🧡 Thanksgiving-Inspired Menu

A plant-based celebration of comfort, connection, and conscious nourishment

These recipes are adaptations of family favourites that have been loved in our home for years — long before we became conscious of whole-food principles. They still carry that cozy, familiar flavour, but now they’re made with ingredients that nourish both body and nervous system.

Think vibrant energy, grounded calm, and the feeling of “home” — all on one plate.

🥧 Pumpkin Pie Bites

Rich, spiced, and perfectly portioned — all the nostalgia, none of the crash.

There’s something magical about the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves filling the kitchen. These little pumpkin pie bites capture the heart of Thanksgiving in a wholesome, plant-based form. They’re easy to make, perfectly portioned, and crafted from real ingredients that support calm energy and digestive ease.

🌾 Crust

• 8 Medjool dates, pitted and soaked

• ½ cup almonds, sprouted

• ½ cup gluten-free rolled oats

• 4 Tbsp shredded coconut

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Dash of pink salt

Instructions

1. Process all crust ingredients in a food processor until crumbly and sticky.

2. Press into mini tart shells or lined mini muffin tins.

3. Freeze for 15 minutes while preparing filling.

🎃 Filling

• 1 cup pumpkin purée (use canned 100% pumpkin for ease)

• 5 Medjool dates, pitted and soaked

• ½ ripe banana

• ¼ cup nut milk

• 1 Tbsp coconut butter

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ¼ tsp ground ginger

• ⅛ tsp allspice

• ⅛ tsp ground cloves

• Dash of pink salt

Instructions

1. Blend all filling ingredients until smooth and creamy.

2. Spoon into the chilled crusts and freeze for at least 15 minutes to set.

3. Serve chilled or lightly thawed with whipped cream.

🍦 Whipped Cream Options

🥥 Coconut Cream Whip (Rich & Silky)

• 1 cup coconut cream (scoop the solid layer from a chilled can of full-fat coconut milk)

• 1 Tbsp maple syrup or coconut nectar

• ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
  Whip on high for 2–3 minutes until fluffy — stop before it turns buttery.

🌬️ Aquafaba Whip (Light & Airy)

• Liquid from one 15-oz can unsalted chickpeas

• ⅛ tsp cream of tartar

• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  Whip until soft peaks form (5–8 minutes), then add maple syrup and continue until firm peaks hold.

💫 Nourish to Flourish

These bites don’t just taste like comfort — they create it.

• Pumpkin offers beta-carotene and gentle, grounding carbohydrates that help stabilize blood sugar and mood.

• Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves are warming spices that boost circulation, ease digestion, and calm an overstimulated nervous system.

• Dates and coconut add natural sweetness and healthy fats that sustain energy instead of spiking it.

This is comfort food that truly comforts — body, mind, and heart.

🍒 Cranberry Sauce — Two Ways

Bright, tangy, and bursting with antioxidants

This sauce pairs beautifully with Tofu Turkey Rolls (tap here to view recipe)— and add a side of creamy mashed potatoes, and you’ve got a complete, wholesome Thanksgiving meal.

1️⃣ Raw Cranberry Sauce

• 2 cups fresh cranberries

• ½ cup orange juice

• 1 apple or pear, chopped

• 4–6 Medjool dates, soaked

• Optional: orange zest, cinnamon, or ginger

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Chill before serving.

2️⃣ Cooked Cranberry Sauce

• 2 cups fresh cranberries

• ½ cup orange juice

• 1 apple or pear, chopped

• 4–6 Medjool dates, soaked and blended

Simmer cranberries and apple in orange juice until the berries burst and the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes). Stir in blended dates to sweeten naturally. Add orange zest if desired. Cool before serving.

🍃 Nourish to Flourish

Cranberries are rich in antioxidants that support immune and urinary health, while apples and dates help balance blood sugar and support the gut lining — vital for a calm and steady nervous system. The touch of orange adds vitamin C to nourish your adrenals and sustain natural energy.

🥗 Orange Pecan Salad

Crisp, citrusy, and just sweet enough — the familiar salad everyone still loves.

This is our family’s traditional holiday salad — modernized with a splash of fresh orange juice to brighten the dressing while keeping the beloved flavour intact.

Salad

• Romaine lettuce or mixed greens

• Mandarin or clementine segments (fresh or canned in water)

• Roasted pecans (or raw if staying fully Gerson-aligned)

Dressing (Modernized Family Version)

• 4–6 Medjool dates, soaked 1–2 hours

• ½ cup date soaking water

• ½ cup red onion, chopped

• ¼ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp dry mustard

• ¼ cup fresh orange juice

• 1 tsp orange zest

Instructions
Blend all dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy. Chill before serving.

🍃 Nourish to Flourish

This dressing balances healthy fats, gentle fruit sugars, and the bright lift of citrus to awaken digestion and uplift mood. The orange essence adds vitamin C to support adrenal health — key to a resilient, relaxed nervous system.

✨ Bringing It All Together

• Serve the Orange Pecan Salad first to awaken the palate.

• Pair Tofu Turkey Bites with Cranberry Sauce and creamy mashed potatoes for your main.

• Finish with Pumpkin Pie Bites topped with your favourite whip and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

These dishes celebrate family, tradition, and the power of food as medicine. They’re proof that when we eat real, whole food, we don’t lose the joy — we simply amplify it.

💛 From our family table to yours — may your Thanksgiving be filled with warmth, connection, and ease.