Need Help with Healthy Thanksgiving Side Recipes

Roasted sweet potatoes or brussels sprouts are among my usual sides and not high cal. I sometimes do the bacon thing with the brussels, but it's really not necessary. Instead of green bean casserole I often make "fancy green beans" which is just sauteing them in some olive oil, perhaps with mushrooms and garlic, and then adding some pine nuts and dill. I always keep the mashed potatoes too, but my mashed potatoes aren't particularly high cal -- I just add some skim milk and then a bit of butter, but you can also let people add their own butter. Winter squash -- including mashed or perhaps a soup -- would make an excellent side.

We also make green beans with almonds & garlic. And also sometimes mushrooms & onions.

Brussels sprouts are a regular part of our diet. Cook as Sunparakeet above. For savory you can go with cumin & maybe pistachios. For a bit of a sweet taste that goes nicely with the bitterness of brussels sprouts, try a tad of maple syrup. About a tablespoon for a generous portion for 4 people.

Winter squash tastes awesome if you just add lots of nutmeg (or any combo of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, etc.) toward the end of roasting. Pumpkin is a winter squash - think about the spices in pumpkin pie. If that's still too plain, you can put a small amount (1-2 teaspoons) of brown sugar in the cavity toward the end. It will melt & be delicious. For yummy mashed winter squash, add liberal amounts of the spices above. If you need liquid to get the right consistency, apple cider isn't that bad for calories in teaspoon-tablespoon amounts per serving & can add a hint of nice flavor.

We don't do mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, but for a lower cal mashed potatoes with some flavor, use fat free chicken broth instead of butter and/or milk. Or just smash them plain. People can put in their own butter at the table.