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  7. 19 Vegetarian Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes

19 Vegetarian Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes

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Danielle DeAngelis Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD November 15, 2022
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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Mashed Potatoes & Turnips with Leeks
Credit: Ali Redmond

Thanksgiving can be enjoyable for everyone with these produce-packed recipes. These meatless dishes—ranging from appetizers to entrees—include complex carbs like whole grains and starchy vegetables and have heart-healthy levels of saturated fats and sodium, so they fit well into a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. Recipes like our Honey-Glazed Roasted Delicata Squash and Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Garlic-Yogurt Sauce are tasty and healthy choices for the big meal.

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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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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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Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Garlic-Yogurt Sauce

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Credit: Ali Redmond
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A creamy garlic-yogurt sauce pairs well with the sweetness of these crispy roasted sweet potatoes. To achieve the signature hasselback appearance, position two wooden spoons alongside the potatoes as you cut. The spoons will prevent you from cutting through the sweet potatoes entirely and won't cause damage to the knife blade.

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Moroccan Chickpea-Stuffed Acorn Squash

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Think of this healthy vegetarian side dish recipe as a meatless tagine served in a squash bowl. Kabocha, sweet dumpling or carnival squash make good alternatives to acorn squash. To make this side a hearty vegetarian meal, serve 2 halves each.

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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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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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Sweet Potato Hash Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

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Diced sweet potato, bell peppers and apples make a vegan stuffing inspired by the flavors of sausage. To add that savory flavor, we use poultry seasoning (don't worry, there's no actual poultry in it!). Piled into portobello mushroom caps, it creates a beautiful and filling plant-based main dish--perfect for the holidays.

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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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Mashed Potatoes & Turnips with Leeks

Mashed Potatoes & Turnips with Leeks
Credit: Ali Redmond
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Classic mashed potatoes get a healthy twist when you add turnips, a cruciferous vegetable that's rich in vitamin C. Turnips provide a touch of sweetness, while a savory leek topping completes this simple, easy side dish.

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Balsamic Oven-Roasted Carrots

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Roasting carrots in the oven 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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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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Simple Green Salad with Citronette

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Frisée and radicchio are both assertive, slightly bitter greens that add color and texture to any salad. Match them with mellower-flavored greens, such as red leaf lettuce, baby spinach or even Boston lettuce.

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Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

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In this healthy side dish recipe, sweet potatoes are tossed with maple syrup, butter and lemon juice and roasted until tender and golden brown. The delicious glaze that forms on these maple-roasted sweet potatoes transforms this ultra-simple dish into something sublime.

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Green Beans with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

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A much healthier take on the old-fashioned green bean casserole, this version thankfully skips the canned soup and fried onions! Fresh green beans are cooked until crisp-tender and topped with a garlicky-thyme mushroom sauce, shallots and crumbled chèvre.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Smoky Aioli

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The delicious dipping sauce makes this easy Brussels sprouts recipe an irresistible appetizer or side dish. If you want to double the recipe, use two large rimmed baking sheets and swap their spots in the oven halfway through cooking.

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Mini Brie & Apple Quiches

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We love the way Brie and apples taste together in these mini quiches. Mini phyllo cups make it swift and simple to create an elegant appetizer.

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Oven-Roasted Squash with Garlic & Parsley

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Learn how to roast squash in this healthy recipe adapted from Alice Waters. Look for squash varieties, including buttercup, kabocha or hubbard, at your farmers' market and try them in this tasty side dish.

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Spinach Salad with Warm Maple Dressing

Spinach Salad with Warm Maple Dressing
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Pure maple syrup adds body and rich flavor to the dressing, providing a perfect counterpoint to the smoked cheese.

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    1 of 19 Honey-Glazed Roasted Delicata Squash
    2 of 19 Persian-Style Butternut Squash Soup
    3 of 19 Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Garlic-Yogurt Sauce
    4 of 19 Moroccan Chickpea-Stuffed Acorn Squash
    5 of 19 Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
    6 of 19 Wilted Kale with Warm Shallot Dressing
    7 of 19 Roasted Honeynut Squash
    8 of 19 Sweet Potato Hash Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
    9 of 19 Fresh Green Bean Casserole
    10 of 19 Mashed Potatoes & Turnips with Leeks
    11 of 19 Balsamic Oven-Roasted Carrots
    12 of 19 Sweet Potato & Turnip Mash with Sage Butter
    13 of 19 Simple Green Salad with Citronette
    14 of 19 Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes
    15 of 19 Green Beans with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
    16 of 19 Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Smoky Aioli
    17 of 19 Mini Brie & Apple Quiches
    18 of 19 Oven-Roasted Squash with Garlic & Parsley
    19 of 19 Spinach Salad with Warm Maple Dressing

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    19 Vegetarian Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes
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