How NOT To Freak Out About Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: The time of year that we come together and celebrate with food. So many of my clients have a lot of anxiety leading up to this holiday. They don't want to ruin their hard earned progress, or the idea of celebrating a holiday that revolves around food is scary to them. Add on the stress of traveling, cooking the turkey, or dreading the conversation at the dinner table (How's school? How's work? Why are you still single?...You get the gist) and it can all feel very overwhelming. 

 But, you shouldn't freak out. Why? Because one meal is not going to ruin your progress. Plus, as much as people like to bad-mouth Thanksgiving food, many of the traditional foods served are very nutritious. And guess what? You can have these foods whenever you want. In fact, there's a sandwich shop in NYC that has a Thanksgiving sandwich on the menu. All year round. And stuffing is always in the grocery store. So if you fear that you will go overboard because it'll be another year before you can have these foods, keep in mind that you can have turkey and stuffing any time you want. 

A big  mistake a lot of people make it that they skip breakfast or don't eat all day to "save" their calories for the big meal. This is NOT a good idea because you will most likely overdo it later on. Have a high fiber, high protein breakfast to kick start the day and to keep your blood sugar levels in check. Think of Thanksgiving dinner as any other dinner: protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates. They are just in different forms than the usual. Would you skip meals on a non-holiday day? No. So don't do it on Thanksgiving either. 

Don't deprive yourself. If you're dying for Grandma's stuffing, put it on your plate. If you tell yourself you can't have something you'll want it even more, and may wind up overdoing it in the end because you won't feel satisfied. Leave what doesn't really interest you (don't put the potatoes on  your plate if you're not really into them). Same goes for dessert. Take a small dessert plate and fill it with desserts that you really enjoy. Then move on.

Don't get so caught up in the food that you forget the real reason you're gathering for this holiday. It's a time to make memories with friends and family, It's a time to celebrate, and to express gratitude and thanks. You can get back on track at your next meal. 

Mini Tofu Pumpkin Pies with a Graham Cracker Protein Crust

I've been making my tofu pumpkin pie for years, and everyone from my 3 year old cousin to my 80 year old grandparents could never guess that it was made with tofu! I usually use a store-bought graham cracker crust, but this year I wanted to challenge myself and try to make my own. It came out WAY better than I imagined! However, a few things actually went wrong in the process. Firstly, I planned on only using almond flour as my flour, but I didn't have enough. So, I added coconut flour. Second, I didn't make enough batter to fill a pie tin, so I had to make mini pies. Overall, I'm thankful for these mistakes because the end product was incredible!

You can buy your own pie crust and just make the filling, but I highly recommend making this crust at some point in time. Tastes just like a graham cracker crust .... if not better!

Mini Tofu Pumpkin Pies with a Graham Cracker Protein Crust

Ingredients for the crust:

1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 scoop Cinnamon Graham Cracker whey protein powder (Optimum Nutrition), or vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar-free maple syrup (or regular)
2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

Ingredients for the filling:

1 cup silken tofu (make sure you drain excess water)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon sugar-free maple syrup (or regular)
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum (optional)
Stevia to taste (I used 4 packets of Truvia)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
2. Combine crust ingredients in a large bowl. Knead with your hands until a dough forms.
3. Divide dough evenly into 6 balls. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray. Add one dough ball to each muffin cup, pressing down so it covers the bottom of the cup. Bake 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, blend together your filling ingredients. Divide filling evenly and place on top of your pre-baked crust. Bake for about 30 minutes.
5. Remove your mini pies from the muffin tin and place in the fridge to set. Allow to set for at least an hour.

Nutrition Information (for one mini pie): 190 Calories, 8.6 g Fat, 17.5 g CHO (4.2 g Fiber), 10.8 g Protein