It's getting closer by the day: Thanksgiving Dinner. Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce... the list goes on and on. You may have anxiously awaited this giant feast every year in the past, but now you're on a diet. The ITG Diet. And you are a little nervous, as you've only got your protein covered, turkey. Now what to do about all those carb- and sugar-filled side dishes? ITG is here to help, and to show you how delicious a healthy Thanksgiving Dinner can be (and probably should be!)

If you will be partaking in a big family dinner this Thanksgiving and you are on the ITG Diet, have no fear! We have seen people have a very hard time on the diet due to one major factor: lack of planning. Start planning now so that when the big meal is being laid out on the table, you can make informed decisions on what to eat, what not to eat, and what you can substitute in place of the unhealthy sides being served in (over)abundance.

Your first step in planning a healthy Thanksgiving meal is to be prepared with recipes. Recently in the ITG Kitchen, Wellness Coaches Tina and Joe got to work on giving some classic side dish recipes a healthy new twist. The picture above is of the sides that they cooked.

The dishes were:

Mashed "Potatoes" made from cauliflower as well as rutabaga, with salt, pepper and garlic to season

Breadless Stuffing made out of cauliflower "rice", garlic, celery, mushrooms and seasonings

Green Bean Casserole using the ITG Cream of Mushroom Soup as a substitute with crunched Sour Cream Zippers for a topping

Last but certainly not least, dessert was a Mock Cinnamon Baked "Apple" Crisp made from zucchini, Walden Farms Apple Butter and our new Vanilla Cinnamon O's crunched on top

Paired with a large turkey breast, these dishes all came together to make a fantastic Thanksgiving meal that had so few carbs and sugars compared to the real thing, but tasted just as good if not better!

Your next step in a healthy Thanksgiving meal is to practice. Some of these dishes can be easy to make, but a little experimentation to get it to taste to your liking may be in order. Joe used extra sage and rosemary to produce a classic stuffing taste and smell that made everyone second guess the fact that they weren't eating bread! Tina's "Apple" Crisp was so delicious, it tasted like a fresh apple pie with just the perfect amount of sweetness and crunch on top to make mouths water!

Lastly, you should plan on bringing one of your favorites to a gathering of family and friends, and decide whether or not to tell them or fool them with your own healthy recipe. As long as you have your healthy dish or two to fall back on, you can go back for second helpings and not feel guilty one bit enjoying your creation!

So don't let one meal throw you off course. You have been learning to eat healthier, and you can still enjoy a delicious tasting side dish on the biggest foodie day of the year by planning ahead and sticking to your ITG Diet Plan!

Click here for Thanksgiving Recipes

Visit the ITG Diet Recipe Section for these recipes and many more!