Thanksgiving is just around the corner. It’s a time for family, friends, and food. So much delicious food. From American Casserole, to Cauliflower Mash, to Mixed Berry Pie, see how you can manage your feast in the Zone.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. It’s a time for family, friends, and food. So much delicious food! And let’s face it, when you think of Turkey Day, you think about overeating. I’m sure we all can relate to that Friends episode where Joey wears Phoebe’s maternity pants in order to devour an entire turkey. And since my own maternity clothes still fit me like a glove eleven months postpartum, I’m standing with you food conscious folks to stay as healthy as possible this holiday season.
Our Thanksgiving meal is always full of Zone staples: protein from the Turkey and veggies, veggies, veggies! And for the first time in years, I won’t be quarterbacking the cooking duties (last year doesn’t count as I was sidelined with a 9-day old). This time my sister and uncle will be running the spread show. And I am SO relieved!
Zone American Casserole & Cauliflower Mash
I’m not completely off the hook. I’ll be handling the smaller side dishes, including something we call the Zone American Casserole (in our kitchen it’s the Sears-merican Casserole- recipe below). What makes it Zone is I replace the normal pasta carbs with our Fusilli PastaRx. Another healthy dish I make every year is Zone Cauliflower Mash, a more nutritious alternative to traditional mashed potatoes.
What about cranberry sauce? Cranberries are already high-glycemic on their own. Even if you’re making the sauce from scratch it requires a cup of sugar, so it's better to skip it and let dessert be the glycemic portion of your meal.
What's for dessert? How about Mixed Berry Pie
Even the Sears family fits an indulgence in on Thanksgiving. It’s not unusual to see one side of my dad’s plate overflowing with Turkey and unfavorable carbohydrates from various pies taking up the other half (sorry for snitching, dad). Since we’ve eliminated those starchy side dishes in the traditional meal, that piece of pie, despite being unfavorable, can still fit in OK when coupled with the extra protein and veggies.
This year, in an effort to make that unfavorable treat even better, my sister is trying something quite revolutionary. She’s planning on making a Mixed Berry Pie. Yay, anti-oxidants! But instead of making a graham cracker crust, she’s going to use Zone Cereal instead! If only my toddler Lukas wasn’t sensitive to berries, I’d sneak him a piece, but he’ll have settle for baby portions of turkey and veggies.
Pie Crust Using Zone Cereal |
Get the recipe for Mixed Berry Pie.
Whatever Thanksgiving route you take, we’re hoping it’s healthy, but if not, you’re always one meal away from being in the Zone!