Holiday Recipes A Healthy Twist to Traditional Recipes

Holiday Recipes A Healthy Twist to Traditional Recipes

Foreword The Holidays can be a big fat pain in the behind and the thighs and the waist But it doesn t have to be. Whether you have control over what s being served or not, here are some tips on how to have fun, eat your fill, and not regret it the next day. Have lunch, if possible. If you have a heavy lunch, it s easy to have a light dinner. Try not to go overboard on the calories for the day even if you eat too much at one meal. Drink your fill. Have an 8 ounce glass of water 3o minutes before the Holiday meal begins. You will feel fuller and end up eating less. This calorie-free liquid will fill you up while reducing Holiday damage. Skip some foods, pile on others. Assuming that Holiday turkey and stuffing are must-haves, you still have plenty of other foods to choose from. Avoid highcalorie dishes with bread, creamy sauces, or sugar. Eat slowly. Serve yourself small portions and make them last. Savor each bite. Engage in conversation while you eat. The more slowly you eat, the more time your body will have to let you know it s full. Get the food out of sight. Holiday meals have a way of stretching unduly, which makes it more likely for you to have another piece of this, another nibble of that even if you ve already eaten enough. Avoid the temptation by moving to the living room for coffee/tea and conversation, or at least by clearing the table as soon as possible. Don t let the Holidays be about food. Sure, eating those once-a-year dishes is great, but the Holidays are really a time to be together with family and friends. Plan activities-- like card games, story telling, or walking that allow people to be together in a way that doesn t revolve around food. Holiday Cookbook compiled by Sabrina Bardowell and Judith Marbot

Main Dishes 1) Citrus Roasted Turkey 2) Herb Roasted Turkey with Mushroom Gravy 3) Simply Roasted Turkey 4) Stuffing with Cranberries 5) Basic Turkey Gravy

Citrus Roasted Turkey 6-8 Pound WHOLE TURKEY washed and drained 1/4 Cup frozen lemon juice concentrate thawed 1/4 Cup fresh lemon juice, 1/3 cup orange juice 1/4 Cup honey 1/4 Cup olive oil 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice 3 Tablespoons fresh chopped mint leaves 1 Tablespoon grated orange peel 2 Teaspoons grated lemon peel 1 Teaspoon grated lime peel 1/4 Teaspoon cumin 1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon Pinch thyme, salt and pepper 1 red onion sliced 1. In a large bowl, combine all juices, honey, oil, mint, citrus peels, salt, pepper, herbs and spices. Mix well. Add turkey to the mixture, turning a few times to cover with marinade. Top turkey with sliced onions. Cover bowl with foil. Marinate turkey in the refrigerator for 3-8 hours. 2. When ready to roast, remove turkey from marinade and discard onions. Pour marinade into a saucepan, bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Set aside. 3. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (about 2-1/2 inches deep) roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful the pointed end does not touch the bone. 4. Roast turkey in a preheated 325 degree F. oven about 2-3/4 to 3 hours. Baste turkey frequently with marinade as it cooks. If needed, loosely cover with lightweight foil to prevent excessive browning. Continue to roast until the thermometer registers 180 degrees F. in the thigh, or 170 degrees F. in the breast. 5. Remove turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Number of servings: 8 Serving Size: Calories 200 9 g 26 g 90 mg s 2 g Source: www.gardenguides.com

Herb Roasted Turkey with Mushroom Gravy 10-12 pound turkey 4 sprigs fresh thyme 4 sprigs fresh rosemary 1 medium onion,quartered The peel of one lemon, cut into strips 1 cup dried mushrooms, reconstituted (reserve 1 cup liquid) 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 2 tablespoons dry white wine 2 teaspoons potato starch 1/2 teaspoon dried chives 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1. Preheat oven to 325 F. 2. Remove turkey giblets and neck from body cavities. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. 3. Starting at neck, using your fingers, gently loosen skin over entire breast. Place thyme and rosemary sprigs at even intervals under skin; pat skin back in place. Place onion and lemon peel in body cavity. Place turkey breast-side up on rack in roasting pan. 4. Roast turkey 3 1/2-4 hours, until meat thermometer inserted in fleshy part of inner thigh (not touching bone) reaches 180 F. Let stand 15 minutes before carving. Remove skin before eating. 5. Meanwhile, to prepare gravy, pour pan drippings into a 2-cup measure; let stand 5 minutes. Skim off and discard fat; pour remaining liquid into small saucepan. Add mushrooms and 1 cup mushroom liquid, broth, wine, potato starch, chives, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Serve with turkey. Number of Servings: 8 One Serving: 3 ounces turkey and ¼ cup gravy Calories 159 4 g 25 g 114 mg 3 g Sources: www.applesforhealth.com

Simply Roasted Turkey 1 whole fresh turkey, 10 to 14 pounds salt to taste freshly ground black pepper 3 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried 2 bay leaves, crushed 2 medium onions, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces 3 carrots, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces 2 shallots, peeled and halved 1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. 2. Remove the giblets from the turkey and save them for another use or discard. Rinse the turkey, inside and out, with cold water and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper inside and out. 3. If you are using fresh herbs, chop them. Combine the herbs, bay leaves, onions, carrots, celery and shallots together and stuff the mixture into the cavity of the bird. 4. Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Rub the olive oil under the skin of the turkey. Tuck the wings back, under the bird and truss it. 5. Place the turkey in the oven and roast until the skin is golden brown and crisp, the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a sharp knife, and a meat thermometer reads 170 F, about 3 hours. While it cooks, occasionally baste the turkey with the juices that collect in the roasting pan. 6. Note: Allow the turkey to rest for 20 minutes and check that the temperature has come up to 180 F. (The bird will continue to cook after removing it from the oven). 7. Transfer the turkey to a serving platter. Remove the vegetables from the cavity and discard. Let the turkey rest for about 20 minutes before carving, and then serve. Number of Servings: 8 plus leftovers Serving Size: about 6 ounces Calories 290 8 g 49 g 119 mg 0 g Source: www.bellaonline.com

4 cups whole wheat bread cubes 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup onion, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 1/4 cup parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon dried tarragon 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 cup cranberries, chopped 1 cup whole water chestnuts 1 cup chopped apple Stuffing with Cranberries 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, sauté the chopped celery and onion in the chicken broth until tender. 2. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, chopped parsley, tarragon, paprika, nutmeg, chopped cranberries, water chestnuts and chopped apple. Stir in the sautéed onion, celery and any remaining broth. 3. Spray a two-quart baking dish with nonstick spray. Spoon mixture into the dish. Cover; bake at 350 for 20 minutes; uncover. Bake 10 more minutes. Serve hot. Note: For moister stuffing, add more chicken broth or water. Baking stuffing separately from the turkey saves calories and fat. Number of Servings: 10 Serving Size: ½ cup Calories 190 2 g 7 g 455 mg 36 g Source: www.fitnessandfreebies.com

Basic turkey gravy 1 Package Neck, heart, gizzard from TURKEY giblets 1 Medium carrot thickly sliced 1 Medium onion thickly sliced 1 Medium celery rib thickly sliced 1/2 Teaspoon salt 1 TURKEY liver 3 Tablespoons fat from poultry drippings 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 Teaspoon salt 1. In a 3-quart saucepan, over high heat, place neck, heart, gizzard, vegetables, and salt in enough water to cover. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 45 minutes. 2. Add liver and cook 15 minutes longer. Strain both into a large bowl; cover and reserve broth in the refrigerator. 3. To make gravy, remove the cooked turkey and roasting rack from the roasting pan. Pour poultry drippings through a sieve into a 4-cup measuring cup. 4. Add 1 cup giblet broth to the roasting pan and stir until the crusty brown bits are loosened; pour the deglazed liquid/broth into the 4-cup measure. Let the mixture stand a few minutes, until the fat rises to the top. 5. Over medium heat, spoon 3 tablespoons fat from the poultry drippings into a 2-quart saucepan. Whisk flour and salt into the heated fat and continue to cook and stir until the flour turns golden. 6. Meanwhile, skim and discard any fat that remains on top of the poultry drippings. Add remaining broth and enough water to the poultry drippings to equal 3-1/2 cups. 7. Gradually whisk in warm poultry drippings/broth mixture. Cook and stir, until gravy boils and is slightly thick. Number of Servings: 14 Serving Size: ¼ cup Calories 47 3 g 1 g 193 mg 4 g Source: www.holidays.net

Side Dishes 1) Sweet Potato Biscuits 2) Candied Yams 3) Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Pepitas 4) Pumpkin Muffins with Candied Ginger 5) Herb Crumbled Broccoli 6) Old Fashioned Country Style Cornbread 7) Baked Pumpkin Stuffed with Wild Rice Pilaf

Sweet Potato Biscuit 1-1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 cup unbleached white flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons margarine 1/3 cup apple juice 1 cup well-mashed, cooked sweet potato 3 tablespoons honey 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts 1. Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees. 2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder & salt. Work the margarine in with a pastry blender or the tines of a fork until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the apple juice, sweet potato, honey & nuts and work them in to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board and knead in just enough extra flour to make the dough lose its stickiness. 3. With floured hands, divide the dough into 16 equal parts. Shape into small balls and arrange on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, patting them down a bit to flatten. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one tests clean. Transfer the biscuits to a plate and serve hot. Number of Servings: 16 Serving Size: 1 biscuit Calories 116 4 g 2 g 151 mg 19 g Source: http://recipecircus.com

Candied Yams 6 medium yams, boiled in skin until tender (about 20-30 minutes) 1/3 cup raisins 1 Tbsp brown sugar 3 Tbsp sugar substitute 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg Ground cloves to taste 1/3 cup low-calorie margarine 1 cup cold water 1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cool yams, peel, and slice lengthwise. Place the yam slices in a covered baking dish. Sprinkle the raisins over the yams. 2. In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar, sugar substitute, and spices; sprinkle over the yams. Dot with margarine and add water. 3. Cover the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover, then bake another 15-20 minutes. Number of Servings: 8 Serving Size: ¼ cup Calories 96 3 g 1 g 63 mg 14 g Source: www.massrecipes.com

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Pepitas 1 pumpkin, about 2 to 2 1/2 lbs. 2 teaspoons canola oil 1 onion, chopped 1 celery rib, chopped 2 cups low-fat milk 2 cups water 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1 pinch allspice 2 tablespoons dry sherry or Marsala wine sea salt to taste freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, for garnish 1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 2. Cut the pumpkin in half, scrape out the seeds, and place it, cut-side down, on a baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Allow the pumpkin to cool about 10 minutes before proceeding, as it will be easier to handle when it is not so hot. 3. While the pumpkin is baking, heat the oil in a small sauté pan and sauté the onion and celery for about 3 minutes or until softened and translucent. 4. Scoop the pumpkin pulp with a large spoon, put it into a large bowl and add the onion, celery, milk and water. Stir to combine. Ladle some of this mixture into a blender and puree it in batches, being careful not to overfill the blender. Strain the soup through a colander to remove any remaining fiber or seeds. Add the lemon juice, cumin, allspice and sherry or Marsala wine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 5. Spread the pepitas or pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until toasted. 6. Reheat the soup, divide it among 4 warmed soup bowls and sprinkle with the toasted seeds. Serving Size: 8 Number of Servings: 4 Calories 142 4 g 6 g 94 mg 24 g Source: www.foodfit.com

Pumpkin Muffins with Candied Ginger nonstick cooking spray 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1 large egg 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root 1 cup all purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk 1/2 cup minced crystallized ginger 1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray 12 muffin tins with nonstick spray. 2. Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is very fluffy. 3. Add the egg and mix on low speed to combine. Add the pumpkin puree and grated ginger root and mix again. 4. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice together. 5. Fold in half of the flour mixture. Stir in the buttermilk. Fold in the remaining flour mixture and the crystallized ginger. The batter should be smooth, but be careful to not over-mix. 6. Fill the prepared tins halfway with the batter. Bake until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes. 7. Transfer the muffin tins to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before removing the muffins. Serving Size: 1 muffin Number of Servings: 12 Calories 137 4 g 2 g 126 mg 23 g Source: http://diabeticgourmet.com

Herb Crumbed Broccoli Butter-flavored vegetable cooking spray 2-4 tablespoons chopped pecans 1/4 cup dry unseasoned breadcrumbs 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves 1/4 teaspoon dried chervil leaves 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley 1-1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into florets and stalks sliced, cooked Salt and pepper, to taste 1. Spray small skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. 2. Add pecans and spray with cooking spray; cook over medium heat until toasted, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. 3. Add breadcrumbs, marjoram, and chervil to skillet; cook until crumbs are toasted, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. 4. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Season broccoli with salt and pepper to taste; arrange in serving bowl. Spoon crumb mixture over broccoli. Number of Servings: 6 Serving Size: ¼ cup Calories 61 2 g 4 g 64 mg 9 g Source: http://diabeticgourmet.com

Old-Fashioned Country Style Corn Bread 1-3/4 cups self-rising white cornmeal mix 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 egg 2 teaspoons corn oil 1-1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk Vegetable cooking spray 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 2. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. 3. Generously spray 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray; add batter and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until corn bread is golden brown. Number of Servings: 9 Serving Size: 1 piece Calories 142 2.5 g 5 g 412 mg 25 g Source: www.fitnessandfreebies.com

Baked Pumpkin Stuffed with Wild Rice Pilaf 2 6-pound pumpkins 1 Tbsp canola oil 1 medium yellow onion, diced 1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 small zucchini, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups long-grain brown rice 1/2 cup wild rice 1 cup green peas, fresh, canned or frozen 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. With a sharp knife, cut a 4 to 6-inch wide lid off the top of each pumpkin. With a large spoon, scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers; discard or save for another use. Cover the holes in the top of each pumpkin with a square of foil large enough to keep the lid from falling back onto the pumpkins, and set the pumpkin lids back on top. Place pumpkins in a baking pan filled with about 1/2 inch of water and bake until the insides are tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and keep warm. 3. While pumpkins are baking, make the pilaf. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in the water, brown rice and wild rice, salt, and pepper, bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes. Fluff the pilaf with a fork, and stir in the peas. Set aside for 5-10 minutes or until the pumpkins are ready. 4. When the pumpkins are finished baking, discard the foil; spook the pilaf into the pumpkins and cover with the lids. 5. Present the stuffed pumpkins on a large platter in the center of the table. When serving the pilaf, scrape the insides of the pumpkin so that each serving of rice also contains some cooked pumpkin. Number of Servings: 8 Serving Size:1 cup Calories 223 3 g 6 g 278 mg 46 g Source: www.medicinenet.com

Desserts 1) Pumpkin Cheesecake 2) Dutch Apple Pie 3) Lite Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Cheesecake 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs 1 can (16 ounces) solid pack pumpkin 2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese 3/4 cup sugar 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 egg white 3/4 cup canned evaporated skim milk 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon vanilla 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add graham cracker crumbs; shake to coat pan evenly. Set aside. 2. Combine pumpkin and ricotta cheese in food processor or blender; process until smooth. Add sugar, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, allspice, egg white, evaporated skim milk, oil, and vanilla; process until smooth. 3. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees; bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off oven; leave cheesecake in oven with door closed for 1 hour. Remove from oven; cool completely on wire rack. 4. Remove sprinform pan side. Cover cheesecake with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. 5. Garnish with fresh fruit, if desired. Number of Servings: 8 Serving Size: 1 slice Calories 121 2 g 4 g 56 mg 20 g Source: www.fitnessandfreebies.com

Dutch Apple Pie 1/4 cup fruit sweetener** 1/4 cup Apple Butter or unsweetened applesauce 1 egg 2/3 cup flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup diced apples 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1. Cream fruit sweetener and Apple butter. Beat in egg. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend into creamed mixture. 2. Fold in apples and nuts. Pour into an 8 x 8-inch pan which has been sprayed with non-stick coating. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 325 degrees. **You can find commercial fruit sweeteners, ordinarily a combination of concentrated peach & pear juices and unsweetened pineapple syrup, in health food stores, gourmet food stores and large grocery outlets. It tastes 1-1/2 to 2 times sweeter than refined sugar. You can also make your own fruit sweetener. For example, if a recipe calls for 1/2 cup fruit sweetener, you can substitute 1/4 cup concentrated apple juice + 1/4 cup granulated fructose. Number of Servings: 12 Serving Size: 1 slice Calories 130 7 g g 130mg 15 g Source: http://diabeticgourmet.com

Lite Pumpkin Pie 2 cups canned pumpkin 2 cups water 1 cup low-fat milk powder (equal to 4 cups low-fat milk) 2 eggs 3/4 cup brown sugar Twin (R) 1/2 tsp Morton Lite Salt (R) Mixture 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1. Mix all ingredients. 2. Pour into a 9-inch glass pie pan sprayed with non-stick spray. 3. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 1 hour, or until knife inserted in center of pie comes out clean. 4. Serve warm or let sit and serve. Number of Servings: 8 Serving Size: 1 slice Calories 114 3 g 8 g 203 mg 15 g Source: http://diabeticgourmet.com