CHIP Alumni Association (PACAA)

CHIP Tip No. 50: Gobble, Gobble

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate with family and friends, create special memories, and take pleasure in sharing a meal together. Many of the mainstays of a traditional Thanksgiving feast are essential healthy. Here are a few recipes that maintain nutritional value without adding unnecessary fat and calories.

Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamin-A, beta carotene, potassium, vitamin-C, fiber, and relatively low in calories, if you don’t pile on the brown sugar and butter.

Sweet Potatoes In Orange Shells Submitted by: Bob DeCroix CHIP 7
6 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
4 bananas, unpeeled
4 tbs. Smart Balance
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup chopped pecans
6 large navel oranges (heavy for their size)
Mini marshmallows
Grated fresh nutmeg (optional)
Preheat oven to 375o

Prick potatoes all over with a fork, put in a baking pan and roast for 30 minutes. Add the unpeeled bananas into the pan and continue roasting for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes and bananas are very soft. Remove from the oven but leave oven on.

When the potatoes and bananas are cool enough to handle, scoop out the potatoes and bananas into a large mixing bowl and mash/mix. Stir in Smart Balance, orange juice and pecans and mix until incorporated.

For the orange shells, cut each orange in half and scoop out the pulp using grapefruit knife or spoon. Reserve pulp for another use. If needed, thinly, slice stem or navel off so orange will sit straight in baking pan and on plate.

Fill each orange cup with the potato mixture and top with 2 or 3 mini marshmallows. Top with grated fresh nutmeg if desired. If needed you can stop now and store covered for a day or two in the refrigerator until needed. If made ahead, remove from refrig. an hour or so and let come to room temp. Bake at 375o until hot and marshmallows are brown.

Cranberries
Cranberries are packed with antioxidants and actually are one of the most potent fruits for protecting our bodies from free radicals which can damage our cells.

Zesty Cranberry Sauce Source: Food for Life, by Neil Barnard, M.D.
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
2 ripe pears, finely chopped
1 medium apple, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup raw sugar or other sweetener, or to taste

Combine cranberries, juice concentrate, pears, apple, cinnamon, and orange peel in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue cooking, uncovered, until cranberry skins pop and mixture is thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Add sugar or other sweetener to taste.

Serve hot or cold.

Winter Squash
Butternut, acorn, spaghetti, and pumpkins are included in the winter squash group. Winter squashes are rich source of the B-vitamins, vitamin-C, fiber, potassium, and beta carotene.

Butternut Soup with Cinnamon Cream Source: Best in the World II, Jennifer Keller, R.D., editor.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground coriander
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup soy milk
1 salt, to taste
1 freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil over medium heat and sauté onion for 5 minutes, until golden. Add squash, carrot, ginger, cinnamon, and coriander. Cook while stirring for 5 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are browned.

Add the vegetable stock and soymilk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring for 30 to 35 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Blend until smooth in a blender or food processor. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Pumpkin Custard Pie Source: Food for Life by Neal Barnard, M.D.
1 1/2 cups soy milk
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups solid-pack canned pumpkin or cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup raw sugar or other sweetener
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 Fat-Free Pie Crust or unbaked commercial pie crust
Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together soymilk and cornstarch until smooth, then blend in pumpkin, sugar or other sweetener, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Pour into pie shell and bake for 45 minutes, or until firm. Cool before cutting.

Fat-Free Pie Crust Makes 1 9" crust
1 cup Grape-Nuts cereal
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix cereal and apple juice concentrate and pat into a 9" pie pan. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Cool before filling.

Keep it Safe

• Use separate cutting boards, one for raw meat and one for produce.
• Bake stuffing in a separate pan instead of inside the bird.
• Don't let food sit out for more than two hours.
• Use leftovers within three days.
• Microwave a wet (nonsoapy) sponge for two minutes to zap germs.