The best of Christmas past

Written by admin on 16 October 2010

By Shirley Talent

People who reduce the fat in their diets for health reasons can do fine and not feel too deprived – until Thanksgiving and the December holiday season. It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself when the holidays trigger memories of stuffing and gravy and pumpkin pies past dancing in your head! We promise the following recipes can make the difference between feeling deprived and being pleasantly surprised at how great holiday eating can be for you!†Turkey and mashed potatoes we’ll leave to you.
Obviously the potatoes are prepared without lots of butter, but the gravy†will be†so great you won’t notice.

†

Reduced Fat Stuffing

This recipe will be asked for so many times you will lose count! Serves†8 -10

Vegetable oil spray

2 cups diced celery (4 large ribs)

1 1/ 2 cups chopped onion

4 TBS butter

3 cups 1% milk

2†one lb†loaves white sandwich bread – dry and tear to bite size pieces

2 TBS Poultry seasoning (more or less depending on your taste)

Salt and pepper

Turkey gravy for extra stuffing (below)

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.† Lightly spray a baking pan or microwave dish with vegetable oil spray.

* In a large frying pan, combine celery, onion and butter.††SautÈ over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender.

* Put bread in a large bowl.† Sprinkle evenly with poultry seasoning.†

* Add celery and onion mixture and stir until well mixed.†

* Add milk and stir until moistened. Consistency should be moist and hold together, but not wet. If too dry, add a little more milk.†

* Stuff dressing loosely in cavity of 10 to 12 pound turkey just before roasting.

* For best taste spoon turkey gravy over†extra stuffing before baking.

* Cook extra stuffing in covered baking pan for 20 minutes. Can also be microwaved.

* If you’re serving a large crowd, mix the extra stuffing after heating with the turkey stuffing.

Low-Fat Turkey Gravy #1 (Recommended)

Some of the best turkey gravy in the world is made with chicken (turkey tastes too strong) gravy mix packets using chicken broth†instead of water. The gravy mix has 0 fat, chicken broth adds tons of flavor and is very low in fat, and the turkey drippings magically turns the gravy into such flavorful turkey gravy nobody will guess and everyone will rave. Directions: Skim all†fat from turkey juices, sprinkle gravy mix over drippings, add chicken broth slowly and stir until thickened. For a big crowd and leftovers use 6-8 gravy packets.

Low-Fat Turkey Gravy #2

For those who are horrified at the thought of anything other than “made from scratch” here is a recipe that’s earned good reviews.

Makes 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

* 1 yellow Spanish onion, coarsely chopped

* 3 cups chicken or turkey stock

* 1 bay leaf

* 4 sprigs fresh thyme

* 1/4 cup flour

* 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)

* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

* 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

†

Directions:

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions and lightly brown. Add the stock, bay leaf and thyme and bring to a simmer. Skim, reduce the heat and simmer slowly for 45 minutes. Strain and cool. (This can be done ahead of time, in which case, refrigerate until ready to use.)

Then …

When the turkey is done, remove it from the roasting pan and keep it warm. Skim most of the fat from the roasting pan with a ladle. When you take the stock out of the fridge, spoon the fat off the top, or, if you’re using a fat separator, just pour the stock into another bowl and whisk together with the flour. Add that mixture to the roasting pan, place over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the brown bits from the bottom. Lower the heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until the gravy is thickened. Add the cream (if you like), parsley, salt and pepper. Serve in a gravy boat with the turkey. Enjoy!

Dessert!

Last but not least is dessert! These dessert recipes†from the American Heart Association and Low Fat Cooking for Dummies are fabulous. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Nutmeg Cream Topping

Makes 24 Servings (cupcakes). Keep these on hand for snacks. They taste great warm!

Cupcakes

18.25-ounce box spice cake mix

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 cup unsweetened apple juice

Egg substitute equivalent to 2 large eggs, or 2 large eggs

Whites of 2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla, butter, and nut flavoring or vanilla extract

Nutmeg Cream Topping

8 ounce container frozen nonfat whipped topping, thawed

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

Vegetable Oil Spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 12-cup non-stick muffin tins with vegetable oil spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cupcake ingredients. Using electric mixer, beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides with rubber scraper. Increase to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes, scraping sides.

†

Apple Crumble

Makes 8 Servings

6 Tart Granny Smith apples, cored, seeds removed, and cut into even Ω inch slices (peeled or unpeeled)

Ω cup raisins

æ cup granulated sugar

º cup fresh lemon juice

Ω teaspoon cinnamon

1/8†teaspoon allspice

º cup minute tapioca granules

1 Ω cups fat-free or low fat granola

º cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a large bowl, toss the apples, raisins, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice, and tapioca, mixing completely. Lightly cover the mixture with foil and let it sit for 15 minutes, tossing once or twice to mix. Lightly coat a 7 x 11 inch or 10-inch square baking pan with no-stick vegetable oil spray and place the apple mixture in the pan.

2. Lightly coat a large nonstick frying pan with no-stick spray. Add the granola and walnuts (If desired) and lightly spray the mixture.†

3. Heat on medium, stirring, for 10 minutes or until the granola is just slightly golden brown. Sprinkle the mixture on the apples and lightly coat with no-stick spray.

4. Bake covered with foil for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the crumble sit for 15 minutes in the oven. Serve hot, warm, chilled, or at room temperature with a scoop of fat-free or low fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Happy Holidays!

A Low Fat Holiday DinnerÖ
and nobody will ever know
By Shirley Talent

People who†reduce the fat in their diets for health reasons can do fine and not feel too deprived – until Thanksgiving and the December holiday season. It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself when the holidays trigger memories of stuffing and gravy and pumpkin pies past dancing in your head! We promise the following recipes can make the difference between feeling deprived and being pleasantly surprised at how great holiday eating can be for you!†Turkey and mashed potatoes we’ll leave to you. Obviously the potatoes are prepared without lots of butter, but the gravy†will be†so great you won’t notice.
†
Reduced†Fat†Stuffing
This recipe will be asked for so many times you will lose count! Serves†8 -10
Vegetable oil spray†
2 cups diced celery (4†large ribs)
1 1/ 2†cups chopped onion†
4 TBS butter
3 cups 1% milk
2†one lb†loaves white sandwich bread – dry and tear to bite size pieces
2 TBS Poultry seasoning (more or less depending on your taste)
Salt and pepper
Turkey gravy for extra stuffing (below)
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.† Lightly spray a baking pan or microwave dish with vegetable oil spray.
* In a large frying pan, combine celery, onion and butter.††SautÈ over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender.
* Put bread in a large bowl.† Sprinkle evenly with poultry seasoning.†
* Add celery and onion mixture and stir until well mixed.†
* Add milk and stir until moistened. Consistency should be moist and hold together, but not wet. If too dry, add a little more milk.†
* Stuff dressing loosely in cavity of 10 to 12 pound turkey just before roasting.
* For best taste spoon turkey gravy over†extra stuffing before baking.
* Cook extra stuffing in covered baking pan for 20 minutes. Can also be microwaved.
* If you’re serving a large crowd, mix the extra stuffing after heating with the turkey stuffing.
Low-Fat Turkey Gravy #1 (Recommended)
Some of the best turkey gravy in the world is made with chicken (turkey tastes too strong) gravy mix packets using chicken broth†instead of water. The gravy mix has 0 fat, chicken broth adds tons of flavor and is very low in fat, and the turkey drippings magically turns the gravy into such flavorful turkey gravy nobody will guess and everyone will rave. Directions: Skim all†fat from turkey juices, sprinkle gravy mix over drippings, add chicken broth slowly and stir until thickened. For a big crowd and leftovers use 6-8 gravy packets.

Low-Fat Turkey Gravy #2
For those who are horrified at the thought of anything other than “made from scratch” here is a recipe that’s earned good reviews.
Makes 2 1/2 cups
Ingredients:
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1 yellow Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
* 3 cups chicken or turkey stock
* 1 bay leaf
* 4 sprigs fresh thyme
* 1/4 cup flour
* 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
†
Directions:
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions and lightly brown. Add the stock, bay leaf and thyme and bring to a simmer. Skim, reduce the heat and simmer slowly for 45 minutes. Strain and cool. (This can be done ahead of time, in which case, refrigerate until ready to use.)
Then …
When the turkey is done, remove it from the roasting pan and keep it warm. Skim most of the fat from the roasting pan with a ladle. When you take the stock out of the fridge, spoon the fat off the top, or, if you’re using a fat separator, just pour the stock into another bowl and whisk together with the flour. Add that mixture to the roasting pan, place over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the brown bits from the bottom. Lower the heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until the gravy is thickened. Add the cream (if you like), parsley, salt and pepper. Serve in a gravy boat with the turkey. Enjoy!

Dessert!
Last but not least is dessert! These dessert recipes†from the American Heart Association and Low Fat Cooking for Dummies are fabulous. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Nutmeg Cream Topping
Makes 24 Servings (cupcakes). Keep these on hand for snacks. They taste great warm!
Cupcakes
18.25-ounce box spice cake mix
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup unsweetened apple juice
Egg substitute equivalent to 2 large eggs, or 2 large eggs
Whites of 2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla, butter, and nut flavoring or vanilla extract

Nutmeg Cream Topping
8 ounce container frozen nonfat whipped topping, thawed
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
Vegetable Oil Spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 12-cup non-stick muffin tins with vegetable oil spray.

Fill muffin cups with equal amounts of batter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean. Let cool on cooling racks for 15 minutes; remove cupcakes from muffin tins and let cool completely. Meanwhile, put whipped topping in a medium bowl. Using a rubber scraper, gently fold nutmeg into whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. When cupcakes are completely cool, frost with chilled topping.
†
Apple Crumble
Makes 8 Servings
6 Tart Granny Smith apples, cored, seeds removed, and cut into even Ω inch slices (peeled or unpeeled)
Ω cup raisins
æ cup granulated sugar
º cup fresh lemon juice
Ω teaspoon cinnamon
1/8†teaspoon allspice
º cup minute tapioca granules
1 Ω cups fat-free or low fat granola
º cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1. In a large bowl, toss the apples, raisins, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice, and tapioca, mixing completely. Lightly cover the mixture with foil and let it sit for 15 minutes, tossing once or twice to mix. Lightly coat a 7 x 11 inch or 10-inch square baking pan with no-stick vegetable oil spray and place the apple mixture in the pan.
2. Lightly coat a large nonstick frying pan with no-stick spray. Add the granola and walnuts (If desired) and lightly spray the mixture.†
3. Heat on medium, stirring, for 10 minutes or until the granola is just slightly golden brown. Sprinkle the mixture on the apples and lightly coat with no-stick spray.
4. Bake covered with foil for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the crumble sit for 15 minutes in the oven. Serve hot, warm, chilled, or at room temperature with a scoop of fat-free or low fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Happy Holidays!

Posted in Recipe | No Comments »