Thanksgiving has become synonymous with eating and family. We gather around the table and enjoy each others company while feasting on traditionally heavy foods that often leave us over full and drowsy. In my family, Thanksgiving dinner always consists of turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and pie as well as a lot of wine and lounging on the couch afterwards with pant buttons popped. Honestly, I don't like the feeling of being overfull and all those cards load up your tummy and take hours to feel normal again so I like to bring a wild card dish, something that is healthy, light, but also delicious.

At the beginning of this week I took a trip out to visit my friend John at Royal Acres Farm. Even though the CSA is officially over, he still had a few veggies left and I jumped at the chance of grabbing a couple of things for for my Thanksgiving salad, plus he had arugula and I can't pass up that delicious pepper plant!

This salad has a lot of color and a lot of elements that are delicious on their own but even better when combined. Roasted butternut squash, beets, and grapes with a smoky paprika started the salad out and was then combined with sprouted lentils, grilled onions, walnuts, and arugula before being tossed in a maple and lime dressing. I personally would add a nice salty goat cheese to round out the dish but my mom absolutely hates goat cheese and as this holiday is about making family happy, I left it out for her. The results are beautiful, satisfying, and nourishing without leaving you feeling like you need to be rolled out of the door of your loved ones after dinner.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Beet and Grape Salad with Arugula and Walnuts in a Maple-Lime Dressing

1 medium Butternut Squash, cubed

2 medium Beets

1 cup Grapes

1 large Onion

2 cups Arugula, torn

1 cup Sprouted Lentils

1/2 cup toasted Walnuts

2 tbs Olive Oil

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Maple-Lime Dressing

1 lime

2 cloves of Garlic

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

1/2 cup fresh Parsley

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt to taste

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Peel and cube the butternut squash, toss in 1 tbs olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, Cayenne, and salt. Spread in one layer on a cookie sheet and place in over to roast. Roast for 40 minutes or until browned, tossing half way through.

Take the beets, wash them and rub olive oil on the skins before wrapping in foil and placing in the oven. Roast for 40 minutes as well or until a knife pierced the flesh easily.

In a separate, smaller pan (I used a bread loaf pan) place the grapes and toss with 1 tsp of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and the oregano. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes or until the skins are blistered.

In the meantime, slice the onion and toss in 1 tsp of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Place on a preheated grill until slightly charred and softened.

To make the dressing place all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth, adding more salt if necessary.

Once all of the vegetable have been cooked and slightly cooled, combine in a large bowl, cubing the beets and chopping the grilled onions. Add the sprouted lentils and the arugula as well as the toasted walnuts. Toss in the maple-lime dressing and let sit at room temperature for a half hour before serving so that the flavors can meld. Add goat cheese and fresh parsley if you would like. Enjoy and healthy eating!

Often after a hectic week I wind up feeling sluggish and sleepy. I need a little bit of an energizing zing and what better way to get one than with some fresh juice! I love juice, it is both nutritious and centering especially after you have consumer too many acidic forming foods. So when I woke up this morning I decided that I needed a little outdoor activity and a lot of juice in my life!

Juicing is great because you can use any variety of fruits and vegetables and wind up with easily absorbable vitamins and minerals that get you back on track. It is such a simple process, after you cut everything up, you throw it in the machine and then you can sit back and sip. I have a slow juicer so I can make juice and store it for a few days, this is very helpful, especially if I need an extended cleanse after a particularly stressful week. So after a little hike, I made a carrot, green apple and ginger juice as well as a celery, beet greens, apple and ginger juice.

Juicing is a really wonderful method for consuming vitamins as well as an easy way to rid your body of excess toxins and cravings however, I do not like to create waste and when you juice you wind up with a lot of pulp. I do compost but I hate throwing out perfectly usable veggie parts, especially when they are a snackers paradise in waiting! The pulp from your juice, combined with some spices and flax meal creates amazing, tasty, crunchy crackers that can be dipped in hummus, salsa, or tahini or used as an accompaniment to cheese. The best part about using juice pulp as a base for your crackers is that there are an endless number of flavor combinations that can be created. Salty, sweet, spicy, herbal, your options are endless! As my pulp had an abundance of green apple I decided to go for a curry flavored snack, perfect for munching on while relaxing.

Making these delicious, crunchy morels is so easy and they are totally guilt free! All you have to do is put your ingredients in a food processor and throw them in the oven or dehydrator if you are looking for a raw option.

The mixture forms into a dough that can be rolled out and cut, creating cracker of any size. A lot of juice pulp crackers tell you to roll out the 'dough' and score it before backing. I actually prefer to cut the dough into bite sized pieces before cooking as it makes crispier crackers and allows for a more even browning.

Green Apple and Curry Juice Pulp Crackers

2 cups pulp from juicing - any pulp will do, mine happened to have a lot of green apple in it

1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds

1 tbs Sesame Seeds

1 tsp Flax Seeds

1 tbs Curry Spice

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1/4 cup Ground Flax Meal

water as needed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees or plug in your dehydrator. Grease a cookie sheet with olive oil or coconut oil.

Place the juice pulp into a food processor. Pulse to break up the pulp. Add the sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, spices, and flax meal. Process until the 'dough' starts to come together. Depending on the moisture content of your dough, you may need to add a little water. I added 1 tbs of water as my pulp was very dry. You will be able to tell when the dough is correct by squeezing it between 2 finger, if it stays together than it is ready to be rolled.

Gather the dough into 2 balls. Roll one ball out onto a cutting board or counter top, creating an even layer. I have found that the dough rolls easiest if you go in one direction as opposed to a back and forth motion. Cut the flattened dough into squares and transfer to the cookie sheet. Repeat with the second ball.

Bake the crackers for 30-40 minutes or until browned to your liking. Remove from the oven and let cool. The crackers are best enjoyed the day that you make them as that is when they are crispest. You can store them in an airtight container but they will lose some of their crunchy goodness. Enjoy and healthy eating!