Newbie here and what to do about Thnksgiving

(Sheri Knauer) #21

Tell me more about your broccoli casserole. Ive been trying to come up with new things to do with broccoli.

(Lauren) #22

That’s my other post about it. I like to crumble bacon on top sometimes, too.

(Carpe salata!) #23

“Finally, I wrap the whole thing in bacon and toss it in the oven.”

@GhostlySmile you just won thanksgiving .

:bacon:

(Lauren) #24

Thanks! :sunglasses: I started the bacon wrapping years ago b/c it helps keep the bird nice and juicy.

(Sheri Knauer) #25

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. I have a bunch of leftover steamed broccoli in the fridge! I am going to make this tonight!

(Arlene) #26

Pam, Sometimes I just eat what I want during a special occasion and then go immediately back to my ketogenic habits the next day. This allows great freedom for long term, but I will warn you that when I do that it takes several days of terrible sugar cravings to get back in the keto groove.
If I don’t want to put up with the down side of having relentless sugar cravings, I just make sure there are plenty of added menu items I CAN have, like green salad, cheese plate, mashed cauliflower, etc. If I want to feel really special, I take the time to make a keto cheesecake as a dessert option I get to indulge in. My keto desserts usually have no left-overs at our huge family feasts, because all the non-keto eaters love these desserts just as much as I do.

(Mike) #27

How do you do your gravy, I always make it the way my grandmother taught me and have to make about a gallon to have enough for everyone plus left overs. It is a bit of a process.

  • Cook off a small turkey a couple weeks ahead and slice and freeze it for use throughout the winter
  • Use the giblets, neck and carcass to make a lot of broth (And usually a batch of turkey noodle soup so I have to keto that as well)
  • On turkey day roast a turkey
  • Use the oil from the turkey plus some butter and flour to make a brown Roux
  • Use the stock made earlier and the drippings from today to make the gravy

Boy, this makes me miss my Grandmother, she was amazing. When she got too old to do ALL the holidays at her house my Mom took over so I (40 something male at the time with few culinary skills) took Thanksgiving to giver her a break. How hard can it be… LOL. We usually have 20-35 people, some bring side dishes but I do all the meats (Usually turkey and ham but occasionally a pork crown or prime rib), the dressing (Grandmas bread heavy recipe), gravy and rolls.

Anyways I try very hard to keep with the family traditions so I have to find ways to make it keto friendly without changing the food quality… That or I will live with a cheat day and feeling like crap.

Why am I telling you this, hell I don’t know. I’m new to keto and just unsure of what to do about turkey day. Maybe you have suggestions for me as well as the OP…

(Allan L) #28

I totally agree with you. I have been eating keto for over 3 months now and have turned my health around but when Christmas day arrives I will be eating everything served to me by my non-keto family. Life is all about balance!

(Mike W.) #29

Gotta learn somehow…

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #30

Nice sentiment, but be aware that balance for a sugar addict involves eating as few carbs as possible. For you, it’s a cheat day and a couple of days afterward feeling crappy; for me, the risk is that I will not be able to stop bingeing on carbs and sugar and will regain all the weight I’ve lost so far and never be able to get back to eating keto. Funnily enough, dying at an early age from diabetes or heart disease while suffering all the slings and arrows of morbid obesity has lost all its appeal, now that I’ve been keto for a while.

(Carpe salata!) #31

"morbid obesity has lost all its appeal, "

@PaulL good point.

(Lisa Dolan) #32

Personally my family is excited about our first holiday meal. I’m making mashed cauliflower with cream cheese, Turkey, gravy, brussel sprouts in butter they can have carrots, corn and stuffing. I’m making a pumpkin pie recipe I found on pintrest that uses a pecan crust and is keto and I made a cheesecake drizzled on keto chocolate glaze for my birthday that they requested. Make your own whipped cream using swerve and at the end of the day just enjoy yourself. You can change little things and still make the old for members of your family thst aren’t keto. It’s a lifestyle change so temptations are going to be all around. Provide ample keto options so your not missing anything!! xx

(Becky) #33

I’m looking forward to mushrooms stuffed with a combo of ground sausage, crumbled pork rinds, Parmesan cheese, garlic and Italian seasons, roasted in plenty of butter!

(sue) #34

I am going to chime in like a couple others have and say that if you suspect you are addicted to sugar/carbs, or have insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes, PCOS, etc., tread lightly.

I am incapable of moderation. It might be a metabolic thing, it might be a personality type thing. But for me, abstinence is both easier AND enjoyable.

(M C) #35

Well you can cook those things for your family if you like. Or you could do turkey. Nix the dressing. Make your own gravy thickened with xanthum gum, cauliflower mash instead of potatos, a home made green bean casserole with bacon or almonds instead of peas, turnips with swerve brown sugar, make a blueberry or blackberry keto crisp. Cheescake and pumkin pie can also be keto adapted. Add some deviled eggs!

The best thing to do is not to focus on what you can’t have or you will be miserable. Make plenty of things you can! I sometimes still make non-keto food for the family. I just look at them and say you can eat the poison! I’ll pass. They just laugh.

(Pam Fraser) #36

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll go with turkey, cauliflower mash, and green beans and I’ll be happy. That sounds yummy to me