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  7. Our 20 Best Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes

Our 20 Best Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD October 17, 2021
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

These recipes are so tasty, you could pick out your whole Thanksgiving menu from this mix alone. From savory, satisfying main dishes to cozy sides and fall-flavored desserts, these recipes will make perfect additions to your holiday lineup. Plus, each recipe focuses on complex carbs, like whole grains, and sticks to heart-healthy levels of saturated fat and sodium for a diabetes-friendly dish. Recipes like our Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Herb-Roasted Turkey will fit right in with any Thanksgiving feast.

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Persian-Style Butternut Squash Soup

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Swap out your basic butternut squash soup for this fragrant version that includes sweet potato and a medley of spices like cinnamon, cumin, coriander and saffron. A drizzle of maple syrup and a few drops of orange water brighten the flavors, while a sprinkle of sumac adds a pop of color and a tangy edge. This healthy butternut squash soup would be a wonderful starter for your Thanksgiving meal.

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Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

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Garlic cloves, cooked along with the potatoes, give this puree extra body and lots of flavor.

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Balsamic Roasted Carrots

Balsamic Roasted Carrots
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Roasting carrots brings out their sweetness, which is enhanced further with a tangy balsamic and maple glaze. Serve them straight-up for an easy weeknight side dish or garnish with chopped hazelnuts for holiday meals and dinner parties.

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Herb-Roasted Turkey

Herb-Roasted Turkey
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This easy method produces all the good looks and moist flavor you dream of in an oven-roasted turkey. Make sure you show this beauty off at the table before you carve it. Garnish your serving platter with fresh herb sprigs and citrus wedges for a show-stopping Thanksgiving turkey.

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Honey-Glazed Roasted Delicata Squash

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Tangy cider vinegar, sweet honey, crunchy pine nuts and fresh mint come together to make an amazing glaze in this healthy roasted winter squash recipe. If you use delicata, the whole squash--including the gorgeous skin--is edible.

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Wilted Kale with Warm Shallot Dressing

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Vinegar is the key to making this sautéed kale recipe special. Look for vinegar that's cloudy--it likely still has some of the mother in the bottle and will give you a sweet acidity rather than a harsh bite. Organic apple cider vinegar is usually your best bet. For the most eye-catching version of this side, use different colored varieties of kale.

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Roasted Honeynut Squash

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Honeynut squash looks just like mini butternut squash, but on the inside you'll find an even sweeter, deeper orange flesh. This winter squash has only been available at farmers' markets and in select grocery stores for a few years. If you see it, grab a few to try! This simple roasting method enhances the natural flavor of the squash with butter and spices.

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Cranberry Crumble Bars

Cranberry Crumble Bars
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These cranberry-orange bars freeze well. Make a batch on a free afternoon and pop them in the freezer so you'll always have a healthy dessert on hand when company calls.

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Spiced Pumpkin Cookies

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The deep flavors of molasses, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg make these wholesome pumpkin cookies delicious without the addition of butter--and they lend themselves beautifully to the inclusion of whole-wheat flour. They are also the perfect texture for a sandwich cookie--fill them with a slightly sweetened cream cheese frosting.

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Steamed Butternut Squash

Steamed Butternut Squash
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Butternut squash steams quickly, making this a great cooking technique to enjoy this fall vegetable as a weeknight side dish. For extra flavor, toss the steamed butternut squash with salt, pepper and a little bit of olive oil, butter or Parmesan cheese after cooking.

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Slow-Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Slow-Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes
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This simple slow-cooker mashed potatoes recipe skips tedious peeling and boiling and helps save precious stovetop space by letting the slow cooker do the work. It's a great timesaving set-it-and-forget-it side dish recipe to round out any hearty meal. Buttermilk makes the mashed potatoes creamy while garlic and shallots add flavor.

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Spatchcock Turkey with Sage & Thyme

spatchcock turkey with thyme and sage on sheet pan on table
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When it comes to cooking a whole turkey quickly and evenly, spatchcocking--removing the entire backbone from the bird and splaying it open--is a great technique. This skin on this spatchcocked turkey gets crispy and browned because nearly all of the skin is exposed. This recipe uses a simple blend of oil, fresh herbs and spices for classic roasted turkey flavor. Look for a small turkey, about 12 pounds, as it fits better in most roasting pans.

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Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions for Two
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Fresh herbs, onion and bacon sauté alongside Brussels sprouts in this easy vegetable side dish recipe. This savory dish is delicious in the fall and winter months, when Brussels sprouts are in season. If you can find them still attached to the stalk, don't be intimidated--buy them, as they're likely more fresh. Recipe adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters.

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Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
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The genius hack in this recipe: topping sweet potatoes with marshmallows while they're still piping hot from the slow cooker yields a baked marshmallow topping that's typical with baked sweet potato casseroles.

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Sweet Potato & Turnip Mash with Sage Butter

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This sweet potato and turnip mash is fragrant with fresh sage.

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Chili-Brown Sugar Delicata Squash with Pears

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Pears and delicata squash tossed with brown sugar, chili powder and bacon is a delectable combination. To make this vegetarian, omit the bacon and toss the squash and pears with the brown sugar and chili powder during the last 5 minutes of roasting.

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Brine-Cured Roast Turkey

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A big turkey is so spectacular you hardly need to do anything to embellish it. But brining can be that extra touch that makes it so juicy and flavorful that you'll remember it for years to come. Brining the turkey takes 3 days so you'll need to plan ahead, but the lengthy brining time really pays off with fabulous flavor. Make sure you start with an all-natural bird without any added water and sodium solution. Recipe adapted from Alice Waters.

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Cranberry-Orange-Glazed Turkey Meatballs

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Ground turkey and bulgur form the base of these healthy Thanksgiving-themed meatballs, which are tossed in a tangy cranberry-sauce glaze. Serve these on a platter or keep them warm in a slow cooker.

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Fresh Green Bean Casserole

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A slimmed-down white sauce makes this creamy green bean casserole side dish recipe low fat.

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Cinnamon Streusel Fresh Apple Bars

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These sweet, cinnamon-flavored apple bars are the perfect accompaniment for your afternoon cup of coffee or tea.

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By Leah Goggins

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    1 of 20 Persian-Style Butternut Squash Soup
    2 of 20 Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
    3 of 20 Balsamic Roasted Carrots
    4 of 20 Herb-Roasted Turkey
    5 of 20 Honey-Glazed Roasted Delicata Squash
    6 of 20 Wilted Kale with Warm Shallot Dressing
    7 of 20 Roasted Honeynut Squash
    8 of 20 Cranberry Crumble Bars
    9 of 20 Spiced Pumpkin Cookies
    10 of 20 Steamed Butternut Squash
    11 of 20 Slow-Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes
    12 of 20 Spatchcock Turkey with Sage & Thyme
    13 of 20 Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions
    14 of 20 Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
    15 of 20 Sweet Potato & Turnip Mash with Sage Butter
    16 of 20 Chili-Brown Sugar Delicata Squash with Pears
    17 of 20 Brine-Cured Roast Turkey
    18 of 20 Cranberry-Orange-Glazed Turkey Meatballs
    19 of 20 Fresh Green Bean Casserole
    20 of 20 Cinnamon Streusel Fresh Apple Bars

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    Our 20 Best Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes
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