I don't know what it's like where you are, but around here the air is brisk, the trees are turning color, the leaves are crisp on the ground. And that makes me think of Thanksgiving.
Mind you, I'm Canadian and we had our Thanksgiving a month ago. But here at my house we like to take advantage of the American Thanksgiving every year. Your football is on our TV, and our plates are filled with Thanksgiving dinner.
I've always been partial to my family's idea of a traditional Thanksgiving, no matter which nation's Thanksgiving we're celebrating. That would be turkey with stuffing, acorn squash, mashed potatoes and gravy, and pumpkin pie.
There may be other bowls and pans jamming up the table, but these are the mainstays, and really -- it's all they'll eat. The salad and broccoli languish during the carb fest.
Being a low-carber myself of recent years though, Thanksgiving presents food for thought.
Turkey? No problem. The butter and olive oil that baste it prompt no guilt or apologies. And you may be surprised to hear that squash, with butter, cream and crushed chili pepper, is a low-carber's perfect companion in life.
But the potatoes and the gravy ... problematic. And pumpkin pie? Yeah, there's a problem too.
A couple of us around here lean toward low carb, and we know all too well that to give in to the carb fest at Thanksgiving is a serious step down the slippery slope that is the holiday season.
Still, it's difficult. We've tried different things different years.
My daughter-in-law makes a low carb cheesecake with strawberries that's to die for. And we've experimented with pumpkin pudding (pumpkin pie minus the pastry, and a fraction of the sugar). We lovingly stir in heavy cream instead of milk or evaporated milk. And real whipped cream on top is not only decadent, it's quite nicely within low carb parameters.
I'm not going to say it's easy. I'm also not going to say that every year I manage to do the smart thing. I have been known to dive into the gravy boat being liberally poured over the potatoes.
But in case you are contemplating the low carb Thanksgiving and wondering if you'd rather starve, I'm just sayin'. A low carb Thanksgiving can be a great experience.
And, the absence of heartburn, gut pain and extra pounds will make you consider doing it again next year.
Visit Jody's website and blog at http://www.ncubator.ca and http://ncubator.ca/blogger