Tuesday Lunch
I’ve missed sitting down to a colorful plate full of nutritious goodies.
Today’s lunch included a hummus sandwich, made with Publix roasted red pepper hummus and zucchini slices.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
I also sliced up a fresh yellow pepper to serve on the side.
For some added protein and crunch, I also enjoyed a mini bowl of trail mix that was comprised primarily of pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
Trail Mix
What a good mid-day meal! 😀
Call for Thanksgiving Traditions
As Ryan and I were driving back to Orlando yesterday morning, he said something that caught me completely off guard.
“Thanksgiving is next week.”
Whaaaaat?
This simple statement sent me into a tailspin. Thanksgiving! Next week! The holidays are here? Ah!
I love the holidays. Something inside me feels warm, cozy and nostalgic when the holidays approach and I revel in the anticipation of spending quality time with family and friends.
Holiday Duo
I honestly felt a little sad when Ryan said that Thanksgiving is next week. I feel like I haven’t been fully immersed in the holiday spirit!
My head has clearly been elsewhere with our wedding and scrambling to plan a brand new honeymoon, but now it’s time to slow down and savor this wonderful time of year.
Since this will be Ryan and my first Thanksgiving as a married couple, I really want to start a new Thanksgiving tradition between the two of us. Please feel free to share any ideas or traditions you may have relating to Thanksgiving in the comments section of this post. If I receive a bunch of good ideas, I’ll be sure to list them in an upcoming post so we may all benefit and enjoy some holiday fun!
Perhaps a fun tradition would be creating this amazing Thanksgiving turkey cake:
Turkey Cake
(Source)
Yes, that is a cake made out of turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and stuffing!
Of Possible Interest
- Tips on How to Avoid Overeating on Thanksgiving (FitSugar.com)
- 13 Healthy Pizza Recipes (Health.com)
- 6 Surprising Health Foods (ThatsFit.com)
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A cake made out of turkey!? I cant believe Thanksgiving is next week either, but Im certainly ready for it!
This is our second Thanksgiving as a married couple, and one tradition we started last year was throwing a big “Friends-giving!”
We live in Los Angeles, away from our families, and can’t afford to fly home for both Christmas and Thanksgiving– so we throw a big Thanksgiving dinner here in LA with our friends, instead! Last year, we had a goofy “theme” and called it Dawsons-giving! We played the entire first season of Dawson’s Creek in the background while we prepared the meal! Silly, but fun. 😉
We’re still thinking of a theme for this year!
I have a tradition (started in undergrad, continued through grad school, and now as an “adult”) to have “Practice Thanksgiving”. The weekend before Thanksgiving, I invite everyone over for a potluck dinner. I make the turkey (and usually something else), while everyone else provides the side dishes and desserts. This year we have 25 people!! AHHH!!
A totally unhealthy tradition: The cherpumple.
Well, except that after making one, you never want to eat cake again. Just trust me on that.
what is it??? off to google…
http://districtchocoholic.blogspot.com/2010/11/cherpumple-part-1-exercise-of-epic.html
OMG… it’s a beast!!! in case any of you guys are in the dark about cherpumples like me: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304316404575580630406169718.html
unreal. i wanna try! 😀
It’s a multi-day project. Also, if I ever do this again, I want to do it with my own flavor ideas. Namely: peanut butter pie in chocolate cake. And cheesecake in chocolate cake.
I saw that post about the leftover cake and I think I might do a pie version!
Ugh — that turkey cake looks sick. Have you heard of a turducken? A chicken stuffed in a duck stuffed in a turkey. Blech!!
I’ve been listening to holiday music since Halloween, so I am definitely in the holiday mood 🙂 I especially love Thanksgiving–it’s just a nice breather from law school and a great time to spend time with the fam.
Not sure about that turkey cake though–I like my foods separated 🙂
One tradition that I always did when I was a kid was drive a few hours to see a really spectacular Christmas lights show the night before Thanksgiving. A botanical garden put it on and you rode around in a trolley for an hour in the freezing cold through something like 15 miles of the most amazing lights and singing carols. It was a little silly to do it the night before Thanksgiving, but it was also a really wonderful way to kick off the holiday season.
love that idea. 🙂
That cake is crazy! I never knew there was such a thing! I can’t wait for Thanksgiving. Although, I’m the one cooking so maybe I can wait a little bit longer. Haha 🙂
The hubby and I always decorate for Christmas after we have Thanksgiving dinner with my family. Nothing better than a clay-mation Christmas movie playing in the background while the tree goes up!
throughout the day (or days leading up to Thanksgiving), we write little notes on slips of paper saying what we’re thankful for and put them in a huge jar. Then at dinner, we pass around the jar and everyone reaches in and reads one aloud and we keep passing it around until the notes run out. It’s really fun! My family gets super creative and even though they are written without names, we guess who wrote what and some end up being pretty comical!
Another blog I read, Young House Love, does something similar and of course, had a cute DIY project for it: http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/11/thanks-glassing/
so adorable!
I don’t know if I could eat a Thanksgiving Turkey Cake….it would weird me out too much. LOL
We don’t do this, but I’ve heard of it and thought it was cool – have a special box for each person to put something they are thankful for into (written on paper). Then look at those old ones the next year.
My family had a lot of kids and we didn’t get to go out as a family much, but every year on either Thanksgiving Eve or Christmas eve (depending on which holiday was spent at home with my dad and stepmother) we would go to the movies. I loved going to the movies and it always felt more special to go on those days because of all the holiday excitement around you. And then of course driving around towns looking at Christmas lights on the way home.
Julie, I love your blog!! This is my first comment so I’m going to make it a good one! For the past 6 years my (new!) fiance and I each write a “I’m grateful for…” on a little piece of colorful paper (that I cut up in advance) every day for the month of November and place it in a designated jar on our kitchen table. Then, starting on Thanksgiving we each read a card each day and this continues on thru December and it usually ends around Christmas. That way during the holiday season we don’t forget what’s really important during the hustle and bustle. Plus it makes for a really sweet memento that we can look back on years later! Hope you enjoy!
P.S. Please post what you gave as your bridal party gifts!
congrats on being all fianced this year! 🙂 i love this tradition idea! also, i’ll definitely write a post about our gifts for our bridal party ASAP!
I read this on Young House Love and thought it was a fantastic idea that I definitely hope to start some day. Starting Nov. 1 they each (hubby & wife) write down on a piece of paper one thing they are thankful for each day. They use one color paper for hubby and one color paper for the wife. They continue to fill these out every day and put them in and a jar and then on Thanksgiving they get to read a bunch of things the other person is thankful for. I thought it was super cute. 🙂
Just saw that the person above be wrote the same thing. Probably should have read your comments before. Oops. 🙂
lol – i don’t mind duplicates 🙂
Seeing that I live in Canada, our thanksgiving was last month!
However, my fiance & my traditions at Christmas time are the following:
* we always watch the movie “Love Actually” on Christmas or boxing day… its my favorite Christmas movie & Ty (my guy) also really likes it
* about a week before Christmas we go to “Candy Cane Lane” which is a couple blocks of houses in a city near us that goes all out decorating their houses with lights & such… if it’s nice out we walk it, but last year was super cold so we drove instead while enjoying our hot chocolate
I love traditions! I can’t wait til me and my guy have more of them 🙂
Candy Cane Lane! Way to represent Edmonton!!! 🙂
Do you ever go to the house on 97th street near 137th avenue?? It’s lit up crazier than any house on Candy Cane Lane!
No I haven’t!
I find that the last couple years Candy Cane lane has been not as spectacular as it used to be, maybe theres new people living in the houses and they don’t go all out like the oldies did! I hope this year it’s wonderful because I always look forward to going to see it!
My family always travels for thanksgiving! It is great because my cousin and I were off of school. We usually go up to the Wisconsin dells, and stay at a place with a fantastic indoor water park/theme park. The thanksgiving day buffet is fabulous as well!
We also always see a movie on Thanksgiving day.
Hey Julie, that picture of you and Ryan, was that from one of the ICE! exhibits? We go to the one close to our home in Nashville at Christmas time! It’s awesome, but so cold……………
yes it is! we’re hoping to go again this year. they’re so neat – but FREEZING!
This isn’t super exciting, but my husband and I go for a Thanksgiving morning run together. Since we live in Indiana it means anything could happen – snow, rain, cold, warm. It’s just a little thing, but I’m looking forward to our run together this year!
I really like this post, especially since it is something that I have also been contemplating as a newlywed. For myself at least, the things that I often describe being thankful for are those that I can so easily take for granted in day to day life.
In the spirit of being a newlywed, I think it’s important to recognize those things in your spouse that you can sometimes take for granted, and acknowledge them. This year we have discussed writing letters to each other, just talking about the last year…the planning, the wedding, as well as other highlights of the past year, including even simple necessities like grocery shopping together:-) More importantly though, we want to remind each other of the qualities and characteristics that we love about each other.This can just be something for the two of you, alongside all of the other wonderful traditional group festivities.
Thanksgiving CAKE?? You just combined two of my favorite things. Definitely checking out that link right now…
My husband and I split Thanksgiving between my family and his, so we end up spending most of the day in the car. To make sure we get a relaxing Thanksgiving dinner, I do a mini-Thanksgiving for us a week or two beforehand! That way no matter how much running around we do on the day-of, we still had a great, delicious Thanksgiving in our home, together!
PLEASE do that tradition! That cake sounds surprisingly delicious haha 😀
My grandmother always stays over the night before. My whole family then gets up and watches the Macy’s Day Parade. Throughout the year, it has definitely deteriorated in quality, but my family wouldn’t miss it for the world!
I cook/host Thanksgiving each year for some family and friends. I get up early start the Turkey and snuggle in with coffee and the Macy’s Parade.
Maybe you guys could do a Thanksgiving breakfast. Maybe get up and prepare a glorious, nutritious, and healthfully filling breakfast each year. Plus, if you’re like me, you’re tempted to not eat all day in anticipation of all the goodies for lunch and/or dinner. This breakfast will keep you guys going and keep you from over indulging during the lunch and/or dinner times.
Another idea is to maybe find a 5K or something (Turkey Trots are all around) and commit to doing that each year. Most runs are done by early morning and would be a healthy commitment between the two of you each year. 🙂
Happy holidays!
That turkey cake really looks like a real cake (as in for dessert)!
in our town, there is a “Turkey Trot” every year, which is holiday 5k. My (new!) husband and I didn’t really want to deal with the crowds, so we started our own “Turkey Trot” on the morning of Thanksgiving with our dog. This year, we’ve also convinced his sister and mom to run with us! We even made ridiculous t-shirts. I love working out in the morning, knowing how stuffed I will be later 🙂
that is unbelievably awesome. my friend merri’s family does the same thing! she lives near ryan’s mom & i’m hoping to piggy back on her family’s 5k this year. 🙂
i’ve been trying to convince my husband that our pup needs a turkey trot hat or at least a shirt, but he’s not biting … congrats on the wedding, btw! you looked stunning, i loved your dress.
omg if you do that PLEASE send me a picture! 🙂
oh my! i’m with you, it’s crazy that thanksgiving is next week. i am so not ready. my husband and i are spending thanksgiving with his family and while that’s fun & all, i can’t wait until family comes to US for the holidays. 🙂 i am so over the travel… sigh…
Hmm, I find that cake totally intriguing and would give it a try!
Our tradition is that I bake a whole pumpkin pie just for me and a whole applecrisp just for Zach and we eat it for breafkast Thanksgiving day and every day after until they are both gone =)
i like your style, shanna!
One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions in our family is getting up Thursday morning and running a 5 mile race in town. It is such a great way to start the day off and get some miles in, and a great way to spend time together away from the dinner table!
My family runs Turkey Trots too on Thanksgiving. It makes the day go so much better and you don’t feel as guilty for snacking all day or for that extra piece of pumpkin pie! 😉
oh my gosh that cake is crazy!
also, this sounds so creepy, but i had a dream last night and you and ryan were in it! i dreamed that you guys, me, and my hubby all went to Hawaii to watch a big wave surfing competition.
RANDOM!
This is a gooby tradition, but every year on Thanksgiving day my husband, four-legged daughter and I have our Christmas card picture taken. I am obsessed with our Christmas card each year and scour the internet for the cutest one for days! I’m sure you and Ryan will come up with something better but that’s all I’ve got! 🙂
~Laura
You and Ryan should pull the wishbone and see whoever wins. The loser has to clean up!
I’m jealous of everyone’s Thanksgiving traditions! I married a police officer so his schedule totally messes with any kind of Thanksgiving day tradition. One thing we do during the holidays is go out and pick out a Christmas tree together each year (we each like different types so it switches every other year) and decorate it together with Christmas music playing-sure it might have to be a Saturday morning or a Wednesday night but I do look forward to it each year.
Like Jessica, my husband’s work schedule is pretty unpredictable, so our traditions have to be flexible. 😉
*Turkey trot! (I LOVE the crowds-you can definitely feel the holiday spirit!)
*Ending the day by watching “White Christmas” to kick off the Christmas season
*Making cinnamon rolls Friday morning and decorating. Throw in a little late-morning black Friday shopping for good measure. =)
I also love this tradition and hope to start it-buy a light colored table cloth and have everyone write one thing they’re thankful for. Sign and date it and pull it out every year to add to it!
Every thanksgiving we go to a movie – not only does it give our food time to digest, but it’s something we never do as a family any more since we’re all grown up.
And this year, Big Guy and I are taking the Monday after Thanksgiving off work so we can decorate the house, watch a Christmas movie and eat chili. A way to rewind after a crazy weekend.
About 3 years ago, my husband and I started a tradition to run the Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving morning. It’s so much fun! Many large cities organize a Turkey Trot. His family has joined us the last 2 years, as well. It’s a great way to start the holiday centered around family, fellowship and food.
That cake is insane! I just emailed the link to some people because it’s so amusing!
Awww.. I love all the traditions! I think the 5k is really cute idea! Since you are so crafty it would be cool to maybe start a photo album of thanksgiving each year. Like take one picture each year and put it in a book. It would be cool to watch you guys grow together.
Congrats on your FIRST THANKSGIVING AS A MARRIED COUPLE!! That is so special, and could’t come at a better time, because you have so much to be thankful for right now (you just got married to your soulmate!). I like expressing my gratitude and appreciation of the people I love in my life by making them a small momento that expresses how much they mean to me. You can write all the things you love about them, make a collage with pictures of all of you, and let them know how appreciated and special they; how much they’ve touched your life and how much they mean to you.
Another idea is doing a scavenger hunt: these are fun no matter when you do them!
Celebrate by eating pumpkin pie and stuffing for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Cook and bake together! You’ll be spending time with eachother preparing your Thanksgiving meal! This is such a great idea! You both participate in your meal (which is another reason to be grateful- for being able to have good food). This is a bonding activity and a great way to make Thanksgiving special.