What to bring for Thanksgiving to the in-laws

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purebredpolly
purebredpolly Posts: 318 Member
in Recipes
I am eating at the in-laws, and while I love the Thanksgiving feast, I'd much rather keep my calories low. I'm lucky in that my in-laws are open to me bringing side dishes.

Does anyone have any really good low calorie side dish recipes they could share with me please?

Thanks! :)
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Replies

  • Grammytryingtogetfit
    Grammytryingtogetfit Posts: 672 Member
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    Try allrecipes.com, they have some awesome low cal dishes!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Pinterest is a great resource for stuff like this...
  • purebredpolly
    purebredpolly Posts: 318 Member
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    Thanks! I've been looking through both, just thought since this is the recipe section of MFP there may be some seasoned cooks who have some knock out recipes for me. I was hoping for something someone could vouch for as an awesome recipe so I don't take something that completely disappoints the non dieting crowd.
  • NewMeSM75
    NewMeSM75 Posts: 971 Member
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    Side dish or main dish?
  • purebredpolly
    purebredpolly Posts: 318 Member
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    Actually, it could be either. My in=laws are very flexible to what I bring.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
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    purebredpolly wrote: »
    I am eating at the in-laws, and while I love the Thanksgiving feast, I'd much rather keep my calories low. I'm lucky in that my in-laws are open to me bringing side dishes.

    Does anyone have any really good low calorie side dish recipes they could share with me please?

    Thanks! :)

    Green beans and yellow onion boiled in beef broth (throw in a ham hock and two beef bullion cubes)
  • NewMeSM75
    NewMeSM75 Posts: 971 Member
    edited November 2016
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    Main dish other than turkey breast would be a pork tenderloin. It's lovely for special occasions. Season, brown then finish in oven. Also, whole roasted chicken is easy. Put lemon, garlic and bay leaves in the cavity. Lightly coat outside with olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake. Take foil off in time to brown the skin. I have a small family. Most the time, I roast chicken instead of a turkey since it may not get eaten.

    Side dishes: oh gosh, tons. Green bean bundles. Wrap whole green beans (canned usually) with thin cut bacon (toothpick to secure) then drizzle with a light balsamic dressing. Bake.

    Roasted vegetables. Toss with small amount of olive oil, salt, pepper. Bake at 400 degrees until caramelized and yummy. I normally use foil to make clean up easy breezy.

    You can lighten up macaroni and cheese by using 2% milk and 2% cheeses.

    You can even do twice baked potatoes by using light sour cream, 2% cheese and butter. I'm a stickler for my butter. I only like real. Lol. Worth the extra calories.

    Instead of baked russet potatoes or creamed potatoes, opt for sweet potatoes. More fiber and nutrition.

    It doesn't substitute for creamed potatoes but I really enjoy cauliflower mash. I steam cauliflower then drain really good. Add a small amount of butter and a couple of wedges of light laughing cow cheeses. Salt and pepper to taste.

    Any steamed veggies. Broccoli sautéed in garlic, olive oil and little lemon zest.

    Desserts: strawberry short cake. Fresh strawberries sweetened to taste, angel food cake, light whipped cream
    Apple crisp. Most fruit crisps.

    Have fun!


  • HeidiCalderLivingStrong
    HeidiCalderLivingStrong Posts: 10 Member
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    I always bake up a small sweet tater for myself to enjoy while the rest of the family dives into the candied yams. A few years ago, some of the folks said they thought mine looked better that that sweetened junk and now I take baked yams for everyone! :)
  • HeidiCalderLivingStrong
    HeidiCalderLivingStrong Posts: 10 Member
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    Polly, here is a great South Beach Diet recipe for sweet taters that my family loves and would make an excellent side dish for Thanksgiving.

    Indian Spiced Sweet Potatoes <for 4 servings>:
    4 small Sweet Taters (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut up
    1tsp Garam Masala (can get at any Indian or Middle Eastern Market)
    1/2 tsp each of Salt, ground Cumin, and ground Ginger
    4 tsp extra-virgin Olive Oil
    1 lime, juiced (use 2 tsp)

    Steam the sweet potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes until very tender.
    Transfer to a large bowl and add garam masala, salt, cumin, and ginger.
    Mash the potatoes and the spices together.
    Add olive oil and the juice from the lime and mash again.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    Roasted broccoli or asparagus
  • HeidiCalderLivingStrong
    HeidiCalderLivingStrong Posts: 10 Member
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    Polly, here is another one that I found in WebMD Magazine and made up just this morning. The magazine's recipe was for a single serving, so this is adapted somewhat with slightly less avocado. Also, the original recipe says to mash the avocado until it is smooth, but I left mine in small chunks like the chopped egg (I prefer my foods to be recognizable). Here is my adaptation, which made 6 heaping 1/4 cup servings at about 111 calories each! I added a half slice of Great Seed bread, toasted for my lunch today for a total of 166 calories.

    Avocado Egg Salad:
    1 medium Avocado
    6 hard-boiled Eggs, peeled and chopped
    1 Tsp Lemon Juice
    Fresh Basil or Thyme (I used Thyme, as I had it on hand)
    Salt and Pepper to taste

    Scoop avocado out of shell and into bowl and mash until fairly smooth (I diced mine into chunks).
    Add eggs, lemon juice, thyme and salt/pepper. Stir together or continue mashing, according to your preference.

    nb05ncucfab9.jpg
  • purebredpolly
    purebredpolly Posts: 318 Member
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    HeidiCalderLivingStrong wrote: »
    Polly, here is another one that I found in WebMD Magazine and made up just this morning. The magazine's recipe was for a single serving, so this is adapted somewhat with slightly less avocado. Also, the original recipe says to mash the avocado until it is smooth, but I left mine in small chunks like the chopped egg (I prefer my foods to be recognizable). Here is my adaptation, which made 6 heaping 1/4 cup servings at about 111 calories each! I added a half slice of Great Seed bread, toasted for my lunch today for a total of 166 calories.

    Avocado Egg Salad:
    1 medium Avocado
    6 hard-boiled Eggs, peeled and chopped
    1 Tsp Lemon Juice
    Fresh Basil or Thyme (I used Thyme, as I had it on hand)
    Salt and Pepper to taste

    Scoop avocado out of shell and into bowl and mash until fairly smooth (I diced mine into chunks).
    Add eggs, lemon juice, thyme and salt/pepper. Stir together or continue mashing, according to your preference.

    nb05ncucfab9.jpg


    That looks really good!

  • purebredpolly
    purebredpolly Posts: 318 Member
    Options
    HeidiCalderLivingStrong wrote: »
    I always bake up a small sweet tater for myself to enjoy while the rest of the family dives into the candied yams. A few years ago, some of the folks said they thought mine looked better that that sweetened junk and now I take baked yams for everyone! :)


    I think baking myself a sweet potato, while making a dish of sweet potatoes for everyone else is a great idea!
  • purebredpolly
    purebredpolly Posts: 318 Member
    Options
    Steph38878 wrote: »
    Main dish other than turkey breast would be a pork tenderloin. It's lovely for special occasions. Season, brown then finish in oven. Also, whole roasted chicken is easy. Put lemon, garlic and bay leaves in the cavity. Lightly coat outside with olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake. Take foil off in time to brown the skin. I have a small family. Most the time, I roast chicken instead of a turkey since it may not get eaten.

    Side dishes: oh gosh, tons. Green bean bundles. Wrap whole green beans (canned usually) with thin cut bacon (toothpick to secure) then drizzle with a light balsamic dressing. Bake.

    Roasted vegetables. Toss with small amount of olive oil, salt, pepper. Bake at 400 degrees until caramelized and yummy. I normally use foil to make clean up easy breezy.

    You can lighten up macaroni and cheese by using 2% milk and 2% cheeses.

    You can even do twice baked potatoes by using light sour cream, 2% cheese and butter. I'm a stickler for my butter. I only like real. Lol. Worth the extra calories.

    Instead of baked russet potatoes or creamed potatoes, opt for sweet potatoes. More fiber and nutrition.

    It doesn't substitute for creamed potatoes but I really enjoy cauliflower mash. I steam cauliflower then drain really good. Add a small amount of butter and a couple of wedges of light laughing cow cheeses. Salt and pepper to taste.

    Any steamed veggies. Broccoli sautéed in garlic, olive oil and little lemon zest.

    Desserts: strawberry short cake. Fresh strawberries sweetened to taste, angel food cake, light whipped cream
    Apple crisp. Most fruit crisps.

    Have fun!


    Thank you!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Mashed cinnamon sweet potatoes! Yum!
  • HeidiCalderLivingStrong
    HeidiCalderLivingStrong Posts: 10 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    Mashed cinnamon sweet potatoes! Yum!

    OMGosh, that sounds amazing! I think I will try it tomorrow. :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    You can make a low calorie version of pretty much every Thanksgiving staple (dessert too I guess but I wouldn't recommend that). Maybe ask them what they need? Or you could try and do some sort of cranberry/goat cheese/walnut spinach salad.
  • HeidiCalderLivingStrong
    HeidiCalderLivingStrong Posts: 10 Member
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    I am making Sweet Potato Pie this year with just a touch of Stevia to add sweetness. The crust will be a combination of fresh milled wheat and ground walnuts for the flour. It took a few tries to get the recipe just right but this year I will enjoy a slice of dessert at Thanksgiving dinner (I usually just say "no, thanks").
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Roasted brussels sprouts. Coat in olive oil and sea salt and cook at 4:25 for about 15-20 minutes. Some folks like to add pancetta or bacon (if you have calories to spare). I make this at least once a week (minus the bacon) through the fall and the family just eats it up.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
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    I have discovered vegetables are amazing roasted. I love sweet potatoes the most. Peel the veggies and chop into chunks. Use a little olive oil (maybe a tablespoon or two for a 9X11 pan). Toss the veggies with the oil and season with salt and pepper and a bit of thyme. You also should put an onion or two in chopped up the same size as the potatoes. Roast at 375 until potatoes are lightly browned on the outside and soft inside. Now I would love to give you an exact time but it seems to vary depending on the veggies and how small you cut them. Just keep an eye on the pan. I have used parsnip, carrot, beet, turnip, onion etc. All are great. If you want it colourful toss in several types just cut about the same size. If you are concened about the oil I have started spraying things with Pam. Just remember there are calories in that too it just distributes the oil a bit better. Enjoy your Thanksgiving.

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