For me the Thanksgiving meal is my favorite meal of the whole year. In my home it is
steeped with family tradition and wonderful memories. Over the years we have had to
move and tweak recipes to fit everyones needs. After my dad was diagnosed with
diabetes and my mother in law with high blood pressure we needed to find healthy
alternatives to some of our favorite recipes. We wanted to have all the same great
dishes but knew that now they would require a change.
A major frustration for us was trying to find recipes that everyone would enjoy. We would scour websites and magazines with hope of finding a better twist on an old favorite. It was time consuming and stressful. I decided that I wanted to remove the time and stress for all of you. I have comprised a menu that not only includes the traditional family favorites but also healthier alternatives to meet whatever your needs are, diabetes, heart issues, or weight loss.
How I recommend you use this menu is by picking and choosing what works for you. If
you are in the process of losing weight I highly encourage you to choose a few tweaks
but pepper them in with the traditional decadent fair. This is Thanksgiving and it is about
celebrating what you are thankful for over delicious food and family. Thanksgiving is not
about deprivation. My hope is that this helps bring a little stress reprieve to an already
stressful holiday season.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Whatʼs On The Menu:
Thyme and Sage Brined and Roasted Turkey
Southern Corn Bread Stuffing
Vegetable Medley Corn Bread Stuffing
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Celery Root Puree Cauliflower Mashed
Home Made Turkey Gravy
Southern Green Bean Casserole
Vegetable Casserole
Sweet Potato and Pecan Casserole
To Die For Pumpkin Pie
Apple, Pear, and Dried Cranberry Crisp
Thyme and Sage Brined and Roasted Turkey
*Brining the Turkey first is the key to a no fail turkey on Thanksgiving Day. The brining process insures juicy and flavorful meat. Gone will be the days of dried out turkey.
Brine:
• 4qt Organic vegetable broth • 1 cup kosher salt • 2/3 cup agave nectar • 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered • 1 small hand full fresh thyme sprigs • 2 large sprigs fresh sage • 1T. whole black peppercorns • 1 gallon ICE cold water • 1 14 lb. natural or organic turkey( neck,gizzards removed)
• 1 T. Olive oil • 1 tsp sea salt • Few sprigs of thyme and sage for turkey cavity To Brine: combine first 7 ingredients to large pot, bring to a boil and simmer 15min. Let cool to room temp., open brining bag (kitchen trash bag works well) add turkey, cooled brining liquid, and ice water. Make sure turkey is submerged in the brine breast side down. Make sure turkey stays submerged in the brining liquid so weight down as necessary. refrigerate 12-18 hours.
Roast Turkey:
Set oven at 475. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well with cold water. Thoroughly dry turkey with a clean dry kitchen towel or paper towels. Discard the brine. Rub the turkey all over with olive oil and sea salt. Place additional sprigs of thyme and sage into the cavity of the bird. Place in a roasting pan, breast side up, on lowest oven rack. Make sure to tie legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wings in. Roast the turkey for 30min uncovered, rotating the pan 1/2 way through. Remove from oven add 2 cups hot water to the roasting pan and cover with 2 layers aluminum foil. Bake until internal temp read 165ʼ, approximately 1.5 hours for a 14 pound turkey. remove foil for last 20min of cooking to allow turkey to brown. Once done remove from oven and loosely recover with aluminum foil, allow turkey to rest at least 20min before carving.
Southern Corn Bread Stuffing
Serves 6-8
In order to make corn bread stuffing you need a quality corn
bread recipe. This is my grandmaʼs no fail corn bread.
Cornbread:
• 1 cup self-rising cornmeal
• 1/2 cup self rising flour
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into a greased
shallow baking dish. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until
toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven
and let cool.
Stuffing:
• Prepared corn bread, coarsely chopped • 1 stick unsalted butter • 2 cups celery, chopped • 1 large onion, chopped • 7 cups organic chicken broth • 1 teaspoon salt • Freshly ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon sage (optional) • 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (optional) • 5 organic cage free eggs, beaten Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread and set aside. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture over cornbread mixture. Add the stock, mix well, add sage, poultry seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Pour mixture into a greased 13 x 9in casserole dish and bake until cooked through, about 35-45 minutes. Substitute: Corn Bread Stuffing: Serves 6-8 (Inspired by Chef Michel Nischan) This recipe has 1/2 the calories and fat of the original recipe. • 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash• 1 T. EVOO • 6 cups cornbread, cut into 1-inch cubes • 1/2 cup brussel sprouts, trimmed and sliced • 1/2 cup dried cranberries • 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped • 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped • 1 T. fresh parsley, chopped • 6 fresh sage leaves, sliced • 1 cup reduced sodium Organic chicken broth Preheat oven to 375. Halve squash, remove seeds, and cut into 1 inch thick wedges (leave skin on). Spread on a baking sheet, drizzle with EVOO, rub to coat squash. Roast 20-30min or until soft. Let cool, peel and cut into 1-inch chunks, place in a large bowl. Add cornbread cubes to baking sheet and toast in the oven until crisp around the edges, about 20 minutes, add to bowl with squash. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, add brussels sprouts and quick cook 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water and add to the bowl. Add cranberries, pecans, chives, parsley, and sage. Add broth and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Spoon into a 13 x 9 baking dish. Bake stuffing until heated through, 30-40min. _______________________________________________________ Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes Serves 6 • 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered length-wise • 3/4 teaspoon salt • 1/2 cup sourcream • 3 Tbsp butter • 1-1 1/2 Tbsp milk • Salt and Pepper Add potatoes to a large stock pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add water until potatoes are covered. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered but vented 15-20 minutes until tender. 2 Drain water from potatoes. Put hot potatoes into a bowl. Add sour cream and melted butter. Use potato masher to mash potatoes until well mashed. Use a strong spoon to beat further, adding milk to achieve the consistency you desire (Do not over-beat). Add salt and pepper to taste. Substitue: Celery Root Puree Serves: 8 (Inspired by Chef Michel Nischan) 81 cal. per serving (1/2c), 3g fat, 11g carbs. • 4 cups low fat milk • 3 cups water • 3 pounds celery root, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes(use a vegetable peeler to peel around the root 3x to remove fibrous skin)• 2 T. unsalted butter, softened • 1/2 tsp sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Bring milk, water and chopped celery root to a simmer in a large sauce pan. Reduce heat to maintain simmer and cook until tender, 30min. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, drain. Puree cooked celery root, butter, salt and pepper in food processor until smooth and consistency of thinned mashed potatoes. (If you like it chunkier you can mash by hand) Add reserved cooking liquid as needed to desired consistency. Substitue: Mashed Cauliflower Serves 6-8 (Whole Foods Market recipes.com) • 9 cups cauliflower florets • 21/2 T. EVOO • 1 T. unsalted butter • Salt and Pepper to taste Fill large stock pot with water and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil. Add cauliflower to water and cook until tender, approx. 10 minutes. Reserve a 1/4 cup cooking liquid, drain and add to a food processor. Add butter, oil, and reserved water 1 T. at a time, puree until desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. (You can hand mash these as well. _______________________________________________________ Turkey Gravy 101 I wanted to provide you with a no fail turkey gravy formula that I found back in 2005. * For each cup of gravy, use 1 cup of liquid + 1 tablespoon of fat + 1½ tablespoons of flour. For example: To make 12 servings of turkey gravy, use 4 cups of liquid (broth plus de-fatted pan juices) + 4 tablespoons fat + 6 tablespoons of flour. • If you don't have enough of the turkey pan drippings to make the amount of gravy you need add homemade or low-sodium store bought broth to make up the liquid difference. 3 secrets to perfect gravy: 1. Use a wire whisk to stir the gravy to avoid lumps. 2. Make sure to thoroughly cook the flour in the fat (before adding the liquid) to avoid a starchy taste. 3. Salt is the key to great flavor. Home Made Turkey Gravy (8 servings) • 3 cups turkey stock with pan drippings • 2 T. Butter • 3 T. Flour • Salt and pepper to tasteOnce the turkey is removed from the roasting pan, skim any visible fat from the pan drippings. In a large sauce pan add butter, melt. Using a wire whisk stir in flour to melted butter, whisk to form a paste. Once paste forms, slowly whisk in turkey stock and pan drippings. Stir until thickened, reduce heat to low and simmer 5-10 minutes. Salting you gravy is key to great tasting gravy. Add and taste constantly. Start with about 1/2 tsp. for 4 cups of liquid. Then sprinkle in a tiny bit at a time, stirring and tasting until desired flavor achieved. Add pepper. If your gravy is lumpy, use a strainer to remove lumps. Never use a blender or food processor to try to remove small lumps from gravy. _____________________________________________________ Southern Green Bean Casserole Serves 10 Topping: 3 cups fried onions Fried Onions: • 2 large onions sliced • 1 1/2 cups milk • 1 cup flour • canola oil for frying Soak sliced onions in milk for 5 minutes, Heat canola oil in the pan about 1 inch deep. Remove onions from the milk with a fork and coat with flour, shaking off excess. Quick fry coated onions in hot oil until browned, remove to paper towel to drain. Green Beans and Sauce 2 pounds green beans , ends trimmed, and halved 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 pound white button mushrooms , chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced Salt and pepper to taste (1/2-3/4 tsp) 3 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 1/2 cups heavy cream Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large stock pot bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt. Add green beans. Cook beans until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain beans in colander and plunge immediately into ice water to stop cooking. Spread beans on paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain.Add butter to large saute pan, melt. Add mushrooms, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook mushrooms until most liquid is gone and mushrooms are tender , about 6 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Add cream, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Once sauce is done add prepared green beans to sauce and stir until evenly coated. Arrange in even layer in 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with fried onion topping and bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving to. Substitute: Vegetable Casserole Serves: 6 ( You can use green beans, broccoli-cauliflower, butternut squash, or brussels sprouts. Broccoli-Cauliflower will have the lowest calories at 145cal/ 7g fat per cup, Brussels sprouts will have the highest at 177cal/7g fat per cup. If you use the green beans you will save 160cal/20g fat per serving from the traditional recipe. Eating Healthy Magazine, Nov/Dec 2011) • 8 cups prepared vegetable of your choice • 2-3 T. EVOO • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced • 3 T. all-purpose flour • 3/4 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp black pepper • 2 1/2 cups low-fat milk • 1 1/2 cups fresh whole wheat breadcrumbs or 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Preheat oven to 425ʼ. Toss vegetables in a large bowl with 1 T. EVOO until well coated. Divide between two baking sheets and roast until browned 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile add 1 T. EVOO and sliced onions to saute pan. Cook until soft and golden. Add flour and salt and pepper; cook stirring for 1 minute more. Add milk and continue to cook, scrapping up brown bits. Continue to stir until sauce bubbles and thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, if desired stir in 1/2 cup shredded cheese. When vegetables are done, remove from oven and preheat broiler. Transfer 1/2 the veggies to 2-quart baking dish. Spread half the sauce over vegetables, top with remaining vegetables and sauce. Add oil and breadcrumbs together in small bowl, toss to coat. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over veggies. Place under broiler to brown, 1-5 minutes. WATCH VERY CLOSELY. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. _______________________________________ Sweet Potato and Pecan Casserole Serves: 6-8 • 3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (Prep as you would mashed potatoes) • 1 cup brown sugar • 2 eggs, lightly beaten • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1/2 cup milk • 1/2 cup melted butter Topping: • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1/3 cup flour • 1/3 cup melted butter • 1 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350ʼ Combine first 6 ingredients. Pour into a buttered 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients together and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, until hot and browned.
