Well, I must report that I was wondering how my well-laid plans for Thanksgiving would actually turn out (see Thanksgiving Warmup, Nov for more).  Would I stick to my plan?  How easy would it be?  How would I really feel about changing my holiday favorites? It turns out everything was much easier than I’d dared hope for!

At the last minute a friend of my mother in law decided she would bring apple & pumpkin pies, so all I had to do was make one blackberry-cherry pie & a slightly-modified  pumpkin pie for own enjoyment, as well as fresh cranberry sauces; one with Splenda for half our group & one with low-glycemic agave nectar for me (and anyone else). I was pretty tired yesterday morning and as the day went on I really didn’t feel like doing much cooking, even though I really love to bake.  I guess we’d done too many field trips, driving, & what-not because we were all pooped.  So I decided that I’d rather enjoy a stress-free Thanksgiving than make pies (I can hear gasps from those of you who know me!) so I rested & then made the cranberry sauces. I highly recommend the agave nectar version (I hate artificial sweeteners):

3 cups fresh cranberries

1 cup blackberries (I used frozen)

1/2 cup hot water + 1 heaping tblsp orange juice concentrate (or fresh orange juice + some zest)

1/2 cup agave nectar

Pomona’s Pectin (follow the directions for using honey or other sweetners, it’s super-easy!)

I had a delicious dinner of turkey (my brother-in-law cooked a killer one on the BBQ) with gravy, a large tablespoon of stuffing, lots of my yummy cranberry sauce, unsweetened yams with butter (yum!), roasted brussel sprouts (just toss in olive oil, sea salt & pepper, then roast in oven at 425° until fork-tender–you’ll be a convert!), lots of iced water with lemon, & fresh-brewed decaf coffee with cinnamon.  I was very well satisfied as everything was very good & really hit the spot!

What really surprised me though, was my behavior. Usually I have at least seconds, then prowl the dessert trays all night–I mean, Thanksgiving comes only once a year so I see no reason to be stingy, since I don’t eat like that every day. But now, I didn’t feel that way at all!  I had one solid plate of dinner, then sat back and just enjoyed myself while everyone else ate 2nds & 3rds.  I did look at the dessert trays several times–pumpkin pie, apple pie, lemon bars, pumpkin cake with frosting, chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies, ice cream–all things I really like. But I honestly didn’t feel a pull to eat. I did taste a teensy bite of pumpkin pie, just to see what I was missing, but it honestly didn’t taste the way I expected it too–it was too sweet!  I guess my tastes really are changing, for my own good!

I did feel a little strange without dessert though, as if I was interrupting some cosmic flow.   I didn’t want any of the desserts on the table (except for the cokkies, just a little bit) but I still wanted something.  So I drank my cinnamon-laced decaf, & when I got home I had half a Cashew Cookie Lara Bar with a favorite decaf tea–aaaaaaah.  I think next time I go to a meal function I’ll make sure to have a sweet treat with me thaat I like, & then everything will be just right.

Now this is the kind of progress I can live with!!!    ;-D