It can be pretty hard to eat healthy when there's a scrumptious Thanksgiving feast on the table, but Kidzworld has some tips that will let you have your feast without all the fat and sugar.
Turkey Tips
When you're helping your mom prep the turkey, try seasoning the skin with salt and pepper instead of rubbing it with butter, which is loaded with fat. And when you're digging in, reach for a piece of turkey breast instead of the leg because it's lower in calories than dark meat.
Healthy Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes
Stuffing is one of the best dishes at the dinner table, but did you know it absorbs fat from the turkey as it cooks? So instead of stuffing the stuffing inside the turkey, bake it in a casserole dish instead.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups diced celery
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 4 quarts whole-grain bread cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. sage
- 1 pinch dried thyme
Directions:
- Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onions and cook until soft, but not brown. Add celery and stir well.
- Add two cups of chicken broth, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss bread cubes, eggs, salt, pepper, sage and thyme.
- Add onion and celery mixture and combine thoroughly.
- If it's on the dry side, just add a little more chicken broth.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.
Healthy Thanksgiving Spinach Salad Recipe
Instead of loading up on candied yams and sweet potatoes, just take a couple spoonfuls to nibble on and pile your plate full of veggies. Check out this easy spinach salad that you can prepare with ingredients lying around in your fridge!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- Raspberry vinaigrette
Directions:
- Wash and tear spinach into bite-size pieces.
- Sprinkle dried cranberries, walnuts and parmesan cheese over the spinach.
- Drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette, which is healthier than salad dressing!
Healthy Thanksgiving Sugar-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Thanksgiving dinner isn't complete without pumpkin pie, but store-bought pies are packed with sugar. So here's a simple recipe that has the taste, but not the sugar!
Ingredients:
- 1 16 oz. canned pumpkin
- 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 2 cups skim milk
- 4 packages of Jell-O sugar-free instant vanilla pudding/pie filling
- 1 9" pie crust, baked
Directions:
- Pour milk into a large saucepan. Stir in pudding and pumpkin pie spice until dissolved.
- Add pumpkin and mix until it's well blended.
- Heat mixture on medium heat until it boils. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly.
- Pour mixture into cooled pie crust and chill. The mixture will thicken as it cools.
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