Foodie Friday: Thanksgiving thoughts

Feel comfortable and nourished rather than guilty and deprived

With the hustle and bustle of September behind us, it's October and Thanksgiving has come and gone. The long weekend really got me thinking!

I have always loved this holiday because it is a time when my family is all together and it is the first break since the busy-ness of summer and back to school.

I also love this holiday because it is all about the food. Depending on your traditions, there may be roasted turkey or ham (both, for some), veggies from the garden including brussels sprouts sautéed with butter and chili peppers, green bean casserole, glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, my mother-in-law's out of this world sweet potato dish, pumpkins and apples for pies, homemade breads, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy. For many of my clients, this menu provokes feelings of deprivation or angst as many of these foods are "not allowed" on whatever diet they may be following – Paleo diet followers load their plates with turkey and a side of lard (oh, and if there is bacon, load up); Ketogenic followers head for the ham, the cheese platter, a tossed green salad, and skip the rest.

Diets like these cause people unnecessary anxiety when they are faced with prohibited foods – do they forget about their diet and eat these foods and feel guilty later? Or do they sit sadly with their list of "allowed" foods and feel deprived? And who wouldn't feel deprived at the table with everyone else loving my mother-in-law's sweet potato dish and, later, my mother's homemade apple pie? No one, that's who!

To these folks, I suggest approaching Thanksgiving dinner and other holidays as an opportunity to practice trusting their body's own internal cues of hunger, appetite, and fullness and let these cues guide them when it comes to choosing what and how much to eat. Then, they will leave the meal feeling comfortable and nourished rather than guilty and deprived.

Here is the famous sweet potato dish!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 4 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes or yams
• 2 tbsp cream or milk
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 1 beaten egg

Topping:

• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup (approx.) pecan halves

Instructions:

1. Mix sweet potatoes, milk, melted butter, paprika, and beaten egg together and spread into greased baking dish.
2. Make the topping by mixing butter and brown sugar in a pot over low heat until butter is just melted. Spread topping over sweet potato mixture and cover with pecan halves.
3. Heat in oven at 350 F for 35 minutes.