It's one of the most wonderful times of the year when family and friends gather to celebrate the passing year and share how thankful we are for the blessings we have throughout our lives. Let us also not forget, the FOOD.
Food is a focal point of Thanksgiving weekend and while the stereotype of a large feast conjures visions of full stomachs and tired gravy hangovers, it doesn't have to go quite that way. In fact, this year we're keeping our Thanksgiving healthy and lite.
It's true...we're going to do it and you can too.
Let's start with the bird in the room. It's not the turkey that makes the meal overindulgent, it's the gravy, so we're skipping gravy all together. While gravy can add a little something to your turkey dinner it can also add a whole lot of something in the way of calories. Skipping it keeps your meal lite.
Another holiday staple is mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes can often come loaded with butter and can be one factor in making you feel like your calorie count is double what it should be. The good news is, we've got an alternative for that. This year we're going to prepare mashed cauliflower instead. This lighter alternative still gives you and your guests the same wonderful texture of mashed potatoes without the high calorie and carb count.
We're keeping the veggies light as well with low to no butter used on any of the vegetables and a wide variety of tasty vegetables that contain all of the nutrients to keep your mind right during this holiday.
Finally we're going to skip the bread. Before you throw a roll at the screen, know this, bread is one of the biggest culprits of high calorie counts and low energy on the day of Thanksgiving. While they are a tasty addition to your Thanksgiving table, they can increase your risk of overeating. If you absolutely cannot skip the bread at least serve a whole grain roll that is the healthiest option for this side dish.
We didn't mention dessert or drinks because well, let's just say, moderation is key in both of these areas. If you make some sacrifices during the main course, a sliver of pie will allow you to maintain your lite Thanksgiving dinner without any of the guilt.
