Time for holiday feasting, and you’re entitled to a little indulgence. Sure. But just one seasonal feast may add up to a whopping 3,000 calories! Why not make over your holiday meal to bring up the flavor and nutrition, take down the fat and calories, and keep your eat-smart plan on track?
When planning, shopping, cooking—keep these tips in mind:
- Buy a lean bird, the type that isn’t self-basting. Infused basting ingredients are high in fat.
- Buy fat-free broth or zesty juice to baste the turkey. Butter or margarine is not needed.
- Cook dressing as a side dish. Add a little broth for moistness. Then it can’t absorb turkey fat. Instead, flavor your turkey with fresh herbs (perhaps sage, savory, thyme), gently tucked between the uncooked skin and lesh before roasting.
- Lighten up the sauce. Top broccoli with a lemon squeeze rather than Hollandaise.
- Make it pumpkin. Usually, pumpkin pie has less fat and sugar than pecan pie, and you get a beta carotene boost, too. Top it with frozen yogurt rather than whipped cream.
- Wonder about deep-frying your turkey? Keep the frying temperature high enough—at 350°F—as it cooks, so oil won’t seep into the turkey meat. Be cautious with hot oil!
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