It’s the morning after Thankgsgiving. The house is quiet as everyone is sleeping off the food over load. Dishes, both clean and dirty cover the kitchen counters while the contents are tucked away in the fridge, filling it to the brim. Leftovers are my favorite part of this holiday. Hands down. I make turkey soup, turkey sandwiches and potato taquitos, potato pancakes etc. I was feeling a bit heavy myself from yesterdays feast and with a lazy morning in bed I finally rose around 9:00 am.

After a morning session of yoga I headed quietly to the kitchen to make my leftover breakfast. I started out with a green juice made with green apple, ginger, mint, cucumber, celery, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice and kale.

Then came out the left over stuffing topped with a fried egg. Oh so good!

For this years feast I decided that I was going to have a grain-free meal. Since I am intolerant to gluten my goal was to feel good about what I would be eating. I spent my week collecting recipes, gathering ingredients, chopping vegetables and doing other prep. Even when I thought that I had every thing I needed I found myself heading back to the grocery store late at night on Thanksgiving Eve. I was excited to start baking and cooking. On the menu this year: The usual fixings like turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. The difference for me was that my stuffing was grain-free, the gravy made from cashews, and a Paleo pumpkin pie for dessert. I made my own bread for the stuffing using super fine almond flour, fresh herbs, coconut oil and goat cheese.

The cashew gravy, tasted exactly like real gravy except it didn’t have any flour in it. It was mainly soaked cashews, almond flour, herbs, onions, drippings from the roasted turkey, garlic, and salt and pepper. All of it was well worth the effort because it was so good. Looking over my plate yesterday I was greatly pleased with what I cooked, even if others around me were a bit skeptical. For now on, a grain free holiday is my goal. If there is a traditional dish on the menu that my previous self would have eaten, well then, I’ll look into creating it in a way that serves me best.

As I laid deep under the covers this morning I thought back through the holiday prepping and cooking, I found myself thankful for staying true to myself on this journey. Yesterday’s feast reminded me that I’m okay with eating differently. It’s been a long road to feeling good about my food and lifestyle choices. There is always options. This years meal seemed to really hit home that I am on the right path to feeling good in my body no matter the circumstances. I hope that your turkey day was full of laughter, family, and good food.