It’s that time of year again when we get together with family and friends to celebrate and be thankful for all the good that has happened to us throughout the year.

Truthfully, this Thanksgiving is a tough one for me because it’s the first year that I’ll be celebrating the holiday without my dad. So even though I have many things to be thankful for, occasionally, my loss sometimes overshadows my sense of gratefulness. I imagine this is natural and happens even to the best of us so I’m trying not to be too hard on myself.

I figure the best way to overcome these negative feelings is to maintain some sense of normalcy. If you’re a gapmuser, you know that every year we like to change things up in the kitchen. This year is no different. Along with our traditional Thanksgiving dishes, we’re introducing and sharing these 4 easy and delicious side dish recipes that are sure to surprise and delight your family and friends this Thanksgiving:

1. Sauteed Delicata Squash:

2. Shitake Mushrooms with Harissa Vinaigrette:

3. Roman Green Peas with Prosciutto:

4. Cabbage Stuffed Cabbage:

Despite our heartbreaking losses, life’s challenges, and ever present turmoil in the world, Thanksgiving is a great reminder that we still have a lot to be thankful for. And, it doesn’t have to be complex either. We can be thankful for the air we breath, the natural beauty that surrounds us everyday, our ability to take care of ourselves and loved ones, our health, and much more.

This year, I’m thankful for many things, but most of all, I’m grateful for the love and support of my family, especially my mom. Without her strength, resolve, love, and counsel, I couldn’t have been able to survive the loss of my dad.  I’m also most appreciative of this blog for keeping me sane (talk about normalcy!) And finally, I’m most thankful to you, gapmusers, for following and reading my blog, connecting and engaging with us on social media, and for continuing to support us even with fewer musings published this year. We heart you.

What are you thankful for? We’d love to hear from you.

Happy Thankgiving gapmusers! Hope you have one filled with love, joy, and inspiration.😃🍹

Be inspired.