With the holidays fast approaching and Celebrations now available with an amazing Thanksgiving section, I wanted to provide you with a resource guide of all of my favorite products. They may not all be available in your area, but you can take a look at the ingredients on the products and substitute with what you can find near you.

The Turkey  Tropical Traditions sells organic and pastured turkeys which are also free of soy! Order yours now to ensure you get it by the big day. Check Whole Foods or your local butcher for a quality turkey this Thanksgiving as well. Figure 1.5 pounds per person when deciding how large of a bird to buy. This will give you enough for dinner and some left over for soups and sandwiches the next day. You may be wondering what do all of the labels on poultry mean? Here's some common terms you will see on Turkey labels and what they mean:

Organic Food labeled organic must be raised on certified organic pasture and fed certified organic feed for their entire lives. They cannot contain drugs, antibiotics or growth hormones and must have year-round outdoor access.

Free-Range Under U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations, the free-range designation means that the turkey has been allowed access to outdoors. However, there are no actual requirements for how much time is allowed outside or the quality or size of the area.

Pasture Raised If possible, a 100% pasture raised turkey is superior as it ensures that the bird is allowed to roam freely and forage on the ground, as they were meant to. It ensures that the bird is not given a feed of soy, corn or other grains. The best place to find these turkeys is through local farmers. Turkeys can be labeled pasture raised if they are provided with pasture during the grazing season in their area and ensuring that the animals get at least 30 percent of their dry-feed intake from pasture grazing over the course of grazing season.

Natural This label means there are not any artificial flavors or flavoring, coloring ingredient, or chemical preservative. It also means that the product and its ingredients are not more than minimally processed. It does not mean that it is organic, free of GMO, or even ethically raised.

My Favorite Ingredients (click on the photo to purchase)

Many of these ingredients can also be found at your local grocery store, but the Amazon or online links are provided below

This is the best almond flour for baking your holiday treats and pie crusts. It is free of chemicals and pesticides and is extremely finely ground.	There's a recipe in Celebrations for homemade chicken or turkey stock, but when you're short on time this one by Pacific is fantastic. The ingredients are clean and you can find it at your local grocery store as well as on Amazon.
Palm shortening is a great butter or ghee alternative for baking if you cannot tolerate any dairy. Spectrum brand and Tropical Traditions are both ethically and sustainably sourced products. This brand can also be found at most health food stores.	I prefer homemade pumpkin puree, but I always keep a few cans on hand for the times when I'm craving something pumpkin with immediate gratification and don't feel like roasting a pumpkin!
My stuffing recipe calls for my new Blender Bread recipe, but if you can tolerate some grains and just want a quick alternative as a special occasion, I think the texture and flavor of Canyon Bakehouse is the best. I do not like any commercially sold ‘paleo' breads. Used to a Corn Bread Stuffing? Try my Corn Bread recipe in place of the Blender Bread!	Coconut sugar, aka palm sugar or coconut crystals, are a low glycemic sweetener that mimics brown sugar. You can find it in bulk at your health food store, or even at Costco stores!
Always use a canned coconut milk, and preferably one that is in a BPA free can if possible. Boxed coconut milk contains a lot of additives.	Coconut flour can also be found at your health food stores or through Tropical Traditions. I prefer Nutiva, Tropical Traditions, or Trader Joes brand.
A roasting rack lets air circulate around the bird while it cooks, ensuring that it cooks evenly. I like this stainless steel one because you can transfer it from the oven to the stovetop to make gravy.	We love the flavor of this raw honey! Costco, Whole Foods, and Trader Joes also sell great organic honey.
One of my favorite ways to save on prep time for the big feast is by chopping my veggies in a food processor. This is one of the of the most affordable ones on the market at under $50 and it works wonderfully!	Essential for getting a smooth gravy without a heavy layer on fat on top!

Want to know more of my favorite brands and products? Take a look at the ingredient glossary in any of my books, or click here to go to my Shop page.

Happy cooking and click here to order a copy of Celebrations, featuring over 125 gluten-free paleo holiday recipes!

Photo Credit: Erin Kunkel