Thanksgiving: Ways to Lighten the Calorie Load

It’s that Holiday time of year again, you know…when there’s a steady stream of tempting, yet crappy food flowing all around you! Well, here’s a little escape from all that, some suggestions on how to literally cut the fat, calories and carbs on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Tricks and Treats

– Roasted Turkey: throw out all the butter basting techniques and try brining you turkey. That’s right, soak that bird in a salt water and herb mixture for an hour or two before putting it in the oven and you’ll freak out over how moist and juicy it comes out!

– Mashed Potatoes: instead of mashing a bunch of starchy, simple-carb old school potatoes, try using half steamrd cauliflower! Yeah, it may sound weird but you’ll be surprised how tasty cauliflower is when mashed up with a little garlic and olive oil!

– Gravy: don’t use all those fatty drippings to make your gravy, instead try using a broth-base and thicken it with flour or cornstarch. As terrific as gravy is, it’s basically thickened fat! (tasty, I know, but a little heavy on the fat and calories).

– Stuffing: not being a huge stuffing fan, some of the magic is lost on me, but if you’re addicted to stuffing try shoving a ton of vegetables and herbs in the turkey. If that doesn’t cut it as a replacement, at least do a big dish of roasted veggie to soak up some of those carbs!

– Extras: try something different and healthy…I created a concoction I like to call “Thanksgiving Salsa”. It goes great on turkey, ham, in sandwiches, or in a salad. Chop up green apples. celery, onion, parsley and mix. Add dried cranberries and chopped walnuts, season with garlic salt, a squeeze of lime and Bam!

– Appetizers: put out some veggies and hummus or a cheese plate with some fresh fruit and nuts.

– Cocktails: instead of sticky, sweet, or fruity mixed drinks, try a simple cocktail of vodka or gin, soda and lots of lime. If you get a high quality liquor you can sip on it with little to no mixers and eliminate all of those empty calories.

– Activities: take the crew outside and play catch or go for a walk instead of laying on the couch all day. Even try playing charades if you don’t make it outside…anything to get off the couch and move around a little after that big meal!

It’s the little things that will either set you back or help you out when you’re trying to stay on top of calories during the Holidays. Start by having the good and healthy things in your fridge and pantry and NOT the crappy stuff! If you have people bringing food for your celebration, make suggestions for healthier choices or send them a fun new recipe that you found. After all, the Holidays are all about spending quality time with the people that are close to you…not about stuffing your face with massive amounts of calories.

Cheers, and enjoy!!!