Last year at Thanksgiving, I really managed to keep everything under control. I plan to use some of the same ideas that I incorporated then again this year. I figured I would share some of the recipes and techniques I used.
Once again, the biggest factor here is portion control. Even if you eat some of every dish available on Turkey Day, if you limit your portion size and do not go back for seconds, you can keep things in check. Get out your 1/2 and 1/4 cup ladles, scoops, and measuring cups.
One thing we did last year was everyone gathered and took a 30-minute walk at dusk, after we had eaten dinner but before dessert. This was actually really nice. We talked and visited during the walk. When we returned, we all felt refreshed; we'd added a few activity points to our day (to offset the large consumption this day); and we had gotten to spend more time talking and sharing.
Another important thing to do is to get rid of the leftovers. Have some disposable containers, such as ziploc plastic storage, and let everyone take the leftovers with them when they leave. If it is out of your house, you can't keep eating this heavy meal over the next few days.
Here are a few changes I made to some of the most common Thanksgiving dishes.
Green Bean Casserole
Here are the changes I made to this dish. You can have 1/2 cup for only 2 points as compared to 5 by making these changes:
- Substitute the Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom soup for the regular called for in the recipe.
- Use skim milk instead of regular
- Increase the green beans by 50% (so if you normally use 2 cans, use 3 instead)
- Do not mix the fried onions into the casserole. Instead, use 1 whole small can on top.
Basically what we're doing is increasing the bulk of the recipe by an additional 50% with the green beans. You can serve more people. The calorie-laden ingredients are stretched out among more portions, thus decreasing the overall calories and fat per serving.
Mashed Potatoes
The truth is, you really don't need a lot of butter and milk to get a good result. For every pound and a half of russet potatoes used, I use 2 tablespoons of REAL butter and 1/4 cup of skim milk. Salt and pepper and prepare as usual. 2 points per 1/2 cup serving.
Gravy
Use a fat-separating measuring cup. Separate all fat from the drippings and broth mixture. Use 3 tablespoons of the removed fat, and make a dark roux with that and 3 tb flour. Take another 1/2 cup broth and mix with a few teaspoons of cornstarch, set aside. Add 1 quart of skimmed or canned broth, and whisk into the roux until incorporated. Bring to a rapid simmer; simmer for 1 minute. Then add a little of the cornstarch mixture until you reach desired thickness. Salt and pepper to taste. 1/4 cup will have 1 point.
Stuffing
I make mine using Mrs. Cubbisons cornbread stuffin' mix. 2 boxes (4 bags). And I make it in the crock pot (4 hours on low).
I use the casserole recipe on the box, lite version, but I also add the meat pulled from the simmered turkey neck (or a small can of white meat chicken works). I use the amount of butter called for in the lite recipe, but I use that to saute the onions and celery; then I toss that mixture into the dry stuffing mix in a large bowl. Before adding the broth, mix into it 1/2 cup egg beaters, and 1 can Campbell's Healthy Request cream of celery soup. Whisk all this together and toss to coat the stuffing mixture. I also add an additional teaspoon of poultry seasoning (I like Penzey's). Put the mixture into the crockpot, and set it to low. Check on it periodically, adding more broth to achieve desired consistency. 1/2 cup has 4 points.
I plan to use all of these again this year. Here's the deal. You're going to eat more than you normally do. So make a few smart choices, add a little exercise, count it, and move on. The key is to not to extend the feast over several days.
Enjoy your family and friends this Thanksgiving. Enjoy your feast. Enjoy keeping things under control.
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