Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate with family and friends and enjoy our favorite foods. Here are some ideas:
turkey. Turkey is a fairly lean meat, especially in white variations. A vitamin-packed 3-ounce serving contains 135 calories, 3.25 grams of fat and 24.7 grams of protein. Stuff it with herbs like onions, apples, citrus, garlic, tarragon, sage, thyme, and rosemary for extra nutrition. If the chicken doesn’t fit all the way through, roast the excess with chicken stock. This also gives the gravy a favorable start.
gravy. After roasting the turkey, sort out the onions, fruit, herbs or offal and slowly add the water and cornstarch mixture while whisking. It will thicken as it cools, so add more chicken stock when it thickens.
Mashed potatoes. You don’t need to layer a ton of butter and cream. The key is to add the milk slowly while whisking. An electric hand mixer is recommended to soften the potatoes. If you add the milk too early, the potatoes will become soupy. You can also use fat-free or plant-based milk.
sweet potato. Instead of a decadent sweet potato pie, slice sweet potatoes or yams into silver dollars and bake until tender and brown. One cup of plain sweet potato chunks has 114 calories, almost no fat, zero cholesterol, 4 grams of fiber, and 27 grams of carbs.
green beans. Choose the simpler version of green bean almonds over the high-fat, high-calorie green bean casserole. A classic French recipe with sautéed shallots, garlic, freshly grated lemon zest and lemon juice to taste. One serving has 100 calories, 9 grams of carbs, 7 grams of fat, and 4 grams of protein.
cranberry sauce. I love cranberry sauce, but it has a lot of sugar in it. Instead of sugar, use erythritol or monkfruit sweeteners, which are all-natural, zero-calorie sugar substitutes. As a bonus, spread leftover chilled cranberry sauce on sourdough toast for breakfast or a snack.
pie. If you’re from the South and can’t live without pecan pie, I get it. But if you want to save calories, stick to pumpkin pie. Pecan pie is high in fat and sugar. An average slice contains 62 grams of carbs, 25 grams of fat and a whopping 490 calories. It is
Army veteran Jennifer Campbell is a certified personal trainer with a master’s degree in nutrition education. She is the Commander of the 24th District of the California American Legion.
