Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and with it comes delicious holiday favorites. From that 100-year-old family stuffing recipe to your special cranberry sauce, no turkey dish is complete without being accompanied by an entire feast of dishes ready to tempt your taste buds.
Does this mean you have to forgo your waistline-watching efforts or not enjoy the holiday? No way! By following a few tips and incorporating some modifications, you can indulge with the family without adding on those extra holiday pounds. Promise!
- Try getting an organic turkey and brining it with a lemon-garlic rub to give it a zesty, clean and natural flavor.
- Trim excess skin to cut back on both calories and fat.
- Roast the turkey with herbs and spices to maintain flavor without adding the extra fat and calories from butter and gravies.
- Try making it yourself using fresh or frozen cranberries—just watch for added sugars! Add a splash of 100% fruit juice or a spoonful of honey for added sweetness—just keep it at a minimum!
- Add chopped walnuts for a delicious and nutritious twist—just a handful of walnuts can help improve your heart health through high omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidant content. Walnuts also contain both fiber and protein, helping to keep you full for longer so that maybe you won’t find yourself reaching for that second helping after all!
- The pumpkin in pumpkin pie can be a rich source of vitamin A and other carotenoids, which are powerful healthy antioxidants. Pumpkin is also a good source of vitamins C, K, and E, as well as iron and potassium, which is important for optimal organ functioning and metabolism.
- Use skim milk and egg whites instead of the traditional full-fat and heavy whipped cream and whole eggs in most pumpkin pie recipes. This can cut about 300 calories to give you a lighter and healthier version of this favorite holiday dessert. There’s no need to cut out whole eggs altogether in your diet, but cutting down at dessert time can save you precious fat and calories.
- Go for whole wheat pie shells when shopping to give yourself an extra boost of fiber, keeping you full for longer as well as contributing to your heart health. Whole wheat pie can provide you with 6 more grams of fiber than regular pie crusts.
- Try using low-fat and low-sodium canned soups, as well as skim milk to cut back on both fat and sodium.
- Instead of topping the dish with fried onions, try using whole-wheat crackers to give you that tasty crunchy texture we’re used to with this veggie-filled casserole.
Thanksgiving is a warm and inviting time to spend with family and friends. Enjoy the company of your loved ones and remember to eat slowly, savoring your favorite family recipes.
Pay attention to your hunger quotient to avoid over indulging, and enjoy every second of that bonding time around the dinner table. A good Thanksgiving meal can go hand in hand with achieving a Nutritious Life!
Nationally recognized nutrition expert and published author Keri Glassman is the founder and president of Keri Glassman, Nutritious Life, a nutrition practice based in New York City. For years, Keri has been a leader in advancing a “whole person” approach to health and wellness. She has dedicated her career to creating services and promoting education through her “Nutritious Life” brand.
She has authored two books; the most recent is The O2 Diet. The Cutting Edge, Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin and Beautiful. (Rodale, December 2009.) This book translates complex scientific research on antioxidants and the ORAC scale into useful and useable tools that everyone can benefit from. It empowers people to live a more Nutritious Life by combining a nutrient dense, high antioxidant diet with the other components of the Nutritious Life Cycle. The O2 Diet follows the Snack Factor Diet, (Crown, 2007.)
Keri is a contributing editor and advisory board member for Women’s Health Magazine, and was the first registered dietitian to create a real food based snack bar, KeriBar. Additionally, Keri is the Nutrition and Health contributor for NBC’s LX New York, and is regularly featured on national television programs including The View, Dr. Oz, The Doctor’s, The Wendy Williams Show, NBC The Today Show, ABC Good Morning America, MSNBC and The Fox News Channel. Keri has a blog on AOL Health/That’s Fit, and writes a monthly newsletter for Ediets.com.
Keri resides in New York City with her husband Brett and their children, Rex and Maizy.
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Tags: Thanks, Thanks Eating