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Healthy family recipe: Thanksgiving 'sides' salad

This salad has elements of many ingredients associated with Thanksgiving side dishes including green beans, sweet potatoes, and cranberries.

    by Liz Coover, RD, CSP, LDN, Clinical Dietitian, Healthy Weight Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
    Published 

While the turkey takes the majority of the spotlight on Thanksgiving, my favorite part of the holiday meal is the tasty side dishes. Green beans, sweet potatoes, cranberries—this "salad" recipe includes them all! The colorful vegetables provide a mixture of essential vitamins and minerals, including fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K, while the dried cranberries add just a touch of sweetness. Since most dried cranberries are sweetened with sugar, we keep the portion small for a fun topping.

Tip: This recipe can be made the day before! Just store in the fridge in a sealed container and heat before serving.

Thanksgiving "sides" salad

Ingredients:

  1. 1 pound of sweet potatoes

  2. 1 pound of Brussels sprouts

  3. 1 small head of cauliflower

  4. 2 tablespoons of olive oil

  5. 1/8 teaspoon of salt

  6. ¼ teaspoon of pepper

  7. ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder

  8. ½ pound of green beans, blanched (Click here for a how-to video)

  9. 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

  10. ½ teaspoon of dried thyme

  11. ¼ cup of pecans or walnuts

  12. 2 tablespoons of dried cranberries

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

  2. Wash and prepare the vegetables:

Cut the sweet potatoes into 1 inch cubes.
Trim the bottom off each brussels sprout and remove the outer leaves. Cut each in half (larger ones can be cut into quarters).
Remove and toss the large stalk of the cauliflower and cut florets into 1 inch pieces.
Trim the ends off of the green beans.

  1. Mix the sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower together in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and mix evenly.

  2. Line two large sheet pans with tin foil. Spread half of the vegetable mixture onto each pan.

  3. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft, flipping half way through cooking time.

  4. While the mixture is cooking, blanch the green beans and set aside (we will add these to the dish at the end).

  5. When done, remove the vegetables from the oven. Combine the roasted vegetables with the green beans in a large bowl.

  6. Add the thyme and balsamic vinegar and toss evenly to coat.

  7. Serve warm topped with the nuts and dried cranberries.