I also enjoyed the year I was interning in the FOODday test kitchen and we were testing recipes for a Thanksgiving menu made in under 60 minutes. We made gravy from a jar, a spatchcocked turkey, and stuffing from a box. We seasoned everything REALLY well, added lots of white wine and fresh herbs, and actually, it was pretty tasty. Chock full of chemicals, but tasty!
Thanksgiving comes with many variations and traditions, but for most of us, it's an over-indulgence of carbs, butter, and sugar, and can many times involved highly processed foods. Canned cranberry sauce sound familiar? How about pumpkin pie made not from real pumpkin, but from canned pumpkin pie mix? Then there are those fried onion rings on top of the green bean casserole made with cream of mushroom soup. Oh and let's not forget the marshmallows (puffed up balls of super refined sugar and fat) on top of the sweet potato casserole.
To me, Thanksgiving dinner is about celebrating what I am thankful for; family, friends, and beautiful, delicious WHOLE foods. Thanksgiving dinner doesn't have to come out of a box or a jar, or come pre-made by Marie Calendar. If you choose whole foods and add clean fats and sugars sparingly, Thanksgiving dinner can be clean and rid of remorse. So put away those stretchy pants that you save for this time of year, and hit up your favorite farmers market. Thanksgiving is getting a makeover!
Let's start with the Turkey:
What's ideal: Rub with extra virgin olive oil then season with salt, pepper, and herbs. Stuff the cavity with fresh lemon, herbs, and garlic. Use store bought organic, low sodium chicken broth (homemade is even better) if you need some liquid in the roasting pan. White wine works too!
Next best option: Rub your bird with butter instead of olive oil-it's a saturated fat but at least it's a whole food fat and doesn't have any fake ingredients in it.
Please Avoid: Margarine! Ick! Just don't! Also try to avoid any chicken broths that are high in sodium and/or non-organic. Avoid stuffing the cavity of the bird with stuffing because the stuffing will take FOREVER to reach the safe zone of 165-170 degrees. Your turkey will be overcooked by the time the stuffing is safe to serve. Who wants salmonella or dry turkey or both? Not me!
Moving on to stuffing:
What's ideal: Make your own! Bake your own bread or buy your favorite organic bread from a local bakery. Mix it with olive oil or another healthy fat. Then mix in your favorite veggies, herbs, spices, and other WHOLE foods. Bake in a baking dish using organic low-sodium chicken broth and/or wine for moisture.
Next best option: Try ordering stuffing from your favorite organic restaurant, or from your local New Seasons or Whole Foods. You will likely be able to find a higher quality stuffing this way than the boxed variety can offer. Keep in mind you won't be able to control the salt content in pre-made stuffing. Ask the store you're buying from if the ingredients in the stuffing are organic or non-GMO. Try to pick the cleanest version you can find with the fewest ingredients.
Please Avoid: Boxed stuffings! Even organic brands aren't going to come close in nutrition and taste to what you could easily make at home (not to mention they are WAY more expensive than making your own). You're likely to find added sugars, salts, and refined wheat products in boxed stuffings. Steer clear!
Cranberry Sauce:
What's ideal (and SO easy): Make your own! Buy fresh or frozen cranberries, add some coconut palm sugar, honey, or maple syrup (or even plain white sugar is better than buying the canned junk). Add a pinch of salt and the zest and juice of one orange. Place all the goods in a sauce pan, and place over low heat. Cook until the cranberries burst. I use a potato masher to mash up some of the berries but I like to leave some whole. YUM!
Next best option: If you are going to buy prepared cranberry sauce try and source it from a local deli or restaurant. You can find some good quality cranberry sauces in prepared sections of stores like New Seasons, Whole Foods, and Food Front. Again-the main issue with these is going to be whether the fruit is organic and how much and what kind of sugar is added.
Please Avoid: Canned cranberry sauce or cranberry jelly. Who likes this stuff anyway? It's a weird flavor and a a very un-natural consistency. Yuck. Obviously, you know why you should avoid this. Preservatives, too much salt and sugar...and another culprit of canned foods-BPA in the cans. Just make your own people, it's so easy.
Mashed Potatoes: My Dad's favorite!
What's ideal: Boil raw potatoes in salted water. (I like using yellow potatoes) when they are fork tender, drain, and then place back in the dry pot over high heat to dry the potatoes out. This will ensure you don't have soupy mashers. Then add either cream, milk (organic please), or a broth. I have also made mashed potatoes with un-sweetened almond and hemp milk. You can either add olive oil or butter-both clean fats-and then add salt and pepper to taste. You can add garlic (TIP: try steeping the garlic in your butter or oil instead of adding raw for a milder flavor).
Next best option: You can find frozen, peeled potatoes in the freezer section of your grocery store. Just make sure to select a brand that lists JUST potatoes on the ingredient list. Frozen veggies don't need any stabilizers or preservatives other than a cold temperature. Re-heat these potatoes on the stove and then add your milk and butter.
Avoid: Instant mashed potatoes. They are loaded with crap. Just don't.
What's ideal: Make your own from scratch, man! After you're done roasting your turkey-remove the bird from the roasting pan and then set the pan over a medium high burner. Add white wine and broth to the pan to de-glaze. Finish with fresh herbs, salt and pepper, and a little butter never killed anyone. Well that may not be true, but margarine is worse so just add the butter and whisk it in, and then don't eat like this again until next year. Make sure the butter is really cold! This will make your gravy nice and glossy and thick.
Next best option: You can actually buy pretty decent frozen gravies from higher end grocery stores like Whole Foods and Zupans. Check of course for any ickies on the label. These probably aren't organic, and they are PRICEY! But if you are in a pinch (or just don't know how to cook) these are better than canned for sure!
Avoid: Canned or jarred gravy or any sort of gravy mix that comes in a packet. Um, MSG, sugars, corn, soy, emulsifiers, stabilizers...need I say more?
Pumpkin Pie: (And whipped cream)
Next best option: Use organic canned pumpkin-NOT pumpkin pie filling-but just plain canned pumpkin. Try and find a brand that has BPA free cans.
Avoid: Any sort of store bought pie, these are likely loaded with processed and refined ingredients, way too much sugar, and hydrogenated oils.
For whipped cream it is SO easy to make your own: Toss a pint of whipped cream into your blender, add some coconut sugar, raw sugar, or maple syrup and some pure vanilla extract. You could also make it a boozy whipped cream and add a pear or apple brandy. YUM! There really are no "next best" options for whipped cream as all pre-made whipped creams will have gross things in them like hydrogenated oil and refined sugars.
Other tips for a healthy and happy Thanksgiving include:
-Consider swapping one of your cooked veggie or side dishes for a fresh green salad-make it delicious with local greens, homemade vinagrete, nuts, etc.
-Try and source your rolls or dinner bread from a local and organic bakery if you can't or don't want to make your own. I like the Pearl Bakery-they use a lot of organic ingredients as well as sustainable cleaning products.
-Make sure your turkey is antibiotic and hormone free and if possible organic. Check online to see what local farms carry free range and organic turkeys-usually these farms will list where you can buy or order their birds from.
-Research organic restaurants and delis if you are going to be buying prepared side dishes, etc. Elephants Delicatessen in PDX uses some organic ingredients, and a lot of local ingredients.
Have a wonderful Turkey Day!
Please subscribe via email at the top of the page!
Love this article -- homemade pumpkin pie sounds so awesome, and I want to try the cranberry recipe next time around (we usually buy a can of organic cranberry sauce). Yum!
ReplyDelete