Spreading Healthy Thanks
If you enjoy the feeling of being as stuffed as the Thanksgiving turkey, have fun with your food coma. Thanksgiving does not warrant an opportunity to binge on all the foods you’ve been avoiding, i.e. carbs. Before you rule out all the delicious foods, we’ve researched recipes that are slimmed down versions of some of your favorites and bring a new twist on Thanksgiving food.
Stuffing
Stuffing, other than the turkey, is my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. It goes perfectly with all the other foods and is a once-a-year food that I always look forward to but did you know that typically one cup serving of stuffing has 400 calories! Reduce the fat content and cut a portion of the calories by not using butter and substituting quinoa for traditional bread. Here is a list of recipes that will please your stomach and your pants size:
- Healthy Harvest Stuffing
- Quinoa Stuffing With Leeks, Walnuts, and Cherries
- Sweet Potato and Apple Stuffing
- Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing
- Couscous Stuffing
Turkey
This Thanksgiving dinner staple will be the source of leftovers for days to follow but one 6 ounce serving of white meat has almost 300 calories. Dark meat (legs, wings, etc.) is packed with sodium and usually has more calories than white meat but you can have your turkey by some simple swaps to traditional recipes:
- Michel Nischan’s Roast Turkey with Potato Pan Gravy
- Weight Watched Turkey and Gravy
- Roast Turkey Breast with Gravy
- Rosemary Roasted Turkey
- Brined Herb-Crusted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Smooth and creamy mashed potatoes are amazing to eat but not amazing for trying to fit into jeans. A 1/2 cup serving usually has 232 calories but some simple swaps like baked potatoes or sweet potatoes can help reduce your calorie intake. This one may be hard for you to do but delicious recipes like these can be used throughout the holiday season:
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Low-Calorie, Low-Fat Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Red Potatoes & Turnip
- Low-Fat Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Even though green beans are a healthy vegetable and even with only 172 calories per serving, it is usually loaded with sodium. There is no need to sabotage the green veggie with a bath of cream of mushroom soup and deep fried onions. Slim down the skinny bean with reduced fat, sodium, and calories in these yummy recipes:
- Home style Green Bean Casserole
- Campbell’s Healthy Request Green Bean Casserole
- Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots
- Twisted Green Bean Casserole
- Spinach Green Bean Casserole
Pies
Dessert is my absolute favorite part of any meal and I look forward to my mom warming up a pie from the local bakery every year. Don’t get rid of pies at your dinner but your can pass up the typical 400 calorie/slice apple pie but substituting egg whites or using crustless pie crust. Save the best for last with some slimmed down Thanksgiving pies:
- Deep Dish Apple Blackberry Pie
- Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
- Mini Pecan Pies
- Crustless Pumpkin Pie
- Chocolate Walnut Cake
Enjoy your time with friends and family by bringing them one of the recipes if you aren’t hosting the dinner at your place. We swear, if you don’t tell them any of these are healthy, low-fat, and substituting fattening ingredients, they won’t even notice. Practice these on your girlfriends and/or fiance before serving them to a large group of people all while sipping a glass of wine.
Happy Cooking!
Tat
