If your family is spread out like mine, Thanksgiving and the December holidays represent a time when most of us gather at someone’s house to share stories about our lives and our year. Food abounds, libations flow, and resolve can go right out the door! Here are some great recipes that can expand to accommodate any size group…and some tips to minimize the “damage” that can result from holiday excess!
Sweet Potato Cinnamon Scone Recipe
Servings: 10 Serving Size: 1 scone
Ingredients:
1 cup white whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. NutriFit™ Certainly Cinnamon Salt Free Spice Blend*
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
3 tbsp. trans-fat free, lite margarine, melted
Directions:
1. Grease a baking sheet; set aside. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium-size bowl; stir in sugar.
3. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix potatoes and 1 ½ tbsp. margarine with fork. Add dry ingredients and mix to form a soft dough.
4. Turn out onto floured surface. Roll out with a floured rolling pin and make a round about ½ ” thick.
5. Cut into rounds. Place 1 to 1 ½ ” apart. Brush tops with remaining margarine.
6. Bake 20 minutes or until light brown.
Harvest Turkey Stew
Servings: 4 Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
Ingredients:
1 spray Canola oil cooking spray
1 lb. turkey breast, cut into 1″ pieces
2 tsp. NutriFit™ French Riviera Salt & Sugar Free Spice Blend*
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large firm-ripe tomatoes, chopped
3 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 cup reduced sodium turkey broth
1 cup tomato juice
1 tbsp. dry red wine
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 medium zucchini, coarsely diced
Directions:
1. Spray a wide 4 to 5-quart pan with cooking spray. Cook the turkey breast, seasoned with the Riviera blend, with the onion over medium heat, stirring often, until the turkey is no longer pink and the onion is soft but not browned.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, carrots, potato, broth, tomato juice, wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil; reduce the heat, cover and boil gently for 20 minutes.
3. Add the zucchini and cook, uncovered for 5 minutes more.
Pumpkin and Squash Risotto
Servings: 6 Serving Size: 1 cup
Ingredients:
3 cups pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1 cup squash, peeled, and cut into 1″ cubes
1 tsp. NutriFit™ Mediterranean Salt & Sugar Free Spice Blend*
3 cups fat free, reduced sodium vegetable broth
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cups onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup short grain brown rice
¼ cup dry white wine
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. white pepper
Directions:
1. Sprinkle pumpkin and squash with the Mediterranean Spice Blend. Steam, covered, for 15 minutes or until tender; set aside.
2. Bring broth to a simmer in a saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
3. Heat a large saucepan with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add rice; sauté 1 minute. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
4. Add warm broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 18 minutes total).
5. Stir in squashes; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.
Green Bean, Corn & Roasted Chile Salad
Servings: 6 Serving Size: 1 cup
Ingredients:
1 large Anaheim Chile pepper, seeded and diced
2 cups green beans, trimmed, cut crosswise into thirds
2 cups corn kernels
2 cups fresh spinach, well washed and ribs removed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tbsp. green onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
Directions:
1. Place chile on a foil-lined baking sheet, broil 10 minutes or until blackened, turning occasionally. Place in a zip-top plastic bag, seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and cut in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes, chop.
2. Steam green beans, covered, 5 minutes or until crisp-tender, grain. Rinse with cold water, drain well.
3. Combine chopped chile, beans, corn, chopped spinach and tomatoes. Toss with Lime vinaigrette-style dressing, green onions and fresh cilantro.
Chunky Cranberry Spread
Servings: 250 Serving Size: 2 tbsp.
Ingredients:
5 lb. fresh whole cranberries
1 (6 oz.) apricot spreadable fruit
3 lb. Neufchatel (reduced fat) cream cheese
2 (12 oz.) can frozen white grape juice concentrate
3 lb. fat free cottage cheese
Directions:
1. Wash cranberries well. Put in a microwave safe bowl and add the apricot preserves. Cover with plastic wrap and heat on high for 2 minutes. Let cool
2. Process cottage cheese until completely smooth.
3. Sweeten with grape juice concentrate.
4. Add fruit to creamed cottage cheese.
5. Process using pulsing technique until coarsely chopped.
*NutriFit’s Salt & Sugar Free Spice Blends can be purchased online at www.nutrifitonline.com
or by calling 310.473.1989. For more information on Jackie Keller, visit www.jackiekeller.com.