Thanksgiving Gratitude and Recipes

Our registered dietitians compiled a Thanksgiving dinner for you that is nutritious and won't leave you feeling over-stuffed. Along with their recipe, each dietitian included what they are grateful for this holiday season. 

Thanksgiving dinner


Herb-Crusted Roast Beef

Time: 10 - 15 minutes

Servings: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

  • 1 beef roast (ribeye, tenderloin, or top sirloin)
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh rosemary & thyme, chopped
  • 3 tbsp margarine, softened
  • Salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
  2.  Mix margarine, garlic, and herbs. Rub all over the beef.
  3. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  4. Roast for 15 min, then lower to 350°F (175°C) and cook until desired doneness (about 1–1.5 hrs for medium-rare).
  5. Rest for 15 minutes before slicing.


Sweet Potato Casserole

Time: about 1 hour, 40 min

Servings: 6 - 8

Ingredients:

Potato filling:

  • 3 lb (about 5 large) sweet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
  • 1 ½ cups milk of choice
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup fresh sage leaves, chopped

Topping:

  • 2/3 cup whole rolled oats
  • ¼ cup pecans
  • ¼ cup walnuts
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
  2. Use a fork to poke a few holes into the sweet potatoes. Place on the baking sheet and roast until very tender, about 60 minutes.
  3. While the potatoes are cooking, make the topping. In a food processor, mix the oats, pecans, walnuts, garlic, maple syrup, olive oil or butter, thyme, rosemary, and salt and pulse until combined. Remove and set aside.
  4. Scoop the cooked sweet potato flesh out of the skins and place in a food processor. Add the olive oil, egg, vanilla, milk, ginger, salt, and pepper and process to combine. Spread the mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
  5. Sprinkle with the crumble topping, additional nuts (optional), and sage. Drizzle with olive oil and bake 20-30 minutes, or until the topping is browned and crisp.

"I am thankful for the delicious variety of food each season brings!" – Chelsea Butler, RDN, MSN

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Yellow Split Peas and Fresh Dill

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50–60 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For the squash:

  • 2 medium acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the filling:

  • 1 cup yellow split peas, rinsed
  • 2 ½ cups vegetable broth (or water)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium carrot, finely diced
  • 1 rib celery, finely diced
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice (plus zest of ½ lemon)
  • ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Roast the squash:
    • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
    • Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
    • Place cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    • Roast for 35–40 minutes, or until tender and golden around the edges.
  2. Cook the yellow split peas:
    • In a medium saucepan, combine split peas and vegetable broth.
    • Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25–30 minutes, until tender but not mushy.
    • Drain any excess liquid.
  3. Prepare the filling:
    • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
    • Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook for 5–7 minutes until softened.
    • Stir in garlic, cumin, and turmeric; cook 1 minute more.
    • Add cooked split peas, lemon juice, lemon zest, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and heat through.
  4. Assemble:
    • Flip roasted squash halves cut-side up.
    • Spoon the warm filling evenly into each cavity.
    • Return to oven for 10 minutes to meld flavors (optional but recommended).
  5. Garnish and serve:
    • Drizzle with a touch of olive oil, sprinkle with extra dill, and serve warm.

"I'm so thankful for our family tradition of coming together to celebrate Thanksgiving, no matter how near or far we are from each other. I always look forward to spending this special time with everyone." - Beverly Price, RD, CEDS-C (iaedp), MA, E-200 RYT, C-IAYT

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 – 6

Ingredients:

Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small clove garlic, grated
  •  ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad:

  • 2 lbs. Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
  • 1 apple of choice, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup feta or goat cheese
  •  ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds

Instructions:

  1. In a jar, combine the dressing ingredients, shaking well to combine.
  2. In a large bowl, place your salad ingredients and top with the dressing. Toss until well-coated, and enjoy!

"I am grateful for my dog Rosie, she always gets me up and out of the house, brings a smile to my face, and gives the best cuddles!" - Jessica Grzybowski, RDN

Apple and Pear Crisp

Time:  One and one-half hours

Servings: 6 - 8 

Ingredients:

For Filling:

  • 3 cups sliced apples
  • 3 cups sliced pears
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

For the Topping:

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup chopped walnuts and almonds
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup old-fashioned oats
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) margarine, at room temperature

For Serving:

Vanilla ice cream, Greek Yogurt, or Whipped Cream

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine apples, lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Pour mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and set aside.
  3. Stir together flour, walnuts, sugar, oats and salt. Mix butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles wet sand. Sprinkle topping over apples in pie dish.
  4. Bake for 1 hour, or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender. 

"I'm thankful for my amazing family, wonderful friends, and of course, my cats (they definitely keep life interesting). I'm grateful to call Michigan home, where we get to experience cozy falls, snowy winters, beautiful springs and sunny summer days. And I'm especially thankful for the chance to connect with people every day and play a small part in their stories." - Emma Diedrich, MS, RDN

For more information on how to meet with one of our registered dietitians, learn more here: