This year, Thanksgiving is at my house, and I'm pretty excited about it. I really enjoy entertaining, and one of my favorite parts about hosting people for a meal is surprising them with how delicious a healthy meal can be.

Between the potatoes, the green bean casserole, the bread-laden stuffing, rolls, candied yams, and pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving, while delicious, often feels very heavy and leaves you regretful - if not for what you ate, then at least for not wearing stretchier pants. If you're looking for an alternative to the traditional dishes that are a little lighter, without sacrificing flavor, here's a menu for what this foodie will be serving. Whether you're cooking for your whole family or have been charged with bringing a dish to dinner, feel free to shop the list below.

My best advice around the holidays, to avoid the average American weight gain of 7-10 pounds, is to indulge in your single favorite dish, in the way it's traditionally made, and make substitutions for the rest.

Dry Brined Roasted Turkey - when it comes to the holidays, Martha Stewart is boss. This recipe of hers requires very little cooking time, freeing up the oven for other things (like pie!).

Thanksgiving "Stuffing" - this one might be a stretch. True to Paleo recipes, it doesn't contain a crumb of bread, and it's certainly not light on calories, as two of its main ingredients are sausage and bacon. But none of its calories are fluff - it's nutrient dense and there is so much flavor that a small helping goes a long way. And if you have someone in your life that has a gluten sensitivity, like me, you might just make their holiday by giving them a version of one of their favorite dishes that they can actually eat.

Mashed Faux-tatoes - low in calories, natural sugars, and carbohydrates, and high in nutrients, parsnips and turnips are a good alternative to mashed potatoes. You may have heard of cauliflower as a substitue for potatoes, but parsnips and turnips are a lot closer in consistency, when mashed, to the potato.

Garlicky Green Beans - instead of relying on a cream based soup for flavor, the way green bean casserole does, save the calories (and prep time and oven space) and allow whole foods to make a big impact, the way balsamic vinegar and garlic do in this recipe.

Orange Cranberry Sauce - How did cranberry sauce ever become a Thanksgiving staple when it's so gross? My guess is, it probably tasted more like this recipe, and less like the canned variety. This part of my meal has gone from being something I always wished we could skip, to being the reason I look forward to turkey. Seriously - skip the gravy and spread a little of this on your turkey. You won't be disappointed. It's already made up in my fridge and taunting me to steal a spoonful every time I see it.



Salad with Goat Cheese, Pears, Candied Pecans and Maple Vinaigrette - is it wrong if the part of your Thanksgiving meal you're most excited for is the salad? It probably is, but I am, nonetheless. I haven't tried this specific recipe yet, but the flavors are such a perfect blend for the holiday.

I've made my meal healthier and lighter, so that I can indulge in my grandmother's chocolate crust, whipped pumpkin pie. What's your favorite dish that you just can't resist? And what are you doing to make your holiday a healthier one? Please share in the comments below, or snap a picture on Instagram, using the hashtag #wiredforwellness.

We've all been there - you're on your way to work when you realize you left your lunch in the fridge at home. Or that you forgot to consider your lunch altogether.

Instead of grabbing something from the vending machines or going through the drive thru, consider adding a healthier alternative into the mix, by making a quick trip to the grocery store for this easy, whole food solution.

If you're jonesing for chocolate the way I do, you know that the feeling won't go away until you get some. For moments like that, I've found a recipe that I can make at home, that has no added sugar, so I know it's a much better option than grabbing a candy bar in the checkout lane at the grocery store.

THE CLEANER FUDGY CHOCOLATE BAR

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. coconut oil
• 1/4 c. cocoa powder
• 1/4 c. nut butter
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• 1/8 c. pure maple syrup

Directions:

• Melt coconut oil and nut butter in the microwave, for about one minute.
• Add in other ingredients and stir to combine.
• Pour into a loaf pan, lined with wax paper.
• Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
• Pull out, slice and enjoy. Any extras can be stored in the freezer until the next craving hits.

My road to eat healthier meals at home has met some barriers and learning curves along the way - time and budget being the biggest of them. It's taken me years to build up a rotation of meals that are healthy, without breaking the bank, take 30 minutes or less to prepare, and that all of the mouths in our family are happy for.

As a disclaimer, I mostly choose a Paleo lifestyle, so you'll see a lot of those recipes. But even if you don't, they are good, whole food based recipes, which are good for just about anyone.

"Kitchen Sink Meals" - throw it all in one pan, to make for less steps and simple clean up.

Sausage, Sweet Potato and Apple Hash - I use casing sausage instead and omit the onions.
Amish One-Pan Ground Beef & Cabbage Skillet - I found this one recently and have made it an embarrassing number of times. I usually add peas or green beans to it.

Crockpot Meals - cook all day without all the work. Isn't it nice walking into a home that smells delicious after a long day at work?

Two-Ingredient Salsa Chicken - The name gives it all away. I vote this easiest recipe ever, and my family loves it. We use it for tacos, or I saute up some sliced carrots for a "nacho" base, instead of chips, and top with a little cheese and green onions.
Meatball Stone Soup - Discovered early on my marriage, when I didn't have a knack for cooking, this has always been one of my go-tos. I'm convinced my little brother is the pickiest eater in the world, and he devours it.

Fish

Baked Salmon - This is, by far, the best way I've ever found to make salmon. Coconut aminos are a substitution for soy sauce, so if you can tolerate soy, you can use that instead. I usually pair it with some sauteed asparagus for a simple meal.
Quick Salmon Cakes - Green beans or mashed fauxtatoes (cauliflower) typically serve as the side for these.

Pizza Night

No Yeast Pizza Dough - It usually take me about 30 minutes to make this pizza, from start to pulling it out of the oven. Top with your favorite quality ingredients for a healthier-than-the-chain-joints pizza.


Sides - pair with a simple meat, like grilled or broiled chicken or burgers.

Autumn Greens Salad with Sunflower Seeds - This one includes power food brussels sprouts, cleverly disguised as salad greens. And my whole family eats it (don't tell them about the brussels sprouts).
Pan Fried Sweet Potato Fries - I'm pretty sure I've tried every method (outside of using a deep fryer) to come up with a crispy sweet potato fry, but they've all come up short, until I discovered this one. I don't add the onions, garlic or brown sugar but simply used this recipe as a means of discovering a much more effective method for creating this delicious side. Just be sure to lay all of the sweet potatoes flat in the pan, and flip halfway through - if they're piled up, they'll stay soggy forever.

What is your go-to recipe when you need something healthy and don't have a lot of time? I'd love to hear! Share below, in the comment section.

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With cold weather coming, your belly may be requesting some warm, cozy, comfort foods. One of my favorites has always been spaghetti, both for its flavor and its ease. But after I eat it, I'm always left feeling like there is a brick in my gut. So if you love pasta, but you hate the way it makes you feel, or the way it makes you gain weight, here is my favorite alternative I've found. It takes longer than spaghetti, so it's a plan-ahead meal, but the hands on time is very short. I usually make it on the weekend and eat up the leftovers throughout the week, for lunch.

Thanksgiving is coming, and the turkey is getting fat, but you don't have to. With the holiday quickly approaching, and families beginning to prepare their menus, I thought it appropriate to kick off November with some education on what a typical Thanksgiving meal looks like, nutrition-wise. Throughout the month, I'll be sharing healthier versions of classic staples, to offer alternatives that will keep you from gaining that dreaded holiday weight, and keep you feeling energetic.