Dad has really had to watch his health lately. He’s always been a healthy eater, but lately, he’s had to be extra careful. Just like Thanksgiving, we gave our Christmas dinner a healthy makeover.
Dad did a take on an Emeril recipe to healthify our turkey. He’s asleep so I can’t ask him exactly which one, but I bet he based it off this one, except with his homemade stuffing + cranberries in the filling.
The steamed potatoes are served on the main platter next to the turkey.
Healthified: no gravy, no skin, less fat (we used a boneless, skinless turkey breast) and steamed potatoes (no butter, no oil, just potato)
We also enjoyed a nice side of sauteed kale. Though I made the kale at Thanksgiving using my own recipe, Dad opted to use one out of Bon Appetit. He said it was basically the same as mine sans chicken broth.
Healthified: A superfood veggie side, light on oil and butter
Dad made another veggie medley side dish: squash, red onion, tomato, herbs
Healthified: An extra side of veggies with a nice mixture, light oil/butter
Canned cranberry sauce.
Healthified?: Probably not so much. One day we’ll make our own cranberry sauce, but the turkey was a big enough adventure for one day IMO.
Great Harvest Dakota toast – 2/3 with a light dappling of real butter 1/3 sans butter.
Healthified: a vast improvement over the standard white dinner roll. This bread features fresh-ground wheat, nuts, and seeds.
All together now.
My plate – a little bit of everything
Note my nearly full plate and hubby’s empty plate…lol. He’s such a fast eater. I like to think my slow eating helps me gauge my fullness nicely.
The girls
Christmas decor on the buffet.
I prepped up a healthy berry crisp for dessert, though I did add some butter to the top to help it brown.
Healtified: used whole wheat pastry flour, light on sweetener, subbed some sugar with honey, fruit serving, topped with sliced almonds.
Yum!
Too good to not have seconds!
Anyone else having more than one Christmas dinner?
that meal looks wonderful!
my in-laws are obsessed with cranberry-sauce-in-a-can. it's so funny – i think it's a nostalgia thing. i like the other kind — it's actually surprisingly easy to make!
That berry crisp looks like the best part of the meal!
I hate to admit this, but I love canned cranberry sauce. More than any homemade version I've ever tried.
wow that meal looks wonderful! especially that turkey!! yum!!
all looks so great!!