Savory Sides for Thanksgiving
By Margaret McSweeney
Many physicians will tell their patients that fertility can be impacted by diet and weight. Thus, fertility patients needing to “watch what they eat”. But does healthy eating require giving up the delicious tastes of Thanksgiving? Absolutely not!
Two key recommendations from The Fertility Diet1 written by Harvard researchers Jorge E. Chavarro, MD and Walter C. Willet, MD include:
- Eating more vegetable protein, like beans and nuts, and less animal protein
- Drinking a glass of whole milk or having a small dish of ice cream or full-fat yogurt everyday; temporarily trading in skim milk and low or no-fat dairy products for their full-fat versions
With those delicious guidelines from The Fertility Diet, here are some fun suggestions for your Thanksgiving table. Whether you are the host of the day or asked to bring a favorite dish, you will definitely create a memory that friends and family will savor with these tasty and health minded recipes. We accessed some of these favorites from some of ours, such as Cooking Lite Magazine. Don’t be afraid to use your own creativity to modify the recipes and as always check with your physician for any questions or continuation of care needs.
Buttermilk-Parmesan Mashed Potatoes2
This delicious recipe from Cookinglight.com, is sure to be a favorite of your family and friends. With some encouragement from one of my friends, I prepared the recipe with a head of cauliflower instead of potatoes. The ultimate result was delicious, but I ended up not using the buttermilk, milk and butter ingredients since the cauliflower retained liquid from boiling it. However, simply by adding around a cup of parmesan reggiano and mashing it with the cauliflower, the taste and texture were flavorful. Here is the easy recipe with the potatoes:
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 pounds baking potatoes
- 1/2 cup fat-free milk (or you can use whole milk)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Prick each potato several times with a fork. Place potatoes in the microwave, and cook at HIGH 16 minutes or until tender, turning after 8 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out flesh with a large spoon, and transfer to a bowl.
Combine milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at HIGH 2 minutes or until butter melts. Add milk mixture to potatoes; mash with a potato masher to desired consistency. Stir in buttermilk and remaining ingredients
Apple Cranberry & Pecan Stuffing3
One of the most popular dishes at Thanksgiving is of course the stuffing! Here is a healthy variation from Kraft® that can be served. Use your culinary creativity to add or substitute ingredients. Instead of the cranberries, I used Craisins® Your guests will be going back for second helpings with this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups apple juice
- 2 Tablespoons of butter
- 1 package Stove Top Whole Wheat Stuffing Mix for chicken
- 1 small apple chopped
- ½ cup cranberries
- ¼ cupped Planters pecans, toasted
Preparation
Bring juice and butter to boil in medium saucepan and on high heat. Add stuffing mix and fruit; mix lightly. Cover. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in nuts.
Bountiful Berries
The perfect ending to a delicious meal is always the dessert. Offer your guests a generous and healthy sampling of bountiful berries topped with freshly whipped cream. Layer the berries and then add a generous dollop of whipped cream on each individual serving. Check out recipes on http://dairygood.org/?s=recipes for other dairy delicious dishes.
Bravo! You have just created lasting taste memories with your savory sides for Thanksgiving. Make it even more special by using special dishes to serve them in. Perhaps your mother, grandmother or favorite aunt gave you some china that is meaningful. Whether using family heirloom china or your great finds at a local flea market, you can make this Thanksgiving celebration one that will always be remembered. Savor the day!
Authors Note: Margaret McSweeney is a culinary expert and the host of Kitchen Chat on WebTalk Radio. Follow her on FACEBOOK. She wishes to acknowledge Lynn Gentile who helped prepare and style the food for this blog post.
This is a sponsored blog.
1 http://www.health.harvard.edu/books/Fertility-Diet
2 http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/buttermilk-parmesan-mashed-potatoes-10000001932671
3 http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/apple-cranberry-pecan-stuffing-66319.aspx?pf=true