26 recipes will completely transform your Thanksgiving—and keep you from feeling like a sloth all day on Black Friday.
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1
Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon and Apple Vinaigrette
This shredded fall salad is savory and a bit sweet, making it the perfect side salad to go with Thanksgiving meat and potatoes.
Ditch the bacon and it's vegetarian-friendly, too.
Per serving: 292 calories, 24 g fat (4 g sat), 16 g carbs, 9 g sugar, 148 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein
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2
Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
These creamy crab-stuffed mushrooms are the ideal Thanksgiving finger food, providing fats and protein that'll keep you satisfied until dinner.
Plus, they’re super low-carb!
Per serving: 196 calories, 14 g fat (4 g sat), 4 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 415 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 14 g protein
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3
Low-Carb Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are a super-easy side to pair with turkey, chicken, or ham— and these crispy sprouts pack loads of crunchy goodness.
Add whatever spices you like for extra kick!
Per serving: 155 calories, 10.6 g fat (1.5 g sat), 13.6 g carbs, 328 mg sodium, 3.3 g sugar, 5.8 g fiber, 5.1 g protein
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4
Three-Ingredient Biscuits
Skip the long list of ingredients in many store-bought mixes and make these easy biscuits instead. Made with just three ingredients, they still pack loads of buttery flavor.
Per serving: 185 calories, 9 g fat (5.4 g sat fat), 22.1 g carbs, 364.6 mg sodium, 1.6 g sugar, 0.8 g fiber, 3.8 g protein
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5
Curry Roasted Cauliflower Sweet Potato Salad
Complete with a creamy curry sauce, this veggie-loaded side dish is packed with fiber and antioxidants.
What’s more, it’s Whole30-approved and vegan.
Per serving: 213 calories, 10.2 g fat (1.4 g sat), 26.4 g carbs, 10.4 g sugar, 6.3 g fiber, 5.9 g protein
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6
Low-Carb Pumpkin Soup with Bacon
This lower-carb, dairy-free soup satisfies your hunger 'til the main courses come out without bogging you down too much.
Top it with your favorite herbs for extra oomph.
Per serving: 95 calories, 4 g fat (1 g sat), 7 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 282 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein
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7
Classic Ham Steak with Red-Eye Gravy
Sick of turkey? This ham steak with coffee-infused gravy is a unique crowd-pleaser.
The best part: It's done in 15 minutes.
Per serving: 417 calories, 32 g fat, 0.3 g carbs, 0.2 g sugar, 1730 mg sodium, 31 g protein
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8
Paleo Delicata Squash Bake
Squash, cranberries, pecans—this colorful side dish screams holiday season! It's packed with antioxidants, fiber, and protein that fill you up (and really pops on the table).
Per serving: 239 calories, 13 g fat (8 g sat), 28 g carbs, 7 g sugar, 100 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 7 g protein
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9
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars
These vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake bars taste just like the real deal. Made with pumpkin, cashews, pecans, cinnamon, and coconut, they pack healthy fats you'll feel good about enjoying.
Per serving: 435 calories, 34.2 g fat (17.1 g sat), 28.2 g carbs, 13 g sugar, 12 mg sodium, 4.9 g fiber, 7.3 g protein
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10
Cinnamon Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
This sweet and nutty casserole uses coconut oil and coconut sugar to create a still-sweet but lower-sugar version of the classic Thanksgiving side.
Oh yeah, it also comes together in just 30 minutes.
Per serving: 282 calories, 8.4 g fat (5.5 g sat), 49.4 g carbs, 12.8 g sugar, 49 mg sodium, 5.8 g fiber, 3.1 g protein
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11
Butternut Squash and Beet Harvest Salad
This tasty, vegetarian-friendly fall salad gets lots of color and nutrition from beets, squash, seeds, and cheese. It's a great way to sneak some greens into your feast.
Per serving: 223 calories, 13.9 g fat (9.1 g sat), 20.7 g carbs, 7.3 g sugar, 312 mg sodium, 4.3 g fiber, 7.1 g protein
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12
Low-Carb Loaded 'Potato' Casserole
Made with cauliflower instead of potatoes, this casserole delivers on flavor while keeping carbs low. Plus, it's topped with bacon, so enough said.
Per serving: 334 calories, 28 g fat (14.6 g sat), 11.3 g carbs, 597 mg sodium, 5.3 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 11.5 g protein
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13
Roasted Pumpkin and Halloumi Salad
Salty Halloumi cheese pairs beautifully with fall flavors like pumpkin and almonds in this meatless salad. Chock-full of color and nutrition, it's another feel-good side dish.
Per serving: 537.6 calories, 43.9 g fat, 17.8 g carbs, 6.7 g fiber, 19.4 g protein
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14
Mashed Potato Cones
Honestly, these mashed potato cones are just plain fun. They're also a great way to enjoy biscuits and mashed potatoes without going totally overboard on portions.
Per serving: 399 calories, 23.1 g fat (7.5 g sat fat), 42.3 g carbs, 386.5 mg sodium, 2 g sugar, 3.5 g fiber, 5.9 g protein
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15
Mushroom and Sage Rolled Turkey Breasts
Feeling fancy? Make this stuffed turkey for Thanksgiving this year. That mushroom and sage filling is absolutely to-die-for.
Per serving: 311 calories, 11.39 g fat (5.66 g sat fat), 1.9 g carbs, 1130 mg sodium, 0 g sugar, 0.7 g fiber, 45.3 g protein
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16
Crispy Oven-Fried Green Beans
Introducing green beans your Thanksgiving guests will actually want to eat. These 'fried' beans offer a satisfying crunchy, crispy texture without tons of breading or frying oils.
Per serving: 145 calories, 11.6 g fat (7 g sat), 7.6 g carbs, 465 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 5.2 g protein
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17
Paleo Stuffing
Because a Thanksgiving without stuffing just ain't right...swap that usual box recipe with this paleo stuffing. It provides a balance of fat, carbs, and protein, so you feel satisfied but not, well, stuffed.
Per serving: 269 calories, 19 g fat (3 g sat), 18 g carbs, 8 g sugar, 19 3mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 9 g protein
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18
Paleo Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars
Made with maple syrup, these paleo and vegan-friendly pumpkin pie bars feature an ooey-gooey caramel topping and sweet, crunchy pecans.
Per serving: 328 calories, 15 g fat, 45 g carbs, 28 g sugar, 191 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 2 g protein
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19
Paleo and Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Ice cream is officially a Thanksgiving staple with this paleo and vegan pumpkin pie blend. It's great atop a slice of pie, or you know, just in a bowl.
Per serving: 150 calories, 13 g fat (7 g sat), 7 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 6 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein
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20
Healthy Maple-Glazed Pumpkin Bread
With a sweet maple glaze and soft center, this clean pumpkin bread is plenty flavorful, complete with spices like ginger and nutmeg, and a little vanilla.
Per serving: 202 calories, 7.2 g fat (4 g sat), 31.7 g carbs, 16.4 g sugar, 3.4 g fiber, 3.1 g protein