Now that November is here, holiday meal planning is in the forefront of most of our lives. And indeed it should be. Food is a wonderful celebration of life, of friendships, of family. Such celebrations don't have to digress into unhealthy meals. To help you celebrate and give thanks for life, we've made over the traditional Thanksgiving meal so that you can thoroughly enjoy every bite -- and still feel confident that you are taking care of your health. Try replacing some of your traditional dishes with these healthy recipes and alternatives.
Check out the chart listing the nutrition totals for the traditional meal, and compare these with our luscious, lean and legal version. We've managed to cut the calories by nearly one-third, and the fat is just 11% of the traditional version.
Scroll down to the healthy recipes below and start planning your celebration of life, family, and friends — and giving thanks for your good health.
Try this delicious meal & enjoy your thanksgiving dinner without the guilt!
Recipes
Appetizer: Minted Fruit Kabobs
Roasted Turkey (see below)
Herb and Apple Stuffing
Cream Cheese Whipped Potatoes and Gravy
Sweet Potatoes in an Orange-Brown Sugar Glaze
Lemon-Dijon Green Beans
Kris' Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Topping
Roasted Turkey
Choose either a fresh or frozen turkey that is not pre-basted, which can add considerably more fat calories. Stuff with dressing recipe below. Bake according to the label directions for a stuffed turkey. To keep your turkey moist, cover tightly after turkey browns (about 1/2 hour), and baste frequently with the drippings that are released from the turkey.
Before serving, remove the skin and discard. Enjoy 3 ounces of either white or dark meat, or a combination of the two. Our nutrition values are for a mixture of dark and white meat without the skin:
- 127 calories
- 25 grams protein
- 2.2 grams fat (17% of calories)
- 0.74 grams fat
| |
Traditional |
Luscious, Lean & Legal! |
| Appetizer |
2 ounces cheese and 8 crackers
Calories: 294
Fat: 21.4 g
|
Minted Fruit kabob
Calories: 35
Fat: 0.2 grams
|
| Roasted Turkey |
3 ounces white and dark meat with skin
Calories: 254
Fat: 19.8 g
|
3 ounces white and dark meat without skin
Calories: 128
Fat: 2.2 grams
|
| Mashed Potatoes And Gravy |
Traditional version (mashed with butter and milk)
Potatoes: Calories: 204
Fat: 12.3 g
Gravy: Calories: 129
Fat: 13 grams
|
Cream cheese whipped potatoes and gravy
Potatoes: Calories: 136
Fat: 1.5 grams
Gravy: Calories: 15
Fat: 0 grams
|
| Stuffing |
Cornbread stuffing
Calories: 358
Fat: 17.6 g
|
Herb and Apple Stuffing
Calories: 107
Fat: 1.6 grams
|
| Glazed Sweet Potatoes |
With butter and brown sugar
Calories: 369
Fat: 23.0 g
|
Sweet Potatoes in a Butter & Orange-Brown Sugar Glaze
Calories: 172
Fat: 4.5 grams
|
| Green Beans |
With cream of mushroom soup and french fried onions
Calories: 240
Fat: 15.6 g
|
With lemon Dijon sauce
Calories: 43
Fat: 0.5 grams
|
| Pumpkin Pie |
Traditional recipe from the back of a can of pumpkin pie
Calories: 299
Fat: 13 grams
|
Kris' Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Topping
Calories: 146
Fat: 2.4 grams
|
| |
Total Calories: 2,147
|
Total Calories: 772
|
| |
Total Fat: 135.7
|
Total Fat: 12.9
|
Recipes developed and copyrighted by Kristine Napier, MPH, RD, LD
Reprinted with permission from Nutrio.com*
*a new browser window will open with this link. The inclusion of links to other web sites does not imply any endorsement of the material on the web sites or any association with their operators
Get more information on nutrition strategies. To make an appointment with a registered dietitian, call the Cleveland Clinic Preventive Cardiology - 216.444.9353 or 800.223.2273 ext. 9353. Or, get a nutrition consultation online with our private and secure MyConsult Nutrition Consultation.
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition.
© Copyright 2001-2009 Cleveland Clinic. All rights reserved. 11/09
