Great Vegetable Side Dishes for Thanksgiving

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Keeping your meat-free friends and family happy with vegetable sides at Thanksgiving dinner can be nerve-wracking. After all, the holiday is usually centered around turkey. But it doesn’t have to be.

"Frankly, while the turkey may be the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table, when you look at most people's plates, the meat often takes up less room than all the sides," says Consumer Reports nutritionist Amy Keating, R.D. Here are some reasons why you may want to give vegetable side dishes just as much attention as the bird, plus some easy, delicious recipes from CR's test kitchen to try.

1. Vegetables Are Good for Your Heart and Your Waistline

It can be tempting to overindulge in bacon-wrapped appetizers this holiday, but your heart may be happier if you swap them out for crudités or roasted nuts.

Plant-based diets can reduce cardiovascular disease risks by lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol, among other things. Incorporating fall staples such as nuts and seeds—almonds, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts, for example—and cooking with canola or olive oil instead of butter will give your heart a boost by raising "good" HDL cholesterol. And plant-centric diets can also help you lose weight and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses.

2. Vegetables Are Better for the Environment

Producing any kind of food on an industrial scale is environmentally taxing, but the meat industry is especially resource-heavy, requiring more land, energy, and water than growing vegetables.

Livestock alone account for 12 percent of human-produced greenhouse gas emissions, a major driver of climate change. Researchers at the University of Manchester in England once calculated that in a meal with a turkey, vegetables, potatoes, cranberry sauce, and other sides, the turkey alone is responsible for 60 percent of the meal’s carbon footprint.

And while beef uses up more resources than any other meat by far, “turkey is about two to 10 times more energy- and resource-intensive than an alternative plant,” says Gidon Eshel, Ph.D., a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard.

3. Veggies Are Gut-Friendly

If you’re loading up on sausage stuffing and buttered rolls at Thanksgiving dinner, you might feel well-fed, but the trillions of beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms living in your gut could still be hungry.

A healthy gut is full of microbes that help digest your food and strengthen your immune system. When you eat poorly—meals high in saturated fat and sugars instead of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and olive oil, for example—you can negatively affect the composition of your gut flora, studies have shown. That has been linked to an increased risk of allergies, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

All plant foods contain fiber, and therefore support a healthy microbiome. Some research suggests that cruciferous fall vegetables, such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, are especially gut-friendly.

Acorn Squash Stuffed With Quinoa, Pecans, and Cranberries

Note: This dish can also serve as a vegetarian or vegan main course.

2 acorn squash (about 1 pound each)

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 cup quinoa

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

¼ cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves, chopped

1⁄4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

Directions
1. Heat oven to 400° F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds; brush the flesh with olive oil and place cut side down on baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until fork-tender.

2. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa in the vegetable broth according to package directions; set aside.

3. When the squash is done, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté garlic and onions until soft. Stir in quinoa and remaining ingredients and heat through.

4. To serve, fill the acorn squash halves with the quinoa mixture.

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional information per serving: 440 calories, 18 g fat, 2 g sat. fat, 66 g carbs, 9 g fiber, 11 g sugars, 10 g protein, 230 mg sodium

Green Beans With Almonds and Smoked Paprika

12 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut in half on the diagonal

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced, about ⅓ cup

1 teaspoon light brown sugar

¼ cup sliced almonds

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions
1. In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the green beans until just tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Cool under cold water. Drain well.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet; add the shallots and cook, stirring until just golden, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and stir constantly until the shallots are golden all over, about 1 minute.

3. Add the almonds, stir, and add the beans, paprika, and salt. Cook, stirring until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes, then serve.

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional information per serving: 90 calories, 5 g fat, 0.5 g sat. fat, 10 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 4 g sugars, 4 g protein, 150 mg sodium

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips With Shallot-Herb Butter

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon butter, softened

1 small shallot, minced

1 tablespoon chopped chives

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

Directions
1. Heat the oven to 450° F. Toss the carrots and parsnips in large bowl with oil, salt, and pepper.

2. Grease a 10x15-inch baking sheet with vegetable oil. Place the vegetables in pan and roast until browned, 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the butter, shallot, chives, and thyme in a small bowl.

4. When vegetables are done, toss them with the butter mixture and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional information per serving: 190 calories, 7 g fat, 2.5 g sat. fat, 32 g carbs, 9 g fiber, 11 g sugars, 3 g protein, 400 mg sodium

Braised Fingerling Potatoes With Rosemary

16 ounces fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and halved lengthwise

1 shallot, peeled and quartered, root left intact

3 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 1 teaspoon chopped

2 tablespoons butter

1⁄8 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

Directions
1. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in a large skillet. Place shallot pieces and rosemary sprigs in between the potatoes. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper, and pour chicken broth over potatoes.

2. Partially cover pan and bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat. Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 to 25 minutes.

3. Remove and discard the shallot pieces and rosemary sprigs. Using a slotted spoon, place the potatoes on a serving platter. Increase the heat to high and boil the remaining liquid 2 minutes uncovered until reduced slightly. Stir in the remaining butter and pour the sauce over the potatoes; sprinkle with chopped rosemary. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional information per serving: 150 calories, 6 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 21 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 1 g sugars, 4 g protein, 220 mg sodium

Frying Pans That Make Holiday Cooking Easier

If your skillet handle is loose or the coating on your nonstick pan is flaking, it's time for a new frying pan. Consumer Reports tests five types of frying pans: nonstick, cast iron, carbon steel, stainless steel, and copper. These models were top performers in our tests.