Senior Housing Connection

Holiday Health Tips: Tasty and Nutritious Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Fall has arrived, which means Thanksgiving is on its way! Along with sharing time with loved ones and giving thanks for what we have, Thanksgiving also marks a day to eat a lot of delicious food. If you’ll be hosting this holiday meal in your senior community home, then you can combine taste and nutrition with these side dish ideas:

Roasted Butternut Squash

 Squash is a classic choice for Thanksgiving, and a healthy roasted butternut squash dish is sure to be a hit at your holiday meal. Simply cut up the squash and roast it, then top it with your favorite tasty and nutritious glaze to get your guests’ mouths watering.

Farro, Cranberry, and Goat Cheese Salad

Everyone knows that cranberry is a must-have for a Thanksgiving meal, but sauce isn’t the only way to serve it. Farro is a great rice substitute that has a lot of fiber and is easy to cook. As you cook the farro, you’ll need to make a mixture of balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and rosemary for your salad dressing. When the farro is cool, you can combine it with the cranberries, goat cheese, and parsley, and top with the dressing.

Hummus Mashed Potatoes

You definitely can’t have Thanksgiving without the mashed potatoes, but you don’t need to use fat-filled heavy cream to make yours this year. Instead of putting more fat into your meal with heavy cream or sour cream, make your mashed potatoes with hummus. They’ll still be delicious, but they’ll be a little more nutritious—so nobody will have to feel guilty about going back for seconds.

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans

Green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving favorite, but it can also add a lot of calories, sodium, and fat to the meal. You and your guests can still enjoy green beans with this nutritious side dish. Simply bake the green beans for 15 minutes and top them with tasty grated parmesan cheese for a delicious dish that will perfectly complement your Thanksgiving turkey.

Whether in our fireside dining room, private dining room, our in your spacious apartment or villa, you can enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving meal with your family and friends when you live at the Parkwood Heights Senior Living Community. Our independent and enriched apartments and villas can provide the perfect space to host a wonderful holiday meal with loved ones. You can learn more about our senior living campus by calling us at (315) 986-9100 or visit us at 1340 Parkwood Drive, Macedon, NY.