Name: Mashed Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar
Ingredients: 1 medium butternut squash (washed, cut in half, with seeds and stringy parts removed, about 1lb/500g); 1 tbsp brown sugar (15 mL); 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (0.5 mL); 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon (0.5 mL); 1/4 tsp orange peel (grated (orange part only with no white pith), 1 mL)

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(NC) – Ah, the Thanksgiving feast. Family, friends, food, and more food. According to wellnessjuncton.com, Thanksgiving dinner alone carries a load of 3,000 calories. And most of us will nibble our way through another 1,500 calories on dips, chips and drinks before and after the big meal. Combined, that’s the equivalent of more than two and a quarter times the average daily calorie intake and almost three and half times the fat.

So how do you enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner without feeling like a big turkey yourself the next day? First thing’s first – realize that it’s all right to indulge occasionally – we all do. ‘Food is supposed to be comforting, nourishing, loving and fun,’ says Lois Ferguson, Registered Dietitian and author of the best selling book, Eating for Energy and Ecstasy. ‘Holidays, such as Thanksgiving are centered around the meal, and to deprive yourself of that, is to deprive yourself of the holiday itself.’

If you overdo it during the holiday, just make sure to get right back on your weight loss or maintenance plan the next day. ‘A viable option that makes it easy for Canadians to enjoy the festive foods and maintain their weight loss goals is the SlimFast plan,’ adds Ferguson. ‘The plan offers a flexible, simple approach that combines great taste, nutritionally balanced and portion-controlled meal replacements with healthy foods. The recommended SlimFast plan includes two meal replacements per day and a sensible/well balanced third meal that consists of protein, grain products and vegetables – the essential elements of a Thanksgiving dinner – along with healthy snacks during the day. SlimFast also recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily – so enjoy a refreshing walk with the family the day after Thanksgiving!’

Other easy tips such as limiting alcohol and avoiding high-fat hors d’oeuvres will help you remain on track. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and keep you feeling full. Also, if the mashed potatoes and stuffing are too tempting, limit your serving size to one tablespoon of each to experience the flavour with only a portion of the fat.

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner remember you have control of the type of menu that will be served. To manage your calorie in-take for this meal, try to shop with a planned list to avoid impulse purchases of items such as baked pies and cookies. Use nonstick pans instead of cooking with fats and oils and try cooking techniques, such as broiling, baking, steaming, or stir-frying.

For a wonderful Thanksgiving feast without the guilt, try out one of these low-cal, sensible but delicious recipes:

Mashed Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar

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Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash washed, cut in half, with seeds and stringy parts removed, about 1lb/500g
1 tbsp brown sugar 15 mL
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 0.5 mL
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon 0.5 mL
1/4 tsp orange peel grated (orange part only with no white pith), 1 mL

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C)
In a shallow baking dish, place squash halves cut-side down. Cover with foil and bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until flesh is tender when pierced with a fork.
Remove from oven, peel, and cut into cubes.
In a large bowl, combine cubed squash, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and orange peel. Mash together or, using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until fluffy.

Notes

Calories: 71 Fat: 0.2 g

Turkey Cutlets with Cranberry Sauce

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Ingredients

4 7 ounce turkey breast tenders 280g
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 2 mL
1/2 cup chicken broth made with OXO lite in salt bouillon, 125 mL
1 tbsp cornstarch 15 mL
1 can whole cranberry sauce 15 ounces/ 425 g

Instructions

Preheat broiler. Rinse turkey and pat dry. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.
Place turkey on a broiler rack 4 to 5 inches from heat, and cook 7 minutes. Turn and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until no longer pink and internal temperature is 185 F (85 C)
Meanwhile, combine chicken broth and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until bubbly and thickened. Add cranberry sauce and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes.
Place broiled turkey cutlets on a platter, top with cranberry sauce, and serve.