Healthy Substitutions to Make Thanksgiving Dinner Less of a Guilty Pleasure
by RYAN MILEJCZAK
Perhaps the most exciting meal of the entire year is the Thanksgiving feast. There’s nothing better than loading up your plate with turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and all the Thanksgiving classics. But this hearty meal isn’t always the healthiest option, and for those with dietary concerns like diabetics, all those carbs, sugary desserts, and fatty side dishes can make it hard to fully enjoy Turkey Day.
Thankfully, it’s easy to give a healthier touch to Thanksgiving dinner with a few simple substitutions, such as:
- Cutting carbs by replacing starches like flour and potatoes with lower-carb options like cauliflower and turnips
- Getting more fiber by replacing white bread with whole wheat
- Reducing fat by replacing some or all of the butter or heavy cream in a recipe with plain greek yogurt
- Cutting out sugar by replacing it with stevia or another sugar-free sweetener
Let’s take a look at some classic Thanksgiving recipes that feature a few simple substitutions to make them healthier, without sacrificing on flavor.
Low Carb Gravy With Cauliflower
Adapted from The Paleo Mom
Ingredients
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 cup Turkey drippings
- 1 ½ cups plus 1 cup turkey or chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Bring 1 ½ cup broth to a boil in a medium saucepot and add the cauliflower florets. Reduce to a simmer and cook until very soft, about 15 minutes. Transfer cauliflower and broth to a blender and blend until you have a smooth puree. Set aside.
With the turkey out of the oven, pour off drippings into a measuring cup and let sit for a few minutes so fat can separate. Skim off and dispose of the fat.
In a saucepan on high heat, add 1 cup drippings and remaining 1 cup broth. Once reduced by about a third, begin adding the cauliflower mixture one spoonful at a time until you’ve reached your desired consistency, keeping in mind gravy will thicken slightly as it cools. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.
Healthy Whole Wheat Stuffing
Adapted from Cait’s Plate
Ingredients
- One whole loaf stale whole grain bread*, cubed
- 3 ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 ½ cup celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup turkey broth
- 1 apple, peeled and cubed
- 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
- 1 tbsp chopped sage
- 1 cup chopped sausage
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
*Note: If you don’t have stale bread, cube fresh bread then leave the cubes in the oven at the lowest setting for about an hour.
First, preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a casserole dish with cooking spray.
Next, heat a large saute pan over medium and add olive oil, then saute the onion, celery, and carrot until fragrant and tender, about 5 minutes. Add bread, apple, sausage, seasonings and stock. Stir well, cook for another 5 minutes, then transfer the whole mixture to your prepared casserole dish.
Bake until bread is lightly toasted and veggies are fork tender. Let cool slightly and enjoy.
Guilt-Free Mashed Potatoes and Turnips
Adapted from Cape Fear Nutrition
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
- 1 pound turnips, peeled
- ⅓ cup skim milk
- ¼ cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepot. Add in turnips and potatoes, reduce heat, and cook covered until tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove potatoes and turnips from the pot and reserve about ¼ cup of the starchy water they were boiled in. Mash the veggies by hand or using a food mill. Stir in remaining ingredients and starchy water until well combined. Serve warm.
Sugar-Free Pumpkin Pie
Adapted from Sugar-Free Mom
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream or coconut cream
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- ½ tsp Stevia powder
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredients
First, prepare the pie crust and let cool.
Next, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. While the oven heats, combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Pour filling into pie crust, place on a baking sheet, and bake until set, about 40-50 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving topped with sugar-free whipped cream.