It's Thanksgiving here in Canada, and for us it's a time to reflect on gratitude. And that's gratitude not just for the bounty of this year's harvest, but for life itself and all it brings us.

What an amazing life this is. Especially in the many mysterious ways it provides for our needs.

Join us to hear more.

And as we reflect on gratitude and thankfulness, we see there's a link to our happiness as well. When I'm feeling thankful, I am generally feeling happy.

For years we pursued achieving and aquiring things as a source for happiness. Our cultural conditioning points us in that direction from a very early age. The idea that more is better and more brings more happiness.

But we've learned over time that it doesn't work that way. There would often be a temporary lift, but we quickly adapted to that state and needed more.

So, if more of something isn't the source of happiness, what is? Could it be that rather than more of some thing bringing happiness, it is more gratitude and enjoyment of what we actually have that brings happiness?

What if the content or amount of what we have isn't what brings happiness, but how we relate to whatever content and amount we have is the source?

I find when I'm not looking for something more in order to be happy, it allows me to be present and appreciate what I do have. By simply settling into the present experience and appreciating it for all it is, I find I'm feeling happy.

There's nothing wrong with the desire for more. But when I associate it with how I will become happier, I set myself up for disappointment. Happiness is always only found right here in this moment. Never in the future. Never from a circumstance changing. It's in my ability to be present and settled in this moment. In being present, gratitude, thankfulness and joy seem to find their way into my life.

The recipes this week are four of our favourite holiday dishes, Wild Rice Sage Dressing, Mashed Potatoes, Mushroom Gravy and Cranberry Sauce. And don't forget to add a big pot of greens and vegetables to the meal. We added kale, cabbage and string beans with our Caesar dressing, made from nuts that is under "Dressings" in the Recipes. Enjoy.

To your Amazing Health,
Connie and Bill

Mashed Potatoes (Serves 6)

• 8 potatoes (Red Skin is our favorite), cubed to cook quickly
• ¾ cup filtered water
• 1 tablespoon Sumac (Optional to give salty taste)
• ¾ cup almond milk (Recipe below)
• ground black pepper to taste

Add potatoes, filtered water and Sumac to a medium pan. Cook until potatoes are soft.

Mash potatoes with potato masher or electric mixer and add the almond milk 1/4 cup at a time until you have the consistency you like.

Add ground black pepper and mix well.

Serve and enjoy.

Almond Milk

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 2 cups filtered water

Add ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until creamy (45 seconds to 1 minute).

Store unused milk in a glass jar in refrigerator to use in other dishes or as part of oil free salad dressing.

Wild Rice Sage Dressing

• 4 cups wild rice blend cooked grain
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 2 tablespoons dried sage
• 6-8 cups (12-14 small to medium) mushrooms, diced
• 2 apples, cubed
• 1 pear, cubed (optional)
• ½ cup pecans
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1½ cups cashew cream (use recipe below or any regular plant-based milk)
• Optional: ¾ cup dried cranberries (if not serving with cranberry sauce)

If not going salt-free:

½ teaspoon sea salt

We always eat this dressing with cranberry or mushroom gravy, and with these added tastes don’t notice that it’s salt-free.

Add all ingredients except the cashew cream to a large bowl and mix well.

Pour the cashew cream over the mix and stir to combine well.

Scoop into an 8 x 12 casserole (you may need a secondary casserole dish to accommodate it all) and cover with foil. Bake at 350º F until onion and celery are soft, approximately 90 minutes.

Cashew Cream

• 1 cup cashews
• 2 cups filtered water

Add cashews and water to a high-speed blender and blend on high for 60 seconds.

NOTE: This makes more than needed for the Dressing, but requires this much volume to blend well. Store excess in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Mushroom Gravy

• 12 mushrooms (crimini is our favourite), sliced or diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons low-sodium tamari (or more to taste)
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 5 cups water
• 5 tablespoons kuzu (or arrowroot or corn starch)
• Optional: 1 teaspoon sage or Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy

Add mushrooms, onion and garlic with 1-2 tablespoons water to a large frying pan. Cook on medium heat until onions are transparent.

Add tamari, coconut aminos, black pepper, sage and Mrs. Dash (if using) and water and bring to a slow boil.

When boiling, add kuzu to a small bowl or measure cup with 5 tablespoons of water and mix well to dissolve completely.

Slowly pour the kuzu mixture into the boiling liquid, stirring as you pour. Keep stirring until the liquid is clear and thickened. 3-5 minutes.

Taste and adjust if it needs it.

Raw Cranberry Sauce

• 2¼ cups date paste (recipe below) OR 1½ cups brown rice syrup
• 2-10 oz. bags of fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 whole navel orange, wash well, use the orange, peeling and all
• 2 sweet apples, cored and cut in quarters

Thaw cranberries if using frozen. (Use no more than 20 oz. total)

Add date paste, cranberries, orange and apples to a food processor and pulse until fully blended and chunky.

Date Paste

• 2 cups dates
• 1¾ cups filtered water

Add both ingredients to a high speed blender and blend on high for 1 minute.

This makes a bit more than needed for the recipe. Store extra in the fridge up to one week.