New Thanksgiving Recipes from the Biggest Loser Nutritionist

Looking for healthier options for the Thanksgiving table?

The staple ingredients of this holiday's comfort food hold plenty of health promise. After all, most of the time the Thanksgiving spread features plenty of nutritious vegetables as side dishes, while turkey is low in both calories and fat and contains plenty of iron.

With a little culinary know-how, your Thanksgiving can be a guilt-free, healthful feast. Check out these new recipes I developed - they're both flavorful and nutritious.

Serves 8

Ingredients
1/2 boneless, skinless turkey breast, about 1 1/2 pounds
1 1/2 cups Cornbread and Dried Fruit Dressing
Kitchen twine
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon sage
1 Tablespoon canola oil

Special tools/equipment

Plastic wrap

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 °F.Place large piece of plastic wrap on countertop. Place turkey breast half on plastic and cover. Cover with additional plastic wrap. Using meat mallet, pound turkey to rectangle about 9-10 X 6 inches, about 1/4-inch thick.Remove plastic wrap from top of turkey and spread dressing evenly lengthwise over surface, almost to edge. Roll turkey lengthwise. With kitchen twine, tie roulade lengthwise once and in several places across turkey. Discard plastic wrap.In small bowl, mix together spices. Rub canola oil over all surfaces of roulade; rub spice blend evenly over roulade.Place roulade in shallow roasting pan, then place in oven. Roast for 45-60 minutes or until internal temperature measured with an instant-read thermometer reads 155 °F.Remove roulade from oven and let rest 15 minutes before carefully removing twine and slicing into 16 half-inch slices.

Nutrition per (4 ounce) serving
Calories 140
Total Fat 3.5 g
Saturated Fat < 1 g
Cholesterol 65 mg
Sodium 150 mg
Carbohydrate 5 g
Fiber 0 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 22 g

Makes 6 cups (enough for Turkey Roulade) and 8 side dish servings

Ingredients
4 cups cornbread cubes, dried
4 ounces lean Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 cup chopped yellow or white onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1 small garlic clove, crushed
4 each dried apricots and pitted dried plums, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Canola oil cooking spray
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Place cornbread cubes in large bowl and set aside.In small nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat, crumbling and stirring until brown and cooked through. Drain well and set aside.In large nonstick skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. Stir in onions, celery and carrot; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer, but don’t allow garlic to brown. Stir in sausage, apricots, plums, thyme, sage, marjoram and 1/4 cup broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat; pour vegetable mixture overcornbread. Add parsley and stir well. Season with salt and pepper. (Dressing may be prepared to this stage a day ahead and refrigerated, covered.)Whisk together egg and remaining 3/4 cup broth and pour over cornbread mixture, tossing well. Spray 2-quart baking dish with canola oil cooking spray (use larger baking dish if not reserving dressing for Turkey Roulade) and transfer all but 1 1/2 cups of dressing to baking dish. Cover dish with foil and set aside.After Turkey Roulade has been in oven 30 minutes, place covered baking dish of dressing in oven. After 15 minutes (or when internal temperature of roulade, measured with instant-read thermometer, is 155 °F), remove roulade from oven and remove foil from baking dish with dressing. Continue baking dressing for about 15 minutes or until top begins to brown.

Nutrition per (1/2 cup) serving
Calories 100
Total Fat 3.5 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 30 mg
Sodium 310 mg
Carbohydrate 12 g
Fiber 1 g
Sugars 4 g
Protein 3 g

Serves 8

Ingredients
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 Tablespoons warm water
1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil
3/8 cup white whole-wheat flour
2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Directions

Soak mushrooms in warm water for 5 minutes.In 2-quart saucepan, heat canola oil over medium heat. Whisk in flour until blended and continue stirring until roux is lightly browned and develops nutty aroma.Whisk in broth, optional salt and onion powder. Bring to a gentle boil until just thickened, stirring. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with pepper. Add softened mushrooms and any soaking liquid.Purée gravy in food processor or food mill. Return mixture to saucepan. Heat just to a simmer.

Nutrition per (1/4 cup) serving
Calories 50
Total Fat 3 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 115 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5 g
Fiber 2 g
Sugar 0 g
Protein 1 g

Serves 8

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons canola oil
3 bunches rapini (broccoli rabe), about 3 1/4 pounds, rinsed, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
3 large garlic cloves, minced or crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups diced roasted red bell pepper, from one 12-ounce jar
3 Tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

Directions

Heat very large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add canola oil to pan; add rapini, garlic and salt. Toss well, reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes or until rapini are tender, turning a few times while cooking.Add roasted pepper and toasted almonds, toss and serve.

Cook’s note: If your rapini is on the bitter side, drizzle a tablespoon or so of balsamic vinegar on top of it.

Nutrition per (1 cup) serving
Calories 110
Fat 5 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 55 mg
Carbohydrate 11 g
Fiber <1 g
Sugar 3 g
Protein 7 g

Serves 8

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon canola oil
4 large Fuji apples, about 2 pounds, cored, quartered lengthwise and cut into half-inch pieces
1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup coarsely chopped dried cranberries
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)

Directions

In large, heavy saucepan, heat canola oil and add apples. Sauté over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until apples are lightly caramelized. Add water and lemon juice to pan, cook and stir briefly to deglaze pan.Carefully transfer apples to bowl of food processor and pulse just a few times to chunky consistency. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon and cranberries. Serve warm.

Nutrition per (1/3 cup) serving
Calories 40
Total Fat 1 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 9 g
Fiber 2 g
Sugars 6 g
Protein 0 g

Serves 8

Ingredients
Canola oil cooking spray
3 eggs, omega-3-enriched if available
1 1/4 cup pumpkin purée
7 Tablespoons (1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons) maple syrup
5 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk, heated until very hot
Boiling water, about 1 quart
Ground nutmeg (garnish)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Adjust oven rack to center position. Coat eight 6-ounce custard cups or ramekins with canola oil cooking spray and set them in 13 X 9-inch baking pan.In large bowl, beat eggs slightly; add pumpkin purée, maple syrup, canola oil, vanilla, spices and salt. Beat with mixer until blended thoroughly. Mix in hot milk until blended. There will be about 4 cups of liquid. Pour 1/2 cup flan mixture into each prepared ramekin.Carefully pour boiling water into baking pan around ramekins. Water should come up to level of custard inside ramekins.Bake 40-45 minutes or until set around the edges but still a little loose in center. When center of flan is just set, it will jiggle a little when shaken. Remove from oven and immediately remove ramekins from water bath; cool on wire rack until room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.Serve cold and garnish with ground nutmeg. This dessert can be made up to 3 days in advance. Keep refrigerated until serving.

Tip: Use leftover pumpkin purée in a smoothie with yogurt, milk, sweet spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves) and a drizzle of agave nectar, honey or maple syrup.

Nutrition per (1 flan) serving
Calories 190
Fat 7 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 110 mg
Sodium 220 mg
Carbohydrate 24 g
Fiber 2 g
Sugar 18 g
Protein 6 g

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