Suzie Carpenter - Cook With Love

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Every Day Gratitude and Thanksgiving Favorites

November 21, 2016 by Suzie

turkey

As I begin my turkey day meal planning, I thought I’d share some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes with you. (page down for recipes).

But first I’d like to reflect on a moment of gratitude.

Last year for Thanksgiving, we hosted 24 people at our house, all from my husband’s side of the family, including his brother who had just lost his wife to cancer. My sister in law, Diane, was only 55 years old when she died. Her three children and their significant others, along with Diane’s parents and her sister, were all here with us that day.

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It was an incredibly special Thanksgiving for all of us to be together and to share such profound love and gratitude in Diane’s memory. The energy created by this gathering was so beautifully ethereal, I will never forget it.

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When Diane’s oldest son, Rett, walked in our house, he handed me a casserole and said, “this was my mom’s favorite Thanksgiving dish.” Tears pooled in his eyes despite the smile on his face. I thanked him with a big hug, holding back my own tears. Diane’s sister, brought her favorite homemade rolls, and her mother brought her favorite sweet potato casserole. It didn’t matter what the ingredients were – it was all about love. There was so much love on our table, in our house, in the air, it was surreal.

At one point, Diane’s father, Cliff, and I had a very tender moment. As we were talking, his eyes reflected the unbearable sadness and pain he felt in losing his daughter. Tears began streaming down his cheeks, and he leaned in to hug me. We embraced, holding each other for a long time while he just wept in my arms. Breathing gently, I closed my eyes and held loving, safe space for him. It was such an honor to do that for him.

A few weeks later Cliff died. It hit me hard, reminding of how grateful I was to have shared that precious moment with him.

I will forever cherish that Thanksgiving day. In fact, on New Years Eve when my husband asked me about my favorite memories of the year, that was the very first one that came to mind.

Truth is there really so much to be grateful for every day. And focusing on gratitude breeds more gratitude and love. In the space of gratitude, we can feel peace and freedom.

So in this season of gratitude, let’s focus on being grateful every day.

Make a list at the end of every day of what went well, what you appreciate about yourself and what makes you feel grateful.

Do this for the next 30 days, and I guarantee you will feel a shift in how you feel about yourself and the world around you.

Back to the feast…….

These are just a few of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes that are also always a big hit with the rest of the crowd 🙂

How to Brine a Turkey (trust me it’s totally worth it!)

Sage and Sausage Stuffing

Sweet Potato and Sausage Stuffing

Tarragon Roasted Green Beans

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Walnuts, Cranberries and Balsamic Glaze

Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Pomegranate 

Pumpkin Pie (Paleo – Dairy, gluten, grain and refined sugar free)

Apple Crumble

 

 

Filed Under: Self Love, Side Dish, Vegetables Tagged With: apple crumble, brussel sprouts, gratitude, green beans, pumpkin pie, sausage stuffing, sides, stuffing, sweet potato, thanksgiving, turkey brine

Anytime Pumpkin Pie

November 29, 2015 by Suzie

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This year, I hosted Thanksgiving dinner for the first time in a long time, maybe ten years. Since I love to cook, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to try some new recipes, cook with my preferred ingredients while also making a mouth watering memorable meal that everyone would enjoy.

More importantly, I was excited to infuse all the recipes with love and serve delicious comfort food to my husband’s family who’d just lost a precious loved one.

The fact that I had to serve Thanksgiving dinner to 24 people was only slightly intimidating, and I focused on embracing the challenge. Besides the 26 pound turkey which I brined then roasted, my two favorites dishes were the roasted brussel sprouts topped with a balsamic glaze, cranberries and walnuts and my pumpkin pie.

 

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The pumpkin pie was to die for, so good! This recipe was inspired by Elana’s Pantry and The Paleo Mom. It just simply didn’t cross my mind to document all the delicious goodness before we dug in!

The best part about Thanksgiving isn’t the food anyway, it’s the coming together around food to share the love. That is what it’s all about, love. And well, pie.

What’s your favorite pie recipe?

Paleo Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups almond or pecan meal
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup palm shortening, melted
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir in wet ingredients and mix well. Pat dough into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Filling:

1 3/4 cup roasted butternut squash
2/3 cup raw walnuts
1/3 cup raw cashews
3 eggs + 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Place cashews and walnuts in the bowl of food processor and pulse until finely and evenly ground. Add eggs, honey and maple syrup. Bend until completely smooth, around 2-3 minutes (if using a blender you may need to add some of the water to puree).  Add the remaining ingredients and continue to blend until smooth (it’s important to get the custard smooth so your pie isn’t watery). Pour into pie shell and smooth top with a spatula. Bake for 40 minutes or until set. Cool completely before serving. Serve with coconut cream whip cream.

To make coconut cream whip cream.

1 can of full fat coconut milk
1 -2 tablespoons of raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place coconut milk in the fridge overnight or for a few hours, this will solidify the cream in a layer on the top of the can. Scoop off cream leaving the liquid in the can. Place cream in a bowl. Using a hand mixer or whisk, add in honey and vanilla. Whip until creamy. Delish!

Filed Under: Desserts Tagged With: dairy free, dairy free pie, gluten free, gluten free pie, paleo pie, pie, Pumpkin, pumpkin pie, thanksgiving, thanksgiving recipe, vegan

"A compelling memoir! Every mother should read this book." - Liz Feld, President, Autism Speaks


Hi I'm Suzie. I love food. Simple, delicious, clean food. Mostly plants, some meat, usually organic. As a health coach I specialize in happy bellies and yummy recipes without hidden food triggers like gluten, dairy, soy and sugar.

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