It's that time of year when good food is abundant and temptation is in full swing. The holiday season from the end of November all the way through December is rough, especially if will power is not a strong point. I have a game plan.
Turkey is always a foregone conclusion, and now that turkey breast is zero points, I am super excited. It' my second favorite part of the turkey. My number one favorite part is the skin, which I am avoiding this year. My kidlet will be quite happy to have it! What should I do about sides? Dessert? I know I am probably going over my daily points, but I have no intention of totally blowing my diet.
Sweet potato has always been on my holiday menu. I prefer a sweet preparation to savory, of course, but my traditional sweet potato souffle is not waistline friendly. I am going to modify this Sweet Potato Casserole recipe, substituting some of the sugar, cutting back on the butter, and adding a little splash of lemon juice for a bright, light note. 2/3 of a cup comes up to 8 points of yum.
For cranberry sauce, which in my family is a must, I am making one that my mom will especially love. This simple Naturally Sweetened Cranberry Sauce is a whole bean sauce that I never would have eaten as a kid, because I liked the overly sweet, overly-processed canned jellied sauce. That's the one my daughter and husband still prefer, so they can have it. My mother and I will enjoy this lovely, natural one for a mere 2 points per serving.
No Thanksgiving meal should be without deep greens of some type. My mother loves brussels sprouts, while my daughter and husband adore collard greens. While I intend to make greens for my hubby and kidlet, I am going to make the sprouts for my mother and myself. I have always loved these tiny green "cabbages". These Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Dressing will add a beautiful punch of flavor without bacon, butter, or extra salt. A 2/3 cup serving clocks in at 3 points.
Finally, no holiday dinner ever was complete without pie. Traditionally, my family enjoys sweet potato pie, mostly because it is my preference, but I love a good pumpkin pie, too! Pumpkin pie also happens to be one of my mother's favorites, as she's never been as keen on sweet potatoes, and since I decided to make sweet potato casserole, I'd rather hit up a nice can of pumpkin anyway. For me, it is vital that dessert is lightened up considerably. To do that, I've decided on these Individual Crustless Pumpkin Pies. At 9 points, these little custards are both crustless and single-serve, a win-win situation!
Thanksgiving dinner will cost me a grand total of 22 points. That's pretty decent. There will be so much flavor and visual appeal, I won't miss the high-fat, super sugary Thankgivings of years gone by. Also, I can freeze the extra portions of pumpkin pie, if there are any, for Christmas or snack attacks when I can afford them!
For the days following Thanksgiving, I'll be leaning heavily on the WW Zero points list. Guess who is going to be eating turkey for five days straight? Yep. This girl. I'll eat everything but the pumpkin pies for the whole weekend, because I'm working four days straight. I'll miss my family, but that's nursing: no such thing as holidays!
There is also another things about holiday meals: no judgement. Holidays are a time of celebration and joy, eating the things we rarely do, and enjoying the company of the ones we love the most. Thanksgiving in particular is exactly what it says it is - a time of thanksgiving for the abundance available to us. Thankfulness for friends, family, hearth, and home. This Thanksgiving, I choose to be thankful to work with people that cannot be at home, that cannot partake in the family feasting or the gathering of loved ones. For that night, the nurses of the 5th floor will be their family. It's humbling, to say the least.
It's a week early, but from the Blocky Family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving. Now go get your grub on!
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