CONGEALED CHERRY SALAD (or dessert)

I've made this recipe every Thanksgiving since the early 1970's.  Family and friends love it and don't realize it's a lower calorie, healthier version.

Ingredients:

-1 large (12oz) sugar free pkg cherry or strawberry jello

-1 large (8oz) pkg Neufchatel cheese or low fat cream cheese

-1 can dark sweet cherries (about 15 oz) drained but save juice

-1 small can well-drained crushed pineapple in 100% pineapple juice

-1 small can drained tangerine oranges no sugar added

-3/4 cup chopped pecans

-6oz diet coke

Boil saved cherry juice (about a cup) and 3/4 cup water together in a small saucepan. Pour hot liquid into a 2-quart casserole-type dish and dissolve jello in the liquid. Add 1/2 pkg of cream cheese and use fork to break up and  blend small pieces in liquid.

Add and mix in drained pineapple, mandarin oranges, and cherries. Add 1/2 cup pecans and coke. Blend well. Refrigerate until jelled. When ready to serve, spread the other half of cream cheese softened to room temp on top. Sprinkle remaining pecans on top of cream cheese.

Serve and enjoy!

Marilyn Carleton

For gluten-free, dairy-free mashed potatoes and gravy, use the potato water from the boiled potatoes.  Boil potatoes until soft, drain reserving the potato water.  Use potato water instead of milk or butter to moisten the potatoes for mashing.  To make gravy, add flour and seasonings to the potato water and blend well.  Add the mixture to hot drippings for gravy.

We have a small family and it seems like so many holiday recipes make way too much food for our needs. This dessert fits the bill and can simmer away in the crockpot while the cook focuses on the rest of the meal! Eliminating heavy cream and replacing half the sugar with Splenda helps bring down the fat and calorie content.

HEALTH(IER) SLOW COOKER PUMPKIN CREME BRULEE FOR TWO

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 large egg white

1/4 cup lowfat milk + 1/2 cup half and half, mixed together

4 tablespoons pumpkin puree

2 tablespoons Splenda + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, mixed together

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Hot water

In a medium mixing bowl, combine egg white and beaten egg. Whisk well. Slowly pour in milk/half and half mixture, whisking continuously. Stir in pumpkin puree and vanilla, mixing to incorporate. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine 2 tablespoons sugar/splenda mixture and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well, then stir the dry mixture into the liquid mixture.

Fill two shallow ramekins with mixture, then place on the bottom of the slow cooker. Carefully pour hot water around ramekins to just over halfway to their tops. Cover the pot and cook on low-heat setting for 2-3 hours until Brule is set.

Turn off the cooker and open the lid. Carefully remove ramekins from the pot and transfer to a wire rack. Cool to room temperature and serve.

The classic green bean casserole has never been a favorite of mine since I was a child but my family loves it.  I made it every Thanksgiving for them but never ate it until I reworked the recipe. Using fresh cremini mushrooms, fresh green beans, nondairy milk, very low sodium vegetable stock and no oil or fat.  Here you go!  

Healthy and delicious green bean casserole

1C French’s brand fried onions

10 ounces cremini mushrooms cut into 1/4 thick slices

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp dried thyme

3 Tb flour of choice

1 1/4 C very low sodium vegetable broth ( always check, often store brands are lower in sodium and price)

1 C non dairy half and half milk - look for one that is without flavor or added sugars

2 pounds fresh green beans, washed, and cut to 1 inch pieces

whir the fried onions in a food processor until finely ground, mix with the flour and set aside.

heat a large non stick skillet on medium high and add half of the mushrooms, cook on one side until brown, then the other without stirring about 5 minutes total, remove and do the rest of the mushrooms the same way.  Add back the first mushrooms, give them all a stir and add the garlic off heat for 30 seconds.  Add the fried onion/flour mixture, a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook on medium high until golden, about a minute.  Slowly stir in broth, whisking or using a fork to break up any flour clumps, and the non dairy half and half. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until sauce has thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.   ( This can be done a day in advance and refrigerated if you like then warmed in the microwave carefully before proceeding) 

Place green beans in slow cooker, stir in the sauce until well coated and cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours. 

Most green bean casseroles have the fried onion topping and if you like, you can whir the rest of the container of fried onions with a cup of fresh bread crumbs in your food processor then toast in a pan and top after plating.  

I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving everyone!

                                                Spinach, Apple and Clementine Salad

This is an easy, quick, light and heathly salad that will be sure to please everyone at your holiday feast. It will be a nice, refreshing addition to the heavier dishes served. 6 Servings, Enjoy!

6 cups baby spinach (or baby arugula, red lettuce, butter lettuce or a mixture)

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds

3 clementines (pieces separated and halved, seeds removed if any)

1 large apple (any kind, seeds removed and thinly sliced and slices halved)

Toss with olive oil dressing below:

Olive Oil Dressing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Thoroughly wisk together all ingredients and add to the salad. Serve immediatly after adding salad dressing. This salad dressing recipe is enough for a lightly dressed salad. Double the recipe if you prefer a heavier coated salad.

You need to peel off two oranges, two bananas, one pineapple and two apples in a bowl. Get an instant lemon pudding from the market and prepare it according to the directions given on the back of the box (prefer to use sugar-free pudding) as it will make you desserts even lighter. Mix all the fruits in the dessert. Refrigerate and serve. This will make a quick and easy fruit plate for friends that don't want the cakes and pies after the meal Enjoy!!

This recipe is taken from the Half Baked Harvest Blog by Tieghan Gerard.  It is easy, healthy, absolutely amazing and can largely made ahead of time.

Shredded Brussels Sprout Bacon Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette.

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/shredded-brussels-sprout-bacon-salad/

Being Italian, there is always a pasta dish in the holiday Turkey-thon. This in my Mom's recipe.

  Tina Farina's Linguini with Broccoli 

    5 TBLs EVOO

     3 TBL butter

     1-2 TBL minced garlic

      2 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)

       1 1/2 cups Chicken (or vegetable) broth

       1 8oz can Tomato Sauce

        1/4 cup chopped onion

         1 lb Linguini

          oregano, basil, parsley, salt, pepper to taste

         -cook Linguini per instructions

         -melt butter in EVOO

         -add garlic and onion (do not burn garlic)

         -add broccoli and seasonings

         -cook over medium heat to reduce sauce

         -add 4 TBLs pasta water to sauce (to thicken)

         -drain Linguini and put into big bowl

         -add broccoli sauce and toss

         -serve with garlic bread and Parmesan cheese

            ENJOY !!!

Since childhood my favorite Thanksgiving dish was fruit salad. Now I switch the canned "Fruit Cocktail" that Mom used to healthier frozen mango, blueberries, cherries, preferably organic. I add chopped semi firm pears (you may use apples), chopped orange, chopped pineapple (frozen substitute well), and, at last minute, sliced bananas coated in lemon juice to keep from browning. Ideas to offer on the side: coconut flakes, chopped walnuts, whipped cream or coconut cream, cinnamon. Enjoy!  

---

@AARPTeri wrote:

Hello and welcome to the AARP Rewards Healthy Twist to Turkey Day Dish Contest 2021.  To enter, reply to this post with a recipe that gives a healthy twist to the Thanksgiving dinner!  Share your favorite dishes served at Thanksgiving including how to make it a little healthier.  Our contest will be open for participation on Monday, November 15, 2021 through Sunday, November 28, 2021.

 

Sharing your recipe enters you in for a chance to win one of five $50 gift cards along with 50 AARP Rewards Points just for posting!  A panel of judges appointed by AARP will select the top recipes.

---

Believe it or not I'm beginning to like this "substitution" better than my original mashed potatoes...microwave one head of cauliflower 20 to 25 minutes on high - then pulse in a food processor with salt, pepper, laughing cow cheese wedge, and some low fat cream cheese to your desired consistency. It will keep in the fridge several days and just heat in the microwave to serve.  It's GREAT!