Thanksgiving Sides - Sweet Potatoes and Brussel Sprout Salad!

Tomorrow is Turkey Day! While I will certainly be cheating tomorrow and consuming delicious homemade pies and stuffing and potatoes and all those other non-paleo items, there are still many ways we can follow the guidelines while making traditional recipes. Here are two recipes I made for our school's Thanksgiving Feast last week!

SWEET POTATO "CASSEROLE"
Usually, sweet potato casserole includes toasted marshmallows on top, but we're going to leave that ingredient out for now. We can still have a delicious Paleo-friendly sweet potato side dish.

You'll need:

• 5lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 tablespoons grass fed butter or ghee
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons raw honey

Instructions

Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Put potatoes into stockpot and boil for about 15 minutes, or until they're soft enough to mash. Drain potatoes, place in a large bowl, and mash with a potato masher. While mashing, add in butter coconut milk, and honey. Once it's mixed well, add in cinnamon and nutmeg. Taste and add more if needed!

This recipe makes about 12 servings, and it filled a 13x9 glass baking dish.

BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD

I actually had a student request brussel sprouts for our Thanksgiving Feats on Friday. I wanted to bring a dish that wouldn't require reheating, so I created this recipe for a cold brussel sprout salad.

You'll need:

• 1lb brussel sprouts, w/ the ends cut off
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds and pecans)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• dash of salt and pepper

Instructions:

Shred brussel sprouts. (You can chop them or put them in a food processor. I went for the food processor.) Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute brussel sprouts in skillet for 5 minutes. While it's cooking, use food processor/blender to chop nuts. Add nuts, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to skillet. Continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Remove contents from skillet and place in a bowl in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes before serving. 

I forgot to take a better picture in a bowl in the natural light, so you'll have to use this picture and just imagine how yummy it is :)

Question: What healthy/paleo-friendly sides have you made for the holidays?

Enjoy the holiday!