I am certainly not a procrastinator. While I remain steadfastly lazy, I do like to get a jump on things. Does that make any sense? Maybe I think if I plan ahead enough, I will avoid as much work as possible.
Last Thanksgiving was not my best effort. It was not the variety or the number of dishes that was lacking. But nothing really wowed me. I made recipes that I had enjoyed in past years, and somehow they disappointed. So this year, I am getting ready to flip Thanksgiving on its head. I want to come up with some new dishes (new to me, anyway!) and some healthier recipes which go easy on the sugary carbs but heavy on taste and nutrition.
I mentioned my goal to reduce the carb load in my holiday meal plan to a friend and she was outraged. And maybe you are, too? I realize that Thanksgiving, and other upcoming holidays, are times for feasting. After all, a celebration of the harvest should feel abundant. And yet, I still think there MUST be a way to combine both of these concepts: healthy, wholesome foods AND an abundant feast which feels like a celebration. So this is my number one goal.
On top of that, I don't want to create a meal plan that is SO complicated, labor-intensive, and exhausting that I become grumpy and irritable (who, me?) and need to be medicated well before dinner is even finished. Often my husband is begging me to open up the wine and start chugging while the turkey is still in the oven. So goal number two is to keep things fairly simple. But still delicious. And healthy.
And goal number three for me is all about control. If you haven't figured it out yet, I'll just spit it out: I am a control freak. There. It's out in the open. I know it's not pretty, but it is the truth. And this relates to the above goal of keeping things simple so I don't get too overwhelmed. I want to relinquish PARTIAL control of the meal to my husband and daughter who are both enthusiastic about cooking. Although just typing that sentence has already made me anxious, I know it is a healthy thing for me to share the preparation of this meal with my loved ones.
In summation, my overarching goal is to have the healthiest holiday season possible. This includes both physical and mental health! (As much mental health as is possible, given my neuroses.) Is anyone with me? I promise I won't insist that you banish all sugars, flours, grains, etc. from your celebration. This is not my plan for my own holiday meals, either. Only to aim for a better holiday in every sense. Healthier, lighter in spirit, and simpler whenever possible.
Last Thanksgiving was not my best effort. It was not the variety or the number of dishes that was lacking. But nothing really wowed me. I made recipes that I had enjoyed in past years, and somehow they disappointed. So this year, I am getting ready to flip Thanksgiving on its head. I want to come up with some new dishes (new to me, anyway!) and some healthier recipes which go easy on the sugary carbs but heavy on taste and nutrition.
I mentioned my goal to reduce the carb load in my holiday meal plan to a friend and she was outraged. And maybe you are, too? I realize that Thanksgiving, and other upcoming holidays, are times for feasting. After all, a celebration of the harvest should feel abundant. And yet, I still think there MUST be a way to combine both of these concepts: healthy, wholesome foods AND an abundant feast which feels like a celebration. So this is my number one goal.
On top of that, I don't want to create a meal plan that is SO complicated, labor-intensive, and exhausting that I become grumpy and irritable (who, me?) and need to be medicated well before dinner is even finished. Often my husband is begging me to open up the wine and start chugging while the turkey is still in the oven. So goal number two is to keep things fairly simple. But still delicious. And healthy.
And goal number three for me is all about control. If you haven't figured it out yet, I'll just spit it out: I am a control freak. There. It's out in the open. I know it's not pretty, but it is the truth. And this relates to the above goal of keeping things simple so I don't get too overwhelmed. I want to relinquish PARTIAL control of the meal to my husband and daughter who are both enthusiastic about cooking. Although just typing that sentence has already made me anxious, I know it is a healthy thing for me to share the preparation of this meal with my loved ones.
In summation, my overarching goal is to have the healthiest holiday season possible. This includes both physical and mental health! (As much mental health as is possible, given my neuroses.) Is anyone with me? I promise I won't insist that you banish all sugars, flours, grains, etc. from your celebration. This is not my plan for my own holiday meals, either. Only to aim for a better holiday in every sense. Healthier, lighter in spirit, and simpler whenever possible.
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