Going Bottomless @ Thanksgiving Dinner

Jennyisbusy
Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
edited October 3 in Recipes
My fav frozen shell is 120 calories BEFORE there has been anything done to it!!! So I think I may go bottomless (he he) for all the Thanksgiving pies my family will consume this year. But I wonder if there are any great low cal recipes out there? Or maybe I bake it in the crust and just eat the filling, and teach my kiddos to do the same???

What are you guys going to do?

Replies

  • mcjabber
    mcjabber Posts: 374 Member
    Ooh, what a great idea, to bake it bottomless! I don't usually like the crust anyway... so this seems like a brilliant plan to me. Would it change the quality of the filling? I'm a pumpkin pie girl, myself, which is already on the healthier end of pies. I'm curious to see the answers!
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    I'm planning on doing turkey breast rather than the whole turkey. This will be my first Thanksgiving dinner. Me, my kids, my sis and bro-n-law. Sis has been dieting with me and bro-n-law is diabetic. And the kids... well we all could use a healthier Thanksgiving meal so that will be the them for our dinner this year. Recipes are welcome.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    I'm planning on doing turkey breast rather than the whole turkey. This will be my first Thanksgiving dinner. Me, my kids, my sis and bro-n-law. Sis has been dieting with me and bro-n-law is diabetic. And the kids... well we all could use a healthier Thanksgiving meal so that will be the them for our dinner this year. Recipes are welcome.

    Im currently working on calibrating my menu for Thanksgiving because I want to ENJOY an actual dessert. Instead of puff pastry dough, I will be making a whole-wheat pie crust for the bottom... its an Apple-Fig-Tart Fine. Freshly sliced apples, thinly sliced, a fig spread and baked in the oven. Take it out, sprinkle a little/light dusting of sugar and brulee the hell out of it.

    Hubby will have his normal pumpkin pie (one crust) with a scoop of real vanilla-bean icecream on top of it.
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    I'm planning on doing turkey breast rather than the whole turkey. This will be my first Thanksgiving dinner. Me, my kids, my sis and bro-n-law. Sis has been dieting with me and bro-n-law is diabetic. And the kids... well we all could use a healthier Thanksgiving meal so that will be the them for our dinner this year. Recipes are welcome.

    I love it! Start your own Tradition.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    I'm planning on doing turkey breast rather than the whole turkey. This will be my first Thanksgiving dinner. Me, my kids, my sis and bro-n-law. Sis has been dieting with me and bro-n-law is diabetic. And the kids... well we all could use a healthier Thanksgiving meal so that will be the them for our dinner this year. Recipes are welcome.

    I love it! Start your own Tradition.

    Ha ha! I'm on the phone with my sister and she does not concur.
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    Cramernh- I make a casserole thing where I super thin slice sweet potatoes and apples and place them every other one in a dish. A light sprinkle of cinnamon, and sometimes lemon juice. It smells wonderful baking. I don't have a real recipe but you could probably make it happen :)
  • judykay05
    judykay05 Posts: 34
    I think a pie with no bottom is more like a cobbler. I have made apple cobbler a couple times and you can really cut out a lot of fat and sugar this way. The best way to cook a cobbler is to cook it in individual ramekins so portion never becomes an issue!

    I am thinking of pumpkin in a ramekin as well with cinnamon and whip cream on top! There is a restaurant in Dallas called, "the Hard Eight" that serves cheesecake and baked apples in disposable ramekins that is the perfect size to get the taste and appreciate the dessert without blowing your diet for the day. I think they are 2-3 ounces.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Cramernh- I make a casserole thing where I super thin slice sweet potatoes and apples and place them every other one in a dish. A light sprinkle of cinnamon, and sometimes lemon juice. It smells wonderful baking. I don't have a real recipe but you could probably make it happen :)

    Oooh. You could carmelize the cinnamon and lemon juice with a small amount of sugar and then pour it over the top like a sauce. Cover and bake. Mmmmm... I'm imagining it now. Sorry to throw a variation on your recipe but it sounds wonderful.
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
    My pie crusts will be deliciously full of fat like they always are, top and bottom. I will also be doing gluten/grain free tart crusts made from blanched almonds and butter. My Thanksgiving meal is healthy regardless, lots of fresh veggies and a turkey from a local farm, (dark meat for me, please!). I work my butt off for pie, and for me, the crust is the very best part.

    I also just wanted to mention that a pie without a bottom crust is not a pie, it's a cobbler.

    Edited to add: You can absolutely bake pumpkin pie filling in an actual pumpkin. You can bake it in small indv. pumpkins. Kids would love it.
  • sassylilmama
    sassylilmama Posts: 1,493 Member
    I am with Karin. Don't eff with the pie.
  • kittyloo123
    kittyloo123 Posts: 300 Member
    i was just thinking about this today. Why wait for thanksgiving. The canned pumpkin is ok, i could do splenda, egg whites, canned milk, and spices and bake in a ramekin. I think i will do that for tomorrow.
    I will report back with results.
    Just as a side note, i'm already stressing about turk day. I won't be cooking, and will be a guest somewhere, and i don't want to fall too heavily off the wagon. I'm sure it would make me sick if i did.
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
    My pie crusts will be deliciously full of fat like they always are, top and bottom. I will also be doing gluten/grain free tart crusts made from blanched almonds and butter. My Thanksgiving meal is healthy regardless, lots of fresh veggies and a turkey from a local farm, (dark meat for me, please!). I work my butt off for pie, and for me, the crust is the very best part.

    I also just wanted to mention that a pie without a bottom crust is not a pie, it's a cobbler.

    Edited to add: You can absolutely bake pumpkin pie filling in an actual pumpkin. You can bake it in small indv. pumpkins. Kids would love it.

    WOOHOO for GF holidays! We do everything GF and everything is homemade, but I'm really not worrying about my calories on Thanksgiving, my family has gone mad and half of us are doing a Thanksgiving day run in Columbus, although everyone else is doing a 2 miler, I've gone for broke and signed up for 10 miles!
  • methetree
    methetree Posts: 381
    and here I thought we were talking about pants!

    oh well.

    I say go bottomless.... pies, cheesecakes... everyone at the table LOL
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    I am with Karin. Don't eff with the pie.

    You sound like my hubby :happy:
  • trixylewis
    trixylewis Posts: 197 Member
    Cramernh- I make a casserole thing where I super thin slice sweet potatoes and apples and place them every other one in a dish. A light sprinkle of cinnamon, and sometimes lemon juice. It smells wonderful baking. I don't have a real recipe but you could probably make it happen :)

    Oooh. You could carmelize the cinnamon and lemon juice with a small amount of sugar and then pour it over the top like a sauce. Cover and bake. Mmmmm... I'm imagining it now. Sorry to throw a variation on your recipe but it sounds wonderful.

    oh yum!
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    It has nothing to do with pies really, but our Thanksgivings usually turn into 3 day feast with multiple out of town familes and dinners -oh my!!! So I have to plan. And we have 2 kids and 2 adults with b-days between now and then plus Halloween Bash.

    What we make and call cobber here has buttery yummy crust on top, but that could probably be controlled better than a whole pie bottom.

    methetree- doesn't everybody go bottomless on Tday? lol I am pretty sure Kevin James says. "Thanksgiving. A bad day to be my pants."
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    I'm totally a Thanksgiving purist and believe everyone should pass out in the family room watching the football game after having a truly decadent meal. HOWEVER, I'm all about adding some healthy twists to traditional dishes. No fake butter substitute crap, but things like Green Bean Almadine instead of Green Bean Casserole, and Brandied Cranberries instead of that cranberry jelly crap. (actually, that's probably got as much sugar, but the cranberries are fresh when you star out, damnit!)....


    All that aside, the idea of individual pies in ramekins makes me a little whet.
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    Crap, I just ate the crust of the pie I made. I just never stopped forking. Back to dancing for a bit.
  • methetree
    methetree Posts: 381
    Crap, I just ate the crust of the pie I made. I just never stopped forking. Back to dancing for a bit.

    so... you forked your bottom until it was gone?!?!??!?
    :noway: :noway: :noway:
  • buckaroos30
    buckaroos30 Posts: 127 Member
    try www.skinnytaste.com for some lower calorie sweets to make for TG this yr. I also use www.eatingwell.com for my receipes. good luck
  • jlanab
    jlanab Posts: 89 Member
    it can be like a compote or a crumble (depending on your topping) I do apple crumble pies minus the crust. same ol apple fillling with a topping made from oatmeal flour butter sugar and cinnamon
  • BrewerGeorge
    BrewerGeorge Posts: 397 Member
    Pumpkin pie is essentially a custard. It works - as in cooks properly - without a crust quite well. Custard crusts are always mushy anyway.

    If you have the time, a fantastic presentation would be to make individual ramikans, and then turn them out upside down to serve. Make pie crust leaves, cornucopia or some such and cook them separately with a little egg wash. Stand them in the custard to serve. They'd be crunchy and could easily be avoided by those who didn't want them. Whipped cream on the side, too.
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    Crap, I just ate the crust of the pie I made. I just never stopped forking. Back to dancing for a bit.

    so... you forked your bottom until it was gone?!?!??!?
    :noway: :noway: :noway:

    Snort!! I laughed so hard my kid got out of bed to see what I was doing!
  • sarahwebb81
    sarahwebb81 Posts: 46
    i was just thinking about this today. Why wait for thanksgiving. The canned pumpkin is ok, i could do splenda, egg whites, canned milk, and spices and bake in a ramekin. I think i will do that for tomorrow.
    I will report back with results.
    Just as a side note, i'm already stressing about turk day. I won't be cooking, and will be a guest somewhere, and i don't want to fall too heavily off the wagon. I'm sure it would make me sick if i did.

    Aw, don't stress about Thanksgiving! It's supposed to be a fun day filled with loved ones and good times. (But believe me, i totally understand. i do the same thing.)

    I think you should be able to have a pretty reasonable meal on the big day. Turkey is pretty good for you, especially white meat. Most dinners have more than one vegetable, so you could load your plate up with turkey and veggies and just have a small serving of potatoes and/or stuffing. And go ahead and have dessert, just limit it to one. You still might eat more than you would in a normal day, but it's a special occasion and a celebration. Just don't go crazy. And my advice is to TURN DOWN LEFTOVERS. (except maybe turkey and veggies). Leftovers in the fridge will just tempt you to turn your one-day splurge into a week-long ordeal.

    Just my thoughts. :)
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