Gobble Gobble Can Mean Healthy Eating Too!

Hello Ladies and Gents,

Thanksgiving is almost here. It is almost time for long hours cooking, great company (hopefully, I'm crossing my fingers for you), great food, and then an amazing food coma on the couch afterwards. This year, our family has decided to order out so we do not have the stress of cooking for days before. However, for some of you, you still plan on experiencing Thanksgiving in the traditional way: hours and hours slaving away in the kitchen.

So for the troopers out there, I have included a few great recipes to include with your lunch/dinner/lunner menu to help keep the food options fresh and healthy! More power to those of you who are putting forth the effort, blood, sweat, and stress for this day!

Appetizer:  Artichoke Hearts Gratin

Servings: 4
Ready In: 35 minutes

Nutrition: 89kcal; Cholesterol: 4mg; Fiber: 1.6g; Sodium: 326mg; Carbohydrates: 6.3g; Fat: 6.2g; Protein: 3.3g

Ingredients

• 6 canned artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges

Preparation

1. Place artichoke heart halves on a paper towel cut-side down to drain for about 15 minutes.
2. Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with vegetable oil.
3. Place artichoke heart halves on the prepared baking sheet, cut side up. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and drizzle with olive oil.
4. Broil artichoke hearts until browned on top, about 7 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Side Dish: Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole

Servings: 6 cups
Ready In: 1 hour

Nutrition: 229kcal; Cholesterol: 54mg; Fiber: 1.9g; Sodium: 187mg; Carbohydrates: 30.1g; Fat: 11.1g; Protein: 2.9g

Ingredients

• 1 cups sweet potato, cubed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparations

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

Stuffing: Slow Cooker

Servings: 16
Ready In: 9 hours 20 minutes

Nutrition: 201kcal; Cholesterol: 58mg; Fiber: 1.5g; Sodium: 772mg; Carbohydrates: 16.9g; Fat: 13.3g; Protein: 4.2g

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 12 ounches sliced mushrooms
• 12 cups dry bread cubes
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth or as needed
• 2 eggs, beaten

Preparation

1. Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, mushroom, and parsley in butter, stirring frequently.
2. Spoon cooked vegetables over bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl. Season with poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, and salt and pepper. Pour in enough broth to moisten, and mix in eggs. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, and cover.
3. Cook on High for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to Low, and cook for 4 to 8 hours.

 

Side Dish: Quick Brussels And Bacon

Servings: 6
Ready In: 30

Nutrition: 189kcal; Cholesterol: 19mg; Fiber: 3.1g; Sodium: 255mg; Carboyhydrates: 11.2g; Fat: 14g; Protein: 6.4g

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen Brussels Sprouts, thawed and halved

Preparation

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp; drain on paper towels and crumble.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir the onion in the oil until soft; stir in the bacon and cook until bacon is heated through. Add the Brussels sprouts; cook and stir until the sprouts are browned, 7 to 10 minutes.

Small Main Dish: Cranberry Stuffed Turkey Breasts

Servings: 10
Ready In: 2 hours

Nutrition: 387 kcal; Cholesterol: 34mg; Fiber: 3g; Sodium: 858mg; Carbohydrates: 32.6g; Fat: 18.4g; Protein: 23.2g

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package herb-seasoned bread stuffing mix
• 1 skinless boneless turkey breasts
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 (8 ounce) packages dried, sweetened cranberries
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 lettuce leaves
• 1/2 cup pecan halves

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
2. With a sharp knife, butterfly breasts open to lay flat. Place each breast between two sheets of waxed paper, and flatten with a mallet. Spread the prepared stuffing to within 1/4 inch of the edge of each breast. Sprinkle each one with chopped pecans and dried cranberries, reserving some of the cranberries for garnish. Roll up tightly in a jellyroll style, starting with the long end. Tuck in ends, and tie in sections with string, about 4 sections around the middle and one running the length of the roll to secure the ends.
3. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully brown rolls on all sides.
4. Place skillet in oven, uncovered. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is at 170 degrees F (78 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer. Do not let these get overly dry.
5. Allow rolls to set for 15 minutes before removing string, and slicing into 1/2 to 3/4 inch circles. Leave one roll whole, and slice the other for presentation. Stuffing will be spiraled into meat. Present on your prettiest platter on a bed of curly lettuce, and garnish by sprinkling with the remaining 1/2 cup pecan halves and the reserved dried cranberries.