Lean, Healthy and Tasty: Thanksgiving Recipes!

Here are a couple of my Thanksgiving Recipes that are my patients' favorite.

LOW-FAT EGGNOG!

Ingredients:
1 cup organic “Sucanat” (natural sugarcane)
4 egg whites
½ teaspoon salt
1/3-cup water
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
4 cups organic skim milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ to 1-cup brandy or rum
Dash of Nutmeg

Directions: Combine sugar, egg whites, water, and cream of tartar in a large non-aluminum metal bowl. Whisk to blend. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water; please make sure, the bowl does not touch the water. Beat with an electric mixer on medium about 10 minutes, until the mixture is very thick and fluffy. Continue to beat 3 more minutes; remove from heat and beat until mixture has cooled slightly. Pour milk and vanilla into another large bowl. Add egg white mixture and brandy or rum; combine gently with a whisk. Serve chilled and dusted with nutmeg.

Total servings: 8
Nutrition Analysis per serving:
216 calories, 31 grams Carbohydrates, 6 grams Protein, <1 gram Fat


PUMPKIN SURPRISE PIE!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Ingredients:
1 can (15 ounces) pureed pumpkin
¾ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 package (10.5 ounces) organic Silken tofu, * packed in water, rinsed, processed in blender until smooth
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell
*Choose tofu made with soybeans rather than soy protein concentrate

Directions: Preheat oven to 425° F. In a blender (**Vitamix), blend the pumpkin and sugar. Add salt, spices, and tofu into the pumpkin mixture and blend again thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350° F and bake for an additional 40 minutes. Chill before serving.

Total servings: 9
Nutrition Analysis per serving:
216 calories, 37 grams Carbohydrates, 3 grams Protein, 7 grams Fat

**To purchase a Vitamix®, the power blender for making smoothies and soups, etc., go to www.livitician.com and select the products tab.

Turkey Roast, Simple with Pizazz!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. Earth Balance Margarine in a tub
2 Tbsp. Coniac or Brandy
5 Bay Leaves
1 cup Organic Orange Juice
2 to 3 Organic Oranges (depending how large your turkey is)
2 Tbsp. Organic Dried Cranberries
1 tsp. Paprika
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
other seasonings of choice-optional

Gourmify Your Turkey Roast This Year:

Put on your hands some vinyl (latex free) disposable gloves to promote sanitary turkey preparation. Thoroughly wash your organic, Free Range Turkey Roast, under some cold water then hot water then finish with some cold water. Pat dry with some paper towels, then place your turkey in a roasting pan or large pyrex dish, laying it down on it's back, then lift the skin on the top of the turkey, please be careful not to tear the skin, while you are lifting it, put some Earth Balance margarine in a small dish, put your gloved hand in the earth balance spread it underneath the skin and over the skin, until you have some shine present, not clumped, just shine.

Then pour that delectable coniac or brandy using a teaspoon, underneath the skin of the turkey, pour about 2 Tbsp. underneath the skin. Then, wash the bay leaves, and place the bay leaves underneath the skin, in a flower shape. Put 1 bay leaf underneath the skin at a time, angling the bay leaves into a circular flower. Cut one of the bay leaves into a circle for the center of the flower, it looks gorgeous, tres gourmet when you bring out the turkey to the table, everyone will see your beautiful flower underneath the transparent skin.

For the top of the turkey, pour some orange juice on top, then sprinkle the turkey with some paprika, garlic powder, pepper and whatever other seasonings you want.

Inside the turkey cavity, instead of overloading yourself with stuffing, want to save your carbs. for the yummy pumpkin pie or yams/sweet potatoes: use some oranges and cranberries. Peel the skin off the oranges, then cut them into sections, stuff your turkey with the oranges and some dried cranberries.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 3 hours, depending on the size of your turkey, check out the link below for particulars.

Check out this link for Turkey cooking safety tips: temperatures, length of time for stuffed versus unstuffed, thawing tips, etc: http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC3560.htm
You will have a gorgeous, moist turkey, enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving from Your Livitician,
Deborah A. Klein, MS, RD
www.livitician.com

Boost Your Brain Function!

Increase your brain power!! Eat foods that are high in choline. Choline helps protect your cells from oxidative damage. Choline is involved in the production of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine must be present in the body for proper function of the nervous system, including mood, behavior, orientation, personality traits, and judgment.

Also, when your pregnant, it's especially important to provide your baby with not only folic acid but choline, also helps prevent neural-tube defects and helps prevent cleft palates.

High levels of choline in adults not only helps brain functioning, but also may help reduce homocysteine, which will help reduce inflammation and reduce heart disease risk.

Get your choline from foods rather than supplements. Excess choline that can result from over supplementation can cause a "fishy" body odor, definitely don't want that! Dietary Sources of Choline: Found in all animal and plant products. Choose organic and local produce whenever possible.

1.) Eggs(Choose organic, omega-3 eggs; have 2 to 4 yolks per week, aim for 1 yolk per meal, have the rest of your protein from egg whites).
2.) Beef (In moderation, choose lean cuts of beef, ground sirloin, or round-aim for max. 1 time per week).
3.) Salmon (Choose wild-alaskan).
4.) Wheat Germ (Organic, raw)
5.) Broccoli (organic raw or frozen)
6.) Cabbage
7.) Cauliflower
8.) Garbanzo Beans
9.) Green Beans
10.) Lentils
11.) Rice (Choose Brown or Wild Rice)
12.) Soybeans
13.) Split Peas

Men aim for at least 550 milligrams of choline per day and women, have at least 425 milligrams a day, according to the National Academy of Sciences.

A single egg contains about 130 milligrams, 3 ounces of beef contains approximately 70 milligrams, a cup of steamed broccoli contains approximately 60 milligrams. A glass of milk contains about 40 milligrams.


Enjoy LIVITING! Your Livitician,

Deborah A. Klein, MS, RD

KEEP YOUR THYROID HEALTHY

Eat foods that are high in iodine to promote normal function of the thyroid gland. I have patients who have had a nodule on their thyroid and ate food that were high in iodine and their thyroid nodule decreased in size significantly. I just had a patient today who is so thankful that I told her to eat seaweed (1 heaping teaspoon daily of Wakame dry seaweed available at whole foods,soak it in water for a few minutes until it is soft; eat it straight or put it in soup). Her nodule decreased from 3.5 cm to 1.5 cm in 3 months. Her Doctor said it's amazing and thank G-d it is completely benign. She is going to keep eating foods with Iodine to try to decrease it more. Please consult with an endocrinologist to provide you with complete medical treatment for any thyroid dysfunction.

Dietary sources of Iodine:

Cod
Cod-liver oil
Haddock
Herring
Lobster
Oysters
Salmon, canned (try to get wild alaskan canned salmon-available at Trader Joe's and health food stores)
Salt, table (iodized) and sea salt
Seaweed (dried seaweed-available at whole foods or any healthfood store-soak a heaping teaspoon in water for a few minutes in a cup then eat it as a vegetable plain or add some flavor to it, e.g., with Bragg's Liquid Aminos (great soy sauce replacement that is low in sodium)or add the seaweed to soup http://www.homenaturalsinc.com/Eden-Wakame-Seaweed-Sea-Vegetables-washed/M/B0019JPH4A.htm?utm_campaign=froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=froogleShrimp
Sunflower seeds

Benefits of Iodine:
Iodine helps shrink the thyroid prior to thyroid surgery.
Keeps skin, hair, neails healthy.
Protects thyroid gland after accidental exposure to radiation.
Prevents goiter.

Reference: Complete Guide to Vitamins Minerals And Supplements (H. Winter Griffith, M.D.)

Optimal Health To You,

Your Livitician,
Deborah A. Klein, MS, RD
(Please contact me if you have any questions: deborah@livitician.com)