Thanksgiving

How can you create a healthier holiday this year?

Making healthier choices on Thanksgiving for you & your loved ones.

- Be the positive influence, get everyone to take a walk after dinner!

- Drink water with the meal, save the calories for the food - not the drinks.

- Serve a big tossed salad as a side dish.

- Take smaller portions to start, go back for seconds of your favorite dish if you want more or eat them as leftovers the next day.

- Remove the skin before eating turkey, as the skin contains a lot of fat.

- If you are fixing part of the meal make healthier recipes that... 

Have less cream, butter and oil than the original recipe. 
Use lower fat ingredients (fat-free, low-fat options).  

Here is one example of a healthier Thanksgiving Day recipe

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Makes 6-8 Servings

Ingredients:

12-14 garlic cloves (to taste), unpeeled

4 lbs. potatoes (preferably yukon golds), peeled, and cut into cubes

2/3 cup fat-free or low-fat milk (can use soy milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice to substitute if desired)

salt and pepper, to taste

2 T. freshly snipped chives

paprika, for garnish

Directions:

Place the unpeeled garlic cloves in a pie pan and bake at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cloves are soft. Remove the pie pan from the oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, place the cubed potatoes, cover them with water, and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes or until tender.

Drain the potatoes, saving the cooking liquid for use in the mashed potatoes, and the remaining cooking liquid can be used in soups or sauces.

Transfer the drained potatoes to a mixer (or return to the large pot if using a hand mixer or potato masher) and set aside for 5 minutes to dry.

Using your fingers, squeeze the cloves of garlic from their skins, and place them in a small bowl. Using a fork, mash the cloves of garlic to form a paste.

Add the mashed garlic and milk to the potatoes, sprinkle with a little salt and white pepper.  Whip until smooth.

Add a little of the reserved potato cooking liquid, if needed, to achieve a creamy consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings, as needed. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large bowl, sprinkle with the snipped chives and a little paprika before serving. 

  

Just one of these healthy changes can make a difference!