Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving dinner is all about serving a large meal with roasted turkey, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, buttered corn, cranberry sauce, side dishes and so on. Instead of devouring on classic fatty dishes made with excess cream and butter, opt for healthy thanksgiving recipes this time. With replacement of proper ingredients, you can still cook tasty dishes to satisfy the taste buds of your family members, while maintaining a low calorie and less fatty meal menu.

Healthy Delights for Thanksgiving

Come up with simple and healthy cooking ideas for thanksgiving. Say for example, if you are hosting a small family get together party, do not purchase the whole, self-basking turkey. Rather go the turkey breast, which contains less fat and allows easy roasting. While roasting it, use an oil spray, instead of rubbing turkey with spoonfuls of butter. Include fresh herbs, seasonal fruits and vegetables as far as possible. The following are delicious, yet healthy thanksgiving recipes for you.

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

• ¾ cup water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 8 ounces pumpkin puree
• 1 cup unsalted vegetable broth
• ¼ teaspoon finely ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 green onion, only green top, chopped

Directions for Preparation

Boil water in a saucepan and add onion. As it turns soft and tender, introduce pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, nutmeg and cinnamon. Keep the heat in medium high setting and bring the soup mixture to a boiling temperature. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes, till the soup thickens a bit. Pour milk and wait till it becomes hot. Garnish with pepper and green onion, and serve hot in soup bowls. This pumpkin soup yields about 72 calories per 1 cup serving amount.

Roasted Turkey with Rosemary Herb

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey (neck and giblet removed)
• ¾ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Salt as per your taste
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Directions for Preparation

Roasted turkey is the base for thanksgiving dinner, and it is one of the calorie loaded food items. Trim off fatty portions before roasting. To start with the herb roasted turkey recipe, clean the turkey, loosen the skin in the breast area and pat it dry. Preheat oven to 325° F. Take a mixing bowl, and add the ingredients - olive oil, rosemary, garlic, basil, pepper, salt and Italian seasoning. Mix well and keep aside.

Place the clean turkey in a shallow dish and apply the seasoning mixture below the breast skin, thigh and remaining parts. If the skin in the breast area is torn, use toothpicks to keep the rosemary mixture in place. In a roasting pan, pour ¼ inch water in the bottom and place turkey on the rack. Roast turkey for about 3 ½ hours, or until the internal temperature reading is about 180° F. Allow it to cool down and serve. This roasted turkey gives approximately 596 calories per serving.

Healthy Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 6 ounces cranberries
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup orange juice

Directions for Preparation

Cranberry sauce is another integral part of traditional thanksgiving dinner menu. Heat orange juice in a saucepan over medium low setting. Add sugar and allow it to dissolve completely. Add cranberries and cook for 10 minutes, or until some of them begin popping. Remove from heat and leave sometime for cooling. This cranberry sauce made with orange juice yields about 95 calories per serving.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 tsp orange zest
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

Directions for Preparation

A traditional thanksgiving party would be incomplete without serving mashed sweet potatoes. In order to lower the calorie count, avoid drizzling it with butter and sugar. A healthy mashed sweet potato recipe is to impart orange flavor, instead of butter. First of all, boil the sweet potato cubes in water for 20-25 minutes, or till they become tender. Drain water and place them in a bowl. Add brown sugar, orange juice, orange jest, cinnamon and nutmeg to the bowl. Mashed the sweet potatoes properly. The calories for this orange flavored mashed potatoes are 180 per serving.

At the time of serving roasted turkey, remove the skin, and avoid using oil dripped from turkey for making gravy. You can replace animal fat with olive oil or plain vegetables for a healthier gravy alternative. Likewise, make simple adjustments, and serve a healthy and fulfilling thanksgiving meal. That way, you can enjoy this special dinner without worrying much about the calorie value, or eating fat laden foods.