Something Different (& Less Stressful!)
According to Rapoport, his most successful Thanksgiving dinner was the one when he realized you don’t need to over-plan and over-cook. This of course is the exact opposite of how I approach Thanksgiving every year. But for Thanksgiving 2017, I have already planned to simplify the whole thing. A lot. I’m type A so I actually need to plan to simplify (wink).
I always make a clean Thanksgiving, but it isn’t necessarily a simple one. But this year I’ve gotten a head start on simplifying things by rounding up a list of big-flavor/ low-effort clean recipes that could easily be served for any holiday meal. After reading Rapoport’s editor letter I realized I don’t necessarily need to stick to the traditional Thanksgiving menu items to make for a memorable holiday meal. I’ve included the list of recipes I am thinking about in a post I did for the 6-Ingredient Carrot Ginger Soup recipe, which is also on this year’s menu, by the way.
And of course this unconventional Bloody Mary mix recipe is also on the menu!
Once you have the tomato juice base made (which can be prepared and frozen up to two-weeks in advance), the rest is easy peasy!
I like my Bloody Mary’s loaded, so much so that they often look like I’ve got a salad in my glass. But if you are setting up a build your own Bloody Mary bar, you can offer as many or as few fixings as you like. Of course, you don’t need to even add alcohol if you just want to sip a super healthy mocktail while you wait for the main course.
The bloody mary mix recipe is at the end of the blog post, but here are my ideas for building a clean bloody mary bar…
How to Build Your Own Clean Bloody Mary Bar
Pick and choose as many or as little of the following accoutrements to create the ultimate clean Bloody Mary Bar.Produce:
- Lemons
- Limes
- Celery
- Cucumber slices
- REAL Kosher pickle spears
- Pickled beans and asparagus
- Pickled beets, cauliflower or carrots
- Marinated artichoke hearts
- Marinated pearl onions
- Baby corn
- Olives
Protein:
- Oysters
- Cooked Wild Shrimp (be sure to read this before you buy shrimp)
- Hardboiled eggs
Flavor Boosters:
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Garlic salt
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Lemon pepper
Spicy Kickers:
- Tabasco sauce
- Fresh horseradish sauce
- Kimchi
- Sriracha
How to Make a Clean Bloody Mary Mix Recipe
For those of you with food allergies and food sensitivities, it’s helpful to know this Bloody Mary Mix recipe meets the following dietary restrictions:
Egg Free / Grain Free / Bean-Free / Gluten Free / Paleo Friendly / Vegetarian/ Vegan/ Nut Free / Dairy Free/ Soy Free
Kitchen Favorites
Clean Bloody Mary Mix Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Makes 10 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 5 cups of water, plus more if desired
- 5 medium-large tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 beetroot, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 medjool dates
- 1 tablespoon fresh horseradish
- 2 small cucumbers, cored, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- Ice, optional
- Unflavored, gluten-free vodka, optional
Instructions
- Add oil to a large saucepan and heat over medium. Add the water, tomatoes, onion, garlic, beetroot, carrot, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook on medium heat for about 35 to 45 minutes, or until vegetables are soft (stirring now and again). Remove vegetables from heat and set aside to cool.
- Once cooled to room temperature, work in small batches (about 2 cups at a time) to puree the vegetables with their liquid in a high-speed blender. To the final batch, add the dates, horseradish (if using), cucumbers, basil and lime juice. Process on high speed until mixture is smooth.
- Transfer all of the pureed vegetable juice to a large pitcher and stir with a wooden spoon several times. Chill the pureed vegetable juice in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.
- To serve, pour 1 cup of the vegetable juice mixture into a tall glass. Add ice and 1-ounce vodka, if desired. See ideas for building your own Blood Mary Bar below.
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Notes
Bloody Mary vegetable juice base can be made up to two weeks in advance and frozen.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
