So today is all about Thanksgiving. It’s wonderful to give Thanks always but it’s also nice to have a day that you for sure need to stop and give Thanks for what’s in your life!

Kinda like Valentines you can or do tell your other half that you love them all the time and show gestures of love throughout the year but when that day comes you know you just have one more excuse that you need to do something cute or special for them because it’s the international day where everyone shows love to one another so why not take advantage of this day!

With that being said it does seem that as soon as Thanksgiving comes around the corner, so do all the holiday parties, dinners, Christmas, New Years and so on… (here in Italy we have other Holidays throughout that time), but it does seem like there are endless events to attend and tons of reasons to eat! I love eating but I’m also one of those people that just don’t have the stomach to eat all these heavy dishes, I feel like my body starts rejecting and starts asking me to give it something green, healthy and not too heavy.
Click on these links below for my tips on how to:

• Indulging without Guilt
• Tips for a binge-free & Healthy Life
• Healthy Eating Habits that can Help u Lose Weight
• Eating Habits of Naturally Thin People

I love to indulge, but my indulgences also consist of more simple things like wine, cheese, bread, pie and maybe some baked goods or one of my favorite Panettone.
I don’t like stuffing, casseroles, creamy salad dressings, fried foods, frosting or icing, candy, chocolate (except the occasional 70-80% and generally only on Easter), sweet cocktails, sodas, or any of that stuff. I guess I wasn’t raised with it so my taste buds never acquired a liking to them.

So I guess what I am trying to say is that it might be easier for me to eat too much when it comes to cheeses, wine and that sorta stuff and although not as unhealthy as say maybe fried foods still too much of anything is not good. So, I always incorporate an array of veggie side dishes anytime I cook; especially on events such as these ones coming up this way I fill up on greens vs. pie.

I am glad about the lifestyle that I was raised with because eating and loving food the way I do is easier for me and I am able to stay on track because of the foods that I truly crave are after all not really that bad for me.

I know you’re thinking that this is a load of crap or that I’m strange how can I not crave french fries, or a huge burger with bacon & cheese, or sausage muffin, a chocolate sundae, a blizzard, coke, a bloomin’ onion, deep dish pepperoni pizza, fried chicken and waffles, etc…. well I had a tough time writing those down just because honestly those don’t come to mind when I’m hungry or craving something. I think truly it’s the human body what it’s accustomed to and what really wakes up your taste buds and mine are on a whole other array of foods.

Listen I’m not saying that you are a bad person if you eat these things, but what I am saying is that you have to really watch for these things because they aren’t good for you, they have to be occasional indulgences, especially living in the USA where they are so readily available. If you are a person that craves those things then I have to say that I am absolutely proud of the fact that you manage to live a clean healthy life with these occasional indulgences. You’re awesome! I’m not saying I don’t crave unhealthy stuff c’mon we are all humans and what I crave might not be what you crave.
But I have learned to satisfy my ‘cravings’ generally with one or three bites i.e. Cinnamon Rolls from Cinnabon; oh yes I went there they are delicious but also super high in calories, fat and carbs, I can’t generally finish a whole one on my own and generally take about 2 days to digest it so I know that if I order one I generally will be able to eat 1-2 bites and the rest will have to go I used to be able to finish it but now I can’t I have tried to make simpler yeast-free versions (recipe here) but I still don’t make them all the time because I know that I shouldn’t eat them all the time so I avoid. You see you have to learn to listen to your cravings but also be wise enough to know that you can stop and always go back for more another time. It’s not like you have to eat as much all in one seating. Space these cravings out throughout the year this way you won’t hate them and your body won’t hate you!

This is one of those things that I am thankful for: Being able to live a healthy lifestyle and sharing it with others. So others can learn to be happy about themselves and live a longer, happier, healthier, sexier life!

Now for my healthy cooking ideas.
For Low-fat cooking Ideas Click Here.

If you are having trouble trying to figure out what to make for sides here are some options I posted with a lot of recipes: (click on any of the links below)

• Healthy Side Alternatives
• Spinach & Ricotta no-Carb balls

Or maybe some healthier dessert options: (click on any of the links below)

• A healthier Carrot Cake
• Coconut-Peanut Butter cookies with Chocolate
• Nectarines with Honey Whipped Mascarpone  You could make this recipe with Strawberries and Berries instead of the Nectarines
• Dairy & Gluten-Free Oatmeal cookies
• Crunchy Nutella Peanut Butter Cookies
• Lime Pie
• Blueberry Yogurt Pie in a Ginger Crust

And there you have tons of ideas for this lovely Thanksgiving Day. I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving full of love, happiness and most of all Thankfulness.
With Much love from Mythineats! XO