MAKING THE BEST OUT OF THANKSGIVING: A STORY OF TRIUMPH
(Plus an Amazing Black Friday Deal from Britax!)
2020, you’ve taken a lot of things from us...
Live SoulCycle classes.
Hot Yoga.
The spirit of in-person connection.
Manicures. Lash Extensions. Blow-outs. (*sigh*)
All jokes aside, the list goes on… from a broken economy to millions falling ill, suffice it to say: IT’S BEEN A YEAR.
So here we are, the most beautiful season: autumn. Ready to turn a corner, see family, have a
home cooked meal together… and then:
A COVID spike….
But here’s the thing. If 2020 has done one thing, it’s made us FLEXIBLE. RESILIENT. Able to
shrug our shoulders and realize that the ONLY thing that matters is our health…
Everything else is just… gravy.
Um, no pun intended.
When we realized that Thanksgiving was going to be a solo celebration here at Team NYCfitfam HQ (meaning no extended family), we put our thinking caps on. We really wanted to spice things up to give the kids a great holiday, even though extended family wasn’t on the menu… not to mention Turkey… we’re plant-based!
But before we get to all of that, let’s talk about some of the GOOD THINGS that came from this seasonal switch-up…. aka, the continued Silver Linings of quarantine.
Something else not on the menu: HOLIDAY TRAVEL! Aka, no long car rides, traffic,
“are-we-there-yets,” puking in the backseat, or any of the other lovely things that usually
accompany Thanksgiving celebrations.
Don’t get me wrong: we were TOTALLY prepared for it all… even if we had to travel "home" to the NYC/CT area from our new home here in Pennsylvania, our kiddos would have been safe and secure in their amazing Britax car seats.
When we secure Mason into his Britax Grow With You Harness-to-Booster ClickTight car seat, we know he’s always safe with his 5-point harness and SafeCell Impact Technology that would create a crumple zone if god forbid we were in an accident… not to mention the “cool-flow” fabric, which helps him stay cool.
That feature DEFINITELY comes in handy on those long car rides to Grandmas… our lil Mason is a sweat-monster!
Our plans still include car travel locally, so we’ll be clipping him in for sure… one of the joys of our post-COVID move to Chester County, PA is that it’s COUNTRY LIVIN’ at its best, and
autumn here is truly spectacular. We’ll be snagging seasonal veggies at nearby farm stands and shopping local for all our Thanksgiving cooking & decorating needs, so we’re grateful to Britax for keeping our kiddos safe…. incidentally, Asher rides in a Britax car seat too.
While we’re on the subject of kiddo car safety - if you’re in the market for a car seat, stroller, or booster seat, check out these amazing Black Friday deals from Britax.
Head over to this Bob Gear or visit participating retailers Amazon, Target, buybuyBaby, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Albee’s, Brixy and Walmart.
Save up to 20% on select gear
Select Infant Car Seats – Save up to 10%
Select Strollers – Save up to 10%
Select Travel Systems - Save up to 10%
Select One4Life All-in-One – Save up to 10% (this is what Asher has)
Select Convertible Car Seats – Save up to 20%
Select Harness-2-Booster Seats - Save up to 20% (this is what Mason has)
Select Booster Seats – Save up to 10%
Ok, moving on….
So, what else are we doing to make (Plant-Based) Turkey Day special? Here’s the plan:
Step 1: Get Everyone Excited!!
We’re using a “Gratitude Turkey” to get everyone in the mood. Here’s how it works:
We had the kids create the body of the turkey out of construction paper. The “feathers” each represent something they’re thankful for. They put on 2-3 a night every night leading up to Thanksgiving!
Step 2: Get in the Mood!!
We recently moved to Chester County, PA…. and there is literally no place more beautiful in the fall! Talk about something to be GRATEFUL FOR!!
We’re not going to sit around and be sad we can’t see family when there is so much beauty in the world… specifically in our own ‘hood!
We know our family loves us, but this year, we’re about being GRATEFUL for what we have, not what we’ve lost…
And thus… this ‘lil family of four is taking our show on the road from the safety of our car (in our Britax car seats!) to look at foliage, eat Apple Cider Donuts, and continue to source pumpkins, gourds, mums, and other goodies to decorate our house and keep it in all its PUMPKIN SPICED GLORY!!!
Step 3: What’s Cookin’ Good Lookin’??
We aren’t cookin’ for extended family, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy a Thanksgiving feast… in fact, typically I hardly eat anything on Thanksgiving because we usually go to my moms where literally not one thing that is served would be anything I’d every consider eating. Our family eats a certain way (organic, plant-based, gluten free, and dairy free) so this year actually allows us the freedom to have a feast the way WE WANT IT! Pretty awesome!
Here’s what will be on our menu… check out this awesome blog post from Making Thyme for Health for all the recipes!
VEGAN THANKSGIVING MEATBALLS
Vegan Thanksgiving ‘Meatballs’- hearty, satisfying and packed full of umami flavor, these vegan ‘meatballs’ are gluten-free, grain-free and nut-free.
https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/vegan-thanksgiving-meatballs/
MUSHROOM LENTIL LOAF
Mushroom Lentil Loaf- a savory meatless loaf made from a healthy combo of mushrooms, lentils, walnuts, sunflower seeds and fresh herbs.
https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/mushroom-lentil-loaf/
BARLEY STUFFED ACORN SQUASH
Barley Stuffed Acorn Squash- roasted acorn squash stuffed with creamy barley and seasonal vegetables.
https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/barley-stuffed-acorn-squash/
SIMPLE GREEN BEANS WITH OLIVE OIL AND SHALLOTS
Simple Green Beans with Olive Oil and Shallots- an easy side item that even the pickiest of eaters will love!
https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/simple-green-beans-olive-oil-shallots/
SHREDDED BRUSSELS SPROUT AND KALE SALAD WITH MAPLE PECAN ‘PARMESAN’
Shredded Brussels Sprout and Kale Salad with Maple Pecan ‘Parmesan’- this salad is robust and flavorful.
ROASTED SWEET POTATO, KALE AND FARRO SALAD WITH LEMON TAHINI DRESSING
Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale and Farro Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing- perfect for healthy lunches or a nutritious side item to serve for the holidays! (vegan + nut-free)
https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/roasted-sweet-potato-kale-farro-salad/
HEALTHY, PLANT-BASED PUMPKIN PIE
We’re doing out our own version that hubby George made up without the Coconut Sugar or Coconut Milk (personal preference). And we’ll surely be topping it with a big ‘ol dollop of plant-based whipped cream too!!
Happy Thanksgiving (& Black Friday) everyone!!!
Note: This post created in partnership with BOB Gear / Britax US. All opinions are my own.
