6 Last Minute Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving is a beautiful opportunity to be thankful for everything we have and to show our gratitude to our lovely friends and family.

The best part of Thanksgiving is decorating the table with various recipes and having your loved ones by your side to celebrate this beautiful day. But who has the time to make a table full of outstanding dishes apart from spending so much time on the traditional turkey?

If you need to think more about how to place a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with so little time left, here are 5 simple recipes. You will need at most half an hour to prepare these.

1. Creamy corn pudding:

This recipe has a delicious cornmeal base and a lovely topping of Greek yoghurt, which you can substitute with sour cream. The pudding will be a delightful dish to join your table in no time.

What you need:

• 2/3 cup of flour
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Oil
• 1 egg
• ½ cup salted butter
• 1 can of regular corn, drained
• 2/3 cup of cornmeal
• 1 cup Greek yogurt or ½ cup sour cream
• 1 can of cream-style corn
• Salt
• Parsley
• 1 ½ cups of chopped onions

The making:

• Mix cornmeal, baking powder, flour, sugar, oil, and salt in a bowl. Use a fork instead of a spoon or a beater to prevent the flour from lumping.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and keep it ready. Mix butter, Greek yoghurt or sour cream, and egg in a clean bowl to make it frothy and smooth. Add cream corn, corn from the cans, and the dry mixture from step 1.
• Grease your baking tray with butter and pour this mixture. Bake for about 30 minutes.
• Remove the casserole from the oven, top with onions, and bake for 5 more minutes. Then, remove it from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes.
• Finally, garnish with herbs and a little sour cream to serve. Serve it with a glass of gorgeous Pinot Noir.

2. Pumpkin chocolate bars:

 What is Thanksgiving without a chocolate recipe? The pumpkin and chocolate together in the recipe will give you primary dessert goals. And if you use dark chocolate, this will be an extremely healthy dinner recipe.

What you need :

• 2 spoons of vanilla extract
• Granulated sugar
• Salt
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 cups flour
• Unsalted butter
• Chocolate chips
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree

The making:

• Whisk the pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt, and flour together in a bowl and set this aside.
• Whisk the butter and granulated sugar using an electric or stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract, egg, and pumpkin puree. Mix until the mixture looks slightly curdled. Now, add the ingredients from the previous bowl and the chocolate chips.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease the baking tray with butter. Spread the batter and bake it for about 40 minutes. The edges should begin to pull away from the sides. To determine if it is ready, insert a toothpick into the centre.
• Cool the bars, cut them into small squares, and serve them with chocolate sauce.

3. Cauliflower and Broccoli Gratin:

 This will be a perfect choice if you want to add some healthy veggies to your dinner.

What you need:

• Low-fat cheddar cheese [shredded]
• Parmesan cheese [shredded]
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper
• 16-ounces fresh broccoli
• Low-fat mayonnaise
• 16-ounce fresh cauliflower
• 2 cups sliced green onion
• Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons Breadcrumbs
• Dijon mustard

The making:

• Clean and arrange the cauliflower and broccoli in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam for about 8 minutes, until crisp but tender. Drain and set aside.
• Grease a baking dish and arrange the cauliflower and broccoli.
• Mix mayonnaise, onion, cheddar, parmesan cheese, mustard, and red pepper in a bowl. Add the mixture to the tray. 
• Sprinkle bread crumbs and Italian seasoning before placing it for baking. Bake at 350 degrees and let it cook for 25 minutes until golden.

4. Fried Brussels and Sprouts:

Pan-fried Brussels sprouts paired with walnuts and capers require only a slight tossing. This flavorful dish can be made in no time.

What you need:

• 1 Clove of garlic
• 1 serrano chile [ minced]
• Olive oil
• ½ cup walnut chopped coarsely
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 2 cups parsley leaf
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts
• 1 tablespoon of salt-packed capers [patted dry]
• Honey
• Red wine vinegar
• 2 scallions with white and green parts [both sliced]
• Canola oil
• 4 salt-packed anchovy fillets [minced]

The making:

• Heat oil to 350 degrees in a medium pot. In a bowl, mix garlic, red wine vinegar, walnuts, honey, scallions, olive oil, serrano, and anchovies, then set them aside. 
• Now deep fry the Brussels sprouts in small batches and keep them until the edges curl. This should take about 3 minutes on medium heat.
• While frying the final batch, add some capers and parsley. Wait until the parsley turns deep green, then remove the contents. Add the fried sprouts and the rest to the bowl, tossing and mixing them. Add salt and pepper, and serve this healthy and delicious meal.

5. Baked Potato Casserole:

This easy potato recipe will blow your mind with its simple yet flavourful taste. Using Greek yoghurt instead of mayo makes it healthy and provides extra protein.

What you need:

• ¾ sour cream
• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• Kosher salt or sea salt
• Olive oil
• 2 cups medium potatoes
• Salt and pepper
• 5 or 6 green onions
• 2 cups cheddar cheese
• 1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon

The making:

• Grease potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. Grease the baking sheet and place the potatoes on the tray.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes for 45 – 60 minutes. Cook until tender, then let them cool.
• Preheat the tray to 350 degrees. Cut the potatoes into small pieces and stir with mayonnaise and sour cream.
• Add bacon, cheese, and sliced onion to the top of the casserole in a bowl. Stir all the ingredients together.
• Grease a baking tray and keep it ready. Spread shredded cheese and bacon on the casserole and then spread it on the tray.
• Cover the tray with a foil sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes. Top with sliced onions and serve hot. As an alternative, add spicy roasted chickpeas.

6. Cheese Curd Potato Fritters

This one is for potato lovers! What can be better than the golden, crispy exterior and warm, gooey cheese center fritters for a tantalizing Thanksgiving treat?

What you need:

• 1 and a half cups of mashed potatoes
• Half a cup of garlic cheese curds
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil for frying

The making:

• In a large bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, garlic cheese curds, egg, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
• Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.
• Scoop tablespoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil and flatten slightly. Fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
• Once golden and crisp, remove the fritters from the oil and drain them onto a paper towel-lined plate.

Serve warm with your favourite dipping sauce. Enjoy!

These last-minute healthy Thanksgiving recipes will help you serve a fantastic dinner everyone will be thankful for.