Celebrity Chefs Share Their Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

Even Thanksgiving dishes can be healthy while still being delicious. Rocco DiSpirito delivers on both counts.

Sometimes a healthier twist on Thanksgiving side dishes can offer a nice break. This recipe has some bold flavors that make the healthy twist very satisfying. Who says that healthy eating is boring?

If you haven’t discovered ras el hanout, it is an ingredient that can be quite versatile. The bold flavor makes each bite more enjoyable. It might make you want to eat more healthy eating recipes.

Rocco DiSpirito’s Stuffed Zucchini
Ingredients
• 4 large zucchini
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon ras el hanout
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups chopped tomatoes
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the insides.
Reserve the innards. Place the hollowed-out zucchini on a baking sheet.
3. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and sweat until
soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
4. Increase the heat to high, add the turkey, and brown for about 5 minutes.
Add the ras el hanout, tomato paste, tomatoes, and reserved zucchini insides
and cook until everything is soft and the mixture is almost try. Finish with
the cilantro.
5. Spoon the stuffing into the zucchini halves and bake until the zucchini is soft,
45 minutes to 1 hour.

Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian has taken the pedestrian sweet potato and punched it up for a fresh take on the traditional Thanksgiving accompaniment.

While sweet potatoes can be combined with pecans and maple, the spice from the ginger adds a bold balance. Plus, the use of ginger ale shows that many common foods can be transformed in innovative ways. If you haven’t used the pantry to elevate your traditional recipes, it is time to bring some more flavorful inspiration to the table.

Geoffrey Zakarian’s Pomegranate-Ginger Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients
Syrup:
• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1 12-ounce can ginger ale
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Kosher salt
Sweet Potatoes:
• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 2¼ pounds)
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• ½ lemon, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. To make the syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine
the pomegranate juice, ginger ale, and ginger. Bring to a boil and simmer rapidly
until reduced to 1/3 to 1/2 cup. The mixture should be syrupy and coat the back
of a spoon. Whisk in the butter, season with salt, and keep warm.
2. To make the sweet potatoes: Toss the sweet potatoes with the rosemary, lemon
slices, and oil on a rimmed sheet pan. Season with salt. Roast until the sweet
potatoes are tender, tossing once or twice, 30 to 40 minutes. Toss with the
pecans and pumpkin seeds and roast 5 minutes more. Mound the sweet
potatoes on a platter and drizzle with the syrup, making sure you hit all of the
potatoes.