Recipes for Health

It is that time of the year again. When you’re on a special diet, it gets harder to stick to it once the holiday season kicks in. The Thanksgiving season, also known as the gift that keeps on giving… offers a lot of things, including extra calories.

Thanksgiving is a season of celebration, there is nothing wrong with indulging every once in awhile to sumptuous food like roast turkey and pumpkin pie. However, you may want to think twice before preparing your triple layer pumpkin cheesecake masterpiece. Remember to pace yourself as Thanksgiving is just the start,Christmas and New Year tempt the tummy and waistline.

So be prepared, plan ahead and get your healthy rev I pies out.. Here are a few to add to your holiday health. Try these healthy Thanksgiving recipes for a nice, healthier twist on your holiday.

Herb Roasted Turkey.

Ingredients:

• 10- to 12-pound turkey
• ¼ cup fresh herbs, plus 20 whole sprigs, such as thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano and/or marjoram, divided
• 2 tablespoons canola, oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Aromatics, onion, apple, lemon and/or orange, cut into 2-inch pieces (1½ cups)
• 3 cups water, plus more as needed

Procedure:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 475°F.
• Remove giblets and neck from turkey cavities and reserve for making gravy. Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan; pat dry with paper towels. Mix minced herbs, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture all over the turkey, under the skin and onto the breast meat. Place aromatics and 10 of the herb sprigs in the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Add 3 cups water and the remaining 10 herb sprigs to the pan.
• Roast the turkey until the skin is golden brown, 45 minutes.
• Remove the turkey from the oven. If using a remote digital thermometer, insert it into the deepest part of the thigh, close to the joint. Cover the breast with a double layer of foil, cutting as necessary to conform to the breast. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting for 1¼ to 1¾ hours more. If the pan dries out, tilt the turkey to let juices run out of the cavity into the pan and add 1 cup water. The turkey is done when the thermometer (or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone) registers 165°F.
• Transfer the turkey to a serving platter and cover with foil. (If you're making Herbed Pan Gravy, start here.) Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes. Remove string and carve.

Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes with Spinach

Ingredients:

• 2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices (about 8 cups)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white or black pepper
• 2½ cups low-fat milk
• 1 pound chopped frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Procedure:

• Position racks in upper and lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F.
• Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil in a large bowl until well coated. Divide between 2 large baking sheets and spread in an even layer. Roast, rotating the pans from top to bottom about halfway through, until tender and beginning to brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until very soft and golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add, flour, salt and pepper; cook, stirring for 1 minute more. Add milk; cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Increase heat to medium high; cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and bubbles, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Squeeze spinach to remove any excess moisture; stir into the sauce.
• When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven. Preheat the broiler. Transfer half the potatoes to a 2-quart broiler-safe baking dish. Spread half the sauce over the potatoes and top with ½ cup cheese. Add the remaining potatoes and top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Broil, watching carefully, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is beginning to brown, 1 to 5 minutes, depending on your broiler. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Pear Custard Pie

Ingredients:

Crust

• ¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole-wheat flour
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds, finely chopped
• 3-4 tablespoons ice water
• 2½ cups low-fat milk 1 pound chopped frozen spinach, thawed

Filling

• 4 cups sliced peeled Bartlett or Bosc pears (about 4 medium)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• ¾ cup reduced-fat milk
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
• Seeds from 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Procedure:

• To prepare crust: Whisk whole-wheat flour, ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Cut 7 tablespoons butter into small pieces and quickly rub them into the dry ingredients with your fingers until the pieces are smaller but still visible. Sprinkle almonds over the mixture. Add 3 tablespoons ice water. Toss with a fork until evenly moist. Squeeze a clump of dough: If it stays together, you've probably added enough water. If not, add another tablespoon of water and toss to combine. Knead the dough in the bowl a few times—it will still be a little crumbly. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead a few more times until the dough just holds together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days (or freeze for up to 3 months).
• When ready to assemble pie: Preheat oven to 375°F.
• To prepare filling: Toss pears with lemon juice in a large bowl. Whisk flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, milk, butter and vanilla in another medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand for 5 minutes to warm slightly. Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan (not deep-dish). Trim the crust so it evenly overhangs the edge of the pan by about 1 inch. Tuck the overhang under and crimp the edge with a fork or flute it between your thumb and the side of your index finger.
• Fill the crust with 2 cups of the pears. Arrange the remaining pears in a circular pattern on top of the bottom layer. Pour the custard mixture over the pears.
• Bake the pie until the custard is fully set around the edges and the crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 1½ hours, then refrigerate for 1 hour. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired, just before serving.

These recipes are as healthy as they are delectable. We hope you enjoy your holidays and add healthy options into the rotation of family favorites.