Before the Meal: Set Yourself Up for Success

✅ Plan Ahead:

• Eat a protein-rich snack 60–90 minutes before your meal (Greek yogurt, boiled egg, turkey slice, protein shake) to prevent overeating later.

✅ Mindful Preparation:

• Incorporate anti-inflammatory ingredients: turmeric, ginger, garlic, leafy greens.
• Use healthier swaps in classic dishes:
  • Mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes
  • Roasted sweet potatoes instead of candied yams
  • Whole-grain sourdough stuffing with vegetables instead of white bread stuffing

✅ Choose Nourishing Sides:

• Fresh green beans with lemon & garlic
• Roasted or steamed seasonal vegetables

During the Meal: Mindful Eating

✅ Start with a Salad or Soup:

• Fill up on fiber, protein, and nutrient-dense foods first.
• Eat your carbs last.
• You will have less of a blood sugar spike if you have pie closer to the meal, rather than on an empty stomach.

✅ Eat Mindfully:

• Chew slowly and put your fork down between bites.
• Focus on colors, smells, and textures.
• Ask: “Am I truly hungry?”
• Take sips of water between bites.
• Deep breathing helps activate your “rest and digest” nervous system.

✅ Stay Hydrated:

• Drink water before and during the meal, but don’t chug 30 oz at once, which can actually reduce digestive enzyme production and contribute to bloating.
• Mix it up: Enjoy some hot water with lemon, tea, sparkling water, or electrolytes.

✅ Alcohol:

• Consuming alcohol on an empty stomach leads to rapid alcohol absorption, causing a quicker and more intense onset of intoxication. This makes your liver work harder. If you are going to drink alcohol, ensure you’ve had a glass of water first, and some food in your stomach, namely protein. 
• Drink an additional glass of water in between drinks.
• Better yet, swap the second beverage with a glass of sparkling water with digestive bitters or ACV, NA mocktails, or hot tea, or water with honey and lemon. 

After the Meal: Recovery & Support

✅ Move Your Body:

• Take a 10–20 minute post-meal walk to support digestion and blood sugar.
• If you can, get your workout in before the festivities to kick your metabolism into gear.

✅ Support Digestion:

• Sip peppermint or ginger tea to relieve bloating.
• Apple Cider Vinegar (diluted) can help with digestion and blood sugar balance. Drink before, during or after your meal.

✅ Support Your Liver:

• Avoid alcohol and heavy meals for 1–3 days afterward.
• Ensure you are getting your greens in every day!
• Lemon water can support liver function.

✅ Optional Intermittent Fasting:

• Consider a light fasting schedule (skip a snack or delay breakfast) to support metabolism.

✅ Practice Self-Care & Gratitude:

• Avoid guilt; one meal doesn’t derail your health.
• Reflect on what you’re grateful for—it improves both mental and physical well-being.

Optional Supplements (with Provider Guidance)

• Gymnema: Supports blood sugar balance, insulin sensitivity, & helps with sugar cravings
• Digestive enzyme blends (ie: Orthodigestzyme): Helps process heavier meals

Quick Holiday Tips

• Keep water visible to encourage hydration.
• Use herbs and spices to flavor foods instead of sugar or heavy sauces.
• Move gently after meals—walk, stretch, or do light activity.
• Prioritize protein and fiber at meals to support satiety and digestion.

Here’s a Printable Checklist ✅

• Protein snack before the meal
• Anti-inflammatory ingredients in dishes
• Healthier swaps for classics
• Salad or soup first
• Mindful eating & hydration
• Post-meal walk or activity
• Peppermint/ginger tea
• Liver-friendly meals 1–3 days after
• Gratitude practice

 

Our Functional Medicine Team’s Favorite Holiday Dishes

Melissa’s Faves:

Thanksgiving Salad with Pomegranate, Goat Cheese, Butternut Squash and Maple Tahini Dressing By Melissa Mangan

Ingredients:

Salad

• Pomegranate
• ½ Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 4 oz Goat cheese, crumbled
• Butternut squash or sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½” cubes
• 10 oz greens (I like to use Kale or arugula)

“Candied” Pecans

• ½ cup Pecans
• 1 Tb Honey
• 1Tb Butter or Ghee
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp cayenne (to spice tolerance)
• Sea Salt to taste

Maple Tahini Dressing

• ¼ cup Tahini
• 1 Tb Maple syrup
• ½ Lemon
• Salt/pepper to taste
• 3-5 Tb Water 

Method:

To make Candied Pecans: 

Over medium heat in a saucepan, mix pecans (½ cup) with butter or ghee (1 Tb), cinnamon (½ tsp), cayenne (¼ tsp) and sea salt. Cook, stirring the entire time, until the pecans become fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and stir in honey until well-distributed on the nuts. Set aside to cool.

To make the Maple Tahini Dressing:

Combine all ingredients, starting with a small amount of water, in a blender, or whisk by hand. It will be thicker at first; add more water until it is to your desired consistency.  

Assemble salad. Serves 8.

(This salad is great to make all the components ahead of time and assemble day-of)

 

 

Hannah’s faves:

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Oat Streusel By Ambitious Kitchen

Ingredients:

For the potatoes:

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large or 5 medium sweet potatoes)
• 2 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg (or can leave out if vegan)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of allspice
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the topping:

• ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour or regular flour (if GF, use gluten free oat flour)
• ⅓ cup rolled oats (gluten free if desired)
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
• ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 3 tablespoons melted butter (or sub vegan butter or coconut oil)

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash sweet potatoes and use a fork to poke holes in sweet potatoes; about 4-5 pokes per potato used. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil and roast for 45 minutes-1 hour or until very fork tender. Allow potatoes to cool for 5-10 minutes. Lower oven heat to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 8×8 inch pan, 9 inch pie pan, or a 1 1/2 quart or 2 quart safe baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Cut open sweet potatoes and discard the skin, place sweet potato flesh in a large bowl and add in maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Use an electric mixer to beat until smooth, adding a splash more almond milk if you want them to be creamier. Pour into prepared baking pan and smooth top.

To make the topping: Whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, and pecans. Use a fork to stir in melted butter until a nice crumb forms. Sprinkle all over the top of the sweet potato mixture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serves 8.

 

 

Jessie’s faves:

Cauliflower Steaks with Creamy Pecan Sauce by The Castaway Kitchen

 

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 1/4 cup avocado oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided, more to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 shallot
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground 
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1/2 cup white wine, divided
• juice of 1 lemon

Method:

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut cauliflower head into 1-inch thick steaks. Lay flat on a lightly oiled sheet pan, lightly drizzle with avocado oil, and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until tender and browned. 

While the cauliflower roasts, make the sauce. Start by slicing the mushrooms and shallots, mincing the garlic and prepping the thyme. Best way to get the leaves off of fresh thyme is my holding one end of the sprig and run pinched fingers against the grain, all the little leaves will come right off. 

Melt the butter in a medium to a large skillet. Add in the shallots and mushrooms, saute for 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic, thyme, remaining salt, and pepper. Saute for another 4-5 minutes. 

Add in the pecans and mix well. Saute until the pecans are starting to toast. Pour in 1/4 cup white wine and let it simmer, use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot. Once the wine is reduced by 1/2, transfer everything to a blender. 

Add in the remaining white wine, squeeze the lemon juice in. Begin to blend on low, bringing the power up slowly. If the mix isn’t moving, don’t worry, it will once you start adding in the oil. Slowly drizzle in the avocado oil until the mix is smooth. Taste, add more salt if you want to. 

Remove the steaks from the oven, serve hot, and with pecan sauce drizzled over generously. Serves 4.

 

 

Roasted Carrots with Garlic by Prepare and Nourish

Ingredients:

• 1 pound carrots, trimmed and cleaned, approximately 14 small garden carrots
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced approximately 3 small cloves
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Scrub carrots clean and pat dry with paper towel.

Combine oil, basil, garlic and salt. Pour over dried carrots and gently stir to combine (you can do this step in a small dish or directly on sheet pan).

Spread the carrots out in a single layer and roast for 25-35 minutes or until tender. You may broil the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time.

Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm. Serves 6.