The post 10 Healthier Thanksgiving Desserts first appeared on Nikki Kuban Minton.

Follow these tips for the non guilty feel so you can stay on track and not feel SICK!

1. STILL WORKOUT OUT! Don’t miss your workouts just because it is thanksgiving! If you are hosting- wake up extra early to get your workout in! If you know you have to be out of the house by noon- plan to workout before the chaos begins! You will be happier and be able to enjoy your day better!

2. Drink a TON of water!!!! You should drink your body weight in ounces of water on the day off! Stay full and don’t binge at the dinner table because you are dehydrated and did not realize it was because you needed water!!!

3. Offer to take a healthier dish! Something that you know is Clean and Healthy and will not be there! If you are hosting Thanksgiving- Swap Ingredients to healthier options, make extra veggie dishes! Make salad, these are all simple add ons that others will enjoy as well!

4. Remember to RELAX and enjoy the day! Be Thankful for the life you have and the people in it! Call someone you haven’t talked to in awhile and just tell them you have been thinking about them and you are grateful they are in your life! ENJOY your Thanksgiving!

Your Thanksgiving and Healthy way of life will Survive this Thanksgiving!!! Happy Holidays to All!

The post Thanksgiving Survival Tip #2 to Stay on Track first appeared on Nikki Kuban Minton.

Let’s Talk TURKEY

In case you are wondering, the best tasting, best quality and healthiest turkey to choose will be a free-range, kosher, heritage turkey. The koshering process, which involves soaking the meat in brine and then rubbing it with coarse salt (hence, “kosher salt”), accounts for what many consider the superior flavor, texture, and juiciness of kosher turkey. In addition to kosher you also want to look for a heritage turkey; heritage turkeys are raised the old fashioned way—with plenty of grass and sunshine—and are prized for their rich flavor and succulent meat. Yes, they are a bit pricey, but I personally like to go for quality over quantity. I’d rather choose a smaller top quality fabulous tasting bird rather than a cheap big bird that tastes less than superior. But, that’s just me. If you want to read more about turkeys, here is a great Article from Whole Foods.

My Personal Favorite is SIMPLE: Preheat oven to 375°F. After removing the insides (neck, guts/giblets), Rub the inside and out of the turkey with EVOO, Extra Virgin Olive Oil orAny Oil you Use, A sprinkle of salt and pepper on the outside and a tsp of each rubbed on the inside! Basting occasionally and tenting with foil if it gets too dark, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Ginger Glaze Turkey with Roasted Fruit

Ingredients: 

• 1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey, neck and giblets removed
• 8 Tbsp of EVOO (olive or coconut oil), divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, divided
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 pears, cored and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 2 apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced (optional)
• 8 dried figs, halved lengthwise
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Rinse turkey well and pat dry. Transfer turkey to a rack set inside a large roasting pan and brush all over with 4 tablespoons of the oil. Sprinkle all over with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and roast, basting occasionally and tenting with foil if it gets too dark, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the glaze by whisking together 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil, ginger and sugar until well combined. Brush entire turkey with glaze and continue to roast, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the leg reads 165°F, about 30 minutes longer. Remove turkey from the oven and set aside to let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Just after glazing the turkey, prepare the roasted fruit. Combine pears, apples, onions and figs in a medium bowl and toss with remaining 3 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, thyme and pepper. Transfer fruit mixture to a greased 9- x 13-inch baking dish and roast, tossing gently halfway through, until softened and golden brown, about 30 minutes; transfer fruit to a serving dish. Drizzle turkey with pan drippings and serve with fruit on the side.

The post Clean Thanksgiving TURKEY first appeared on Nikki Kuban Minton.

Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce
(Makes approximately 1 – 1/4 cups)

Ingredients
12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries (approx. 3 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup agave or honey
1 cinnamon stick
zest of one large orange
1 cup distilled water

Directions

Okay. You ready for this? Brace yourself….

Phew! That was tough, wasn’t it? I know I broke a sweat with all that hard work. Did you? LOL.

Seriously, that’s pretty much it. Cook over a medium-high heat for about 30-45 minutes. When most of the liquid is cooked out, turn your stove down to a simmer. The longer you let this simmer, the thicker the sauce will get. Just don’t let ALL the liquid cook out or it will burn. Stir more frequently near the end.

Allow this to cool before you eat some. Trust me. I learned the hard way. It really burns right out of the pot! (I have no patience when it comes to good food!)

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

• 3 whole sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a large part of water, place potatoes and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes or until potatoes are softened when poked with a fork. Transplant to a dish and pour in remaining ingredients (except pecans) Mash together.  Sprinkle pecans on top and serve.

Clean Eating Apple Pie 
(Makes 1 [8 or 9 inch] pie)

Ingredients
1 batch of clean eating pie crust (You’ll need two crusts, top and bottom)
Apples, cut and seeded – Enough to fill the pie tin. (About 2-3 cups)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup honey or agave
1 tbsp. organic cornstarch or tapioca starch
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 1 – In a large mixing bowl, combine your apples, cinnamon, honey or agave, cornstarch and lemon juice. Stir well to coat the apples thoroughly.

Step 2 – Pour the apples into your pie crust (which should be IN the pie pan already… just sayin’…).

Step 3 – Top the pie with the second crust and pinch all around the edge to seal it. 

Step 4 – Cut a vent in the top so steam can escape and transfer the entire pie to the oven.

Step 5 – Bake for approximately 1 hour. It’s done when the juices start to bubble up through the vents you cut in the top.

Eat and Enjoy!

Clean Eating Pie Crust
(Makes 2 pie crusts)

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour + extra
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup oil (see above notes in post)
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk + an extra 1/4 cup additional

Directions

Prepare your pie tins
Step 1 – Spray your tin with a coat of spray-on olive oil.

Step 2 – Add about 1/8 cup whole wheat pastry flour to your tin.
Step 3 – Shake your tin around until the flour completely coats the surface. Set aside.

Prepare your dough.

Step 1 – Put flour and salt into a mixing bowl and mix. 

Step 2 – Measure your soy milk and oil into the same cup.

Step 3 – Mix well by hand until you have a firm dough. Depending on your climate, you may need that extra 1/4 cup of soy milk. I always do. If you add the extra soy milk at the end, it will seem like it was a really bad idea at first. But keep mixing and you’ll end up with a really nice, firm dough. It takes some doing, so don’t give up.

Step 4 – Place your dough on a large piece of parchment paper. Flatten slightly with your hands or rolling pin, and then place another large sheet of parchment paper over the top so the dough is sandwiched in between. Roll with your rolling pin until your dough is about 1/8 in to 1/4 inch thick. You may need to lift the parchment occasionally or flip the whole thing over to get rid of wrinkles in the parchment.

Step 5 – remove the top sheet of parchment, and roll out any wrinkles left in the dough by the parchment. You should have a nice, even and smooth piece of dough. Divide your dough in half.

Step 6 – Place your tin upside down on your dough. Flip the whole thing over, and mold the dough into your tin, being careful not to rip the dough.

Step 7 – Cut the excess dough around the edge of the pan. Keep your knife upright so you get a nice even cut. Crimp with a fork, and then place the whole thing in a large zip lock bag. Place in the freezer and you’ve got Clean Eating Pie Crust any time you need it!

Clean Eating Cornbread Stuffing

(Makes approximately 15 servings)

Ingredients
1 batch clean eating corn bread
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 large stalks celery, sliced
1 cup fresh cranberries (optional)
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 large eggs
4 cups chicken broth, divided in half (you can substitute veggie broth, but I can’t vouch for the outcome as I haven’t tried it)

Directions

Prep: Bake Clean Eating Corn Bread with the following alterations:

• Omit corn kernels
• If you need a dairy free version, omit the Greek yogurt and replace with extra milk of choice. (Note, the texture will be very different, but it won’t matter for the stuffing recipe)

Allow cornbread to cool completely before using.

Slice into 1/2 inch cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 1 – Saute the onions, celery and cranberries in the olive oil.

Step 2 – As the oil dries up, add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth to the pan.

Step 3 – Stir in the spices and allow everything to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Step 4 – Just before removing the pan from the heat, stir in the remainder of the first half (2 cups) of chicken broth. Stir to combine well.

Step 5 – Pour the contents of the pan into the mixing bowl with the corn bread. Mix well and transfer to a casserole dish (9X13).

Step 6 – In the same mixing bowl, add the second half of the chicken broth (2 cups).

Step 7 – Beat in the eggs with a whisk and pour over the top of your casserole.

Step 8 – Be sure the egg mixture settles into the bread. You don’t want it sitting on top of the cornbread.

Step 9 – Bake for approximately 35-45 minutes, or until the casserole has a nice golden brown color to it.

Step 10 – Remove from oven, cut into 15 squares and allow to cool a bit before serving.

Clean Eating Corn Bread Recipe
(Makes 15 pieces, or 1 – 9X5 pan)

Ingredients
1 cup plain yellow corn meal
1 cup corn flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. agave or honey (I used agave)
1 cup non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup plain, unsweetened soy milk
2 whole eggs
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup frozen corn, no sugar added

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Step 1 – In a large mixing bowl, mix your dry ingredient together with a whisk.

Step 2 – In a separate large mixing bowl, mix your wet ingredients, including the frozen corn.

Step 3 – Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just barely blended. Lumps are okay. Don’t over mix.

Step 4 – Scrap your batter into your baking dish and bake for 15 -20 minutes. If you think you need longer than 15 minutes, check it every minute thereafter, or you’ll end up with burnt corn bread. If you like a lighter color on top, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top for the last 5 minutes of backing.

Step 5 – Corn bread is done baking when you can poke it with a toothpick and it comes out clean.

Step 6 – Slice into 15 pieces, and serve while it’s hot!

The post Clean Eating Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes first appeared on Nikki Kuban Minton.