A low-fat Thanksgiving dinner? - includes recipes

Men's Fitness, Nov, 1998 by Kim Galeaz

It may seem un-american, but fitness-conscious guys can slam together an awesome feast for the Day of the Big Gorge. Just follow our no-brainer plan.

You don't even remember saying it, but you said it. Maybe it was at a family barbecue after one too many Budweisers, or over the phone to Mom, who was laying on the guilt extra-thick. Regardless of when or why you said those words, you said them:

"This Thanksgiving, I'm cooking."

The Thanksgiving meal is as much about the show as the food. Besides tasty traditional fare, Turkey Day guests expect a good performance, with fine presentation, timing and style. What should you do first? Start by giving thanks that we're here to pull your bird out of the fire. We'll show you everything you need to impress even the most skeptical critics and make the audience stand up and applaud: a shopping list, simple yet delicious recipes and even a three-day timetable to follow. All you need do is stick to the plan.

The best part is that your production will have panache but won't be loaded with fat and calories. The typical Thanksgiving meal can top out at an Ebert-size 2,300 calories and 120 grams of fat. Your low-fat feast will be more on the Siskel side, with only 1,110 calories and 27 grams of fat (a mere 23 percent of total calories from fat).

Start by following the shopping list; you won't forget a thing if you tear it out and bring it with you to the grocery store. Next, take advantage of time-savers. For instance, plastic oven cooking bags cook turkey faster than traditional roasting does - while keeping it moist and tender. A seven- to nine-pound turkey cooks in 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours with a bag, compared to 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours without one. And there's no messy pan to clean up afterward.

We've also provided a timetable to guide you through each preparation step on Thanksgiving Day. It may take some juggling to get the bird and all the trimmings done at the same time and still have everything hot, but don't stress out. Even the most accomplished cooks rarely execute perfect timing when it comes to a huge holiday meal and limited oven space. If necessary, just zap potatoes or stuffing in the microwave to rewarm them.

We've written the script and you've invited the guests. With a little bit of luck, you should have a happy ending on your hands - or at least a good comedy.

The countdown: It's still a few days away, but the clock is ticking. You'll make it easier on yourself if you get a few things done beforehand.

Three days before (Monday evening)

* Buy frozen turkey and all ingredients.

* Begin thawing frozen turkey in refrigerator (see instructions).

* Refrigerate all other perishable foods.

* Figure out which serving dishes you'll use for the meal (paper plates aren't gonna cut it).

One day before

* Shop for fresh green beans if you didn't get them Monday.

* Check the turkey to make sure it's thawing. (If it isn't, see "Thawing a frozen turkey," right.)

* Set out all your serving dishes and utensils so you'll be more organized.

The usual suspects

You know who they are, so go ahead and round them up, but take this shopping list with you to the store. You may remember the turkey, the potatoes and the cranberry sauce, but what about the fat-free gravy and the pie crust? Work off our list and you'll come home with everything you need.

Frozen aisle

7- to 9-lb. frozen or fresh turkey (figure one pound per person)

1 tub fat-free whipped topping

1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust

Refrigerated section

1 tub olive-oil margarine

1 tub low-fat margarine

1 8-oz. container reduced-fat sour cream

1 quart skim milk

1 dozen eggs

Produce section

5-lb. bag Yukon gold potatoes

2 lbs. fresh green beans

1 6-oz. package portabella mushrooms

Small jar of minced garlic (or fresh if you feel like mincing it yourself)

1 bunch celery

2 large onions

2 or 3 large sweet potatoes

Dry goods

Oven cooking bags (look near the aluminum foil) Foil roasting pan (at least two inches deep)

Vegetable cooking spray

1 16-oz. bag herb-seasoned stuffing mix

3 14.5-oz.cans 99 percent fat-free chicken broth

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

1 14-oz. can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

Spices: ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, salt and pepper

Flour

Meat thermometer

1 or 2 cans cranberry sauce

2 jars fat-free turkey gravy

Thawing a frozen turkey

Refrigerator thawing (safer)

1. Keep the turkey in its original wrapper.

2. Set pit down on a large plate or tray (to catch liquids during thawing).

3. Stick it in the fridge.

4. Thawing will take at least five hours per pound of turkey; a seven- to nine-pounder will take two or three days to thaw properly.

Cold-water thawing (faster)

1. Keep the turkey in its original wrapper; make sure the wrapper has no punctures or tears.

2. Stick the turkey in the sink and completely immerse it in cold water. (This keeps

3. Change the cold water every 30 minutes. the outside of the turkey from getting warm while the inside continues to thaw - crucial for preventing bacterial growth).

4. A seven- to nine-pound turkey needs 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours to thaw this way.