I just love Thanksgiving! It’s a wonderful time to reconnect with friends and family who I don’t see often, and while I practice gratitude routinely, my practice really revs up on this day. And then there’s the food. The aromas, the visual feast, the indulgences—they’re all part of the tradition.

While I’m not the head chef on Thanksgiving Day, I do enjoy putting my own healthy spin on a traditional favorite recipe. It’s fun to wow family and friends with dishes that taste delicious and that you can feel good about eating—a concept that’s near and dear to my heart and part of Luvo’s DNA.

Here are some delicious menu swaps that’ll upgrade your holiday menu.

Mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes

Ordinary mashed potatoes can be a landmine of butter and sour cream. As tasty as they are, if 245 calories of high glycemic carbs isn’t splurge-worthy in your book, consider making mashed cauliflower instead. Frozen cauliflower—with the same nutrients as fresh, preserved by nature in your freezer—works well in this dish. The per cup savings: 135 calories and 4.5 g of unhealthy saturated fat. The score: 7 times the amount of vitamin C and g of fiber by making the switch. You’ll also get more than a day’s worth of vitamin C and 5 times the amount of folate. And it’s dairy free, gluten free, and suitable for people following a paleo diet.

Mashed sweet potatoes made with orange juice instead of traditional candied yams made with brown sugar

First there was the soup Nazi on Seinfeld. Then there was the sugar Nazi. That’s me! It’s not that I think you should avoid sugar all the time. My philosophy is to put sugar in it’s place—in dessert-worthy splurges instead of in bread, pasta sauce, and all over my sweet potatoes. Subbing in OJ adds a subtle touch of citrus and saves you six teaspoons of sugar.

Whole grain stuffing instead of regular (white) stuffing

Whole grain stuffing is more about what’s in rather than what’s out. In: Fiber, iron, magnesium, zinc, and manganese, plus phytochemicals (plant compounds) associated with numerous health benefits. Whole grains have been linked with improving insulin and triglyceride levels, controlling belly fat, reducing inflammation and more. That white stuff? It pretty much has the opposite effect.

Pumpkin pie instead of apple pie

It’s kind of a no-brainer that a one crust pie beats a two-crust one. When I scanned the web, I found you’d save about 335 calories and 3 g of saturated fat, by going the pumpkin route. But that’s not all. Pumpkin is an amazing source of beta carotene, an antioxidant that when consumed as food, may reduce the risk of heart disease. It’s also been found to reduce wrinkles and give skin an enviable glow. Make mine pumpkin pie, please!

Green beans with toasted walnuts instead of green bean casserole

My food attitude: This is a no judgment zone. Except when it comes to green bean casserole. I reserve the right to judge green beans mixed with soy sauce, condensed soup, and off-the-shelf fried onions. Sodium. Bomb. OK, hopping off my soapbox and over to walnuts. Walnuts are unique among nuts in that they contain wonderfully healthy fats which have been shown to lower the body-wide inflammation linked with chronic diseases.

Brussels sprouts with pine nuts instead of Brussels sprouts with bacon

As a certified bacon lover, I have mixed feelings about this one. But I can make a nutrition case for it. The 8 oz slab of bacon I spotted in once recipe adds 235 calories and more than 7 g of saturated fat to each diner’s portion of cruciferous veggies. Pine nuts add texture, creaminess, and holiday flair without a hefty load of calories or saturated fat. And the whole recipe has fewer calories (a miniscule 83) than the one portion of bacon (and I didn’t add the honey or oil!).

Wild rice with mushrooms instead of rice pilaf with dried cranberries and pecans

Mushrooms excite me because their meaty texture and flavor works well in a number of dishes—from pilafs to tacos. Studies suggest that substituting mushrooms for meat is a good strategy for filling up on fewer calories—and thus helps on the weight loss front. Adding mushrooms to your holiday pilaf is a great way to dial up the nutrition, too: Mushrooms provide niacin, selenium, potassium, copper, and riboflavin. About those dried cranberries: They have 4 tsp of added sugar—or about 66 empty calories’ worth—per ¼ cup. Yikes.

I hope this list helps keep you and your family energized and satisfied throughout the holiday season! Eating for one? Try our delicious Turkey Meatloaf with mashed potatoes (all the flavor you need minus the 3 hour nap). Share your favorite holiday food swap with us here or on Facebook!