Go Healthier at Thanksgiving ! Here's How...
Make A Guilt Free Holiday Feast !
You don't have to pass up all those delicious Thanksgiving foods ! We have taken all your favorite holiday recipes and transformed them with much healthier and low calorie ingredients....... without changing the taste ! The calories in stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, even green bean casserole can be cut in half or more with nothing more than a few different choices in what you put in them. Try a few of our recipes and you will see that classic Thanksgiving entrees and side dishes don't have to be full of calories, carbs and fat to be delicious.
That is something to be thankful for !
~all photos courtesy of Flickr.com
Cranberry Apple Relish - 1/4 cup = 24 calories
This relish is a favorite in our family to replace plain jellied cranberry sauce. So easy to make and impressive when served.
2 cups ground fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup diced, pealed apple
1/4 cup raisins
sugar substitute equivalent to 3/4 cup of sugar
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Makes 2.5 cups. (10 servings)
Serving: 1/4 cup
Calories: 24
Carbs: 6 gm
Fiber: 1gm
Classic Pan Gravy - 3 Tablespoons = 31 calories
1 qt. water
1 onion, cut in pieces
1 stalk celery, cut in pieces
2 Tbsp. canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp. Dash seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
First, make turkey stock. Remove the giblets from the bird and wash well. Boil giblets together with neck in 1 quart of water with onion and celery. Drain off broth and refrigerate to defat.
To make gravy, heat canola oil in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in cornstarch until smooth. Add 3 cups turkey stock, bay leaf, wine and seasonings.
Cook over low heat, stirring, until gravy thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
Calories: 31,
Total Fat: 1g,
Carbs: 3g,
Cholesterol: 0mg,
Protein: 1g
Mashed Potatoes
1/2 cup = 69 calories
The secret is to use cauliflower and potatoes to cut calories. I guarantee that no one will taste anything but mashed potatoes.
2 large potatoes, peeled and halved
1 (10 oz) package of frozen cauliflower
1/4 cup low fat milk
1 tablespoon of low calorie margarine
1 tablespoon or chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
Cover potatoes with water in a 2 qt. saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for 10 minutes until almost tender. Add cauliflower. Simmer covered 5 minutes longer until the vegetables are tender. Drain. Puree potatoes and cauliflower in a food processor, place in a large bowl. Stir in milk, butter, parsley, cheese and pepper. Either mix well with a spoon or put everything back in the food processor for a more smooth consistency.
69 calories for a 1/2 cup serving
Stuffing - 1/2 cup = 106 calories
1 tblsp light butter
14 oz stuffing bread (such as peppridge farm)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced musrhoom
2-3 cloves of garlic
2- 2 1/2 cup chicken broth
poultry seasoning to taste ( I usually use 1-2 tsp)
pepper to taste around 1 tsp
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Heat a large saute pan once heated add butter and spray with cooking spray add carrots and saute add celery, onion, garlic and mushroom add additional cooking spray if needed continue cooking until veggies are tender remove from heat transfer to bowl and allow to cool slightly
In a large bowl add bread stuffing and veggies toss together, season with pepper and poultry seasoning, add chicken broth mixing until moist but not soaking taste and adjust seasoning
Spray casserole dish with cooking spray, add stuffing mix and cover with foil. Bake 20-25 minutes uncover and cook additional 10 minutes or until slightly crispy on top.
Calories: 106.1 per 1/2 cup serving
Total Fat: 1.4 g
Total Carbs: 20.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.9 g
Protein: 2.8 g
Green Bean Casserole - 3/4 cup = 103 calories
1/3 chopped onions
1/3 cup fine dry plain bread crumbs
4 slices turkey bacon
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can of 99% fat free, low sodium, condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup fat free yogurt
1/3 teaspoon liquid smoke
3 (9 ounce) packages frozen French style green beans, thawed
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with no stick spray.
In a small bowl, stir together the onions and the bread crumbs. Evenly spread the mixture on the cookie sheet. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the onion mixture from the oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, cook the bacon according to the directions on the package. Chop the bacon and set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together the condensed soup, yogurt and liquid smoke. Then stir in the beans and bacon.
Lightly spray a 11 x 7 baking dish with no stick spray. Transfer the bean mixture to the baking dish,. Top with the onion mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Calories 103 for 3/4 cup serving
Fat 2 gm
Cholesteral 7
Candied Sweet Potatoes - 1/2 cup = 110 calories
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
2 tablespoons orange all-fruit preserves
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 teaspoon of all spice
Combine the juice and preserves, blend well. Arrange the potatoes in a baking dish. Pour the orange mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle with all spice. Cover the dish with tin foil.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally. Or microwave (no tin foil) for 20 to 25 minutes. Potatoes are done when you can pierce them easily with a fork.
Calories 110 for a 1/2 cup serving
fiber 2 gm
Sugar 1.4g
Carbs 23 gm
Protein 1 gm
Pumpkin Pie - 114 Calories for 1/8 of a Pie
16 ounce can solid pack pumpkin
13 ounce can evaporated skim milk
1 egg
2 egg whites
1/2 cup biscuit mix (like Bisquick)
2 tablespoons sugar
8 packets sugar substitute, (16 teaspoons or 1/3 cup)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons vanilla
Pumpkin Pie Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray. Place all ingredients in blender, food processor or mixing bowl. Blend one minute or beat two minutes with mixer. Pour into pie pan and bake for 50 minutes or until center is puffed up.
Yield: 8 servings
Calories: 114 per 1/8 pie piece
Carbohydrate: 18.5 grams
Protein: 6.3 grams
Fat: 1.9 grams
Fiber: 1.4gm
Cholesterol: 37mg
Apple Crisp - 1/2 cup = 190 calories
4 large baking apples, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup brown sugar substitute (like Splenda Brown Sugar)
1/2 cup wheat flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup low fat margarine
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking
spray and place the apples in the pan.
Mix the brown sugar substitute, flour, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg together and
place on top of the apples. Drop dots of margarine over the dry mixture.
Bake for 25 minutes
.
Serving size: 1/2 cup.
Calories 198
Total Fat 5g
Saturated Fat 1g
Carbohydrate 61g
Fiber 4g
Sugars 24g
Protein 3g
Imagery Credits
and Recipe Credits
Thanks to Dreamstime.com for providing the photos that make this lens look great !
These recipes started out as family recipes, but I have reworked them and made them my own. Please do not copy, for other than personal use, without my permission.
Fun Food Poll ~ What Do You Think ? - Do You Believe It Or Not ?
Do lower calorie versions of classic dishes taste the same as the originals ?
This Page won a
Purple Star!
Thanks Squidoo
Cooking Apps - For Android
Helpful Links About Eating Healthier - Great Recipes Too !
- Eating Well
An excellent site, with many sections on a variety of subjects such as meal planning, recipe makeovers, kids cooking and kitchen product reviews. - Heathland
A great article on how to make a healthy diet more affordable. - Good Housekeeping
This site has lots of great advice on food as well as other aspects of life. - Smart Balance
This site offers recipes and cooking tips for healthier living. - Healthy Eating by Food Network
Great tips on how to eat healthy and recipes of all types.
A Bit About Jade ...
and why I wrote this page
Along with the rest of the baby boomer population, as I get older, i worry about my health more. After doing some research, I found that the single biggest contributing factor to your health (that you have control over) is what you eat. It isn't only about weight anymore. What you eat can have a significant effect on your arteries, your heart, blood pressure, cholesterol, and even your energy level on a day to day basis.
Like most people, I don't want to give up all the foods I love, so I did the next best thing.....I learned to cook in a new way. It's not really any harder, but it certain pays off in health and a happier life.
Do You Love Cooking?
How About Gardening, Sewing and Crafts?
If you do, you might want to visit my Blog Homemade by Jade This blog is dedicated to reviving the skills of "homemade." Most of the posts are about gardening, cooking, sewing, crafts and DIY household projects.