Healthy Thanksgiving Sides | Delta Dental of Arkansas Blog

The typical Thanksgiving dinner is prepared with a plenty of love—and unhealthy amounts of salt, sugar and fat. Nothing your teeth, heart and waistline are thankful for.

Fortunately, there is a simple solution: Swap a couple of traditional side dishes for flavorful vegetables. Rich in vitamins and other nutrients, they will be good for both your taste buds and your health.

You may like them so much you’ll cook them again and again. That’s something to be thankful for all year round.

Sweet Potato Swap

Traditional sweet potato casserole is loaded with sugar, setting your teeth on edge and turning your smile into a scowl. Instead, opt for this healthier sweet potato mash.

Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Sweet Potato Mash

Ingredients

• 3 sweet potatoes
• 1 head of garlic
• 2 tablespoon rosemary
• 1 cup milk (or milk alternative)
• 3 tablespoon butter (or butter alternative)
• ¼ cup grated parmesan
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Peel the sweet potatoes and put in a pot to boil for 20–30 minutes. Test them with a fork. Remove from heat when they’re tender.

2. Cut the top of the garlic head off, enough to expose the open cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake at 400^o F for 30 minutes. This step can be done the day before and the garlic kept in the refrigerator overnight if your oven is preoccupied on the big day.

3. Drain the potatoes and mash with a potato masher or an electric mixer. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the potatoes and mash until blended. Add 1/3 cup of milk at a time while mashing and 1 tablespoon of butter at a time.

4. Mix in rosemary, parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste.

Green Veggie Substitute

Classic green bean casserole is packed with salt due to the cream of mushroom soup and fried onion topping. This green veggie replacement cuts down the salt, yet pumps up your taste buds.

Balsamic Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds of Brussels sprouts
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425^o

2. Trim the outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts. Cut the bottoms off and cut the Brussels sprouts lengthwise.

3. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

4. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through.
Tip: If the oven is taken on Thanksgiving, fry the Brussels sprouts in a cast iron pan for 8-10 minutes.

5. Transfer Brussels sprouts to a large bowl and add the balsamic vinegar and honey. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Mix until they are evenly coated.

Looking for more healthy cooking tips? Check out our other smile-friendly recipes:

• Marvelous Muffins | 3 Healthy and Tasty Muffin Recipes For Your Smile

• 3 Smart Swaps for #TacoTuesday

• Vegetarian Rib Recipe | Meatless Barbecue

Grateful for good food, good oral hygiene and good dentists

Eating right, along with daily brushing and flossing, benefits your oral health. And schedule regular dentist visits for professional cleanings and check-ups to make sure your diet and oral hygiene habits are spot on.

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