Even the most successful MBT'er can experience a little apprehension heading into Thanksgiving Day. I mean, the entire holiday is built around sharing a massive meal – with appetizers leading up to the feast, a slew of desserts eaten after, plus a pile of leftovers for the next day.
But...
You can make it out relatively unscathed. Even more so, you can make it out feeling energized and empowered. Yes, we want you to indulge a little – if you solely stuck to carrot sticks and salad, you’ll feel robbed of the holiday. Enjoy yourself. Let's be strategic about it, though.
The easiest way to do this? Make sure there a few dishes on the table that are lighter, healthier versions of those Turkey Day classics. By loading up your plate with a few #MBTapproved go-to's, you’ll only be left with a little room for the really calorie-rich, carb-heavy staples.
Here’s to a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
-Adam
Photo by Ambitious Kitchen
Lightened Up Sweet Potato Casserole from Ambitious Kitchen
Banish thoughts of overly sweet, marshmallow-topped casseroles of years past. These sweet potatoes are topped with a whole-wheat pecan-oat streusel. So good, we bet you eat it with Greek yogurt for breakfast the next day.
Secret Ingredient Mashed Potatoes from SweetPhi
Not only does this genius recipe lighten the calories by sneaking a (spoiler alert!) low-calorie parsnip into the mix, it gets its creaminess from protein-rich Greek yogurt and milk (no heavy cream, needed).
Quinoa Stuffing from Epicurious
Short ingredient list, classic Thanksgiving flavors – let this savory, satisfying quinoa dish save you from gobbling down too much of the carb-rich bread stuffing.
Lightened up Green Bean Casserole from Skinny Taste
Not only will your green beans be crisper and crunchier, you’ll be saving calories, sodium and fat by skipping the overly processed ingredients in this no-canned-soup casserole. Such a win win!