Healthy Thanksgiving Menu

Apple-Shallot Roasted Turkey
From EatingWell: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/apple_shallot_roasted_turkey.html

12 servings, 3 ounces each, plus plenty of leftovers
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 3 1/2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 10- to 12-pound turkey
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus 3 sprigs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus 3 sprigs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, plus 3 sprigs
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise, divided
• 1 tart green apple, quartered
• 3 cups water, plus more as needed

Preparation

1. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 475°F.
2. Remove giblets and neck from turkey cavities and reserve for making Turkey Giblet Stock. Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan; pat dry with paper towels.
3. Combine oil, chopped parsley, sage, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture all over the turkey, under the skin and onto the breast meat. Place herb sprigs, 6 shallot halves and apple in the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Add 3 cups water to the pan.
4. Roast the turkey until the skin is golden brown, 45 minutes. Remove the turkey from the oven. If using a remote digital thermometer, insert it into the deepest part of the thigh, close to the joint. Cover just the breast with a double layer of foil, cutting as necessary to fit. Scatter the remaining shallots in the pan around the turkey. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue roasting until the thermometer (or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone) registers 165°F, 1 to 1 3/4 hours more. If the pan dries out, tilt the turkey to let juices run out of the cavity into the pan and add 1 cup water.
5. Transfer the turkey to a serving platter (reserve pan juices and shallots) and tent with foil. Make Cider Gravy (recipe follows). Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes. Remove the string and carve.

Nutrition
Per serving: 155 calories; 5 g fat ( 1 g sat , 2 g mono ); 63 mg cholesterol; 25 g protein; 0 g fiber; 115 mg sodium; 258 mg potassium.


Cider Gravy
From EatingWell: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/cider_gravy.html

Make this low-fat gravy in the roasting pan while the turkey rests. Apple cider adds rich fall flavor.

About 2 1/4 cups
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups Turkey Giblet Stock, (recipe follows) or reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups apple cider
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. When you remove the turkey from the roasting pan, leave the roasted shallots behind. Skim off any visible fat from the pan juices.
2. Whisk 1/2 cup Turkey Giblet Stock (or chicken broth) and flour in a small bowl until smooth; set aside.
3. Set the roasting pan over two burners on medium-high heat. Add cider and vinegar; bring to a boil and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the pan, until the liquid is reduced by about half, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining 3 1/2 cups stock (or broth). Increase heat to high; return to a boil, whisking often. Boil until the liquid is reduced by about half, 8 to 12 minutes.
4. Whisk the reserved flour mixture into the pan. Boil, whisking constantly, until the gravy is thickened, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the gravy through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup. (Discard the solids.) Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition
Per 3-tablespoon serving: 28 calories; 0 g fat ( 0 g sat , 0 g mono ); 7 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 0 g fiber; 56 mg sodium; 28 mg potassium.


Turkey Giblet Stock
From EatingWell: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/turkey_giblet_stock.html

About 4 cups
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 1/4 hours

Ingredients

• Neck and giblets from a 10- to 12-pound turkey
• 6 cups water
• 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Preparation

1. Combine neck and giblets (except liver), water, onion, carrot and celery in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns. Reduce heat and simmer, skimming and discarding any foam, for 1 hour.
2. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl and let cool. Discard solids.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Nutrition
0 g fat ( 0 g sat , 0 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 0 mg sodium; 0 mg potassium.

Nutrition Note: After straining, the stock has few calories (about 25) and negligible nutrients except sodium (about 23 mg) per cup.


Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing
From EatingWell: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/cornbread_sausage_stuffing.html

Cornbread stuffing, a Southern favorite, is a nice change from more traditional white-bread stuffing. Our delectable recipe uses Italian turkey sausage, rather than pork, and omits all the butter and cream to cut the fat by two-thirds. The stuffing is lower in sodium as well and so easy to make that it's sure to become a favorite side year-round.

12 servings, scant 1 cup each
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage, (about 4 links), casings removed
• 2 cups finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 pounds prepared cornbread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 1/2-3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add onion and celery; cover, reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add cornbread, parsley and sage.
3. Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Pour 1 cup over the stuffing mixture and toss gently (the cornbread will break into smaller pieces). Add as much of the remaining broth as needed, 1/2 cup at a time, until the stuffing feels moist but not wet. Spoon the stuffing into the prepared pan and cover with foil.
4. Bake the stuffing until thoroughly heated, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Bake at 350°F until hot, about 30 minutes.

Nutrition
Per serving: 242 calories; 8 g fat ( 3 g sat , 0 g mono ); 29 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrates; 10 g protein; 2 g fiber; 692 mg sodium; 79 mg potassium.

Holiday Cauliflower Rice

This delicious recipe is the perfect side to accompany your holiday meal. It’s grain free and lower in calories than traditional wild rice, while delivering big on flavor. Made with shredded cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, celery, chopped dates and walnuts, this faux rice is packed with nutrition and fiber. 

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup Brussels sprouts, cut into quarters
• 4 stalks celery
• 1 cup organic, free range chicken broth
• Dash of salt and pepper
• ½ cup pitted dates, chopped
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

Preparation

1. In a large skillet cook onions in the olive oil for about 10 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, shred the cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and celery in a food processor using the grating attachment.
3. Add the shredded cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, celery, broth and a dash of salt and pepper to the skillet. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish. Cover with foil and back in a 400 degree F oven for 35 minutes. Stir in the dates and walnuts, return to the oven for 10 minutes, uncovered.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 cup = 1 serving

114 calories, 5g fat, 97mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 4g protein

Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie

From EatingWell: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/frozen_pumpkin_mousse_pie.html

While pumpkin pie deserves respect as a Thanksgiving icon, it's fun to shake up tradition. Surprise your family and friends with a frozen pie this year—it just might become one of their holiday favorites. No need to let them know how easy it is.

10 servings 

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes (including freezing time)

Ingredients

Crust

• 30 small gingersnap cookies, (about 7 1/2 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Filling

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 pints (4 cups) frozen low-fat vanilla ice cream, softened (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with cooking spray.
2. To prepare crust: Combine gingersnaps and raisins in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add oil and pulse until blended. Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.
3. Bake the crust until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To prepare filling: Combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix well. Add ice cream and stir until blended. Spoon the mixture into the cooled pie crust. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. Let the pie soften slightly in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and freeze the pie for up to 3 days. | Equipment: 9-inch deep-dish pie pan
• Tip: To soften ice cream quickly, microwave on Medium-Low for 30 to 60 seconds. 

Nutrition

Per serving: 230 calories; 5 g fat ( 1 g sat , 2 g mono ); 4 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 179 mg sodium; 165 mg potassium.

Happy Thanksgiving!