Post # 17
Member
1316 posts
Bumble bee
Another great green bean recipe is to roast them with olive oil, salt and pepper and then toss them as soon as they come out with halved cherry/grape tomatoes (red and yellow). Looks and tastes great. I love mashed turnip, but I steam it first because I don’t like it when it’s watery. Much lower carb than potatoes, but makes me as happy as having potatoes once I whip it with a bit of cream and butter (I do low carb). If you have a sweet tooth, there are so many ways to make low carb or low calorie apple crisp desserts. This is a go-to for me. I make mine with cut up apples, sugar free caramel sauce (DaVinci’s or walden farms I think is the other…about 2 tablespoons per apple) and cinnamon to taste mixed together with about a tablespoon of water per apple. I don’t peel the apples, just slice thin. I top with butter/rough cut almond flour mix on my half and butter/oat/brown sugar mix on his end of it. Or baked apples stuffed with a nut blend.
Post # 18
Member
507 posts
Busy bee
I love this beet salad to add color and flavor – http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/dining/041mrex.html?_r=0
I do leave out the cheese and cut back on the oil so it is a bit more waist and vegan friendly.
Post # 19
Member
507 posts
Busy bee
Lbward6 + 100 = Love the use of cauliflower too!
Post # 20
Member
919 posts
Busy bee
@veryberry13: Instead of green bean casserole, you could just do roasted green beans, I do mine with caramelized onions and almond slivers. Also, fill half your plate with salad first, then go back through the food line to get everything else.
Post # 21
Member
2393 posts
Buzzing bee
@veryberry13:
I also have gained weight so I feel your pain. I admire you for trying, because I already have thrown in the towel this week and am doing things like having pie for dinner.
: P
My advice is to go to Gina’s Skinnytaste website.
She has bazillions of healthy/low-fat/delish ideas, and they’re organized into categories such as side dishes, desserts, main courses, etc.
I have tried a number of her recipes over the past year and I’ve loved all of them.
She has a whole section just for Thanksgiving:
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2007/07/lightened-up-thanksgiving-recipes.html
Post # 22
Member
2035 posts
Buzzing bee
OH my goodness!
Soo many great ideas have been added here!! I am planning my menu and getting the turkey tonight! I’m pumped for Thanksgiving!!
Thanks to everyone who has replied so far!
Post # 23
Member
2035 posts
Buzzing bee
@iloverocks: The problem with that this year, is that on Thanksgiving it’s just me and my SO….so we will be stuck with the leftovers!
I will probably be having a bit of mashed potatoes though…the problem is I can eat my weight in potatoes I have a problem!!
Post # 24
Member
543 posts
Busy bee
@veryberry13: We’re serving vegetarian food on Thankgiving this year. DH and I are lifelong vegetarians, hosting my family this year, who are not vegetarians, but they are reasonably adventurous. We’re going to do a light lunch followed by a normal sized dinner and 1 dessert so we don’t stuff ourselves silly.
Lunch:
Salad with shaved carrots, greens, lentils, pistachios and tahini dressing
Vegan cauliflower bisque
Dinner
Winter slaw (cabbage, mango, cashews, lime, chili)
Mushroom and pine nut bruschetta
Roasted butternut squash topped with seared radicchio
Broccoli Cheese strudel (stuffed phyllo pastry)
Side of sauteed kale
Dessert
Salted caramel apple pie (not healthy, at all, but moderation is a good thing!)
Post # 25
Member
2449 posts
Buzzing bee
@veryberry13: I love roasted vegetables. Roasted brussel sprouts. Roasted green beans. Roasted butternut squash. Roasted sweet potatoes. Peel/cut the veggies that need to be cut, put olive oil and salt on them, and put them in at 425C until they’re deliciously roasted. We don’t add cheese (I saw a PP mentioned adding cheese).
Also, my mother has been using this recipe (click for link) to make butternut squash soup for the past 3 or so years. We think it’s delicious and it doesn’t use any cream or milk so I’m sure it’s diet-friendly. If you don’t like the taste of ginger with butternut squash, I’d leave it out–my mom has occasionally replaced it with tarragon, but I’m sure it’s delicious without anything too. Also, I think we add a little more stock to make it less dense, but I’m not sure how much because I don’t make it. One of the reviewers mentions adding an extra cup, but if you make it you’ll be able to determine how thick you want the soup on your own I’m sure. 🙂
Post # 26
Member
3716 posts
Sugar bee
I love Thanksgiving– I am making all of the goodies, but I am doing them in a healthy way:
Green bean casserole– I am using an organic, low cal soup with skim milk and I am frying my own onions. Not the healthiest, but I am cutting 50 calories.
Mashed potatos– I am leaving the skins on for the vitamins and making them with low sodium veggie stock. Tastes like butter and cream, but for 100 fewer calories
Gravy– I make my own. It has to be healther.
Stuffing– I make my with corn bread, apples, onions, cranberries, and stock. About 50 calories less than stove top (no butter in mine)
Cranberry sauce– we make cranberry relish http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/almost-famous-cranberry-walnut-relish-recipe/index.htmlbut without sugar. So good.
Roasted veggies– we are doing sweet potatos, carrots, onions, and beets. There is texture and plenty to fill up on.
Turkey– nothing there.
Pecan pie– lots and nothing healthy there.
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