Winner winner, Turkey Dinner!

Holiday's can be a challenging time to make healthy choices. We are so use to the comfort foods of what our parents made for us year after year, but it doesn't have to be a day when we completely blow our healthy ways out the door. There are little changes we can make and remembering to be mindful when it comes to holiday dinners. If you over do it and over indulge in this holiday meal, remember its only one meal and get right back on the horse tomorrow by putting good foods in your body again. Here's some heart healthy recipes to set you up for success!

Flavorful Turkey Seasoning

Ditch the store-bought turkey seasoning and use the most Flavorful Turkey Seasoning made with 9 ingredients you can actually pronounce. Winner winner, turkey dinner!

Ingredients:

2 Tbs dried thyme

2 Tbs dried rosemary

4 tsp dried oregano

6 Tbs brown sugar

4 Tbs garlic powder

4 tsp coarse salt

4 tsp pepper

2 Tbs chili powder

4 tsp smoked paprika

Directions: Place all ingredients for the turkey seasoning into a large glass jar and stir spices together to create your rub. Seal jar and store remainder in a dry, cool place.

*Use entire jar for a 15 lb turkey. For smaller birds, use 1.5 Tbs of seasoning per lb of turkey.

Healthy Green Bean Casserole

This Healthy Green Bean Casserole is about to be your new favorite Thanksgiving recipe! It’s made with fresh green beans, a homemade mushroom gravy, and delicious crunchy onions. Ditch the can of mushroom soup that contains 2,175 mg of sodium and make it yourself, you wont be disappointed.

For the Onions:

1 large egg

2 tablespoons water

3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

1/8 teaspoon table salt

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

2 large red onions, sliced

For the Green Bean Casserole

1.5 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped crimini mushrooms

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup white whole wheat flour (or gluten-free flour)

1.5 cups 2% milk

1 tsp garlic granules

1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt, separated

1 pound fresh green beans, washed and ends removed

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray a 9×11-inch casserole dish and a standard-size baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. First, prepare onions. Whisk together one egg and 2 tablespoons of water in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together bread crumbs, parmesan, salt, and pepper.

3. Then, slice 2 large onions. Add sliced onions to the egg mixture. Stir mixture until all of the onions are coated with egg.

4. Pour the breadcrumb mixture on top of the onions and gently fold everything together.

5. Spread onions out onto a baking sheet and set aside.

6. Next, prepare green bean casserole. Heat a large saucepan over medium/high heat. Add olive oil. When olive oil is fragrant, add mushrooms and 1/8 teaspoon of salt and sauté for 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer mushrooms into a separate bowl. Set aside.

7. In the same saucepan, prepare the roux. Melt butter over medium/high heat. Add flour to butter and mix until a paste is created.

8. Slowly add milk while continually whisking the milk, butter, and flour together. Whisk until mixture is thick. Remove from heat.

9. Add broth, cooked mushrooms, garlic and the last 1/8 teaspoon of salt to the roux and mix well.

10. Place uncooked green beans into the casserole dish and then pour the roux over green beans and toss so that the beans are coated.

11. Place both the green bean casserole and onions in the oven at the same time.

12. Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. Then toss the onions and bake for an additional 20 more minutes.

13. Remove casserole from oven and then turn the oven to high broil. Broil the onions for 3-5 minutes for extra crispy onions*.

14. Once onions are crunchy, use a spatula to gently transfer onions on top of the green bean casserole. Serve and enjoy!

Mushroom Gravy

This Vegan Mushroom Gravy recipe is flavorful, easy to make, and perfect for any meal! You don’t have to sacrifice gravy if you don’t eat meat, this mushroom gravy will do the trick! You can use meat drippings in mushroom gravy! It will no longer be vegetarian or vegan, but if you like the flavor of meat drippings in your gravy, substitute a portion of the broth that the recipe calls for, for the amount of meat drippings that you have.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cups sliced assorted mushrooms (belle, crimini, portabella, button, ect.)

1/2 medium white onion, minced

1/2 small shallot, minced

4 cloves garlic, mashed and minced

1/2 cup red wine

5 cups low sodium vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon salt, separated

1/8 teaspoon pepper

herb bundle of rosemary, thyme, and sage (4 sprigs each, tied together)

1.5 tablespoons tapioca flour or cornstarch

Directions:

1. Heat a large dutch oven over medium/high heat and add olive oil.

2. When the olive oil is fragrant, add the mushrooms and a 1/8 teaspoon of salt to the pot and turn heat down to medium heat.

3. Let the mushrooms cook for 7-9 minutes in order to sweat out their liquid, stirring occasionally.

4. Next, add white onion, shallot and garlic to the pot and let sauté for 3-4 minutes.

5. After cooking the vegetables down, deglaze the pot with red wine and add vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and herb bundle to the pot.

6. Mix, and turn heat to high and bring to a boil.

7. Once boiling, turn heat down to low and let simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered.

8. Once the mushroom gravy has reduced after 30 minutes, remove herb bundle and discard.

9. Then, add the tapioca flour to the gravy by slowly sprinkling into the pot while whisking consistently.

10. Once thickened, remove from heat and serve over vegetables, mash potatoes or any protein.

Recipe's from Fitfoodiefinds.com (manipulated for heart health). For more recipes head over to their website.