Ya’ll. I love Thanksgiving.
While the world is obsessing over Christmas in November, I can only think about Thanksgiving. I really hate that everyone skips this wonderful holiday and jumps straight into playing jingle bells. I think I love it because it’s such a genuine holiday. It doesn’t have the fuss or stress that Christmas carries along with it. It’s just family getting together, over mass amounts of food and enjoying each other’s company.
& probably a little bit of football.
I always associate Christmas time with stress. You know, going from house to house, trying to decide which families / extended families you will visit. &&& now that Colton and I have been together for 4 years (eek, 4 years officially tomorrow!) I also make a special point to include his family as well!
I promise, I am not complaining at all! I just think of it as being extremely blessed to have so many loving people in my life 🙂
So while Christmas can be hectic (I think everyone can agree with that!), Thanksgiving is simple for me. I always spend Thanksgiving with my moms side of the family. She has eight siblings, so it’s always quite the big event! We switch houses every year, but no matter which city we are in, we always run in the Turkey Trot! My mom and her siblings always take the responsibility in the cooking department, but I have been trying to figure out a way for me to contribute this year!
So if you’re like me, when deciding what to bring, I follow these few rules. 1) It must be healthy 2) It must be really easy to make 3) It must taste so good that no one will be able to tell just how healthy it is 🙂
This recipe falls in all of those categories.
The two main ingredients are cranberries and butternut squash, so it doesn’t get much easier nor healthier than that! Besides being super pretty, here are their health benefits!
Health benefits of cranberries: At 25 calories a cup, cranberries are extremely high in nutrients and are a great antioxidant. Cranberries carry lots of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Fiber. Cranberries prevent cardiovascular disease, they are great for your colon, great for anyone with diabetes and are surprisingly really good for your teeth!
Health benefits of butternut squash: One cup of butternut squash is 88 calories and provides a whopping 437% of vitamin A, as well as 52% of vitamin C and 10% or more of vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, & magnesium. It’s also a great source of fiber! It’s proven to lower and prevent high blood pressure, prevent asthma, help with diabetes, provide healthy glowing hair // skin, boosts immune function, and promotes regularity.
Did I mention how amazing it tastes too?!
When I made this recipe, I already had a very small butternut squash on hand, and didn’t want to buy another one. So if you’re worried that this doesn’t look like enough food, you’re right, it’s not! But if you use a large butternut squash, as the recipe calls for, then it will be the perfect amount!
Ingredients
1 Lg Butternut Squash // cubed
2 Cups of fresh Cranberries
1/4 Cup Feta
1 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 Tbs Cinnamon
1 TBS All Natural Organic Honey
1 Tsp Parsley
Himalayen Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
-Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
-Drizzle 1 Tbs of Olive Oil on the baking sheet and add cubed squash to the sheet. Pour the rest of the Olive oil over squash and coat evenly
-Sprinkle a light layer of himalayan salt pepper to taste
– Roast for 25 minutes
-At the 25 minute mark, take out the baking sheet and add the cranberries.
-Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cranberries have started to soften and burst a little bit.
-Remove from oven and add the cinnamon, feta and honey.
-Garnish with parsley and serve while it’s hot!
xo,
Lauren