Posted on: Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Giving thanks for lightened fare

•	Go lighter with turkey, stuffing, veggies, dessert
•	Holiday cooks find turkey help
•	Lightening up the Thanksgiving menu (graphic)

By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor

Illustration by Jon Orque • The Honolulu Advertiser Maybe we're too thankful A now-famous 1999 study by nutritionist Susan Sullivan of the University of Maine, and her student Elaina Hopkins, revealed that even a relatively conservative Thanksgiving dinner is equivalent to the dietary needs of a grown man for an entire day. The meal: 6 ounces turkey (light or dark), ´ cup giblet gravy, 4 ounces stuffing, à cup yams, cup of mashed potatoes (made with whole milk and margarine), à cup cooked peas with boiling onions, two rolls, ´ cup canned cranberry sauce, 2 servings hot cider, 2 tablespoons whipped butter, a slice each of apple and pumpkin pies. The tally: 2,134 calories, 63 grams protein, 308 grams carbohydrate, 77 grams fat. Maintenance diet for 150-pound adult: 2,300 calories, of which 86 grams are protein, 345 grams carbohydrate and 64 grams fat.

At your Thanksgiving table next week, there's a strong statistical likelihood that you'll be entertaining at least one person who is on a low-carbohydrate eating plan, another who is trying to control their cholesterol or regular their blood sugar, several who are overweight and wanting to do something about it, and possibly someone who doesn't eat meat.

The conventional Thanksgiving menu — stuffed roast turkey, mashed potatoes swimming in butter, candied yams, creamed peas or green beans, sweet jelled salads or ambrosias and rich pies — suddenly sounds like a recipe for disaster.

At the same time, the "T" in Thanksgiving stands for "tradition." And even those who know that their health depends on lifestyle change come to the Thanksgiving table with their food memories sharp and their expectations high. They want to smell the familiar smells and revisit the flavors they recall.

"We get more questions about nutrition every year," said Mary Clingman, director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. "People are really interested in how to lighten up the meal."

But it's a challenge. "The average table at Thanksgiving has about 11 people, and when you think about that many people, what are the odds they are going to all be on the same diet or all like the same things? How do you go about pleasing everybody?"

One technique she's used to her advantage is asking family and guests to bring a favorite dish. Because Clingman has to work on Thanksgiving every year — the Talk-Line gets thousands of calls that day — her family and guests enjoy a late meal and she's not there to cook it.

"What happens is that people who are visiting, who aren't having their usual Thanksgiving, it makes them feel better, they can have something that reminds them of their Thanksgiving traditions even though they're not with their family. It's a way of making them feel comfortable, takes the workload off the hostess, cuts costs and it brings everybody together."

Beyond that, she said, you can remove the turkey skin, make a reduction sauce instead of gravy, make mashed potatoes with chicken broth and nonfat yogurt, serve a salad instead of the heavy casserole, bake the sweet potatoes instead of candying them, put out more vegetables. "Just by doing these things, you've cut masses of calories and fat," she said.

Clingman further suggests serving in courses and beginning with a light soup or salad to curb their appetites before the richer dishes. Serve on smaller plates, which lends itself to smaller portions.

Of course, many people set aside their usual eating plans for Turkey Day. But what if someone at your table is managing a serious health problem, or has had bariatric surgery, or has just started a weight reduction plan and doesn't want to slide backward after weeks of commitment?

Give them options, but do it in a quiet, gracious way, suggests dietitian Barbara Miller of Honolulu. Don't set aside a plate or make a special dish and tell everyone, "Don't eat that, that's for Suzy. She can't have what we're having." This just makes Suzy want to sink into the carpet, Miller said.

Instead, have a green salad or a fresh fruit salad, some baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, a vegetarian casserole that contains protein (beans, tofu, or cheese if the person is a lacto-ovo vegetarian), whole-grain bread and several vegetable choices. Point these out to everyone. Then let your guests choose.

• • •

Go lighter with turkey, stuffing, veggies, dessert

Slimming tips for Thanksgiving Eat a solid breakfast and light lunch; don't arrive at the table famished. Drink a glass of water a short while before dinner. Front-load the meal by serving a vegetable tray, then light soup and fresh salad. Slow down the meal by serving in courses, making time for conversation in between. Place food in the kitchen to minimize over-eating. Surround heavier dishes with fruits and vegetables. Beware of creating a feeling of deprivation. Make food flavorful. Pick one or two dishes on which to splurge. Even for the splurge dishes, use lightened recipes. Serve a flavor- and texture-rich bread or roll that doesn't need butter. Clean up right after the meal. Don't leave tempting leftovers out. After dinner, take a walk or participate in an engaging family activity. Freeze or give away leftovers to prevent midnight snacking. Sources: Mary Clingman and Advertiser staff

In devising this lightened Thanksgiving meal, we were guided by several principles:

• Where possible, keep changes invisible. Mashed potatoes made with nonfat half-and-half, for example, look and taste pretty much like those made with cream or whole milk.
• Allow some splurging to prevent a feeling of deprivation. Someone who leaves the table feeling cheated is likely to end up eating cold stuffing out of the casserole dish at midnight.
• Keep flavors strong and true; healthy should not mean bland. Use fresh herbs, highly concentrated stocks, adequate salt (in the kitchen, not at the table) or such flavor enhancers as lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. Layer flavors by cooking herbs, aromatics (onions, garlic, ginger and such) and spices in the dish, then adding a little more of those ingredients right at the end of cooking, or as a garnish.
• Where a substitute just won't do, either eliminate the dish altogether, or allow a small splurge. Let's say your family usually serves that old familiar green-bean casserole (frozen green beans, mushroom soup, canned fried onions). If you know they won't accept steamed or stir-fried green beans instead, either skip the green beans entirely, or present a smaller bowl of the casserole, which encourages portion control.

This "Thanksgiving lighter" menu is by no means a "diet" spread, but it's one that contains less fat and sugar and more fiber and nutrition than the conventional Thanksgiving menu.

Years ago, when I was a food writer in Seattle and a newly sober TV cooking-show host Graham Kerr was living in Tacoma, Wash., I asked him to prepare a low-fat Thanksgiving dinner for a photo shoot. I've never forgotten the delicately flavored and moist poached turkey breast he prepared. This is another Kerr creation, from his book, "Graham Kerr's Best" (Putnam, 1996), this time a turkey breast roast with vegetables.

You'll find whole and half turkey breast cuts in the freezer and chill cases of most grocery stores. You need a V-rack for this recipe, to support the turkey breast, allowing it to hold its shape, and a roasting pan, preferably a nonstick one.

This recipe serves 6 conservatively. You can double it by preparing a whole turkey breast. You also could serve this dish alongside traditional turkey, giving guests a choice.

If the seasoning mixture used here isn't to your taste, use a mixture you prefer, such as pre-mixed poultry seasoning, lemon pepper or fresh herbs. You may use white wine instead of the apple juice called for.

Turkey Vegetable Roast

• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon each dried tarragon, dried rosemary, dried sage and hot Hungarian paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly ground sea salt to taste (optional)
• Half a bone-in turkey breast
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 medium red potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 6 carrots, lightly scraped and quartered
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into 12 wedges
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Dash toasted sesame oil
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon arrowroot or cornstarch
• 2 additional tablespoons unsweetened apple juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Crumble thyme, tarragon, rosemary and sage and mix with paprika, pepper and salt.

Rinse the turkey in cool water, pat dry and place on rack. Carefully work your fingers under the skin of the turkey breast, separating it from the meat. Trim away any fat on the breast bone. Rub half the herb-spice mixture over the breast meat under the skin. Re-cover the meat with skin, tucking it in around the edges.

Place the rack in an 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Pour 1 cup of the chicken broth over the turkey breast.

Arrange the vegetables in a large baking or roasting pan. Mix the olive oil with the dash of toasted sesame oil. Brush all sides of the vegetables with this mixture and sprinkle them with the remaining herb-spice mixture. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup broth over the vegetables.

Roast the turkey and vegetables side-by-side in a preheated oven for about 55 minutes. At that point, the turkey will be moist and the vegetables firm but tender.

Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with foil to keep warm and allow juices, which have boiled to the surface, to relax back into the meat.

Turn the oven off but leave vegetables inside to complete cooking.

Pour the accumulated cooking juices from the turkey through a strainer into a small saucepan. Add 1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice and sage and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Whisk together 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon arrowroot or cornstarch and 2 tablespoons unsweetened apple juice. Stir this slurry into the sauce. Return the mixture to the heat and cook over high heat until clear and thickened, about 30 seconds.

Take the vegetables out of the oven. Remove and discard the turkey skin and cut the meat into thin slices.

Arrange the vegetables on warmed dinner plates along with turkey slices. Spoon the sauce over the turkey and roasted vegetables. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Per serving: 414 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 62 mg cholesterol, 190 mg sodium, 72 g carbohydrate (9 g fiber, 21 g sugar), 29 g protein.

Making stuffing with whole-grain bread adds significant nutritional value and fiber. Below is an example. Choose a bread that's somewhat savory, not too high in sugars or fats; the organic whole-wheat loaf from La Brea, sometimes found in local stores, would be great in this. Honey Wheat Berry is another option.

Whole-grain stuffing with cranberries and walnuts

• 1 (24-ounce) loaf 100 percent whole-wheat bread, at least one day old
• 2 cups dried cranberries or a mix of dried cranberries, cherries and golden raisins
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, trimmed and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoons dried thyme, or to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 1/2 cups canned, nonfat, low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Slice bread (if not already sliced) and arrange on oven rack; toast until very dry but not brown, about 30 minutes. Shut off oven and allow bread to cool. Place bread in large bowl and break into pieces (or cut into cubes).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees for later use.

Place dried fruit in large, heat-proof bowl and cover with very hot water. Let stand until water is lukewarm and fruit is softened. Drain and set fruit aside in large bowl with bread.

Heat a nonstick pan with canola oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Add onion and sauté, stirring constantly, until onion is translucent and golden. Stir in green onions and thyme. With slotted spoon, transfer mixture to bowl with fruit and bread.

Add walnuts, parsley and chives; mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tossing gently so stuffing does not get compacted, and constantly so liquid is evenly distributed, add enough hot broth until mixture is moist but not wet. (Depending on the type of bread used, additional broth may be needed.) Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, adding salt, pepper and thyme, if desired. If mixture seems dry, add additional hot broth, as desired.

To bake stuffing, lightly coat a shallow baking pan with canola oil spray and transfer stuffing to 9-by-13-inch pan. Using canola oil spray, lightly coat the dull side of a sheet of foil large enough to seal pan. Cover and seal baking pan with foil (shiny side out) and bake 1 hour. For crisper top, remove foil half-way.

Serve immediately. May be prepared up to 2 days in advance and re-heated.

Makes 18 1/2-cup servings.

Per serving: 175 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 28 g carbohydrate, (4 g fiber), 6 g protein, 293 mg sodium.

Marcia Levine Mazur developed this squash recipe for Diabetes Forecast; it might serve as an alternative to candied yams.

Acorn Squash with Pineapple

• 1 large acorn squash
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, canned in its own juice, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare squash, cut in half and remove seeds. Place each half, cut-side-down, on a nonstick or foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake squash 45-60 minutes until soft and tender, piercing with fork to check doneness. (You can cool and refrigerate the squash for a day or two, covered, at this point and finish the recipe on serving day. Bring squash to room temperature before finishing in oven.)

Mix the pineapple and spices. Divide the mixture equally among the squash halves. Bake the filled squash, right side up on a foil-lined baking sheet, for 5 minutes, until pineapple juices are bubbling. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 47 calories, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 3 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate (3 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 1 g protein.

A lighter pumpkin dessert might be appreciated by those who want to indulge but just can't see consuming the 390 calories, 17 grams of fat and 53 grams of carbohydrate in the conventional pie made from recipe on the Libby's can.

Here's an idea — a honeyed and gingered cold mousse. You can use soy milk or another milk alternative, if you like, and that will eliminate the cholesterol and some of the fat. And if you find honey a little pronounced in flavor, you can use maple syrup (real or flavored) in its place.

Pumpkin Mousse

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 (.25-ounce) package unflavored gelatin
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin purÚe
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped gingersnap crumbs

Pour the 1/2 cup of water into a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over it to soften.

Separate the eggs, placing the whites in an electric mixer bowl and the yolks in a heat-proof bowl that holds at least 2 cups.

Combine the milk, honey and spices in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium heat until the honey dissolves and the mixture is steaming hot. Add the softened gelatin with its liquid and stir until completely dissolved.

Slowly pour some of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then pour the entire mixture back into the pot and continue heating until it thickens and almost boils. Stir in pumpkin and keep stirring until there are no big bubbles when you stop stirring for a few seconds. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites until frothy, then start gradually adding the sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold a big spatula of whites into the pumpkin custard, then fold in the remaining egg whites. Place gingersnap crumbs into each of 6 individual ramekins or wine glasses. Spoon the mousse in and refrigerate. Serve topped with whipped cream or with more gingersnap crumbs sprinkled over.

Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 250 calories, 4.5 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 110 mg cholesterol, 75 mg sodium, 49 g total carbohydrate, (1 g fiber, 44 g sugar), 6 g protein.

• • •

Holiday cooks find turkey help

Toll-free telephone services and Web sites offer a variety of specialist answers to cooking and food-safety questions during holiday preparation times. Here are some of them:

U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline: (888) 674-6854. Food safety specialists answer calls about meat and poultry preparation and cooking questions, year-round Monday to Friday, 5 to 11 a.m., Hawai'i time, except Nov. 25, Thanksgiving Day, when hours will be from 3 to 9 a.m. Hawai'i time. Recorded information is available 24 hours a day. Also available in Spanish.

On the Web: www.fsis.usda.gov.

Butterball Turkey Talk-Line: (800) 288-8372. Home economists and nutritionists answer holiday cooks' questions, in both English and Spanish, for callers in the United States and Canada. Callers can request a free pamphlet with safety and cooking tips and recipes.

• Through Friday, 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hawai'i time.
• Saturday and Sunday, 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hawai'i time.
• Monday through Nov. 24, 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hawai'i time.
• Nov. 25, Thanksgiving Day, 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hawai'i time.
• Nov. 26 to Dec. 23, weekdays, 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hawai'i time.
• Dec. 24 to Dec. 25, 2 to 11 a.m. Hawai'i time.
• Dec. 26, 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hawai'i time.

Automated assistance available outside the above hours and all year long.

On the Web: www.butterball.com.

Foster Farms Turkey Helpline: (800) 255-7227. Turkey-cooking questions are answered and information given by live operators 24 hours a day today through Nov. 29 (including Thanksgiving Day). Before and after those dates, the helpline is available 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hawai'i time, Monday through Friday.

On the Web: www.fosterfarms.com.

Perdue consumer help line: (800) 473-7383. Consumer-relations representatives answer cooking, storage and other questions about poultry products weekdays year-round (except Nov. 28 and Christmas Day) 4:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hawai'i time. Free booklet offer with tips on safe handling of poultry. Longer hours Thanksgiving week:

• Monday and Tuesday, 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hawai'i time.
• Nov. 24, 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hawai'i time.
• Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 2 to 10 a.m. Hawai'i time.

On the Web: www.perdue.com.

Shady Brook Farms: (888) 723-4468.
Honeysuckle White: (800) 810-6325.

Automated holiday-meal information lines offer 24-hour service every, including meal planning, buying and cooking turkeys.

On the Web:

• www.shadybrookfarms.com.
• www.honeysucklewhite.com.

Empire Kosher poultry customer hotline: (800) 367-4734, or (717) 436-5921. Help is offered year-round Monday through Thursday, 3 to 11:30 a.m.; Friday, 3 a.m. to 10 a.m. Hawai'i time. Program offers recipes, newsletter, tips on defrosting and cooking poultry. Closed Jewish and secular holidays.

On the Web: www.empirekosher.com.

Ocean Spray consumer help line: (800) 662-3263. Year-round, weekdays (open Thanksgiving Day; but not Christmas Day, New Year's Day and other major holidays) 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. Hawai'i time. Consumer department staff field questions on cranberries, offer recipes, cooking tips, nutritional information, menu-planning worksheets, product information.

On the Web: www.oceanspray.com.

Reynolds Turkey Tips Line: (800) 745-4000. A year-round 24-hour automated hot line; through Dec. 31 offers advice on turkey defrosting, preparation and cooking options, free brochure and recipes.

On the Web: www.reynoldskitchens.com.

On the Web:

• www.turkeyhelp.com. Cook's Illustrated magazine's site features detailed guidance and recipes, for preparing turkey and all the trimmings, including apple and pumpkin pies.
• www.eatturkey.com. The National Turkey Federation Web site has recipes and cooking tips.
• www.starchefs.com/thanksgiving/2004/html/index.shtml. Thanksgiving and holiday recipes, with tips from professional chefs and cookbook writers, from turkey through desserts.