The holiday season is here! That means catching up with friends and family over a delicious, and likely high in calorie, meal. Admit it, your favorite Thanksgiving recipes call for sinful amounts of butter, cream, oil and sugar. Before you panic about calories, overeating, and snug jeans, remember there are healthy alternatives that trim the calories but not the flavor. Enjoy these lighter versions of our favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, such as a green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. Find mouth-watering recipes below.
Green Bean Casserole: 6 servings
3 tablespoons of grape seed oil
½ medium sweet onion, diced
½ medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2/3 cup of flour
1 cup almond milk
1/3 cup non-dairy, or low-fat, sour cream
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 pound of fresh green beans, wash, cut ends
½ cup of reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shreds
Directions: preheat over to 400 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of grape seed oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in onion, stir for about 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, salt, thyme, garlic powder, and stir for about 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of flour. Add milk and bring to a simmer. Add green beans, and cook and stir for about 1 minute. Finally, stir in sour cream and transfer to a 2 quart baking dish. Return pan to medium heat, whisk remaining flour, dash of garlic powder and salt, and grape seed oil. Cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the mixture and shredded cheese over the casserole.
Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes: 4 servings
2 large sweet potatoes, peel and cube
2 tablespoons of butter substitute (Earth Balance)
½ tablespoon salt
½ cup almond milk
7 oz can of chipotles in adobo sauce. (Note: you will use 1-2 chilis and 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce)
Directions: Boil a large pot of water. Add chopped sweet potatoes and steam for 20 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender. Remove from heat, strain sweet potatoes and add to a medium-sized bowl. Add butter substitute, salt, milk, and mash with a potato masher. Add the chipotle, add a second chili pepper if you prefer extra spicy, and continue to mash until mixture is smooth. Bake the casserole for about 15 minutes. Let cool before eating.
Pumpkin Mac & Cheese: 6 servings
1 box elbow macaroni
1 can pumpkin puree
1 cup of low-fat mozzarella cheese
1 cup of low-fat cheddar cheese
2 cups of almond milk
2 tablespoons of butter substitute (Earth Balance)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 cup of onions, caramelized in advance
Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Boil macaroni until al dente. Over medium heat, melt butter substitute. Add flour and stir for about two minutes, until smooth. Slowly add in 1 cup of almond milk while whisking. Once mixture is smooth, add last cup of milk. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Keep on medium heat and stir for 10 minutes, until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and add pumpkin puree, plus 1.5 cups of reduced fat cheese. Continue to stir until cheese melts. Gently add macaroni to mix. Pour mac and cheese into a 2 quart baking dish. Top with remaining ½ cup of cheese, caramelized onions and bread crumbs. Bake until golden brown and crispy, for about 25 minutes.
