Culinary Chronicles: The Holidays Are Here Again!

The days are growing shorter, and colder, and Thanksgiving is just next week! Every year we complain that the holidays come too quickly, but this year, though I still agree, I'm setting my mind to enjoy it anyway. I told my family that I'm going to listen to Christmas music when I want and do holiday activities when I want. This might sound spoiled, but what I really mean is I'm not going to wait around and let it slip by me again. My family understands and agrees with me.

First things first, and that means Thanksgiving! Growing up, thanksgiving was the least favorite holiday of my generation family members. My cousins, siblings and I loved the festive atmosphere but the food for some crazy reason turned us off for the most part, with differing degrees of finickiness of course. Now that we are all older, though I can't say for sure about our cousins, we love the food. As for me, since it is obvious that I love to cook, it's a chance to be more involved than before. But we always have too much food, or at least pies anyway.

The one bad thing about holiday meals is they tend to get unhealthy, and for those of us who desire to eat better, the holidays get to be a bit difficult. Perusing helpful blogs like Healy Real Food Vegetarian gives ideas to find the same foods you love and expect just better for you. Here is 20 ideas she has collected for our convenience.

Today I tried her Simple Roasted Carrots and loved it. We often roast carrots for a veggie side but this was a slightly different version. Here is what mine looked like.

One of my all-time favorite dishes has been the Green Bean Casserole. But with unhealthy fats and MSG in most cream of mushroom soup, it is hard to make it healthy. Not to mention the french fried onions. Here's a recipe from Grass Fed Girl that I'm going to have to try.

Now gluten free pies is a horse of a different color. I've experimented a little and will have to talk about it on a further date. So don't forget to check back real soon!

In the meantime, I've written a guest post on my sisters blog Life In A Palace, so be sure and check it out as well as all her past posts. It's a journal of the life of Queen Emerald and the kingdom of Krespania, a fiction world created by her and our brother. It will definitely get you interested! So be sure and tell her (and me) what you think!

An excerpt from The Journey Home, a Life In A Palace post:

The shadows have long since grown and faded as night has once again fallen on the camp. But tonight we have reason to rejoice, for victory has been won!

We are finally on our way back to Krespania. When we made camp, my Lady insisted on writing of the consequences of the ambush but I refused. She was exhausted and barely able to hold her Jomacha cup. So she entrusted the duty to me. Thus this entry will be written by Meredith de Barra, her lady-in-waiting. Read more!