VIRGINIA (WDVM) — We all know Thanksgiving may look a bit different this year, but for all you first-time hosts, the holidays don’t have to be hard. 

Chef Anja Lee Wittels says that there are easy, affordable ways to serve your family healthy and environmentally friendly foods this year. 

She showed WDVM how to make these mini pies that are healthy and simple.

“You’ve got tons of different flours and oils and things like that, that are just fresh, easy, and simple,” said Wittels. “It’s really good for your gut.”

She also highlighted the importance of being environmentally friendly this year.

Wittels says that many families may be eating outside this year to maintain social distancing, so she recommends using compostable plates to reduce non-biodegradable trash.

“We’ve got some compostable plates and things like that, so everything I’m doing here is just keeping it good for you, good for the environment,” she said.

The key to an easy and healthy meal is to keep it simple. Wittels recommends easy vegetables such as butternut squash and green beans. She also mentions her secret sauce — called “SPOG” — which is a mixture of salt, pepper olive oil, and garlic powder.

This combo, she says, can be added to any vegetable and thrown into the oven, and will leave your guests wanting more.