Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

382 calories

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 tilapia filets
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• ½ (14oz) can chopped tomatoes
• ¼ cup green olives
• ½ tablespoon capers
• ½ tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 dried bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup quinoa, cooked
• 1 cup steamed broccoli

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray baking dish and add filets.
2. In a small bowl, mix lime juice, oregano, salt and pepper.  Pour over fish and set aside.
3. In a skillet, heat olive oil and cook onion until translucent.  Add garlic and tomatoes and cook until tender. Mix in olives, capers, brown sugar, bay leaf, and cinnamon.  Simmer and start baking fish for 10 minutes.
4. Pour sauce over fish and bake for another 5 minutes or until flakey.  Serve with ¼ cup quinoa and ½ steamed broccoli per person. ***Reserve remaining quinoa for tomorrow’s breakfast

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

357 calories

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• ½ cup brown rice, cooked
• Cooking spray
• 1 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded
• ¾ teaspoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon unsalted butter
• ¼ yellow onion, minced
• ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ medium apple, chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to directions.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking pan with foil; spray foil generously with foil and use a brush or spatula to evenly coat the area where the squash will be resting.  Place the squash cut-side down on the foil and roast in the center of the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until tender.
3. Meanwhile, place a small skillet over medium heat for one minute.  Add olive oil and butter, stir until melted and coating pan.  Add onion and cook, stirring often for 5 minutes until onion becomes soft and turns a golden brown.  Add half the walnuts and cook with onions, stirring frequently for 5-8 minutes, or until the nuts begin to roast.  Stir in salt and cook fro 5 more minutes.  Remove pan from heat.   Lightly toast the remaining walnuts and set aside.
4. After rice is fully cooked, add onion- walnut mixture and toss to combine   Add apple and cranberries, mix until well combined.
5. Remove squash from oven and lower temp to 300 degrees.  Turn squash over, cavities facing up.  Divide rice mixture among the squash, fill cavities packing down filling and mounding tops.
6. Cover squash loosely with foil and return tray to oven for about 10 minutes or until everything is heated through.  Top with remaining toasted walnuts.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

395 calories

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 4 (4 ounce) fillets of sole
• ½ cup frozen spinach, thawed
• ½ cup canned artichokes, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter substitute
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon, juiced
• ½ cup brown rice, cooked

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the bottom of a casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. Lay the fillets on cutting board.  Divide the spinach and artichokes evenly, about 2 tablespoons per fillet.  Spread it over the length of the fillets and roll each fillet up, placing rolled side down in the casserole dish.  Put aside.
3. Heat butter in saucepan over medium until melted.  Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Then pour in lemon juice and the garlic will turn blue.  Whisk until well combined and becomes slightly thicker.  Pour ½ of sauce over sole. Put remaining sauce off to the side and keep warm.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until fish is opaque and cooked through.  Remove from oven.  Pour remaining sauce over top before serving with brown rice.

Prep Time     10 minutes

Cook Time     30 minutes

Serves 4

310 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ chicken breasts, skinless, boneless
• 8 ounces whole wheat fettuccine
• 3 cups Brussels sprouts, quartered
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated, low fat

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Cube chicken and place in baking dish.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place in oven and back for 15-20 minutes, until juices run clear and no longer pink.
2. Cook pasta according to directions.  Drain pasta and reserve 2 tablespoons of water.     Do not rinse pasta so it will retain the natural starches allowing the sauce to stick to the pasta better.
3. While the chicken and pasta are cooking, steam Brussels sprouts in steamer basket over boiling water for 7 minutes or until tender.
4. After chicken, pasta and Brussels sprouts are cooked, heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat.  Add garlic and saute until light brown and fragrant, do not burn the garlic or it will become bitter.  Add the red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning and saute for 1 minute.  Slowly add the reserved water and stir to combine.  Add pasta, chicken and Brussels sprouts and mix well, continuing to cook for 1 more minute.
5. Top with parmesan cheese and a light drizzle of olive oil.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 small whole wheat pitas
• ½ cup tomato sauce, divided
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• 1 ounce fresh mozzarella
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• Dash of oregano
• Dash of parmesan cheese

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Spread 1/4 cup tomato sauce on each pita and place tomato slices on top.  Place on baking sheet and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and and add mozzarella, basil leaves and oregano.  Bake for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted and crust is crispy.

4. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parmesan.

 

Mixed Green Salad

• 1 cup mixed greens
• 1/4 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/4 cup sliced cucumbers
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 3 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup black olives
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 ½ cups white beans
• 1 tablespoons rosemary
• ½ tablespoon oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ pound whole wheat pasta

Directions:

1.  Heat oil in large saute pan over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until translucent.  Add garlic and saute for 1 more minute.  Add peppers and continue to saute for 3 minutes.  Then add squashes and saute until all vegetables are tender.

2. Stir in tomatoes and cook, stirring often for 1 minute.

3. Reduce heat to low and add olives, pine nuts, white beans, herbs and salt and pepper.  Cook until heated through.

4. Cook pasta according to directions and serve vegetable mixture over pasta.

377 kcals

Makes 8 slices

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

• 1 pound whole wheat pizza dough, prepared
• 1 cups pesto sauce
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
• ½ cup sliced olives
• ½ cup part skim mozzarella, shredded
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place a pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Stretch pizza dough out onto a floured surface into a 15” round and spread pesto on surface.  Top with remaining ingredients and place in oven on stone or baking sheet.  Cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted.
3. Serve 2 slices with mixed green salad and save the rest for lunch tomorrow.

We know the holiday season is tough for a lot of people.

Thanksgiving is especially hard because the food is the focus of everything!

Here is a menu that is full of great food, but it won’t mean you can’t eat for 3 days because of the high calorie count.

This meal is 603 calories, only half of the amount of calories you need to consume in one day if you are on a 1,200 calorie diet.

Eat a light breakfast such as a smoothie or yogurt and fruit and make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Check out our previous article for some additional tips on how to control how much you eat on the big day.

If you have time for exercise on such a busy day, you can increase you caloric intake so you won’t feel so guilty eating the appetizers!

Happy Holidays!

 

Menu

Serves 8

• Sauteed Green Beans
• Roasted Root Vegetables
• Mushroom Apple Stuffing
• Cranberry Sauce
• Gravy
• Turkey
• Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Total Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 603
• Fat: 19.1g (14.3% of total calories)
• Carbohydrates: 82.9g (27.6% of total calories)
• Protein: 28.8g (9.6% of total calories)

 

Sautéed Green Beans

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Serving Size: ½ cup

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds green beans
• 1 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup slivered almonds

Directions:

1. Fill large pot with water half way and bring to a boil.  Add green beans and cover.  Cook for about 5 minutes or until green beans become bright green.  Drain.
2. Add butter, salt and pepper to green beans and toss well to combine.
3. Garnish with almonds.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 69
• Fat: 4.5g
• Carbohydrates: 4.9g
• Protein: 2g

 

Roasted Root Vegetables

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Serving Size: ½ cup

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 sweet potato, chopped
• 2 beets, chopped
• 2 parsnips, chopped
• 2 turnips, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon balsamic reduction (1 cup balsamic vinegar)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large saute pan, heat ½ tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and saute until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining olive oil, onion, yams, beets, parsnips, turnips and carrot, salt and pepper.  Place on baking sheet or in large glass baking dish.  Bake for 30 minutes.
4. Remove vegetables from oven, add fresh herbs and mix well to combine.  Bake for another 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
5. Meanwhile, pour 1 cup balsamic vinegar into a heavy bottomed pot.  Bring to a slow boil over medium heat.  Stirring occasionally, simmer the vinegar until it has reduced to at least half or more depending on desired consistency.
6. Remove vegetables from the oven and drizzle 1 tablespoon balsamic reduction over top vegetables.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 85
• Fat: 2.8g
• Carbohydrates: 14.6g
• Protein: 1.3g

 

Mushroom Apple Stuffing (Serves 16)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Serving Size: ½ cup

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoons low cal butter substitute
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup onion, diced
• ½ cup celery, diced
• ½ cup carrot, diced
• 2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups toasted whole wheat bread cubes
• 1 cup apple, peeled, chopped
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 cup vegetable broth

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms, onion, celery, and carrot and saute for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the thyme, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, toss the vegetable mixture together with the bread cubes, apples and walnuts.  Add the vegetable broth and stir until well combined.
4. Pour the stuffing into a 9×13 inch pan coated with cooking spray.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 146
• Fat: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 21g
• Protein: 4g

 

Cranberry Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serving Size: ¼ cup

Ingredients:

• 1 (12oz) bag whole cranberries
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries being to pop, stirring occasionally.
3. Chill before serving.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 61
• Carbohydrates: 15.9g

 

Gravy

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serving Size: ¼ cup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups turkey drippings
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Remove turkey drippings from pan and put in ziplock bag.  Allow juices to cool and fat to rise to the top.  Cut a whole in the bottom of the corner of the bag and drain the liquid into a saucepan until it reaches the separated fat.  Discard the fat and use the drained liquid for the gravy.
2. Combine flour and pepper and slowly whisk into the drippings.  Continually whisk until boiling and continue to stir until smooth.  Gravy will thicken as it boils.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 32
• Fat: 0.7g
• Carbohydrates: 3.2g
• Protein: 3.3g

 

Herb Roasted Turkey

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Serving Size: 3 ounces

Ingredients:

• 12 pound turkey
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 carrots
• 4 celery stalks
• 1 small bunch parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon sage, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey.  Rinse and pat dry.  Allow turkey to come to room temperature
3. Rub and squeeze the lemon on the inside of the cavity of the bird.  Place the onion, carrots, celery and parsley inside the cavity.  Tie legs together with a string.
4. Combine the oil and fresh herbs in a small bowl and brush seasoning under and on top of skin of turkey.
5. Place the turkey on a V-rack or bed of vegetables to raise turkey up and prevent it from cooking in the its own fat.
6. Roast turkey for 30 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 325 degrees and continue cooking the turkey until the internal temperature is 165 degrees for the breast and 180 degrees for the leg.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 118
• Fat: 4.9g
• Carbohydrates: 3.6g
• Protein: 14.5g

 

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cloves
• ¼ teaspoon cardamon
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 ½ cups skim milk
• 3 egg whites
• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a saucepan, heat pumpkin, and spices together.  This will remove the canned flavor.  Allow to cool.
3. Mix cooled pumpkin spice mixture with remaining ingredients.  Pour into a 9” sprayed pie pan.
4. Bake pie for 15 minutes.  Lower heat to 325 and continue baking for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 92
• Fat: 0.2g
• Carbohydrates: 19.7 g
• Protein: 3.7g

428 calories

Serves 2

Prep Time  15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

• ½ cup brown rice
• 1 cups vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 salmon filets, 2” thick
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 cups fresh spinach

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together sesame oil, tamari, balsamic vinegar, and honey.  Place salmon in baking dish and pour sauce over salmon.  Let marinate for 1 hour in refrigerator.
2. Place brown rice and vegetable broth into sauce pan, covered.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook, covered over low heat for 40 minutes or until all water is absorbed and rice is fluffy.
3. Preheat oven to 400.  Remove salmon from refrigerator and let cool to room temperature.  Place salmon in oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until salmon is cooked through.
4. Meanwhile heat saute pan over medium heat and add sesame seeds.  Continually moving pan, saute until seed change color to light brown.  Remove from heat.  Add sesame oil.  Add spinach to oil and stir to mix well.  Continue to stir until spinach is wilted.  Top with sesame seeds and stir to combine.
5. Place ½ cup brown rice, spinach and 1 salmon filet on plate and serve.
6. Place remaining brown rice and salmon filet in container to lunch tomorrow.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

297 calories

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef, lean
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 (15.5oz) can pinto beans
• 1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• ¾ cup salsa

Directions:

1. Spray large saucepan with cooking spray.  Add onions, and saute for 3 minutes or until translucent.  Add ground beef and cook over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly.  Transfer to colander and rinse with water to drain excess fat.  Return beef to pan.
2. Stir in bell peppers, garlic, chili powder and cumin.  Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
4. Optional- top with 1 tablespoon low fat grated cheddar cheese (12 kcals) or 1 tablespoon of low fat sour cream (21 kcals)