How NOT To Freak Out About Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: The time of year that we come together and celebrate with food. So many of my clients have a lot of anxiety leading up to this holiday. They don't want to ruin their hard earned progress, or the idea of celebrating a holiday that revolves around food is scary to them. Add on the stress of traveling, cooking the turkey, or dreading the conversation at the dinner table (How's school? How's work? Why are you still single?...You get the gist) and it can all feel very overwhelming. 

 But, you shouldn't freak out. Why? Because one meal is not going to ruin your progress. Plus, as much as people like to bad-mouth Thanksgiving food, many of the traditional foods served are very nutritious. And guess what? You can have these foods whenever you want. In fact, there's a sandwich shop in NYC that has a Thanksgiving sandwich on the menu. All year round. And stuffing is always in the grocery store. So if you fear that you will go overboard because it'll be another year before you can have these foods, keep in mind that you can have turkey and stuffing any time you want. 

A big  mistake a lot of people make it that they skip breakfast or don't eat all day to "save" their calories for the big meal. This is NOT a good idea because you will most likely overdo it later on. Have a high fiber, high protein breakfast to kick start the day and to keep your blood sugar levels in check. Think of Thanksgiving dinner as any other dinner: protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates. They are just in different forms than the usual. Would you skip meals on a non-holiday day? No. So don't do it on Thanksgiving either. 

Don't deprive yourself. If you're dying for Grandma's stuffing, put it on your plate. If you tell yourself you can't have something you'll want it even more, and may wind up overdoing it in the end because you won't feel satisfied. Leave what doesn't really interest you (don't put the potatoes on  your plate if you're not really into them). Same goes for dessert. Take a small dessert plate and fill it with desserts that you really enjoy. Then move on.

Don't get so caught up in the food that you forget the real reason you're gathering for this holiday. It's a time to make memories with friends and family, It's a time to celebrate, and to express gratitude and thanks. You can get back on track at your next meal. 

Italian Turkey Meatballs

My mom makes the best meatballs- so these turkey meatballs are based off her original recipe, but I swapped out some of the ingredients to make them more nutritious. This is a leaner version, but still full of flavor. I love serving them over spaghetti squash with homemade tomato sauce.

Italian Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 lb 94% ground turkey
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup low-fat (or regular) shredded Mozzarella cheese
5 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
Salt
Pepper
Oregano

*I used my Ninja food processor to chop the onion, garlic, and garlic

Directions:

1. Add oatmeal to a food processor and blend until it becomes oat flour.
2. Lightly beat the egg in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly (don't overmix).
3. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Roll the turkey mixture into uniform balls (I made 18) and place on the baking pan. Cook for about 12 minutes. You can add them to your favorite sauce, or eat as is!

For one (out of 18) meatball: 47 calories, 2 g fat, 2 g carbohydrates, 6 grams protein

Apple Turkey Meatloaf with Maple Roasted Butternut Squash

This may be the best turkey muffin/mini meatloaf I've ever made. So moist and perfectly flavored. This recipe is perfect for the fall! You can easily make this into one large meatloaf and cook it longer, but they are so cute when they are baked in muffin tins. I HIGHLY recommend you serve this with a side of maple roasted butternut squash. Fall food party in your mouth!

                   

Apple Turkey Muffins

Ingredients:

- 1 lb lean ground turkey breast
- 1/4 cup egg whites
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped (I used my Ninja)
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- dash of pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Make sure it is mixed really well!
3. Spray a muffin tin (mine had 6 cups) with cooking spray. Evenly divide the turkey mixture into the muffin tins.
4. Bake for 25 minutes and serve!

Nutrition information for 1 turkey muffin: 149 calories, 6 grams fat,  8.5 grams carbohydrates, 15.6 grams protein

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredient:

- 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks
- Cinnamon
- Sugar free syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Cover a baking pan with tin foil and coat with cooking spray. Spray with  butternut squash with cooking spray and toss in a large bowl with cinnamon (I use a lot!).
2. Baked for about 30-35 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and drizzle with a sugar free syrup. Toss to coat.

               

Pumpkin Turkey Chili

What's more perfect than chili and pumpkin for the fall? Comfort food at its finest. Protein and fiber-packed, this chili is healthy, satisfying, and a stick-to-your guts type of meal. It's a great go-to, crowd pleasing meal!

Note: When I went to the store to buy my ingredients, I forgot the diced tomatoes. So, I used Progresso's Recipe Starters Cooking Sauce in Fire Roasted Tomato because it was what I had on hand. Worked amazingly well! You can probably substitute with a 14.5 ounce of diced tomatoes and 1/2 cup tomato sauce, but I can't promise it will be the same!

 

Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Ingredients

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 package lean ground turkey (I used 93/7)

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin 

1 can (18 ounce) Progresso Recipe Starters cooking sauce in  Fire Roasted Tomato

1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup water

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. Spray a large pot with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. 

2. Add garlic and onion to pan. Cook until soft (about 2-3 minutes). Add ground turkey. Break apart the turkey with your spatula or wooden spoon. Cook until pink begins to disappear and meat begins to brown. 

4. Add pumpkin, tomato sauce, black beans, water, chili powder, and garlic powder to the pot. Bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes. 

6. Enjoy topped with greek yogurt and cheese if you like!

Serves 8 (about 1 1/3 cup per serving)

Nutrition Info: 272 calories, 8.4 g Fat, 25 g CHO (7 g Fiber), 24 g Protein

Peanut-Thai Turkey Meatballs

These are SO simple to make- only five ingredients! These are just straight up protein- no breadcrumb or oatmeal. Still moist and packed with flavor!

Peanut-Thai Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 package 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey Breast
1/4 cup egg whites
1/4 cup PB2 or peanut flour
2 tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix all ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
3. Roll into meatballs (I made about 25- feel free to make them bigger or smaller). Place on a baking pan lined with parchment paper (or spray the pan).
4. Baked about 25 minutes, or until the tops begin to turn golden brown.

Makes about 4 servings.