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(FYI ... This is Natalie's First Blog!)
As most of our regular clients know, Dr. Jeff loves Christmas. We have two Christmas trees at home and lights at the front and back of our house, which has been up since early November. I love Thanksgiving…I love that there’s no fuss, no gifts, just a sit-down meal with family, friends, and in this case our wonderful clients. Twenty-six of you showed up to our first Thanksgiving event on Saturday 17 November.
Jeff and I wanted to say thank you for supporting us over the last eight years. I was a little nervous, how we could self cater for an event of this size. I love cooking shows but I’m not much into measuring ingredients…I like to wing it! So when Jeff’s Dad, David mentioned he was off to Vanuatu on a mission trip with a group of chiropractic students, I asked if we could borrow Jeff's mom Joan and her amazing cooking experience to help prepare our event.
Keeping with traditional Thanksgiving food of turkey, beans, carrots, potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, I decided if it was to survive the already warm Australian weather, it all had to be served cold. So we came up with the following recipes:- (all gluten, egg, and dairy-free)
Broccoli salad (a favourite from Aunty Maureen in Canada)
- Broccoli - 1 bunch - raw, cut into small pieces
- Grapes - 1.5 cups - cut in half
- Celery - 1.5 cups - chopped
- Spring Onion - 1 bunch, chopped
- Craisins or Raisins - 1 cup
- Bacon or Vegan Bacon - 1 packet - cut into small pieces and cook
Combine all ingredients together and add the dressing.
Dressing
- Mayonnaise or Vegan version - 1 cup
- Honey or Maple Syrup - 1/3 cup
- Vinegar - 1 Tbsp
Let stand for 1 hour before serving. Optional - add 1 packet of slivered toasted almonds 30 mins before serving.
Potato Salad with Green Beans
- Potatoes - red - cubed and cooked
- Green Beans - blanched crisp
- Combine ingredients together and add the dressing.
Dressing
- Mayonnaise or Vegan version - 1 cup
- Honey or Maple Syrup - 1/3 cup
- Vinegar - 1 Tbsp
- Salt and pepper to taste
Carrot Slaw
- Carrots - peeled and grated
- Walnuts - 1/2 cup - chopped and baked
- Sultanas - 1/2 cup - dried
- Spring Onion - 3 - sliced
Combine all ingredients together and add the dressing.
Dressing
- Olive Oil - 3 Tbsp
- Lemon Juice - 2 Tbsp
- Orange Juice - 3 Tbsp
- Honey or Maple Syrup - 2 Tbsp
- Fresh Parsley - 3 Tbsp - chopped
- Salt and Pepper
Pumpkin Pie
Crust
- Coconut Oil - 6 Tbsp
- Flour - Gluten Free - 1 and 1/4 cup
- Salt - 1/4 Tsp
Combine ingredients and spread in baking dish.
Filling
- Pumpkin - 3 cups - roasted or boiled, puree
- Maple Syrup - 1/4 cup
- Coconut Sugar - 1/4 cup
- Coconut Milk - 1/3 cup
- Coconut Oil - 1 Tbsp - melted
- Arrowroot Powder - 2.5 Tbsp
- Cinnamon - 1 Tsp
- Ginger - 1/2 Tsp
- Nutmeg - 1/4 Tsp
- Cloves - 1/4 Tsp
- Salt - 1/2 Tsp
Combine ingredients and add to crust in baking dish. Cook at 180oC for 45 mins.
Apple Crisp
- Grannie Smith and Pink Lady Apples - 8-10 - sliced - Spread in baking dish.
- Vanilla - 1 Tsp
- Cinnamon - 1/2 Tsp
- Coconut Sugar - 1/4 cup
- Water - 1 cup
- Lemon Juice - 1 Tbsp
- Cornstarch - 1.5 Tbsp
Mix all, and boil until thickened. Pour and sift through apples. Re-spread evenly in a baking dish.
Topping
- Flour - Gluten Free - 3/4 cup
- Oatmeal - 2.5 cups
- Coconut Sugar - 3/4 cup
- Salt - 1/2 Tsp
- Cinnamon - 3 Tsp
- Coconut Oil - 1/2 cup
Mix and spread evenly over apples. Bake at 180 C for 45mins.
Coconut Whipped Cream
- Coconut Milk or Cream - 400ml - Chill in the fridge overnight
- Maple Syrup - 4 Tbsp
- Vanilla - 1/2 Tsp
Place in a large mixing bowl. Add the beaters to the fridge 15 mins prior. Remove can from the fridge without tipping or shaking it. Use the coconut cream (remove the water in the bottom). Whip until fluffy. Stores in the fridge for 1 week in a sealed container.
Please call or email if you have any questions about any of the recipes. Thank you all for attending our event, we look forward to organising this event again next year. Thank you to Mom Joan for her hours of work in preparing our feast - we love and appreciate you all.
Wishing all our clients, family, and friends a wonderful Christmas, we look forward to seeing you in the new year.
Thank you to Ben for taking our event photos. Natalie Hannah Christmas can be a stressful time of year (a bit like moving). I like to remember this saying - Hoʻoponopono is a Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. The Hawaiian word... To reach this state, which Len called 'Self-I-Density thru Ho'oponopono', includes using the mantra, "I love you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you.
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