Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

While many of us over-indulge this time of year, there are lots of traditional holiday foods that won’t throw you off your healthy diet. The trick is to make healthy choices, and not eat too much in general. Here are some foods you can enjoy guilt-free this Thanksgiving:

Turkey. If you are looking for a lean cut of meat, turkey is hard to beat. A 3-ounce serving of skinless white meat contains 25 grams of protein, barely 3 grams of fat, and less than 1 gram of saturated fat. Dark meat has more saturated fat than white meat, and eating the skin adds a hefty wallop of these bad fats. Turkey is also a good source of arginine. As with other amino acids, the body uses this one to make new protein. Arginine is also the raw material for making nitric oxide, a substance that relaxes and opens arteries. Whether foods rich in arginine help keep arteries open has prompted both research and debate.

Cranberries. The fruit that provides the base of this traditional side dish deserves to move from holidays to everyday. Cranberries are packed with dozens of different antioxidants. On a standard test that measures the ability of food to neutralize unstable molecules that can damage DNA, proteins, cell membranes, and cellular machinery, the cranberry is near the top of the list. The natural mix of antioxidants found in cranberries and other foods is what matters, not the high doses of single ones found in supplements. If you make your own cranberry sauce from whole berries, you’ll get a tastier and less sugary sauce than you can get out of a can.

Sweet potatoes. These un-potatoes — they’re related to the morning glory, not the white potato — are an excellent source of vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. And sweet potatoes make a delicious dessert. See below for our doctor-approved recipe for a sweet potato pudding dessert.

Pumpkin. Before this orange squash is made into pie, it’s just plain good for you. Pumpkin is low in fat, low in calories, and loaded with potassium, vitamin A, beta carotene, and vitamin C. Instead of pumpkin pie, try our recipe for Zesty Pumpkin Custards (below).

Pecans. Most nuts are great sources of heart-healthy fats. Pecans are no exception. Twenty pecan halves contain about 20 grams of unsaturated fat. Studies from around the globe show that people who routinely eat nuts are less likely to die of heart disease than those who don’t.

Although many of the foods that grace a Thanksgiving table are healthy on their own, they tend to lose their virtue by the company they keep. Brown sugar, butter, and marshmallows ease aside the goodness of sweet potatoes. The benefits of pumpkin and pecans are overwhelmed when these foods are baked into pies with cream, eggs, butter, and sugar. It doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re set on a traditional dinner, alternative recipes abound for healthier stuffing, vegetables, and desserts. You can also start your own traditions. After all, today’s Thanksgiving dinner bears little resemblance to the original feast.

Sweet Potato Pudding (Dessert)

Makes 4 servings (2/3 cup per serving)
1 1/3 cups mashed, cooked sweet potato
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 teaspoon salt (omit if on a low-sodium diet)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup egg substitute
16 ounces evaporated skim milk
Cooking spray

Combine sweet potato and the next 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with a mixer until smooth. Add milk; mix well. Pour mixture into a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° F for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. (For individual servings, pour 2/3 cup potato mixture into each of 4 custard cups. Bake at 375° F for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.) Let pudding cool. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Nutrition information per serving
Calories	83
Fat	0.86 grams
Saturated fat	0.20 grams
Monounsaturated fat	0.20 grams
Polyunsaturated fat	0.43 grams
Carbohydrates	15 grams
Fiber	0.40 grams
Cholesterol	1 milligram
Sodium	116 milligrams
Protein	3.5 grams
Carbohydrate choices per serving	1

Zesty Pumpkin Custards

Makes 4 servings (1/2 cup per serving)
1/8 cup sugar
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg
6 ounces canned evaporated skim milk
8 ounces canned cooked pumpkin
1/4 cup reduced-calorie frozen whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 325° F. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat at low speed until smooth. Spoon 1/2 cup of the pumpkin mixture into each of 4 (6-ounce) ramekins or custard cups. Place 4 ramekins in a 9-inch square baking pan; add hot water to the pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake for 1 hour or until set. Remove ramekins from pan; let cool. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon whipped topping.

Nutrition information per serving
Calories	77
Fat	2.5 grams
Saturated fat	1.5 grams
Monounsaturated fat	0.9 grams
Polyunsaturated fat	0.15 grams
Carbohydrates	11 grams
Fiber	0.5 grams
Cholesterol	32 milligrams
Sodium	34 milligrams
Protein	2.5 grams
Carbohydrate choices per serving	0.7