Next Thursday, most of us will be gathering with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. Many of us will watch parades that might end with the arrival of Santa Claus. Some of us will watch football games. Most of us will….eat. 😉
And, after the turkey, green bean casseroles, stuffing and yams, we will somehow find enough room for dessert. This has been the season of the pumpkin – pumpkin lattes, candles, spiced cakes, ice cream, breakfast cereals and, of course, pumpkin pie. But, believe it or not, there are some yummy and healthy desserts out there that don’t contain a stitch of pumpkin!
Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? Isn’t that blasphemous?
Maybe you are a die-hard pumpkin pie lover. But, as strange as it may seem to you, there are those among us who really aren’t huge pumpkin fans. Maybe some of these desserts will open your eyes to the less traditional and you never know, you may even start new Thanksgiving traditions!
Here are just a couple of recipes to get your palate ready for what may seem to be a brave new world of desserts. And be sure to approach all of these having brushed your teeth and cleaned your tongue with your TUNG Brush and Gel so you can capture the full flavors!
Healthy Apple Crumble
We thought we would start off with a recipe that includes another Thanksgiving favorite, apples.
Ingredients for 1-2 servings
- 1 medium-sized apple, diced small
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
- 1-2 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp quick oats
- 2 tsp oat, or other, flour of choice
- 1 tbsp oil or butter-type spread
- optional add-ins: walnuts, raisins, etc.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F and grease an oven-safe 2-cup dish. In a small mixing bowl, combine first five ingredients (and optional add-ins, if desired). Stir well. In a separate mixing bowl, combine remaining three ingredients and stir well. Now mix everything together and pour into the greased dish. Bake 40 minutes in the middle of the oven, then turn the oven to high-broil for 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn since different ovens broil differently. Turn off heat but let sit in oven 15 more minutes. Top with some vanilla bean ice cream and enjoy!
Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
Who doesn’t like a cupcake? Instead of pumpkin pie (or even sweet potato pie), try this recipe that is sure to please.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
- 2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider or white vinegar
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 extra tbsp sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a cupcake tin or line with cupcake liners and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, sweet potato, vanilla, oil, and vinegar. Let sit at least 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir very well. Pour wet into dry and stir until just evenly mixed. Pour evenly into cupcake tins. Make sure the batter fills only a little over half of each cupcake tin, as it will rise considerably as it cooks. Bake 19-20 minutes, or until cupcakes have risen and are lightly golden. Let cool 15 minutes before removing from the cupcake tins.
Marshmallow Frosting:
- 2-3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp marshmallow extract
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream
Be sure that the coconut milk or cream is good and thick – you can shake the can to be sure, and if it seems too liquidy then put it in the fridge overnight. Whip all ingredients together and use immediately for best results.
For more ideas, check out some of the fantastic and healthy recipes that include cappuccino cloud pie for the coffee lover and chocolate chip zucchini bars – after all, chocolate is a vegetable, right?
Here’s to expanding your palate past the pumpkin. We wish all of you a very very Happy Thanksgiving! 🍁🍂
