Nov 2021

10 Healthy Recipes and 6 Activities for Your Family This Thanksgiving

Family Activities - Hiking in Palm Beach, FL

Are you looking for ways to make your family’s thanksgiving healthier and more active? After all, the holiday doesn’t have to be filled with watching football on TV and napping off a food coma. Luckily, the Westlake, West Palm Beach, and surrounding South Florida areas are filled with healthy and delicious food choices and activities for your family this Thanksgiving.

Let’s find out more!

Healthy and Delicious Foods for Your Family

Perhaps your family enjoyed the benefits of a container or raised-bed gardening in your Sky Cove or Sky Cove South home’s backyard this year. If so, you are likely still gathering the most delicious foods from your garden.

From leafy greens to red, ripe tomatoes, carrots to crispy cauliflower, nutrient-packed kale to flavorful herbs, and bright peppers to succulent squash, the South Florida climate means a longer growing season with many still harvesting through Thanksgiving.

For more information on local fresh food in the Westlake and Loxahatchee area, visit our blog.

After selecting fresh vegetables, fruits, and other foods, try the healthy recipes our team at Sky Cove and Sky Cove South created for your family to try this Thanksgiving.

Healthy Places to Shop this Thanksgiving

If you did not have a garden this year, local farmer’s markets offer fun activities and healthy foods for your family to enjoy. As you and the family head out to the markets, fill your shopping list with healthy choices! You’ll find lots of markets to choose from in the area like these:

Swank Farm – In Loxahatchee Groves, Swank Farm Saturday Farmer’s Market offers greens, vegetables, and more, including favorite local products like Circle Bar C Dairy, Bread by Johnny, Bonafide Farms, Joy of Garlic, Independent Seafood, Olive Oil of the World, Laurie’s Granola, and Gratitude Garden.
Royal Palm Beach Green Market and Bazaar – You’ll find fresh produce, baked goods, seasonal plants, honey, and more.
Caribbean Plants and Produce – Houseplants and tropical fruit trees are here alongside yummy exotic produce like jackfruit, sugar apples, longan, and Annona.

For more information on local fresh food in the Westlake and Loxahatchee area, visit our blog.

After selecting fresh vegetables, fruits, and other foods, try the healthy recipes our team at Sky Cove and Sky Cove South created for your family to try this Thanksgiving.

Soups and Salads

What better way to incorporate some fresh veggies into your feast than with nutritious soup and salad dishes for your guests? There are plenty of quick and easy recipes to choose from that make the best of your seasonal harvest. A soup and salad offer your guests a perfect starter. Additionally, they can easily be prepped ahead of time or reheated to serve, taking some pressure off the big cooking day.

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup is a popular Thanksgiving dish that can be served cold or hot. Here is one of the many ways to create this creamy, savory soup for your family and friends:

Sauté onions for three to four minutes, add pumpkin pie spice and cayenne pepper, and cook two minutes more. Add peeled and chunked pumpkin meat (or a natural pumpkin puree option), and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender, then stir in coconut milk. Serve in your favorite bowls or cups and top with salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

Carrot Ginger Soup

Carrot Ginger soup is a convenient option for plant-based guests, this season. It gets its rich and creamy flavor from canned coconut milk, making it dairy-free.

Begin by heating a tablespoon of olive oil in a pot over medium heat and add 1 cup of chopped onion, salt, and pepper till softened. Add 3 mashed garlic cloves and 2 cups of chopped carrots to the pot.

After 8 minutes of occasional stirring, add in 1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and then 3-4 cups of vegetable broth. Rescue to a simmer, cook until carrots are soft, and stir in a can of coconut milk. Let cool, blend, and add seasonings based on preference

Cranberry Pecan Apple Salad

This salad is packed with healthy, nutritious ingredients and features the perfect seasonal flavors for your thanksgiving meal.

Thinly slice 2 red apples and place them in a salad bowl. Toss them with fresh lemon juice, ensuring all of them are covered. Next add 4-5 cups of spinach, ½ red onion thinly sliced, ½ cup of dried cranberries, ½ sugared pecans, and 4 tablespoons of goat cheese.

Next, in a separate jar, add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 1½ tablespoons of Dijon mustard, 1½ tablespoons of white sugar, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until thickened. Pour over greens, toss, and serve.

Roasted Vegetable Salad

You can never go wrong with roasted vegetables; this is a must at any Thanksgiving dinner table. Fresh vegetables from local farmer’s markets around the Westlake area will add a special touch to this easy and delicious dish.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray or use parchment paper. Wash, cut up, and combine all your veggies in a mixing bowl until your veggies are coated with seasonings and oil. Place on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, turning vegetables as needed until tender and brown. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Turkey and Stuffing

Thanksgiving stuffing is essential to any thanksgiving feast. Although, it is often made with ingredients with high amounts of fat, calories, and sodium. Some healthier alternatives to turkey and stuffing have been listed below.

Boneless Turkey Breast Roast

Skip the hassle of roasting an entire turkey while also cutting out the skin’s fat and calories by serving a boneless turkey breast roast.

To prepare:

Preheat the oven to 350°F
Chop rosemary and cut garlic into thin slivers
Place your boneless turkey breast roast in a Dutch oven or a medium roasting pan and make 10-15 inserts with a paring knife, then stick the garlic in the holes
Rub the roast with olive, avocado, or grapeseed oil
Sprinkle salt, pepper, and rosemary
Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest area of the roast

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes per pound until the thermometer reads 160°F. Remove the roast from the oven, cover it, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Once settled, remove the mesh casing, slice the roast, and serve to guests and family.

Wild Rice or Quinoa Stuffing

This healthy stuffing alternative is packed with protein and fresh herbs. To top it off, this delicious dish is vegan and gluten-free!

In a large pot over medium heat add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once heated, add 1 large, diced onion and 2 diced stalks of celery. After 5 minutes, add 2 diced apples,2 minced cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of thyme, and a teaspoon of salt. Stir for one minute before adding, ½ cup of white wine and 4 cups of vegetable broth. Bring the pot to a boil, stir in the rice, and then reduce to medium heat. Once the rice is tender (35 mins), stir in the quinoa and cook until it’s tender (15 mins).

Lastly add in 1 ½ cups of dried cranberries, 1 cup of pecans, ½ cup of parsley, and ¼ cup of minced sage. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and scoop the mixture into a 9×13-inch casserole dish with olive oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes and then serve.

Potatoes

Serving a thanksgiving meal with potatoes is just as crucial as the turkey and stuffing. Even though you can’t go wrong with classic mashed potatoes, there are a number of different potato dishes the whole family can enjoy.

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

If the goal this holiday season is to cut back on carbohydrates, try these cauliflower mashed potatoes with all the flavor of traditional mashed potatoes at a fraction of the carbs.

First, cut a whole cauliflower into small chunks and put it in a medium pot with whole garlic cloves and enough cold water to cover the cauliflower. Next, cover the pot with a lid and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the cauliflower is fork-tender (about 10 minutes).

Drain the pot without discarding the garlic. Add butter or extra virgin olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste. Blend until you get the desired consistency, then enjoy this healthy alternative to a Thanksgiving staple.

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potatoes do not have to be covered in marshmallows to stay delicious. Try this healthier alternative with your family and friends this Thanksgiving!

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Boil peeled and cubed sweet potatoes or yams until soft. Drain completely, then mash with:

Butter, coconut oil, ghee, or vegan butter
Whole, almond, or soy milk
Egg or yolk mixture
Salt
Pepper
Cinnamon

Combine pecans with almond flour or coconut flour — as well as sugar-free honey or maple syrup — to create a crumbly topping. Spread the sweet potato mixture in a baking dish and sprinkle the pecan topping over it. Bake for 45 minutes and serve as a side dish or healthy dessert.

Desserts

Thanksgiving desserts don’t have to be overwhelming. Sometimes, smaller portions feel more manageable and easier to enjoy.

Cranberry Yogurt

Looking for a healthy and easy Thanksgiving leftover snack? The morning after Thanksgiving, you and your family will most likely still feel stuffed and will want to eat something light, so consider mixing Greek yogurt (or another yogurt of your choice) with leftover cranberry sauce. Greek yogurt is high in protein, and the probiotics in the yogurt can help your stomach recover from all the food consumed the day before.

Mini Apple Pie

Mini apple pies are perfect for portion control. They’re an easy dessert that can be easily made with mini muffin tins. Additionally, this recipe is gluten-free:

Mix 2 cups of almond flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt into a bowl. Mix 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil together in a separate bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and let the dough sit for 5 minutes. In the greased muffin tins, press 1-2 tablespoons of dough with dents in the middle. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

For the topping, heat a small pan with 1 tablespoon of butter, 2 diced apples,2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice. Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Place the filling in the center of each crust and enjoy!

Healthy Activities to Enjoy with the Family

There are lots of fun activities to enjoy with your family in the Westlake area this Thanksgiving as well! Here are some great ideas everyone can enjoy.

Plan and Prepare the Thanksgiving Meal Together

What could be better than including the whole family in the planning and preparation of a healthy Thanksgiving Day feast using your fresh finds from the backyard garden or the local farmer’s markets?

Once you’ve created your meal plan, assign everyone age-appropriate tasks and work alongside one another preparing the meal! Enjoy your meal together. When it is complete, be sure to include everyone in the after-dinner clean-up as well.

Run in a Turkey Trot

A great way to stay active over the holidays is by participating in an annual turkey trot. These short races take place on the morning of thanksgiving and can be walked or run by the whole family. It’s a great way to work up an appetite for the feast to come.

In Palm Beach County join one of the following:

Go on a Hike

Hiking is a great activity to enjoy with the family, exploring the scenery and enjoying one another’s company. There are lots of local scenic trails to enjoy in the region, including:

Head to the Beach

As average daily high temperatures remain in the upper 70s to lower 80s, November is an excellent month to enjoy the shores in Palm Beach County. Taking a long walk in the sand, searching for seashells, or going for a swim in the ocean are just some of the activities families can enjoy at the beach together.

Some of the most popular beaches in the area include:

Delray Beach
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
Carlin Park
Lake Worth Beach
Gulfstream Park
Ocean Reef Park
Juno Beach
Peanut Island
Palm Beach
Oceanfront Park

Remember to check the forecast before leaving, as November is the last month of hurricane season!

Visit the Lion Country Safari

While Lion Country Safari is best known for its drive-through safari, there are plenty of other healthy activities you can do there. Some ways to be active at Lion Country Safari include:

Play in the Safari Splash Sprayground
Ride the Safari Water Slides (weekends only) and 90-ft Fun Slide
Splash in Safari Falls
Feed birds and walk through the Lorikeet Aviary
Pan for fossils and gems at the Gemstone Mining Area
Wander through the Hedge Maze
Play mini-golf on a 16-hole course

Check Out the Cox Science Center and Aquarium

The Science Center and Aquarium is closed on major holidays including Thanksgiving, but visitors can still stop by the day before or after to burn some calories while checking out all their exhibits, such as:

Journey Through the Human Brain — the world’s most advanced neuroscience exhibit
Fisher Family Science Trail — a quarter-mile outdoor trail connecting 15 exhibits
Aquariums of the Atlantic — a 10,000-gallon aquarium featuring fish found in Florida
The Conservation Course — an 18-hole miniature golf course
Marvin Dekelboum Planetarium — the first and only public planetarium in Palm Beach County
The Hidden World of the Everglades — an interactive exhibition that immerses the visitor in Florida’s wildlife and ecosystems
Florida Conservation Station — a learning laboratory which includes hands-on experiments and research activities
Science on a Sphere — a room-sized global display system, projecting planetary data on a six-foot-diameter sphere

Contact Us Today

From local farmer’s markets to turkey trots, Thanksgiving is the ideal time to enjoy healthy activities and delectable food with the family at home in Palm Beach County.

Sky Cove and Sky Cove South wish you, your family, and friends a safe and healthy Thanksgiving this year!

Plan your visit today and find the home of your dreams in Palm Beach County. For more information or to schedule a virtual tour, contact us today!