Whether you’re cooking at home, taking a dish to a gathering or making restaurant reservations for Thanksgiving dinner, Atlanta area chefs offer inventive ideas to add a deliciously healthy twist to menu traditions.
While Thanksgiving is not a day for dieting, it’s certainly smart to up the flavor appeal of holiday favorites with creative recipes that help keep the calories down. That way you have room for a bigger slice of pumpkin pie. Yes, you can indulge without the bulge.
Enjoy winter salads
Chefs turn to the season’s harvest for culinary inspiration. Salads are often overlooked in the parade of roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy but this is a great time of year to add garden fresh sides to the table.
At newly opened Paces & Vine, chef Ian Winslade tosses a Tuscan kale salad with mandarin orange dressing, crystalized ginger and local radishes. The Thanksgiving-to-go menu at Murphy’s, also under Winslade’s direction, features a winter salad of mixed greens, pears and walnuts as well as butternut squash soup with the flavors of apple and ginger cream.
Sweet new ideas
Sweet potatoes are rich in healthy fiber, potassium and beta-carotene. Skip the mini-marshmallows this year. Roast sweet potato wedges and serve with the sharper flavors of parsnip and rutabaga wedges. Chefs at Seasons 52 restaurants, who specialize in creating just-as-tasty but lighter, lower-calorie dishes are serving maple-glazed roasted butternut squash with their Thanksgiving menu this year.
Modern family menus
From the head of the table to the kids’ table, there are bound to be a few folks at holiday gatherings who have unique diet needs including a nut allergy, a gluten intolerance or are vegetarian or vegan. No doubt whoever’s cooking the meal will feel a bit challenged. Sous chef Cooper Miller of JCT Kitchen said, “We are used to special diet requests so we create a bunch of sides that anyone can enjoy without nuts, bacon, cheese or breadcrumbs. Then we throw in a few dishes loaded with all of those ingredients for those who want to splurge.” At home create a condiment platter of those ingredients so each guest can customize their plates depending on allergies or food preferences. Everybody’s happy on Thanksgiving.
How not to get stuffed
• Savor holiday splurge favorites. Don’t waste calories on foods you can eat all year long.
• Start a new tradition by taking a walk after the big meal and serving dessert after the stroll. Dessert will taste even better.
