Planning Thanksgiving in a healthier way...

I'm on a real comfort-food cooking kick lately but this wars with my desire to eat healthy foods. This summer instead of being active and fit, I was lazing about.. then this fall I got super busy at work and am not training as much. Thus, I head into the holiday ("eating") season trying hard to maintain my current trajectory and lose more weight. (Already down 12, planning on another 15-20.)

Instead of my usual carb-fest at Thanksgiving, I'm cooking:

Turkey, gravy
Stuffing
Mashpots
Braised kale with chorizo
Green beans with onions
Maple roasted sweet potatoes
Pecan pie
(other desserts courtesy of the guests)

Seems pretty healthy, eh? I'm omitting classics like creamed corn pudding, buttermilk biscuits, the "real" green bean casserole with french fried onions, the dark chocolate-caramel-walnut tart, and apple strudel. I don't care for pecan or pumpkin pie, so hopefully this way I will be dessert-free on turkey day.

Anyway, came across this recipe for Jewel Roasted Fall Veggies. Serves 6, 190 calories and 7.5g fat per serving-- enjoy!

4 medium beets
1-1/2 pounds carrots
1-1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
8 large cloves garlic, left unpeeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Put the beets into a small baking dish and rub them with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and roast for 30 minutes.

While the beets are roasting, peel and cut the carrots into 1-inch-thick rounds, and trim the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half lengthwise. Put the carrots, sprouts, and garlic cloves in a large baking dish and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

After the beets have been cooking for 30 minutes, add the large pan of vegetables to the oven separately, and cook everything for 1 hour more, stirring the vegetable mixture once or twice.

Remove the beets from the oven and transfer them to a cutting board to cool. Stir the thyme into the carrot and Brussels sprout mixture and let it continue to cook for another 10 minutes while the beets are cooled and cut.

When the beets are cool enough to handle, after about 5 minutes, peel, then cut them into 1-inch chunks. Remove the other vegetables from the oven, toss with the beets, season with salt and pepper, and serve.