By , Jacob Bustos
Published November 21, 2017
We live in a country of abundance. At so many points in American’s lives, food has been our best friend, and at times our worst enemy. With most planning to indulge and enjoy Thanksgiving, it’s as important to remember the values of sharing a meal as it is to practice portion control.
According to research, the average American may consume 4,500 calories or more on Thanksgiving. But, if you feel like eating stuffing, then do it! We should not deprive ourselves of the delicious holiday foods, but be mindful of the amount you consume.
Want to cut corners and still eat well? Here are five recipes that will help you enjoy a healthier holiday dinner:
Cauliflower is all the rage right now, and a little-known fact is that it’s a very flavorful and healthy alternative to traditional stuffing (it’s a great alternative to mashed potatoes too). By using cauliflower as the base to your stuffing, you’re eating about 30 percent less calories. Check it out:
Traditional Stuffing: 350 calories for a 3 oz. serving
Cauliflower Stuffing: 250 calories for 3 oz. serving
Total Time: 40-45 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
Directions:
People often stuff their turkey with bread stuffing or even bacon and sausage. It’s also common for cooks to dose the bird with butter on and under the skin. But for my bird, the only in-bird stuffing that I recommend are herbs, oranges, and lemons, stuffed only under the skin to increase flavor.
If you really want to stuff your bird with stuffing, for optimal food safety, cook the stuffing separately from the turkey to avoid irregular food safety temperatures inside the bird. Your Thanksgiving turkey should be flavorful and safe. Cook the bird to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees, measuring this in the meatiest area of the bird. For health purposes, it can be very dangerous to put the stuffing inside the turkey as you are running the risk of food poisoning/salmonella if the bird is not cooked through fully. In fact, this can even splash harmful bacteria around the kitchen, which can lead to cross-contamination with other foods.
For an extra tip, I also make a healthier gravy dish. Traditionally, a roux, which is butter and flour, are cooked and added to turkey drippings to make gravy, but it’s equally delicious and healthier to pulverize oatmeal and use that as the gravy thickener, instead of flour. There is also no big flavor change. It’s a win-win.
Traditional Turkey Gravy: 250 calories in a 1/2 cup serving
Turkey Gravy With Oatmeal: Less than 150 calories in a 1/2 cup serving, plus healthier ingredients without using refined and processed flour
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes/ Serves: 8-10
Ingredients:
Directions:
Skip the heavy cream and use chicken stock to make creamy mashed potatoes. Also, if any of your dishes require beef, skip it and use mushrooms. Cooking is all about having fun and being creative so don’t be afraid to try new things. Yukon gold potatoes are the creamiest potato when mashed and they have a wonderful potato flavor. They also don’t need to be completely mashed. If you get a small chunk, it makes the dish a bit more rustic and adds texture. This is the simplest, and easiest way to prepare a healthier version of mashed potatoes, but yet still get all the delicious flavors.
Traditional Mashed Potatoes: 275 calories per 1 cup
Yukon Gold and Stock Mashed Potatoes: 160 calories per 1 cup
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes/ Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
Directions:
Holiday drinks count! Drinks can add calories to your meal, but you can still make make great drinks with small substitution. For example, you can use almond milk rather than heavy cream, and coconut sugar or pure maple syrup as alternatives to refined white sugar in egg nog. This egg nog recipe is a great substitute to traditional egg nog and has all the flavor and only about half the calories.
Traditional Egg Nog: 400-425 calories
Healthy Egg Nog: 200-225 calories
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
Directions:
Can you really have desert? Yes! Save calories by skipping the crust with your pie. This is a great way to still eat the filling and enjoy the flavors. You can also substitute refined white sugar with coconut sugar and get the same sweetness that guests may crave. Coconut sugar also contains a fiber called inulin, which may slow glucose absorption.
Traditional Pumpkin Pie: 300 calories per slice
Crust-less Pumpkin Pie: 200 calories per serving
Cook and Prep Time: 45 minutes/ Serves: 8-10
Ingredients:
Directions:
Jacob Bustos is a chef, cooking coach, and author of ‘When food is your Frenemy’. He beat his battle with morbid obesity and has set out to make a positive impact on people. For more information on Jacob and his company, Portion Your Plate LLC, visit http://www.JacobBustos.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/thanksgiving-dinner-5-tips-for-saving-calories