|
A Healthy Harvest of Celebrations by Norene Gilletz Thanksgiving brings memories of family gatherings, festive meals and wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen. But did you know that a typical Thanksgiving or other festive holiday meal can contain between 2,000 to 5,000 calories? Don’t despair! With proper planning, you can enjoy your holiday feast with family and friends - and still stay focused on your weight-loss and exercise goals. Here are some healthy “weighs” to help you modify your holiday recipes, enabling you to celebrate a delicious, guilt-free Thanksgiving feast without packing on the pounds. Your taste buds, heart, arteries - and your guests - will thank you! VEGETARIAN
DE-LIGHTS SOUP’S
ON! Dark orange vegetables such as squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes GO FOR THE WHOLE GRAIN! Why not try a grain-based salad for a change? Combine cooked brown rice or whole wheat couscous with chopped peppers and scallions, raisins or dried cranberries and apricots. Add a handful of chickpeas, some minced dill or basil, and equal parts of extra-virgin olive oil and orange juice. Season with salt and pepper. GREEN
CUISINE GET’S THE GREEN LITE! Serve steamed green beans or broccoli GARLIC MASHED TWO-TATOS: Combine 4 peeled, cut-up potatoes, 3 or 4 peeled, cut-up sweet potatoes and 4 cloves of garlic in a saucepan. Cover with salted water and boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and mash well. Add 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and enough fat-free chicken broth or soy milk to moisten. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. For extra color and flavor, add a 10 oz. package of cooked, chopped spinach and mix well. CRANBERRY GLAZED CARROTS: In a saucepan, boil 2 lbs. baby carrots in boiling salted water until tender-crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well. Add 1 tsp. olive oil, 1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce, 2 tbsp. honey, 1 tbsp. lemon or orange juice, plus salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes longer, until nicely glazed and piping hot, stirring occasionally. TURKEY
TALK Never defrost turkey on the kitchen counter. Instead, place the turkey in its original wrappings on a tray in the refrigerator and calculate 24 hours for each 5 lbs. of turkey. If it is not completely thawed when you are ready to prepare it, place the wrapped turkey into a sink filled with ice-cold water. Be sure to replace the cold water every half hour. For maximum flavor, season the turkey a day or two before cooking it. Squeeze the juice from two oranges over the defrosted turkey, as well as inside its cavity. Then, lift the skin and rub the meat with fresh garlic and your favorite herbs and spices. Place additional slices of orange under the turkey skin to keep the turkey moist during cooking. The turkey can be seasoned, covered and refrigerated for up to two days. Roast the turkey on a V-shaped rack in a shallow roasting pan so that the drippings can drain away during cooking. Lightly spray the rack and pan with nonstick cooking spray. If using a disposable foil pan, buy the heavy-duty kind. Place the roasting pan on a baking sheet to provide support so you won ’t burn yourself trying to remove it from the oven. To prevent breast meat from drying out during cooking, cover turkey loosely with a foil tent. Remove the foil during the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking so the turkey will brown. Roast the turkey with its skin on to keep the meat from drying out, and instead of using the fatty drippings, baste turkey with fat-free broth or fruit juice (orange, cranberry or apple) during cooking. Start roasting it breast-side down, then turn it breast-side up for the last half hour. Remove the skin when serving. Test for doneness: Insert an instant-read or meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the turkey’s inner thigh muscle. The temperature on the thermometer should read 175° to 180°F when the turkey is completely cooked. A 10 to 12 lb. turkey, without stuffing, will take about 3 to 3 1/2 hours to cook at 350°F. Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with foil to keep it warm and let it stand for 20 minutes for easier slicing. An electric knife makes carving easier. If you remove the skin before serving, you will save about 5 grams of fat per three-ounce portion. White meat, without the skin, is the lowest in fat. Leftovers: Leftover turkey can be stored for a day or two in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for 4 to 6 months. Remove meat from the carcass; refrigerate or freeze it in meal-sized packages. Be sure to label and date the packages. The turkey carcass can be used to make a terrific turkey broth. Place the carcass in a large pot, cover with water, add cut-up onions, celery and carrots, bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. Add salt and pepper. You can use the broth and some of the leftover turkey to make a terrific Turkey Chowder (there is a recipe for broth, too)! THE
RIGHT STUFF LOW-FAT
GRAVY SWEET
ENDINGS A colorful fresh fruit platter is guaranteed to please your eye, palate - and waistline! Include purple and green grapes, cut-up melons, kiwis, assorted berries and mango slices. THIGHS
OF REGRET! Remember, the fork lift is NOT an aerobic exercise. Have a happy Thanksgiving and eat in good health! For a fabulous finale to your holiday feast, try this terrific, fiber-packed fruit crisp. You can use frozen berries directly from the freezer without defrosting them first. For diabetics or those following a low-carb eating plan, substitute granulated brown sugar Twin for sugar. Enjoy... CRAN-BERRY
APPLE CRISP Topping: Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Spread evenly in a sprayed 9" deep pie plate. Combine topping ingredients and carefully spread over filling. Bake at 375°F for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden. Makes
8 servings. (www.gourmania.com) |
|