{Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes} 7 Healthy Holiday Swaps
By Kate Horney
Looking for some Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes?
Read on for 7 Healthy Holiday Swaps that you don’t want to miss!
Last week I shared some Non-Traditional (aka FUN) Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes that are a great way to switch things up and break out of the boring turkey & cranberry rut. From breakfast to dinner, appetizers and desserts, you’ll find lots of fall, fat loss inspired recipes here!
For the times that you do want to bring it back to the basics, though, I’ve broken down all of your favorite traditional holiday foods and have some quick & easy, fat loss friendly swaps for you today!
Bring your own healthy dish to a holiday gathering or offer to help with parties, meals, etc. and share some of your favorite fat loss friendly versions of traditional holiday favorites. Who knows, you may be able to inspire friends and family to get on board and join you in your healthy lifestyle! And even if you don’t, at least you know you’ll have a few dishes that you can enjoy freely.
{Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes} 7 Healthy Holiday Swaps
- Turkey-Turkey is an awesome protein source. It’s full of vitamin B, zinc, potassium and folic acid and is great for fat burning and muscle building. The problem comes, however, when your turkey is deep fried (yes, I’m from the south) or slathered with tons of fat + flour filled gravy. Try this: A normal portion size is usually 3 to 4 ounces, and if you stick to the white meat and peel the skin off, you’ll literally save hundreds of calories at the Thanksgiving table.
- Stuffing- We can’t talk about TURKEY without also mentioning stuffing. But talk about a healthy food that needs a name change! Many women have the misconception that this traditional side is unavoidably fattening, but that’s really not the case! With just a few simple changes, you can turn your stuffing around! Try this: Ditch the bread and pack your turkey with nuts, fruits, carrots, and celery. The fiber will help keep you full, and if you use low sodium chicken broth instead of butter, you’ll also be able to avoid the post Thanksgiving day bloat and keep the dish moist and low in fat.
- Collard Greens- Speaking of avoiding the bloat, did you know that collard greens & other high fiber, cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale) are shown to be great detoxifiers?! When it comes to high fiber veggies, you can’t eat too many! Just make sure you ditch the greasy fat sources and additives that sabotage these ultra-healthy sides. Try this: By preparing these leafy greens or other fibrous veggies in a steamer, you’ll leave out the unnecessary calories and fat and gain a ton of vitamins and antioxidants.
- Sweet Potatoes- While we’re on the subject of veggies, we simply must acknowledge the fact that no traditional Thanksgiving dinner is complete with out some sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are great sources of complex carbs and sweet potatoes are filled with with fiber, vitamin A, potassium, and phytochemicals. Just be careful that you don’t load them with butter, marshmallows, or some other type of healthy holiday sabotage. Try this: roast your sweet potatoes to keep the flavor without adding fat or extra sugar. Top with cinnamon and stevia if desired.
- Cranberries- Speaking of healthy holiday sabotage… many women think that cranberries, which are known for disease fighting antioxidants, are a free for all when it comes to thanksgiving day sides. Be careful, though, because cranberries are naturally low in sugar, which means many berry recipes call for loads of added sugar! Try this: Stay away from the added sugar and instead keep this side dish healthy by sweetening your berries with stevia or another natural, low calorie sweetener.
- Pumpkin- Of course, no Thanksgiving day meal is complete without this sweet treat. If it’s just not a holiday without a slice of pumpkin pie, I’ve got some great news for you. Pumpkins are loaded with heart healthy fiber and filled with vitamin A. In addition, because pumpkins are naturally very moist, you don’t need to add many unhealthy ingredients to get a flavor that is tasty AND fat loss friendly. The biggest problem with pumpkin pie comes from the added carbs in the pie crust or the sugar added to the filling. Try this: Opt for 100% pure pumpkin pure instead of the artificially sweetened, chemically processed pumpkin pie filling. Sweeten with stevia as necessary, and consider going “crust-less” with this easy & delicious healthy pumpkin pie recipe!
- Pecans- Next to pumpkin, pecan pie tops the charts for traditional holiday desserts. In addition to being packed with fiber and healthy fats, pecans are a great source of vitamin E and magnesium, which supports a healthy immune system and improved muscle recovery. The problem comes when you add these healthy fats to lots of carbs and sugar, creating a high calorie, hormonal fat storing bomb that should be avoided at all costs. Try this: Enjoy the benefits and flavor of pecans without the extra fat storage by sprinkling this holiday favorite over salads, added them to your healthy stuffing, or enjoying them as a stand-alone snack before the meal begins.
What are some of your favorite Healthy Thanksgiving Tips?
Spread the healthy holiday love by sharing below! 🙂
P.S. Are you hosting a big dinner this year?
Check out our 3 secrets to slim hosting so you can finally figure out how to make the fat loss lifestyle work for you… even during the hustle, bustle and stress of hosting dinner for the holidays!!!!