How to Avoid a Food Hangover on Thanksgiving

Of course, Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks and enjoy a good meal. But that’s no reason to eat yourself to oblivion to where you can barely move for hours and to where you have a food hangover. So here are some common sense tips for under-indulging yourself and making your Thanksgiving day healthier:

1. Make sure to have a healthy breakfast to start the day. Don’t go into your Thanksgiving meal starving.
2. Go to the gym or do some exercise in the morning if possible. Maybe plan a soccer or basketball game with the kids early in the day.
3. For before dinner snacks, go for the veggies and dip or salad if available.
4. Fill 1/4 of your plate with turkey. Fill 1/2 your plate with as many veggies as possible–brussel sprouts, green beans, carrots, etc. Fill the last 1/4 of your plate with the rest of the goodies–sweet potatoes, etc. But only have one plate.
5. Eat slowly and savor every bite of food. Place your fork down between bites.
6. Let yourself have one glass of wine or other beverage. Have at least one glass of water prior to starting dinner to reduce your appetite
6. Let yourself have one small slice of pie, but no more.
7. Consider getting some family members to go out for a walk after dinner.

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Healthy Thanksgiving Side Alternatives

Cranberry Sauce with Apricots, Raisins, and Orangecranberry-sauce

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 8 Hours 25 Minutes
Servings: 24

“Dried apricots are a great addition to this holiday favorite!”

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
4 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon grated orange zest

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix the orange juice, water, cranberries, sugar, apricots, raisins, and orange zest. Stir constantly until sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Bring to a boil, and cook 10 minutes, or until cranberries have burst. Remove from heat, and chill at least 8 hours, or overnight, before serving cold.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Ginger and Honey

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Ready In: 55 Minutes
Servings: 12
“Fresh ginger, cardamom, and sweet potatoes will fill your house with a fall fragrance as well as call your family to the table. Originally submitted to ThanksgivingRecipe.com.”
INGREDIENTS:
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and
cubed
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a large bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, honey, ginger, walnut oil, cardamom, and pepper. Transfer to a large cast iron frying pan.
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Stir the potatoes to expose the pieces from the bottom of the pan. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and caramelized on the outside.

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Healthy Alternatives to Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing

1. Eggplant and Mushroom Casserole: Eggplant and mushrooms are not only rich in fiber, therefore helping to make the casserole a very filling side dish, but also contain a number of healthful vitamins and nutrients that make this dish a great addition to any table.  To make an eggplant and mushroom casserole, start by using a sharp knife to cut the vegetables into pieces which are all roughly the same size.  Place the cut vegetables into a frying pan that has been coated with a thin layer of olive oil or coconut oil and has been heated to medium high.  Cook the vegetables until brown on the edges, and season with the the herbs and spices of your choice.  Remove the cooked vegetables from the stove, place in a large serving dish, and enjoy.

2. Quinoa is a type of grain that is native to South America and is most often used as a substitute to pasta, though it can also be used to replace stuffing.  In order to get a dish that has a taste similar to that of traditional Thanksgiving stuffing, consider cooking with turkey or vegetable broth in the preparation.  Follow instructions on the side of the box on quinoa in order to achieve optimal results when cooking.

3. Wild rice is a great choice because like eggplant and mushrooms, it is rich in dietary fiber.  For best results when cooking wild rice, consider adding onions, celery and other vegetables. In addition, use a number of different herbs and spices to season your wild rice.  Avoid adding salt to your wild rice.  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?recipeID=77977&origin=detail&servings=12&metric=false

4. Grilled squash is rich in many important vitamins and minerals needed for good health.  Grilling squash and other similar vegetables not only imparts a tasty, delicious flavor, but also eliminates the need to add butter, oil or other fats to your cooked dish.  In order to make your grilled squash more closely resemble Thanksgiving stuffing, consider removing the cooked squash from the grill and using a sharp knife to cut it into evenly sized small pieces.   Place in a bowl and serve.
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