Recipes add health twist to Thanksgiving meal

Published: November 13, 2007

We've searched far and wide to bring you some of the more interesting and healthful Thanksgiving recipes. Cook, eat, enjoy and be healthy.

Healthy recipe by Jackie Keller of NutriFit (www.NutriFitonline.com) and author of Body After Baby (Avery/Penguin, 2006). Serves 6.

3 cups sliced carrots

2 (10.75-ounce) cans fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth

3 cups canned pumpkin

12 ounces fat-free evaporated milk

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

•Combine carrots and 1 cup broth in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer carrots and liquid to an electric blender; cover and process until smooth. Transfer to a 3-quart saucepan; add remaining broth, pumpkin, evaporated milk, water, sugar, pumpkin spice, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot; ladle into bowls.

•Nutrition per serving: (1 cup) 123 calories, 0.4 g fat, 7.8 g protein, 23.6 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 379 mg sodium.

Healthy recipe by Christine Merlo, chef and professor at the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, Newbury College, Boston. Serves 6 to 8.

12 ounces (1½ cups) fresh cranberries

½ cup orange juice

1 navel orange, ends removed, unpeeled, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon honey

Julienned orange peel or very thin slice of orange, for garnish, optional (see below)

•Wash and dry the cranberries. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of cranberries and the orange juice. Cook until the cranberries have burst and leaked their juices. Remove from heat and cool.

•In a food processor, combine the remaining ½ cup of fresh cranberries and the orange. Blend until well minced. Add to the cooled cranberries and stir. Taste and adjust the flavor by adding some or all of the honey. Refrigerate until serving.

•Optional garnish: Top with julienned orange peel or with a thin round of orange (with peel). Cut a notch and twist the orange round into a curl and place it on top.

•Nutrition per serving: (1 tablespoon) 32 calories, 0.8 g fat, 0.5g protein, 10 g carbs, 1.1 g fiber, 0 g cholesterol, 0.7 mg sodium.

Healthy recipe by Dr. Barry Sears, founder of the Zone Diet ( www.zoneliving.com). Serves 5 to 8.

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced scallions (green onions)

1 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary

Poultry seasoning, to taste

3 cups chicken, beef or vegetable broth

2 cups uncooked Goya pearl barley

•In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Saute the mushrooms and garlic in the oil until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions, rosemary, poultry seasoning, broth, and barley and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes or until the barley is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

•Nutrition per serving: (½ cup) 113 calories, 0.25 g fat, 2.5 g protein, 19.5 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 90.5 mg sodium.

Healthy recipe by dietitian Janet Bond Brill, author of "Cholesterol Down” (Three Rivers Press, 2006). Serves 6.

2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup light soy milk

½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup light margarine

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

•Place potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain, and return potatoes to pan. Add chickpeas and mash using a potato masher. Add soy milk, chicken broth, margarine, salt and pepper and stir. Cook 2 more minutes, stirring constantly, until heated through. Serve warm.

•Nutrition per serving: ( 1/6 recipe, about 1 cup) 255 calories, 5 g fat, 7 g protein, 46 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 751 mg sodium.

Healthy recipe by Tosca Reno, author of "Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook” (Robert Kennedy Publishing, 2007) Serves 6.

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into chunks

2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks

½ teaspoon plus 1 pinch sea salt

¼ cup low-sodium chicken stock or water

1 tablespoon pumpkin oil

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

White pepper, to taste

•Place sweet potatoes and parsnips in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.

•Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Add chicken stock or water, pumpkin oil, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and white pepper. Mash potatoes and parsnips with a potato masher until smooth. Add some of the reserved cooking liquid if the potato mixture is too stiff. Transfer mashed vegetables to a casserole dish lightly coated with nonfat cooking spray. Cover and keep warm in a low oven. Serve hot.

•Nutrition per serving: (1 cup) 151 calories, 1 g fat, 3 g protein, 34 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 49 mg sodium.

Healthy recipe by Tosca Reno author of "Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook” (Robert Kennedy Publishing, 2007). Serves 10.

1½ cups brown rice, uncooked

2 cups natural apple juice plus 1½ cups water

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 crisp apple, cored and diced

½ cup diced onion

½ cup finely chopped brussels sprouts

4 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press

1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine

1 cup diced celery

1/3 cup oat bran or wheat bran

½ cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup slivered, raw almonds

½ teaspoon poultry seasoning

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

•Cook rice according to package instructions using the apple juice and water for the cooking liquid.

•Place olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook all chopped fruits and vegetables in the oil until they are crisp, not soggy. Add cooked brown rice, bran, cranberries, almonds, any remaining apple juice, poultry seasoning, thyme and pepper. Toss well.

•Nutrition per serving: (3/4 cup) 193 calories, 4 g fat, 4 g protein, 38 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 18 mg sodium.

Healthy recipe by Charles Stuart Platkin, founder and editor of DietDetective.com and author of "The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible” (Simon & Schuster/Fireside, 2007). Serves 5.

1½ pounds snap green beans

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

½ lemon

•Cut strings off both sides of the beans. Spray a medium cooking pan with nonstick cooking spray (i.e., Pam). Add the beans and cook on medium high until beginning to brown. Add the water, cover and cook about 10 minutes longer. Water should evaporate and beans should be moist to the touch. Add almonds and cook until beans and almonds are slightly brown. Remove from heat and stir in garlic, salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over all and serve.

•Nutrition per serving: (about 4 ounces) 80 calories, 1 g fat, 4 g protein, 13 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 43 mg sodium.

Healthy recipe by Jyl Steinback, "America's Healthiest Mom” (www.AmericasHealthiestMom.com). Serves 8.

CRUST

1 cup whole-wheat flour

¼ cup wheat germ

1/3 cup corn oil

3 tablespoons skim milk

FILLING

1 (9-ounce) can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

3 tablespoons cornstarch

4 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup low-fat granola

•Place flour and wheat germ in mixing bowl. Add corn oil and milk; mix lightly with a fork until moist. Roll out on lightly floured surface and place in pie pan sprayed with cooking spray.

•Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine apple juice and cornstarch until smooth. Arrange apple slices on pie crust; sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour juice and cornstarch mixture over apple slices and mix carefully. Sprinkle granola over top and bake 45 to 60 minutes until bubbling and brown.

•Nutrition per serving: ( 1/8 pie, or 2 ounces) 257 calories, 10 g fat, 4 g protein, 40 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 38 mg sodium.

Healthy recipe by Penny Block, co-founder and executive director of Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment in Evanston, Ill. Serves 16.

CRUST

1 cup whole-wheat flour

¼ teaspoon sea salt

3½ tablespoons canola oil

3½ tablespoons water

FILLING

2½ cups toasted organic pecans

¼ cup agave syrup

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup brown rice syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

¼ teaspoon sea salt

3 teaspoons flaxseeds

1½ teaspoons arrowroot powder

1/3 cup soy milk

•Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch pie pan. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add oil until coarse crumbs form. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough forms a ball. Knead well.

•Roll out dough between 2 pieces of waxed paper to about ¼-inch thickness. Carefully remove the top sheet of waxed paper and place dough in pie pan, pressing lightly but firmly around the edges. Using a fork, puncture the base of the pie crust. Prebake the crust 10 to 15 minutes and remove from oven.

•Meanwhile, place pecans in a large bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine agave, maple and brown rice syrups along with vanilla, ginger and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Grind flaxseeds to a powder in a coffee grinder. Combine arrowroot and soy milk with flaxseed powder and cooled syrup mixture, pour into blender and blend until smooth. Pour over pecans, mix well and pour into prebaked pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until filling has thickened.

•Nutrition per serving: (2.625 ounces) 220 calories, 14 g fat, 3 g protein, 23 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 1,250 mg sodium.

Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public health advocate and founder of DietDetective.com.

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