Turkey Day Is Around the Corner!

So, are you feeling thankful? Or are you worrying about how you'll stay on track with your weight management goals next week? If you're leaning toward the latter, you're in good company. Thanksgiving is a challenging holiday, whether you're looking to lose weight or just maintain. After all, the day itself is focused on food! Happily, the day doesn't need to do damage to your weight management goals. Take a look at my top five tips for successfully managing Thanksgiving:

 

Donna's Top Five Thanksgiving Tips

1. Write it down. Writing down what you're eating is the best way to stay on track with your weight management goals. If you're not in the habit of writing down what you're eating, consider focusing on a specific challenge area. For example, if you tend to overdo appetizers, write them down. If dessert or drinks are your downfall, write them down. Amping up your eating awareness, even if you're only paying attention for some of the day, is better than blindly noshing and munching your way through the day. If leftovers are a challenge, keep tracking until the leftovers are gone.
2. Have a plan for stress management. For some, Thanksgiving is a relaxing, enjoyable day with no work and no worries. But for many of us, it's a day fraught with both work and worry. If you use food to help you cope with feelings, give some thought to how you'll manage your feelings. Thanksgiving is a perfect day to practice reasonable expectations for yourself and others, work on controlled breathing, explore aromatherapy, or put your assertive communication skills to work!
3. Think about physical activity. The idea isn't to burn off the calories you're eating. Instead, focus on finding a balance between on food and Thanksgiving Day. For example, challenge family and friends to a game of tennis or bowling on your gaming system. Go outside and toss around a football. Or, put on your favorite music and get up to dance! Maybe you'd benefit from a quiet walk around the neighborhood. Either way, physical activity takes the focus off all the food.
4. Be thankful. As simple and obvious as it sounds, taking the time to really experience gratitude is something that's often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of the day. Write down one thing you're thankful for, and post your note where you will see it often as the day progresses. Make a list of your blessings, and share it with others. Give of your time, talent, or treasure to others, or make plan to do so during the upcoming holiday season or next year. Enjoy and share the gifts and blessings you've received this year! 
5. Keep your goals reasonable. If you usually eat 3 pieces of pie loaded with ice cream and whipped topping, cutting back to no dessert may start off well enough. Often, though, it morphs into an evening of, "Well, I'll just have a bite of yours..." "Well, I didn't have dessert, so eating my kid's leftover pie crust should be okay..." "Well, I haven't really had a plate of my own, so a little sliver won't do me any harm..." We all know how this game ends! It's more reasonable to plan ahead for one piece of pie, with a small scoop of ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream. 

Now it's your turn...How do you successfully navigate the Thanksgiving holiday? Share your tips and tricks with us...and have a happy, healthy Thanksgiving!

Recipe: Tofu Sweet Potato Pie

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and one of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts is sweet potato pie! I wanted to develop a tofu-based version, to up the protein content and reduce fat. I replaced eggs with egg substitute and pastry crust with crumb crust to reduce the fat content still further. To reduce carbohydrates, I replaced brown sugar with agave and molasses. Despite all these healthful changes, this recipe is still delicious!

Tofu Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients:

1 (29-ounce) can sweet potatoes, well-drained

1 (12-ounce) package Mori-Nu tofu

1/2 cup agave nectar (or honey)

¾ cup egg substitute

2 tablespoons molasses

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

2 (9”) crumb pie crusts

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine sweet potatoes, tofu, agave, egg substitute, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in blender and puree until combined, stopping blender and scraping down sides of blender once. Pour into crusts and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 – 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center of pie comes out clean. 

Recipe: Indian Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

It's that time of year when recipes for sweet potatoes abound! I love sweet potatoes, and I'll be sharing more of my faves as the month progresses. I've made this recipe on the stove top and in the pressure cooker, but I usually make it in the slow cooker: It's fast and easy, and fills the house with the exotic spices of India. Garam masala is an Indian spice blend; I strongly suggest using Rani's, which you can find online at www.ranifoods.com.

Indian Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

Ingredients:


1 (29-ounce) can sweet potatoes, drained
1 (14-ounce) can reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 medium onion, quartered and thinly slice
2 tablespoons bottled minced ginger
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground four-peppercorn seasoning
2 dashes ground cayenne
1 (10-ounce) package spinach
1 pound chicken tenderloins


Directions:


Combine sweet potatoes, broth, onion, ginger, garlic, garam masala, peppercorn, and cayenne in slow cooker. Add tenderloins and cook on LOW for 2 - 4 hours, or until chicken is cooked through. Chunk tenderloins using two forks. Add spinach and cook briefly, until spinach wilts.

Recipe: Pumpkin Hummus

Those of you who know me from "Lose Weight" know one of my weaknesses is pita chips. Pita chips aren't much fun to eat by themselves, of course -- they're best with hummus! At this time of the year, I enjoy taking a break from my usual hummus, and instead, make pumpkin hummus. Pumpkin hummus is good with plain pita chips or veggies, but it's sublime with cinnamon pita chips. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Hummus

Ingredients:

1 (29-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup bottled minced garlic (or 8 garlic cloves, minced)
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup tahini paste
salt, to taste

Directions:

Combine pumpkin, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini in blender or food processor and puree until very smooth. Add salt to taste.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Red Chicken Chili

Last week, I shared a recipe for slow cooker mole, a traditional Mexican dish with a sweet-savory flavor. I find that sweetness makes it a perfect recipe for Halloween. When I enjoy a meal with a little sweetness to it, all the candy treats are less tempting!


Here's a different take on a sweet-savory meal. Mole is usually served in a bowl over rice, but I prefer it in a corn tortilla, like a taco. I go with this recipe when I want a sweet-savory dish that's just right for serving in a bowl.

Slow Cooker Red Chicken Chili

 Ingredients:
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
2 (14-ounce) cans white beans, drained
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken cooked turkey meat, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 3-5 hours, or on LOW for 6-8 hours.


When chicken is cooked through, shred chicken using two forks, and stir to combine well.


Cook's Notes: I call for chicken because I always have it in the freezer, but this recipe is even better if you replace the chicken with cooked turkey. Turkey, with its more intense flavor than chicken, is a perfect foil for the flavors in this dish. It's an excellent post-Thanksgiving recipe!

Recipe: Tofu Sweet Potato Pie

Tofu Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet potato pie has long been one of my favorite desserts. I wanted to develop a tofu-based version, to up the protein content and reduce fat. To reduce the carbohydrate content, I replaced brown sugar with agave and molasses, and replaced eggs with egg substitute. I've called for crumb crust, rather than pastry crust, to reduce the fat content still further.

Ingredients:

1 (29-ounce) can sweet potatoes, well-drained

1 (12-ounce) package Mori-Nu tofu

1/2 cup agave nectar

¾ cup egg substitute

2 tablespoons molasses

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

2 (9”) crumb pie crusts

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine sweet potatoes, tofu, agave, egg substitute, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in blender and puree until combined, stopping blender and scraping down sides of blender once. Pour into crusts and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 – 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center of pie comes out clean. 

Let's Talk (Thanksgiving) Turkey!

Are you feeling thankful? Or are you worrying about how you'll stay on track with your weight management goals next week? If you're leaning toward the latter, you're in good company. Thanksgiving is a challenging holiday, whether you're looking to lose weight or just maintain. After all, the day itself is focused on food! Happily, the day doesn't need to do damage to your weight management goals. Take a look at my top five tips for successfully managing Thanksgiving:

 

Donna's Top Five Thanksgiving Tips

1. Write it down. Writing down what you're eating is the best way to stay on track with your weight management goals. If you're not in the habit of writing down what you're eating, consider focusing on a specific challenge area. For example, if you tend to overdo appetizers, write them down. If dessert or drinks are your downfall, write them down. Amping up your eating awareness, even if you're only paying attention for some of the day, is better than blindly noshing and munching your way through the day.
2. Have a plan for stress management. For some, Thanksgiving is a relaxing, enjoyable day with no work and no worries. But for many of us, it's a day fraught with both work and worry. If you use food to help you cope with feelings, give some thought to how you'll manage your feelings. Thanksgiving is a perfect day to practice reasonable expectations for yourself and others, work on controlled breathing, explore aromatherapy, and put your assertive communication skills to work!
3. Think about physical activity. The idea isn't to burn off the calories you're eating. Instead, focus on finding a balance between on food and Thanksgiving Day. For example, challenge family and friends to a game of tennis or bowling on your gaming system, go outside and toss around a football, or put on some favorite music and dance. Or, maybe you'd benefit from a quiet walk around the neighborhood. Either way, moving your body helps you stay in touch with how your body feels and needs.
4. Be thankful. As simple and obvious as it sounds, taking the time to really feel thankful is something that's often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of the day. Write down one thing you're thankful for, and post your note where you will see it often as the day progresses. Make a list of your blessings, and share it with others. Give of your time, talent, or treasure to others, or make plan to do so during the holiday season or next year. Enjoy the gifts and blessings you've received this year! 
5. Keep your goals reasonable. If you usually eat 3 pieces of pie loaded with ice cream and whipped topping, cutting back to no dessert may start off well enough. Often, though, it morphs into an evening of, "Well, I'll just have a bite of yours..." "Well, I didn't have dessert, so eating my kid's leftover pie crust should be okay..." "Well, I haven't really had a plate of my own, so a little sliver won't do me any harm..." We all know how this game ends! It's more reasonable to plan ahead for one piece of pie, with a small scoop of ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream. 

Now it's your turn...How do you successfully navigate the Thanksgiving holiday? Share your tips and tricks with us! Next week, we'll take a look at a recipe for a sugar-free, lowered-fat, tofu-based sweet potato pie -- and yes, it tastes just as good as the usual sugar-laden, high-fat recipe. :) See you then!