Delicious Recipes for Thanksgiving

The holidays bring comfort and joy... but they may also bring unwanted, added weight. This season our dietitians have you covered with delicious, healthy recipes. In honor of November being Diabetes Awareness Month, all recipes are diabetes friendly. 

Meal:  Herbed-Lemon Turkey with Wild Mushroom Gravy, Green Beans and Onions, and Whole-Wheat Stuffing: 32g carbohydrates

Buttermilk Corn Muffins: 15g carbohydrates

Dessert: No Bake Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake: 12g carbohydrates

Leftovers: Turkey Gumbo: 12g carbohydrates

Snacks (good for football season!): Sweet and Spicy Slow-Cooker Snack Mix: 18g carbohydrates and Spinach artichoke Yogurt Dip: 7 g carbohydrates

Recipes

Herbed-Lemon Turkey with Wild Mushroom Gravy

Serving size: 5 ounces cooked meat, 2 tablespoons gravy

8g carbohydrates, 244 calories, 36g protein, 143mg sodium – 12 servings

Ingredients:

• ½ cup dried cherries
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh sage
• 1 (4 ½ to 5 pound) whole turkey breast (bone-in)
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• ½ cup dried porcini, oyster, shiitake and/or chanterelle mushrooms
• 1 cup boiling water
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• Chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place dried cherries, 1 tablespoon olive oil and sage in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process just until cherries are finely chopped.
2. Slip your fingers between the skin and meat of the turkey breast to loosen the turkey skin. Lift the skin and, using a spatula, carefully spread the cherry mixture directly over the turkey breast meat. Place the turkey breast on a rack in a foil-lined shallow roasting pan. Place the lemon and onion quarters underneath the turkey breast. Insert a meat thermometer into the breast without the thermometer touching the bone. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
3. Roast, uncovered, in preheated oven for 1½ to 2¼ hours or until thermometer registers 170°F, covering with foil the last 45 minutes of roasting to prevent overbrowning. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.
4. Meanwhile, place mushrooms in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over mushrooms to cover. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain mushrooms. Strain the mushroom-soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with 100%-cotton cheesecloth, paper towels or a coffee filter and reserve. Rinse and drain mushrooms a second time.
5. Pour pan drippings from turkey into a large measuring cup. Skim and reserve fat from drippings. Pour ¼ cup of the fat (if necessary, add butter) into a medium saucepan. Stir in flour. Add enough mushroom liquid and broth to remaining drippings in the measuring cup to equal 2 cups. Add broth mixture all at once to flour mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in mushrooms and sherry. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Green Beans and Onions

Serving size: ½ cup

11g carbohydrates, 73 calories, 2 g protein, 153mg sodium – 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ½ cups chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
• ½ cup bottle roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• ¼ cup sliced pitted ripe olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil, crushed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1-pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch-long pieces

Preparation:

1. Heat oil over medium-low heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add onion; cook about 10 minutes or until the onion is very tender and golden brown. Stir in vinegar. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until liquid is evaporated. Stir in roasted red peppers, olives, basil, salt and ground pepper. Remove from heat; cover and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, cook green beans in a small amount of boiling water in a covered large saucepan, about 10 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Stir the onion mixture into green beans.

Whole-Wheat Stuffing

Serving Size: ½ cup

13 g carbohydrates, 81 calories, 3 g protein, 220mg sodium – 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces whole wheat bread (8-10 slices)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 (14 ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Cut bread into ½-inch cubes. Spread the cubes in a large rectangular baking pan. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cubes are dry. The cubes will continue to crisp as they cool. (Or let the bread cubes stand loosely covered at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.) You should have about 6 cups dried bread cubes.
2. Increase oven temperature to 325°F. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
3. Add broth to the onion mixture. Stir in egg, poultry seasoning, and 1 tablespoon parsley. Add the bread cubes; toss gently to coat. Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased 1½-quart baking dish.
4. Bake, uncovered, in the 325°F oven for about 45 minutes or until the stuffing is heated through and the top is browned. If desired, garnish with additional parsley.

Buttermilk Corn Muffins

Serving size: 1 muffin

15g carbohydrates, 92 calories, 3 g protein, 129mg sodium – 12 servings

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon lower-fat stick margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon butter flavoring

Preparation: 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat twelve 2- ½-inch muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar (if using), baking powder, and salt.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg product, canola oil, margarine, vanilla extract, and butter flavoring. Add buttermilk mixture all at once to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Don't overmix; batter should be slightly lumpy.
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake about 15 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups; serve warm. Makes 12 muffins.

Dessert:

No Bake Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Serving size: 1 slice

12g carbohydrates, 148 calories, 9g protein, 331mg sodium – 12 servings

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup finely crushed graham crackers
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup fat free milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
• 2 (8 ounce) packages fat-free cream cheese
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
• ¼ cup orange juice

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together crushed graham crackers and melted butter until crackers are moistened. Press mixture onto bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Cover and chill while preparing filling.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine the reduced-fat cream cheese, ¼ cup of the sugar, ¼ cup of the milk, the vanilla, and orange peel. Cover and process or blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside.
3. In a food processor or blender, combine fat-free cream cheese, pumpkin, remaining ¼ cup sugar, remaining ¼ cup milk, and the pumpkin pie spice. Cover and process or blend until smooth.
4. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over orange juice; let stand for 5 minutes. Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Stir 1 tablespoon of the gelatin mixture into the white cream cheese mixture and the remaining gelatin mixture into the pumpkin mixture.
5. Pour pumpkin mixture over chilled crust in pan. Carefully pour white cream cheese mixture over pumpkin mixture. Using a narrow, thin-bladed metal spatula or a table knife, swirl pumpkin and white mixtures.
6. Cover with foil and chill overnight before serving. To serve, using a small sharp knife, loosen cheesecake from side of springform pan; remove side of pan. Cut into wedges.

Leftover Turkey:

Leftover Turkey Gumbo

Serving size: 1 cup

12g carbohydrates, 232 calories, 19g protein, 359mg sodium – 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 cups unsalted turkey or chicken stock
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt plus ¼ teaspoon, divided
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 medium poblano pepper, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes
• 2 cups shredded cooked turkey
• 8 ounces andouille sausage, chopped
• 4 ounces okra, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 ½ teaspoons filé powder
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Preparation:

1. Bring stock to a simmer in a large pot; keep warm. Combine allspice, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, cayenne and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the roux is very brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Add celery, onion, bell pepper and poblano; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the spice mixture; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Whisk the roux and vegetables into the hot broth until combined. Add tomatoes, turkey, sausage, okra, thyme, bay leaves, filé powder, Worcestershire and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Snacks:

Football Snack: Sweet and Spicy Slow-Cooker Snack Mix

Serving size: ½ cup

18g carbohydrates, 135 calories, 6g protein, 160mg sodium – 24 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces unsalted mini pretzels (about 6 cups)
• 6 cups crispy corn and rice cereal
• 2 cups roasted and salted whole soy nuts
• ¾ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon maple sugar
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. Lightly coat the inside of a 6-quart oval slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. Gently combine pretzels, cereal, soy nuts, and pumpkin seeds in the prepared slow cooker.
3. Combine maple sugar and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Stir in cinnamon, ginger, salt, cloves, and cayenne pepper.
4. Drizzle the maple sugar mixture over the contents of the slow cooker. Gently toss the mixture to combine. Cook, uncovered, on High for 1½ hours, stirring from the bottom up every 30 minutes. Turn to Low and cook, uncovered, about 20 minutes more or until dry and crisp, stirring from the bottom up every 10 minutes.
5. Spread the mixture on a large sheet of foil to cool. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

Spinach Artichoke Yogurt Dip

Serving size: 2 tablespoons

7g carbohydrates, 179 calories, 11g protein, 383mg sodium – 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 8 ounces plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 cup shredded, low-moisture, part-skim Mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup green onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons red pepper, chopped

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 350F.
2. Combine artichoke hearts, spinach, yogurt, cheese, onion and garlic; mix well.
3. Pour mixture into 1-quart casserole dish or 9-inch pie plate.
4. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.
5. Sprinkle with red peppers.