This is how we teach our clients to eat for success. No one needs to wake up and run a marathon to recover from this Thanksgiving meal. Enjoy!
Lean:
• 6 oz. White Turkey (1 Lean Serving)
• Turkey with White Wine Sauce
One 12 Lb Turkey
6 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 c dry white wine
1 c water
1 t dried thyme
1 bay leaf
S&P
2 cups Turkey drippings, fat skimmed off
¼ c Fat-free half and half
1 T cornstarch
Preheat oven to 350F.
Wash and dry the turkey, then season generously with salt and pepper and place in a roasting
pan, breast side down.
Combine garlic, white wine, water, thyme and bay leaf. Pour over the turkey.
Cover with foil and cook 2 ½ hours.
Remove from the oven, flip the turkey over so the breast is now facing up, and place back in
the oven.
Baste every 15 to 30 minutes, until the turkey is done. When done, the thigh will reach an
internal temperature of 180F.
Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes.
Remove the skin before carving.
Use 2 cups of the drippings to make a sauce:
Heat drippings in a pan.
Combine half and half with cornstarch in a small bowl, then pour into the drippings.
Season with salt and pepper if needed.
Bring to a light simmer to thicken, then serve over the turkey (use sparingly, as this is
probably the fattiest part of the meal!).
Green:
• Substitute for Yams
½ cup of spaghetti squash is one vegetable serving.
1/2 tablespoon of Smart Balance is a half fat serving
one Splenda packet is one condiment.
• Substitute for Cranberry Relish
1/2 cup sugar free cranberry Jell-O
1/2 Tbsp of whipped topping
Another option for the Jell-O salad-- is to add 3 1/2 pecan halves crushed and mixed into the
Jell-O before chilling it and only use 1/4 Tbsp of whipped topping on top. • Cranberry Jell-O “Sauce”
1 package sugar-free cranberry Jell-O
1 tub fat-free whipped topping
Make Jell-O according to the directions on the package for the firmer Jell-O.
Refrigerate 30 minute to one hour, remove from the fridge.
Fold in the whipped topping so there are still big red chunks inside the pink jell-O.
Return to the fridge and chill until set.
*In my family, this is served with the meal as a “salad,” but it can just as easily be served as
a healthy dessert.
• Creamed Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower
4 cloves garlic
1 can chicken broth
¼ c fat-free half and half
S&P
Chop cauliflower into big chunks.
Put cauliflower, garlic, chicken broth, salt and pepper into a pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook 30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.
Strain the cauliflower, reserving the liquid, and place into a blender.
Add ¼ c fat-free half and half, and blend slowly.
Add reserved cooking broth to achieve the desired texture.
Season with S&P if needed.
• Garlic Green Beans
1 Lb green beans, stems removed
6-10 cloves garlic, minced
1 T extra virgin olive oil
S&P
Heat a large non-stick pan to medium high heat.
Add the oil, wait 30 seconds to heat through, then add the garlic and green beans.
Add 2 T water, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.
Remove lid, bring heat back the medium high, and sauté until tender.
Top with lemon zest if desired.
• Roasted Vegetables
1 T olive oil (or walnut oil)
2 c Celery, finely chopped
8 oz. Mushrooms, finely chopped
2 c bell peppers, finely chopped
1 c zucchini, finely chopped
1 c broccoli, finely chopped
½ head cabbage, cored and chopped
¼ c fresh parsley, chopped
1 t dried sage 1 t dried thyme
1 t chicken bouillon
S&P
Heat a large pan to medium heat.
Add oil, wait about a minute to heat through, then add all the vegetables.
Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetable are golden brown.
Alternatively, you can cook the cabbage in one batch, the zucchini and mushrooms in a
second batch, and the celery, bell peppers, and broccoli in another batch, then combine at the
end if you want each vegetable to maintain its texture. But that way is more time-intensive,
so you have to make a choice: fast and one texture, or slow and multiple textures.
When the veggies are cooked, add the salt and pepper, sage, thyme, bouillon and ½ c water,
cover and simmer 10 to 20 minutes.
Remove lid, raise heat to medium-high, add parsley and strips of basil and re-season if needed. Cook until the water is no longer in the bottom of the pan (time varies greatly depending on heat, humidity,
etc.).
• Kale Chips – substitution for salty snacks
Curly Kale
Cooking spray
Seasoned salt
Chop kale, rinse, and dry completely using a salad spinner.
Lay in one layer on a cooking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and spray the tops lightly with
cooking spray.
Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn it, or it will get very bitter. Take out
of the oven when it gets just barely crispy to check for doneness.
A few tips for a successful day:
- avoid the appetizer table
- keep a bottle of water in your dominant hand to keep you drinking water instead of reaching for extra food.
- go for a walk in the morning
- while watching football, do a pushup for every point your team scores progressively. For example, when they score the first touchdown plus extra point do 7 pushups (or lunges). The second time, do 14 pushups. And so on.
- get your sleep. Do you really need to get up at 4 am to buy cheap socks? Lack of sleep makes you hungry and irritable and is the #1 indicator of obesity
- find a buddy that wants to make the day healthy and do it together.
- remember, people are more important than food. Focus your enjoyment on family, friends and activities other than eating.
From our family to yours,
Happy Thanksgiving
Shane & Jill Riddle Health Coaching
