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Not only is this meal delicious and healthy, but every recipe issafefor people who havegluten, wheat and dairy allergiesand for those of you who are following alow-glycemicdiet. And don't worry… your guests won't even know they're eating "health food."

The Turkey

Ingredients

• 1 (10-12-pound) whole fresh turkey, rinsed well and patted dry
• ½ cup sunflower oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large bunch fresh thyme
• 1 whole lemon, halved
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
• 4 cups chicken stock

Directions

1. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.
2. Combine the sunflower oil, sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
4. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper and fill the cavity with the bunch of fresh thyme, lemon, onion and garlic.
5. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan, tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
6. Rub the entire turkey with herbed oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
7. Put the chicken stock in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
8. Place the turkey in the oven, and roast in the oven until lightly golden brown, ~45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue roasting, basting with the warm chicken stock every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 160 degrees F, about 2 to 2 1/4 hours longer.
9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to baking sheet and tent loosely with foil, and let rest 20 minutes before slicing.

Adapted from Bobby Flay and Ina Garten at www.foodnetwork.com

Butternut Squash and White Bean Soup

I like to serve this soup as the first course of the day. It's warm, rich and hearty.  Serve it up in small, hollowed out gourds to make it even more festive.

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can white beans (cannellini beans work well) - can use ½ cup soaked dry beans and extend simmering time of the soup
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan.Add onions and garlic and sauté until onions are soft.
2. Add squash, broth, beans, cumin and paprika and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 35 - 40 minutes.
4. Pour small batches of the soup into a food processor or blender, blend until smooth and then return to the pan to keep warm before serving.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Serves 6-8

Pomegranate Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts

This is a beautiful, festive second course. The pomegranate seeds provide a fresh burst of flavor with every bite, and the toasted hazelnuts give this salad an earthy, sophisticated flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups hazelnuts
• 8 cups mixed greens
• 1 pomegranate, seeds only*
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 1 jicama, peeled and shredded
• Champagne Vinaigrette
• 3 tablespoons champagne wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup walnut oil
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375◦ F.
2. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Roast until fragrant and slightly brown (~8 minutes). Remove from heat, transfer to clean dishtowel and roll hazelnuts in the dishtowel until most of the skin is removed.
3. In a large bowl, toss mixed greens, pomegranate seeds, carrots and jicama and set aside.
4. Whisk together champagne vinegar, walnut oil and sea salt and drizzle over the salad. Toss until ingredients are well coated. Place salad on plates.
5. Coarsely chop the hazelnuts. Sprinkle hazelnuts over each salad before serving.

Serves 6-8

*TIP: to get the seeds out of the pomegranate, simply roll the pomegranate back and forth on a cutting board to counter top, pushing down slightly to help loosen the seeds. Cut the pomegranate in half. Hold one half of the pomegranate face down over a bowl and tap the pomegranate firmly with a wooden spoon. The seeds will fall into the bowl. Repeat with the other half.

Quinoa Pecan Dressing

This dressing is gluten free and can replace the traditional "stove top" style of dressing. It's delicious and the quinoa makes it a much healthier option so it's a wonderful guilt free side dish.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil or coconut oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1½ cups chopped cremini mushrooms
• 1 small apple, cored, peeled and chopped into small chunks
• ¼ cup vegetable broth, white wine or water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Rinse quinoa and place in a large saucepan. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork.
3. Spread pecans on the baking sheet and place in the oven until lightly toasted (~5 - 7 minutes). Remove from oven and transfer to the food processor. Coarsely chop the pecans while adding the sage and thyme. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add mushrooms and continue to sauté until mushrooms are tender. Add apple chunks and vegetable broth. Cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until apple is tender. Add 1 cup cooked quinoa (you will have leftover quinoa) and the pecan/herb mixture to the sauté pan and stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Serves 6-8

Pumpkin Coconut Pie with Almond Crust

This pie is gluten-free, dairy-free and absolutely DE-LICIOUS! And since the crust is made from almonds, it's also a fairly low glycemic dessert.

Ingredients

Crust* (makes two crusts and one can be frozen for future use)

• 2 cups almond meal
• 1/3 cup arrowroot
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup coconut oil

Filling

• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups freshly cooked or canned pumpkin puree
• 1 ½ cups coconut milk
• ½  cup agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. In large bowl, combine almond meal, arrowroot, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt and mix well.
2. Add coconut oil and blend with a fork or pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly.
3. Slowly mix in the water until the dough forms a ball.
4. Divide into two equal size balls, cover and chill for about one hour.
5. In large bowl, whisk eggs then continue to add all filling ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
6. Preheat oven to 375°F.
7. Roll out one dough ball between two sheets of waxed paper (dough tears easily, so roll with caution).
8. Carefully transfer rolled dough to 9-inch pie pan. Place in the preheated oven for 8 -10 minutes to warm the crust.
9. Pour filling into pie pan and bake for 35 - 45 minutes. You may need to place foil around the edges if the crust starts to get too brown. Remove from oven and cool completely before serving.

Serves 8

Serving tip: For a whipped cream alternative, top with one generous scoop of Coconut Bliss (vanilla or coconut flavor). It tastes like ice cream and it's dairy free!

* Crust recipe is from "Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cooking," by Susan O'Brien

Shopping List

Produce

• 3  yellow onions
• 2 heads garlic
• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1 - 2 container(s) pre-washed mixed greens
• 1 bunch parsley
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 large jicama
• 1 ½ cups cremini mushrooms
• Fresh sage
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh rosemary
• 1 lemon
• 1 apple
• 1 pomegranate

 Meat/Poultry/Eggs

• 10-12 pound fresh, organic turkey
• 2 large eggs

Seasonings/Sweeteners

• Kosher salt
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Dried sage
• Dried thyme
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Nutmeg
• Ground cloves or allspice
• Agave nectar

Oils/Vinegar

• Sunflower oil
• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Walnut oil
• Champagne vinegar

Canned/Dried Goods

• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 64 ounces vegetable broth
• 1 can white beans (cannellini beans work well)
• 1 ½ cups hazelnuts
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup quinoa
• Almond meal
• Arrowroot
• Baking powder
• Xanthan gum
• 2 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 1 - 14 oz. can coconut milk