Thanksgiving Foods Modifications & Substitutions for a Lower Calorie Day

After researching the top 10 Thanksgiving Day foods here is the list I have come up with:
1. Turkey
2. Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
3. Ham
4. Pumpkin Pie
5. Cranberry
6. Green Bean Casserole
7. Sweet Potatoes
8. Rolls
9. Stuffing/Dressing
10. Macaroni & Cheese

Considering the average American consumes ~4500 calories on Thanksgiving Day from these foods and others, we have to come up with modifications, substitutions or decide to eliminate some of the foods altogether.  I'm not one for eliminating foods so we will try to focus on modifications or substitutions. 

1. Turkey-preparation is key with saving calories on turkey.  Be sure to bake NOT fry! Remove the skin which contains most of the fat (calories).  Don't smother in gravy (200 cals per 1/4 cup)-use sparingly if at all. 

2. Mashed Potatoes-utilize your biggest asset when it comes to saving calories and getting nutrition, the Health One Meal Replacement (HOMR).  This recipe is delicious and uses only a fraction of the calories with the same great taste.  If you aren't going to be using the HOMR, use pepper & Mrs. Dash to flavor and next the butter, heavy cream, and sour cream to save calories.

3. Ham-similar to turkey, saving calories on ham comes from selection of the ham and preparation.  Select a ham that is lean, be sure to bake & don't add any "special" (key word for calorie-loaded) sauces/glazes like brown sugar or honey, etc.  Trim the visible fat before eating to save additional calories

4. Pumpkin Pie-since pumpkin pie is the 'dessert of choice' for many on Thanksgiving, portions are key!  Instead of having 1/6th of the pie (or more) enjoy a small slice, consider 1/12th, of the pie to save calories instantly but still enjoy the taste of traditional pumpkin pie.  Or, you could opt to make "Crustless" Pumpkin Pie or the Pumpkin Roll from the HOMR to provide at least 25% of your daily nutrition needs while saving on calories. 

5. Cranberry-usually served sliced from the can which can cost as much as 420+ calories per cup! Even though you may not eat 1 cup, consider an alternative like sugar-free cranberry jello that is 20 calories/cup.  Or, make your own sugar-free cranberry sauce that uses fresh cranberries and a sugar substitute to save calories. 

6. Green Bean Casserole-easiest solution is keeping those non-starchy veggies naked and with out sauce to save calories.  Try instead flavoring with minced onion and garlic, Mrs. Dash, and pepper and leaving the bacon/ham, cream of "whatever" off, as well as the fried crunchies on top.  You'll be satisfied knowing your green beans are 35-40 calories per cup instead of ~100 per cup.

7. Sweet Potatoes-similar to green beans in that they are great to add to the meal plan, but not so great when they are loaded with sugars/brown sugars, syrups, marshmallows, and butter!  Sure they taste good, but can clock in at over 350 calories per 1/2 cup especially when you add the pecans on top.  All you need to do is bake a sweet potato and top with cinnamon, spray butter, and a sugar substitute, if desired, and voila you have reduced calories and put in less work.

8. Rolls-Another "costly" calorie food (up to 250-300 per roll with butter and/or jelly) readily served at Thanksgiving. Tip to save calories = eat only 1 or 1/2 of one and limit toppings & stay AWAY from the ROLLS!

9. Stuffing/Dressing-portion size is again the biggest solution to still be able to enjoy but not pack on tons of calories.  Traditional stuffing or dressing include lots of bread, eggs, butter/fat, sometimes meat, and sometimes vegetables so it all depends on what you are including in your dish.  Use a recipe you can trust to provide lower calories such as Hungry Girl's "Save the Day Stuffing"! In this recipe she uses light bread, lots of low-calorie veggies & egg beaters to keep the calories low.

10. Macaroni & Cheese- Starch and fat = perfect combination for high calories! Limit portion size, but also consider using spaghetti squash and a low-fat cheese (like cheese wedges) to save calories.  Also consider adding broccoli or other vegetables that can be found in this Hungry Girl's "Too-EZ Mac 'n Cheese" Recipe.

It's harmless to get your Thanksgiving Day top 10 food list in shape and you might even find a few recipes that you would like to use each year.  Try to fool family members with lower-calorie versions, but don't fool yourself into thinking that not counting or tracking the calories is a good idea.  After all 3,500 calories can quickly add up!

Pumpkin is Healthy; Here are the Facts!

Pumpkins not only make great Jack-O-Lanterns, but they also are a great addition to a healthy meal plan! 

Here are some quick facts about pumpkin:

1. 80 calories per cup of canned pumpkin or 5 per TBSP (Like the Libby's Canned Pumpkin)
2. Rich in minerals: copper, manganese, zinc, iron, selenium, magnesium
3. 19% Daily Value for Vitamins C, 10% Daily Value for E & riboflavin
4. Contains 5.125 mg beta carotene (a form of Vitamin A)-found in orange fruits/vegetables
5. Rich in cartonetoids: lutein & zeaxanthin-associated with eye health and reduced risk of cataracts
6. 1 cup has 564 mg of Potassium-more than a banana!
7. 4g protein (4g) &  fiber (10g) per cup
8. Botanically it is a fruit
9. Is a winter squash
10. A typical pumpkin contains 90% water
11. 80% of the US pumpkin supply is available in October
12. Pick pumpkins that are firm & heavy for their size
13. Pumpkin seeds are high in protein, manganese, magnesium, & phosphorus and also contain heart healthy mono- & polyunsaturated fats.  (1/4 cup seeds toasted in oil = 190 calories)
14. 1.1 Billion is the number of pounds of pumpkins annually produced in the U.S.
15. Top producing states: Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, & California
16. More than 90% of the pumpkins grown in the U.S. are for canned pumpkin

If you haven't already, try it in a dish today: roast with other vegetables, puree to make a base for soup, pancakes, waffles, quick breads or muffins.  Find a pumpkin recipe to try HERE!

Lower Calories with Meatless Monday

image source: www.meatlessmonday.com

Meatless Mondays is an International Campaign to promote going meatless once per week to reduce your risk of preventable conditions like obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.  We like the idea of going meatless once per week because meat can often be a source of intake that contains the most calories.  Calories consumed must be lowered for weight loss & this is a great way to still maintain nutritional status while lowering calories & enjoying a delicious meal or snack!

Watch this quick video from MeatlessMonday.com to learn more information.  Their website provides all types of tools to help you in being successful in your mission to go meatless. 

It's easy to go meatless! Swap out your chicken, pork, beef, etc for nuts, seeds, eggs, legumes or beans.  Click here for nutritional guidelines and ideas to swap meat and be meatless. Going meatless will help to increase your fiber intake-especially if you swap your meat with legumes or beans. 

For meatless recipes, go HERE.  Make this one of your New Years Resolutions!

 

In Season: Winter Squash

Winter Squash is in season! What is it, what do you do with it, how do you select it?  All great questions for these vegetables that are delightful to look at but intimidating to fit in your meal plan.  Butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and pumpkin are the most common of the winter squash family, but calabaza, blue or golden hubbard, acorn, kabocha are other varieties of this plentiful squash.

image source: www.ecoki.com

How to select winter squash at the grocery store is an important task for the product it produces.  Also, look at these recipes: 10 Ways to enjoy Butternut Squash to find ways to incorporate this excellent source of vitamin A & C and good source of fiber, potassium and magnesium.

 

Health One Recipe: Lasagna

Using the noodle recipe made by the Health One Creamy Potato Soup you have an extensive number of ways to make an italian dish.  Here is a photo process of making the lasagna with the noodles that have been made in advance. 

Go HERE to view the process in video form on our YouTube Channel!

      

For the Love of All Things Fall: Apples

Fall is a great time to discover or rediscover your love for apples.  Apples are yummy and for ~60-100 calories each (of course depending on size) you can get vitamins and minerals as well as insoluble fiber and soluble fiber! Sounds like a lot for a little, right? So, plan on heading out to the nearest apple orchard and doing a little u-pick (for the physical activity) and collecting some delicious apples.  Not sure what to do with them?  Here are 5 ways to incorporate apples into your meal plan:

1. Make homemade applesauce! Follow THIS link for detailed instructions. Add a bit of zero calorie sweetener if more sweetness is desired

2. Simple as a sliced apple-cut that baby up and chow down with some low-fat yogurt as a dip!

3. On-the-go. Easy as that.

4. Apple Salsa-sounds like a fiesta, huh?  Follow THIS link for the recipe.

5. Top your Vanilla Health One Meal Replacement 1 x 1 with sliced, cooked apples and sprinkle with cinnamon for an apple cobbler..mmmm

Are you feeling the fall-ness yet?

Farmer's Market

Fall is in the air- crisp air, colorful leaves, and...squash at the Farmer's Market!

Have you "hung out with" a beautiful spaghetti squash in a while? It's not only delicious (and low-calorie), but also a great source of fiber, folic acid, potassium, and vitamin A! You can roast them in the oven, cut and microwave, or even boil your spaghetti squash. Top with tomato sauce, parsley, and Parmesan, or check out this delightful recipe!

Have a well week,