Thanksgiving comes only once a year and most of us enjoy a delicious holiday meal. My philosophy is, eat smaller portions of my favorite dishes so I don’t feel cheated.

If you want to eat more healthy foods here are some side dish recipes with fewer calories and less fat than the traditional versions.

Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole
Extra Mushrooms and garlic hide the fact that this recipe uses low-fat dairy products.

6 cups Green Beans (fresh is best, but if you use canned, make sure they are no salt added)
2 cups fresh Mushrooms, in large dice, about 8 oz. by weight
1 can Reduced fat Condensed Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 cup Reduced Fat Milk (1%)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Dash, Watkins Black Pepper
1/2 cup French Fried Onions.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut green beans into 1 inch lengths. Chop mushrooms into dice, set aside.
In the bottom of a baking dish, combine soup, milk, garlic, and pepper until smooth. Add green beans and mushrooms, stir until coated and evenly distributed. Sprinkle onions on top in an even layer.
Bake 30 – 35 minutes, until onions are crispy and sauce is bubbly. Makes approximately 8 1-cup servings.
Number of Servings: 8. Approximately 83 calaories per serving.

Skinny Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1 garlic bulb, unpeeled
splash of olive oil
4 large potatoes (Idaho or russet)
1 cup Chicken Broth made from 1 1/2 teaspoons Watkins Chicken Soup Base and 1 cup boiling water
salt to taste
Watkins Black Pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Place the garlic cloves in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with olive oil. Place the dish, uncovered, in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the garlic is golden brown and soft.
3. Remove from the oven and let cool.
4. Peel the potatoes and cut them in half. Place them in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pricked with a fork, about 30 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain.
5. Bring the stock to a boil, and turn down to a simmer.
6. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves to release each clove of garlic. Mash the garlic with a fork and throw the skins away.
7. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or use a food mill. Add the roasted garlic. Slowly add the stock until the desired consistency is reached.
8. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Approximately 117 calories per serving.

Yams and sweet potatoes are brightly colored and antioxidant-rich vegetables that are naturally sweet, but their flavors are masked by loads of brown sugar and marshmallows on Thanksgiving.

Typical candied yams or sweet potatoes:
Serving size=3/4 cup (about the size of a baseball)
240 calories and 7 g fat

Six ounces (3/4 cup) of sweet potatoes have 160 calories so the remaining 80 calories and all that fat usually come from sweeteners.

Tips:
Use just a touch of honey or real maple syrup to accentuate the sweet potatoes.
Leave the marshmallows for s’mores and hot cocoa.

Low Fat Mashed Sweet Potatoes

4 Medium Sweet Potatoes, Peeled and Cubed
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1 tsp Orange Zest
1 tbs Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Watkins Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Watkins Ground Ginger

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add Sweet Potatoes and simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain Sweet Potatoes. Add Orange Juice, Orange Zest, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Ginger. Mash until smooth. Number of Servings: 6

Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potato, 3 medium
Neufchatel Cheese, 1/5 package
Fat Free Sour Cream, 3 tbsp
Milk, 1%, 1/8 cup

1. Boil sweet potatoes with skin on until soft to fork.
2. Remove from water and let cool slightly.
3. Remove skins and return potatoes to warm pot.
4. Add milk, neufchatel or cream cheese, and sour cream. You can also add salt and pepper.
5. Mash and stir until creamy.
Makes about 6 servings, 1/2 cup per serving.

Vegetarian-Friendly Vegetable Nut Loaf
This delicious and hearty vegetarian entree is a holiday favorite; great paired with wild mushroom gravy.

2 large onions, chopped
3-4 stalks celery, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1-1/2 to 2 lbs. mushrooms, chopped (nice if they’re all different kinds, but not necessary)
1 cup cooked rice pilaf (or rice cooked in vegetable broth)
1 or 1-1/2 cups chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans)
Vegetable broth, as needed to moisten mixture
Seasoned bread crumbs
Half cup grated Parmesan or romano cheese
Watkins Parsley, Watkins Basil, Watkins Thyme, Watkins Sage and any other herbs and spices you like
4 eggs, beaten
Salt, pepper to taste
Vegetable or olive oil

Saute vegetables in oil. Make rice pilaf. (These steps can be done ahead of time or the day before).
Mix all ingredients well, into the consistency of a meat loaf.
Adjust seasonings, if necessary.
Put into a loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 min to an hour.
To check if done, insert a toothpick into the middle and check to see that it comes out dry.

Wild Mushroom Gravy
3/4 lbs variety of mushrooms, chopped or sliced thin
1 can vegetable broth (2 cans if you want to make gravy for leftovers)
3 tablespoons flour (or adjust as needed)
salt, pepper

Saute mushrooms in frying pan in a little olive oil until soft and golden.
Mix flour with vegetable broth until smooth, and add to pan with mushrooms.
Add salt, pepper and any other seasonings you like.
Cook over medium high heat until it bubbles lightly and thickens to gravy consistency.
If gravy does not thicken sufficienty, mix a little more flour with a little cold water (3-4 tsp) and add to pan.
If gravy is too thick, add a little more broth or water. Serve over slices of nut loaf.
Number of Servings: 8. Approximately 297 calories per serving.

Wild Rice, Dried Cranberry, and Walnut Stuffing
If your family loves stuffing try this inspired creation, made with tangy cranberries and a nutty crunch. It’s so delicious, your guests won’t guess it’s good for them!

4 cups chicken broth made with 2 tablespoons Watkins Chicken Soup Base and 4 cups boiling water
2 cups long grain and wild rice, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 large celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup (4 ounces) dried cranberries (unsweetened, available at natural-food stores)
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Watkins Sage
Salt and Watkins Black Pepper

Place broth in a medium-size saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in rice; cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 45 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid has absorbed.

Meanwhile, warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook 10 minutes, until softened, stirring. Transfer to large bowl.

Stir rice into bowl with vegetables. Add walnuts, cranberries, sage, salt, and pepper.

Use mixture to stuff turkey. Alternatively, coat a large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray; add stuffing and an additional 1/4 cup broth. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for about 20 minutes.

Make-ahead tip: Just cover and refrigerate bowl after adding walnuts, cranberries, sage, salt, and pepper. Keeps for 1 day in refrigerator. Let come to room temperature before continuing with recipe.
Makes 8 servings.

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/november15-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and
http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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