The Thanksgiving Recipe Miracle How to cook healthier versions of the same delicious foods at a fraction of the cost, and NONE of the guilt! If you’re like me, and the valued clients we work with, you just want to relax and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner without the stress or worry of how much fat, sugar, or calories you’re consuming. But as someone who’s health-conscious and cares about how you look and feel, you also want to make wise choices so that you don’t totally sabotage your progress, or your health. This is why I created The Thanksgiving Recipe Miracle – so you can strike a balance between healthy, so you get the results you want … AND delicious, so you can truly relax and enjoy this meal with friends and family. I’ve taken all the most popular, traditional Thanksgiving food items – that are normally loaded with fat, sugar, and calories – and transformed them into much healthier versions… without sacrificing taste. I’m confident that you will love these recipes and feel good afterwards, rather than feeling stuffed, lethargic, and full of guilt. Each one of these 14 recipes serves eight people and goes great with an oven-roasted, high-protein turkey. And you can feel assured, they follow my 4-point criteria... 1. Healthy and effective for fat loss 2. Quick and easy to make 3. Free of any hard-to-find or expensive ingredients 4. Absolutely delicious I hope you enjoy these Thanksgiving recipes and that you’re able to share them with the ones you love. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, please know that I am thankful for you and the trust you put in following these delicious, healthy recipes.
Chad Tackett
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Turkey Gravy Ingredients: •
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1 cup pan juices from the turkey roasting pan 4 cups turkey or chicken broth
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¼ cup water
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½ cup apple cider
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¼ cup cornstarch
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Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: 1.
Strain the pan juices (after roasting turkey) into a bowl. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Skim and discard the fat from the surface.
2. In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, bring the broth, cider, and pan juices to a boil. 3. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water until no lumps remain.
4. Slowly whisk cornstarch mixture into the broth. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with the salt and pepper.
WILD RICE STUFFING Ingredients: •
1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 cup dried cranberries
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1 large white or yellow onion, diced
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¾ cup chopped walnuts or slivered almonds
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5celery stalks, diced
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2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
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2 ½ cups wild rice
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4 ½ cups chicken broth
Directions: 1.
In a large pot, add olive oil over mediumhigh heat. Add onions and celery, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and continue stirring for 3 minutes. Next, add cranberries, walnuts, apples, rice, and broth. Add favorite seasonings (salt, pepper, sage, rosemary), to taste. 3. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid and cook 45 minutes.
4. Stuff your Thanksgiving turkey with this wild rice stuffing and/or place in a bowl. Serve warm and enjoy.
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CANDIED YAMS Ingredients: •
4medium yams
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2 tbsp. vanilla extract
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½ cup Stevia (allnatural sweetener)
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2 tsp. cinnamon
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2 tbsp. molasses
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½ cup olive oil
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1 cup orange juice
Directions: 1.
Cut yams in half and boil until soft but firm (about 20 minutes). Let cool and then slice into 1/4-inch cubes and place in a mediumsized casserole dish.
2. Pour olive oil on the yams and then use hands to make sure each one is coated well.
4. Combine Stevia and cinnamon and sprinkle over yams.
3. Combine molasses and vanilla, mix well, and pour over yams.
5. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
CRANBERRY SAUCE Ingredients: •
2 bags (12 oz. each, fresh or frozen) cranberries
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1 cup cranberry (or pineapple) juice
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½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
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½ cup of water
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½ cup Stevia (all-natural sweetener)
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1 tbsp. honey
Directions: 1.
Put cranberries, cranberry juice, applesauce, and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
2. Keep on medium heat, stirring constantly until cranberries start to burst (about 10-15 minutes). 3. Reduce to a simmer and pour Stevia and honey in cranberry mixture and mix well.
4. Simmer for 10-15 minutes and remove from heat. Cool completely and store in fridge overnight before serving.
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BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP Ingredients: •
4 cups peeled butternut squash, cubed (1-inch)
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1 tbsp. olive oil
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4 large shallots, peeled and halved
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1 piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
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2 garlic cloves, minced
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2 ½ cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
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2 tbsp.fresh chives
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Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Directions: 1.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a roasting pan; toss well. Bake at 375° for 50-60 minutes or until tender, stir occasionally. Cool for 10 minutes.
2. Place half of squash mixture and half of broth in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture and broth.
3. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Top with chives, salt, and pepper, to taste.
CINNAMON ROASTED SWEET POTATOES Ingredients: •
½ cup olive oil
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4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
½ cup Stevia (all-natural sweetener)
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1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
Directions: 1.
Preheat oven to 375°. Add sweet potatoes to a baking dish, pour olive oil on them and then use hands to make sure each one is coated.
2. Bake for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the Stevia and cinnamon. 3. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and sprinkle with the Stevia-cinnamon mixture. Stir to coat. Return to oven and roast until sweet potatoes are soft and golden brown. Stir potatoes to allow them to brown evenly. 4. Remove sweet potatoes to a serving dish and enjoy.
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MASHED POTATOES Ingredients: •
8 cups red potato, cubed
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1 cup Greek yogurt
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Nonfat cooking spray
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1 tbsp. dill
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1 cup low- or non-fat milk
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Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions: 1.
Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Add potatoes to a baking dish coated with cooking spray. 3. Bake potatoes for 40 minutes, stirring once. Remove from oven. 4. Place milk in a large microwave-safe bowl and heat for 2 minutes or so (until warm). Add potatoes; beat at medium speed while stirring in salt, pepper, dill, and Greek yogurt until well mixed.
GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE Ingredients: •
2 (14 oz.) cans or 2 cups of fresh green beans
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1 medium onion, thinly sliced
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2 (11 oz.) cans of cream of mushroom soup
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½ cup nonfat milk
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1 (11 oz.) can of water chestnuts, sliced
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1 cup sliced mushrooms
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Pepper to taste
Directions: 1.
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into a casserole dish and bake on 350 for 30 minutes.
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STUFFED MUSHROOMS Ingredients: •
1 tbsp. olive oil
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½ cup diced onion
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¼ cup chopped green onions
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2 garlic cloves, minced
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2/3 cup fat-free cottage cheese
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2 tbsp.Parmesan cheese
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2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
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1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
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24 button mushroom caps
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Nonfat cooking spray
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½ tsp. paprika
Directions: 1.
Preheat oven to 350°. Add oil to skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, green onion, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender.
2. Stir in cottage cheese and Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat; stir in breadcrumbs. Spoon mixture evenly into mushroom caps.
3. Place the mushroom caps on a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle mushrooms evenly with paprika. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes (until tender). Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
ARUGULA SALAD WITH PEARS, CRANBERRIES, GOAT CHEESE & PISTACHIOS Ingredients: •
4 cups arugula
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½ cup dried cranberries
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2 cups baby spinach
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1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
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½ cup shelled pistachios
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1 pear thinly sliced
Directions: 1.
Combine all ingredients above together and toss until well mixed.
2. Serve with “cranberry vinaigrette” recipe on the side.
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CRANBERRY VINAIGRETTE Ingredients: •
1 cup reduced-sugar cranberry juice
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½ cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed)
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1 tbsp.olive oil
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1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
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1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
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1 tbsp. Stevia
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Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: 1.
Place juice and cranberries in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 5 minutes).
2. Combine remaining ingredients with cranberry juice mixture in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. 3. Refrigerate and serve cold with salad.
GREEK YOGURT WALDORF SALAD Ingredients: •
3 cups apple, cut into bite-sized pieces
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1 ½ cup seedless grapes, halved
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1 cup celery, cut into ½ -inch pieces
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¾ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
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3 tbsp. lime juice
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1 cup Greek yogurt
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1 tbsp. honey
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1 tbsp. Stevia
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Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: 1.
In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, Greek yogurt, Stevia, and honey.
2. In a large salad bowl, toss apples, grapes, celery, and walnuts with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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DEVILED EGGS Ingredients: •
8 large eggs
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1/3cup plain Greek yogurt
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
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1/8 tsp. paprika
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2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
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Salt and pepper, to taste
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2 tbsp. green onions, finely chopped
Directions: 1.
Place the eggs in a large saucepan. Cover eggs with water and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain and re-fill with cold water and let sit until cool.
2. Slice eggs in half lengthwise, and remove yolks. Discard 3 yolks. 3. Combine Greek yogurt and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add
remaining yolks; beat with a mixer at high speed until smooth. 4. Spoon mixture into each egg white half. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika and chill for at least one hour.
PUMPKIN PIE Ingredients: •
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
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1 cup nonfat milk
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1 reduced-fat graham cracker crust (take off the sides of the crust and discard)
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3/4 cup Stevia (allnatural sweetener)
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1 egg
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2 egg whites
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2 tsp. vanilla extract
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2 tsp.pumpkin pie spice
Directions: 1.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix pumpkin, milk, and egg/egg whites until smooth.
2. Gradually stir in Stevia and vanilla. 3. Add the pumpkin pie spice, stir, and pour into crust and spread evenly. 4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350° and bake for another 40-45 minutes.
5. Let cool and serve with the “coconut whipped cream” recipe below.
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COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM Ingredients: •
1 can coconut milk
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1 tbsp. vanilla extract
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1 tbsp. Stevia
Directions: 1.
Place can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to separate the coconut cream from the oil.
2. Open can and scrape only the thick coconut cream from the top half of the can. 3. Put coconut cream in a food processor (or a bowl with a hand-held mixer) and add vanilla and Stevia. Whip until the consistency of whipped cream.
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