HEALTHY HAPPY THANKSGIVING

HAPPY HEALTHY THANKSGIVING TIPS

APPETIZERS: Instead of chips and salsa, make a hummus out of roasted butternut squash with toasted pita chips.

GRAVY: Use cornstarch to thicken gravy instead of a heavy roux. Try adding a squeeze of fresh Meyer lemon to your gravy, citrus offers a nice light finish on the palate.

STUFFING: Try using grains such as faro or wild rice rather than bread. Use a turkey or chicken sausage in the mix in place of pork.

SWEET POTATOES: Use a drizzle of local honey to roast with instead of brown sugar and maple syrup. For a healthier sweet potato casserole as opposed to butter and sugar, add evaporated milk and crushed pineapple. Skip the marshmallows on top and opt for meringue .


DESSERTS: When making a pie crust try using equal parts all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. Replace   butter with canola oil and corn syrup with maple syrup.

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Avoiding Overeating During the Holidays

By Meghann McMillan

The holidays are quickly approaching and the motto tends to be “eat, drink, and be merry”. Thanksgiving with the family, friendsgiving with the friends, Christmas parties, Hanukah celebrations, New Years Eve...the next month is loaded with evens that tend to revolve around lots of food and drink. Many people surrender to the fact that they are going to gain some holiday weight, and simply over indulge in it all. This year, don’t surrender to overeating during the holidays. You can have your pumpkin pie and eat it too, if you pay attention to your intake and portion sizes.

Lets start with appetizers, the typical first course that no one can pass up as the hunger of the main course starts to set in. No need to shy away from the wonderful app table, just make sure you keep it to just a taste. Use a napkin or a small plate to place your food on. If it doesn’t fit on it, you don’t need it. Try just one of the appetizers you like. If there are too many to chose from, cut one in half so you can have a taste. Appetizers are something that hold you over for the big meal and the trick is to not fill up on this course, and to avoid extreme calorie intake.

Extra Tip: Make sure the meal before the celebration is a light one.

Moving on to the main course, again you can have all the things you’ve been waiting all year to eat, just do it in moderation. A great way to keep your portions down is to use a smaller plate. This way you don’t over eat by over filling an extra large plate. Even with a small plate, it is important to keep portion sizes in mind. Here is a portion size guide to help you...

•  1 serving of turkey is 3 oz, about the same size as a deck of playing cards

•  A serving of gravy is 1/4 of a cup, about the size of a golf ball

•  A serving of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, applesauce is 1/2 cup, about the size of a tennis ball cut in half

•  A serving of cranberry sauce is about 1/4 of a cup, about the size of a golf ball

•  A serving of stuffing is a 1/2 cup, about the size of an ice cream scoop or a tennis ball cut in half

•  Want butter on your Thanksgiving roll? A serving is a teaspoon, about the size of a single die

•  A serving of raw vegetables is 1 cup, about the size of a baseball

•  A serving of cooked vegetables is 1/2 cup, about the size of a tennis ball cut in half

•  1 latke is about the size compact disk

If you still have room for dessert, keep in mind that a proper serving size of a slice of pie is about the size of a standard light bulb. If desserts are already portioned out, you could always cut a serving in half to enjoy. Taking your dessert home for later is another great way to avoid over eating during your celebration feast.

To top of off your perfectly portioned holiday, take an after meal walk (weather permitting), to make sure you are putting out some energy that you are putting in.

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Boosting Your Immune System with Food

By Meghann McMillan

The weather is getting colder which means cold and flu season is just around the corner. There is no reason to let illness ruin things like Homecoming weekend or the upcoming Holidays and it certainly shouldn't put a damper on your daily life. We’re all very busy and there is just no time for getting sick. Fortunately there are ways we can boost our immune systems with the food we eat every day! Here are some immune boosting foods that can help you prevent or even kick seasonal sickness...

Citrus Fruits: This is the one that comes to everyone's mind. Oranges, clementines, lemons, grapefruit, they are all a loaded powerhouse of vitamin C. This antioxidant helps boost our immune system, preventing our bodies from falling ill and fighting something that is already in our bodies. Adding oranges to smoothies or lemon to tea is a great way to get that vitamin C pick me up our bodies may need.

Garlic: This potent bulb is a triple thread when it comes to our health. Garlic is an antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal! All there of these are a huge benefit to our immune system. Garlic contains allicin which is known for its antimicrobial affects and is anti-carcinogenic. Garlic also helps clear the sinuses. The best way to consume garlic is in its raw form. If that's a little too intense for you and you just want to add it to meals for an immunity boost, use fresh garlic that has not yet been chopped.

Mushrooms: Mushrooms are known for their antiviral and immune enhancing properties and are also rich in protein and fiber as well as a number of vitamins and minerals. Mushrooms also contain beta-glucans, a powerful compound known for its ability to activate the immune system. Mushrooms have also been shown to increase the production and activity of white blood cells which is important when you are already fighting off the flu or a cold.

Tea: Tea is packed full with antioxidants to boost immune systems during the colder months. Two teas that have the most antioxidants are green and black teas. Aside from boosting the immune system, tea is very soothing and aids in thinning of mucus. 

Fish: Believe it or not, fish is a great food for boosting the immune system. It is high in selenium and protein. Fish is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids which aid in reducing inflammation. 

Fermented Foods: Some great examples of fermented foods are yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, olives, kimchi, and kefir. These fermented foods are fully loaded with good bacteria known as, probiotics, that keep our guts free of germs and bad bacteria. One of these good strains of bacteria is Lactobacillus reuteri, which has been shown to stop the replication of viruses that take over the body when we get sick. These good bacteria also aid in the production of antibodies in our bodies.

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