Holidays Done Light

A traditional holiday dinner often means roast turkey and stuffing, buttery mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, buttery dinner rolls, and more, followed by an array of rich desserts. But these days, it’s not uncommon for someone at the table to have diabetes, be on a reduced cholesterol or low-sodium diet, or simply be watching his or her weight. So why not lighten things up? You don’t have to give up your favorite dishes if you use healthy substitutions. In general, substituting reduced-fat dairy products for whole fat, flavoring with sodium-free seasonings, and using lower-sodium and reduced-fat versions of canned soups and vegetables makes a big difference in a dish’s nutritional profile without sacrificing flavor.

Here’s how to lighten a few holiday favorites:

Mashed potatoes

Use Yukon gold potatoes, which have a light yellow color, dense and creamy texture, and rich buttery flavor, and use evaporated skim milk instead of whole milk or cream. Reduce or eliminate butter, or substitute trans fat free margarine. For a twist on the traditional, make garlic mashed potatoes. Cook chopped fresh garlic in a small amount of skim milk and add it to mashed potatoes.

Sweet potato casserole

Sweet potatoes are a nutrient powerhouse. However, the traditional sweet potato casserole is typically loaded with butter and brown sugar. For most recipes, you can easily cut the butter and sugar in half without impacting flavor, thanks to the sweet potato’s natural sweetness. If the recipe calls for eggs, use a fat-free egg substitute instead. You can also add naturally sweet ingredients such as raisins or currants, and seasonings such as cinnamon and vanilla extract. Skip the streusel that often tops this casserole, and instead try a simple sprinkling of chopped nuts. 

Green bean casserole

A casserole of canned or frozen green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and milk or sour cream, topped with French-fried onions, is a long-standing staple on many holiday tables. This quick-and-easy casserole is simple to lighten up by using low-sodium and low-fat cream of mushroom soup, skim milk or fat-free plain yogurt instead of sour cream, and reduced fat cheese. To get the flavor and crunch of French-fried onion rings without the fat, spray an equal amount of chopped onions and fine dry plain bread crumbs with nonfat cooking spray. Bake at 350°F until golden brown (about 12 minutes). Use to top casserole.

Dressing/stuffing

Cooking dressing separate from the turkey is one of the easiest ways to reduce fat (because the fat drippings won’t soak into the dressing). Use reduced sodium broth instead of drippings to moisten the dressing. Try using whole wheat bread instead of white bread. Double the amount of vegetables, and get creative with exotic ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms that add flavor without adding fat. Sauté vegetables in a nonstick pan with just a small amount of oil. Boost flavor by using low-sodium seasoning and fresh herbs instead of additional salt.

Bread or rolls

This one’s easy. Go for whole grains. ShopRite sells a wide selection of whole grain rolls to choose from, either in our bakery or in the bread aisle. Serve them instead of white bread.

Dessert

If substitution is just not an option with Grandma’s famous pumpkin pie, just serve smaller slices. Or, try serving up some healthier treats along with your richer recipes to give options.  Serve angel food cake topped with fruit puree, apples drizzled with fat free caramel sauce, or just offer a selection of assorted sliced fruit paired with a yogurt dipping sauce.

Below is a recipes that can help get you started

Honey-Roasted Turkey and Sweet Potatoes

Serves: 16

Prep time: 25 minutes*

Cook time: 1 hour

 *5 minutes stand time extra

Ingredients

1 (4- to 7-lb.) turkey breast, thawed if frozen

1/4 cup olive oil (optional)

1 tsp. coarse ground pepper

4 large sweet potatoes (about 2 1/4 lb.), peeled and cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes

6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 tsp. grated orange peel

1/2 cup melted trans fat-free margarine 

1/4 cup honey

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Rinse turkey and pat dry. Brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil, if desired. Sprinkle turkey evenly with salt and pepper to taste. Place turkey on rack in large roasting pan; set aside.
• In large bowl, combine sweet potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle with orange peel and salt and pepper to taste. Blend melted margarine and honey in small bowl; drizzle over sweet potato mixture and toss to coat. Spoon vegetables around turkey in pan.
• Roast 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring vegetables once or twice, or until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast registers 170°F and vegetables are tender. Loosely cover with foil. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Remove skin, if desired, before slicing turkey.

Per serving: 341 calories, 27g carbohydrate, 45g protein, 4g fiber, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 121mg cholesterol, 201mg sodium