So Thanksgiving went off without a hitch! I was quite pleased with the joint efforts of Ben and me at creating a completely home cooked feast made with love (and without dairy, gluten or processed sugar on my part). The best and worst part about this type of holiday feasting are the leftovers that keep on giving... Ay!
I was so excited playing hostess that the photos are very, unfortunately blurry. I can't do it all. Oh well, there's always Christmas! (which btw is in T-25 days- which will be spent in (hopefully) warm and sunny LA).

What started as a bunch of fresh veggies turned into incredibly tasty stuffing. Complete with Red Chard, Celery, Carrots, Apples and Chestnuts.

The crowd fave seemed to be these Roasted, Toasty and Sweet Brussel Sprouts. This has been one of our repeat moves every Thanksgiving that Ben and I have shared together. Easy breezy: halve sprouts, lay on baking sheet, drizzle over olive oil, pure maple syrup, salt and almonds (optional)- and bake for 45-60 min. at 350. Bam.

The sacrificial turkey was quite a treat too, and one that Ben and I were extremely proud of. Brined overnight in a saltwater-maple syrup concoction with oranges, cloves and cinnamon, big T was super moist and perfectly cooked- not to mention artfully carved by Ben. The encouraging thing was- no one got severely hit with the sleepy effect right after the meal, at least not obviously. In fact, Ben and his bros were up til nearly midnite playing silly games, while I enjoyed girl time with Bea- which on Thanksgiving night is quite the distance. No sinking feeling afterward is what all my meals are about--- even during the holidays!

I thoroughly enjoyed Thanksgiving weekend, and found it hard to get over it on this frigid Monday... Hopefully the week zooms by!
xoS

I'm stoked about my new wooden cutting board that my awesomely handy boyfriend made for me, so I'm christening the board and chopping up apples and attempting an Apple Butter. Recipe to come Monday, since it'll be coming together as I go.

PS- Tomorrow's the last day of the Early Bird Special for my 21-Day Detox Program. We have a wonderful group so far! Don't miss out! And as always, send me a note if you have any q's.
xoS