Chances are you’ve got your Thanksgiving menu pretty well figured out at this point. But, juuust in case you’re still scrambling and digging through cookbooks and food magazines, I offer these three recipes as potential side dishes.

What the three have in common: beautiful colors, bright, comforting flavors, and a kind of rustic simplicity.  Slightly different than some of the traditional Thanksgiving sides, but not so different that guests will freak out and avoid them. And your kitchen will smell incredible.

Peas with Roasted Onions and Mint
Bon Appetit

2 medium onions, cut into 1/4-inch thick rings
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 cups water
4 cups frozen petite peas
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 450.

Combine the onion rings, oil and salt, then spread the rings on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until browned.

For the peas, bring 3 cups of water to a boil.  Add the peas, simmer for 5 minutes until tender, and drain.  Return the peas to the pan, and add in the roasted onions, mint, pepper and sugar.

Easy, right?

Braised Red Cabbage with Sausage and Apples
Cooking Light

6 oz turkey sausage (I like turkey kielbasa)
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
6 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped Granny Smith apples
2/3 cup apple juice (or cider)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Heat up the oil and saute the sausage and red onion until the onion is soft.

Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, giving the pot an occasional stir.

The cabbage and apples end up soft and tender.  I suppose you could go totally vegetarian and omit the sausage, but the sausage adds just the right amount of satisfying meatiness. With crusty bread, this could almost be a meal unto itself.

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds With Garlic Oil and Fried Sage
Gourmet

3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch-thick rounds

1/3 cup olive oil
24 sage leaves

Preheat the oven to 450.

Blend the garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil and salt, and mix together with the sweet potatoes.

Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and roast until soft, about 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat up the olive oil in a skillet and fry up the sage leaves in two batches, stirring for about a minute until crisp. Remove them onto paper towels to drain.

Serve the sweet potatoes with the sage leaves scattered on top.

(Note:  Even if you don’t normally like sage, don’t be scared off by this recipe.  The frying cuts the distinctive flavor and turns the sage completely mild — like a super thin, lightly sagey potato chip.)

With sides this good, who needs the turkey?