Thanksgiving Does Not Have to Be All Bad Food ? Eat Right!
Traditionally at the Holidays we enjoy a flavor packed meal of turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and desserts that will make anyone want to gain five pounds. If you think that this meal will deplete your diet, think again. It can be a relatively healthy meal. A few simple changes on your part, and it can be a very heart healthy meal.
We seem to thrive on an appetizer for our family get togethers. Concentrate on appetizers that will be healthy. Fix a colorful vegetable tray filled with all your favorite finger foods, from carrots, cauliflower, bell peppers, to olives, and everything in between. Add some non-fat sour cream seasoned with ranch dip mix and enjoy a fat free rendition to the appetizers.
Most count on turkey to be at the center of the table. A healthy choice if you make the choice to eat only the white meat of the bird. Stay clear of the dark meat and the skin and you will be OK. Substitute a mix of olive herb and oil to baste your bird, or better yet use fat free stock or broth. Sweet potatoes are a classic staple of the season, but pack on brown sugar, butter, and marshmallows and you will pack on the pounds as well. Instead cook them and season them very lightly with a bit of cinnamon, or a small amount of molasses. Sweet potatoes are already sweet and need very little seasoning to be enjoyed on the table. They are incredibly healthy in their own right, sporting beta carotene, vitamins A & C, and fiber.
Instead of a traditional fat filled stuffing for your bird, opt instead for a homemade fruit stuffing. There are several recipes to choose from and all will give you a much more sensible choice in the health area. Be sure to cook your meal with sugar substitutes, low fat or non fat butter, and instead of that loaded down apple pie, substitute a healthier choice such as baked apples. Use egg substitutes or egg whites only when you bake. In lieu pf pecan pie, select pumpkin pie made with low fat milk using a graham cracker or a crushed almond crust, or even opt for a pumpkin custard that is much healthier.
There are many options today to make your meal healthy. Just use your imagination and the many seasonings nature has given us.