How to Make Thanksgiving Healthier: 7 Traditional Holiday Foods Made With Organic, Real Ingredients

At Moms Across America, we love an ORGANIC Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving doesn’t have to mean eating artificially colored cranberry sauce, seed oils, pesticide coated vegetables, artificially flavored gravy, refined GMO sugar and other highly processed ingredients in many standard American Thanksgiving foods. AND you don't have to give up your favorite Thanksgiving foods to make healthier choices.

You can make delicious versions of the dishes your family loves by using organic vegetables, real butter, fresh herbs, homemade broth, pasture-raised meats, and natural sweeteners like pure maple syrup. And, our sponsor Azure Standard makes it easy to stock up on organic Thanksgiving essentials at a fraction of the price as most grocery stores! Use code MAA15 at checkout for 15% off your order.

Here are seven Thanksgiving recipes we love, just make sure to choose organic ingredients!

1. Maple Pecan Butternut Squash Casserole

Forget the marshmallow covered casseroles and overly sweetened squash dishes. This version lets the natural sweetness of roasted butternut squash shine, with a little pure maple syrup, cinnamon, and a crunchy pecan topping.

Ingredients:

For the squash:

• 1 large organic butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons organic grass-fed butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the topping:

• ¾ cup organic pecans, chopped
• 2 tablespoons organic almond flour
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Toss cubed butternut squash with melted butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and sea salt.
3. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes, until tender.
4. Transfer the squash to a greased baking dish and gently mash with a fork, leaving some texture.
5. Mix pecans, almond flour, maple syrup, melted butter, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
6. Sprinkle the pecan mixture over the squash.
7. Bake at 375°F for another 15–20 minutes until the topping is golden and fragrant.

Why we love it: No marshmallows, refined sugar, or packaged ingredients. Just naturally sweet squash and a crunchy pecan topping.

2. Homemade Thanksgiving Gravy With Real Ingredients

Gravy is a Thanksgiving staple, but store-bought gravy packets and jars often contain modified starches, flavor enhancers, preservatives, and other unnecessary additives. Making your own is surprisingly simple!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons organic turkey drippings or organic grass-fed butter
• 3 tablespoons organic all-purpose flour (or GF flour)
• 2 cups homemade turkey or organic chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Instructions:

1. After roasting your turkey, reserve the drippings. If you don't have enough, supplement with grass-fed butter.
2. Heat the drippings or butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
3. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly golden.
4. Slowly pour in the broth while whisking to prevent lumps.
5. Add thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
6. Simmer for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.
7. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.

Why we love it: Real turkey drippings, homemade broth, and simple seasonings create a rich gravy without the ingredient list of a packaged mix.

3. Homemade Pumpkin Pie Sweetened With Pure Maple Syrup

You don't need refined white sugar, artificial flavors, or a conventional store-bought crust to make a delicious pie.

Pure maple syrup provides natural sweetness, while real pumpkin and warm spices give this pie its familiar holiday flavor.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1½ cups organic all-purpose flour(or GF flour)
• ½ cup cold organic grass-fed butter, cubed
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 3–5 tablespoons cold water

For the filling:

• 1¾ cups organic pumpkin purée
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 organic eggs
• 1 cup organic heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. To make the crust, combine flour and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Slowly add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together.
4. Roll out the dough and place it into a 9-inch pie dish. Crimp the edges.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin purée, maple syrup, eggs, cream, vanilla, spices, and salt until smooth.
6. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
7. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the center is mostly set with a slight jiggle.
8. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Why we love it: This pie gets its sweetness from pure maple syrup instead of refined sugar, and its rich flavor from real pumpkin, cream, eggs, and spices.

4. Fresh Cranberry Sauce With Maple Syrup and Orange

Why buy cranberry sauce in a can when making it from scratch takes about 15 minutes?

Many conventional cranberry sauces contain significant amounts of refined sugar and artificial dyes and flavors. Fresh cranberries, a little maple syrup, and fresh orange create a beautiful, tangy holiday side dish.

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces fresh organic cranberries
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• ½ cup fresh organic orange juice
• 1 teaspoon organic orange zest
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

1. Rinse cranberries and remove any soft or damaged berries.
2. Combine cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, water, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt in a saucepan.
3. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool. The sauce will thicken further as it cools.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Why we love it: Fresh cranberries, real orange juice, and maple syrup make a flavorful alternative to canned cranberry sauce.

5. Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Pasture-Raised Bacon

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds organic Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 5–6 slices pasture-raised bacon, chopped
• 2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil or melted organic grass-fed butter
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Wash and thoroughly dry Brussels sprouts. Trim the ends and cut them in half.
3. Toss with olive oil or melted butter, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
4. Spread on a large baking sheet, cut side down.
5. Scatter chopped pasture-raised bacon over the Brussels sprouts.
6. Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the sprouts are caramelized and the bacon is crispy and cooked through.
7. Serve warm.

Why we love it: Fresh organic vegetables, pasture-raised bacon, and a touch of maple syrup, perfect!!

6. Sweet Roasted Carrots With Maple and Fresh Thyme

These roasted carrots are naturally sweet, beautifully caramelized, and require only a handful of ingredients.

They're an easy addition to any Thanksgiving table!

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds organic carrots, peeled
• 2 tablespoons organic grass-fed butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Peel carrots and slice lengthwise if they are particularly thick.
3. In a bowl, toss carrots with melted butter, maple syrup, thyme, salt, and pepper.
4. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
5. Roast for 25–35 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender and caramelized around the edges.
6. Garnish with additional fresh thyme before serving.

7. Green Bean Casserole With Homemade Mushroom Cream Sauce

Green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving classic, but the traditional version often relies on canned cream of mushroom soup and packaged fried onions.

You can make a much better version from scratch using fresh mushrooms, real cream, garlic, and crispy homemade shallots.

Ingredients:

For the green beans:

• 1½ pounds fresh organic green beans, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon organic grass-fed butter,
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

For the mushroom cream sauce:

• 2 tablespoons organic grass-fed butter,
• 8 ounces organic cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons organic all-purpose flour (or GF flour)
• 1 cup organic whole milk
• ½ cup organic heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme

For the crispy shallot topping:

• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons organic all-purpose flour (or GF flour)
• 2 tablespoons organic avocado oil or grass-fed butter, for cooking
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and blanch for 3–4 minutes until bright green and slightly tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
3. To make the mushroom sauce, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5–7 minutes until softened and golden.
4. Add garlic and thyme and cook for another minute.
5. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and stir until incorporated.
6. Slowly whisk in milk and heavy cream. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Toss green beans with the mushroom sauce and transfer to a greased casserole dish.
8. For the topping, lightly coat sliced shallots in flour and a pinch of salt. Pan-fry in avocado oil or butter over medium heat until golden and crisp. Drain on a paper towel.
9. Bake the casserole for 15–20 minutes until bubbling.
10. Sprinkle crispy shallots over the top and serve.

Why we love it: No canned cream soup, no packaged fried onions, and no mystery ingredients. Just fresh green beans, mushrooms, cream, butter, and homemade crispy shallots.

A Healthier Thanksgiving Starts With What's in Your Kitchen

Making healthier choices doesn't mean sacrificing family traditions! It means becoming a little more intentional about the ingredients we bring into our homes and serve to our families.

Choosing organic produce, real dairy, pasture-raised meats, homemade broths, and natural sweeteners is a great place to start.

At Moms Across America, we believe families deserve access to real food and the information they need to make informed choices about what they eat.

Stock Your Kitchen With Azure Standard

Having quality ingredients on hand makes cooking from scratch so much easier. Azure Standard offers a wide selection of organic pantry staples, baking ingredients, grains, oils, and other wholesome foods to help you prepare for the holiday season.

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This Thanksgiving, let's get back to real food, real ingredients, and meals made with love!