What will my thanksgiving meal look like this year?
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is a day of family, relaxation and delicious abundance of food. Over abundance I would add. But oh so happy.
This year will be different of course with COVID. But here is how I plan to make Thanksgiving a great day.
I will be starting Thanksgiving morning with a hot tea on the back patio listening to nature wake up and watching the rays of the sun come up over the roof of our house to brighten the sky.
Breakfast is next. NEVER skip breakfast especially on Thanksgiving day! This sets the tone for the rest of the day. Eggs + egg whites with veggies, one serving of grits and likely some kind of turkey sausage. Then kitchen clean up.
We will lounge around a bit and start getting the family ready for an at home workout. This will take some nagging but I will prevail! 😉
In the meantime, I will prepare the turkey with a crushed garlic, EVOO and sea salt rubdown. The turkey will go in the oven. We bake our very large grass fed turkey pretty much all day (less fat than frying and I would rather eat pie later as my “cheat”!).
Then the family workout! Music pumping. No rushing. And hopefully plenty of smiling.
Post workout shake, shower and prepare a light lunch is next on the agenda. Lunch will probably be something like tuna with gluten free crackers and a large green salad.
Now it is time to slowly start preparing for the cooking of the feast. On the menu this year:
- Turkey plus a “gravy” simply made from the juices in the bottom of the roasting pan. (This is THE best way to moisten the turkey! So tasty and fresh!)
- Mashed potatoes. I like to add a bit of greek yogurt for creaminess. I go with the 0% fat to keep the calories lower. Tastes just as good.
- Green beans. Steam them, then toss them quickly in a hot pan with a dab of butter. Crushed black pepper and garlic powder over the top. Optional toasted slivered almonds if you want to be fancy.
- Green salad. This is a must! Helps you feel full with very low calories. Just a drizzle of salad dressing or EVOO/balsamic vinegar.
- Dressing. I know everyone has a version of how to make the best dressing. It’s thanksgiving so I say go for it. Just be mindful of your serving size. Pro tip- serving size is probably way smaller than you think. Not sure of the proper size, go with ¼-½ cup.
- Cranberries- These are LOADED in sugar. The best tip here is to skip it and eat your sugar in some yummy pie for dessert OR check the serving size and commit to it!
- Dessert- What is Thanksgiving without the big finisher?! Apple or pecan pie!
Let’s talk about dessert for a minute. My nutrition clients often ask me “can I have dessert on Thanksgiving?”. My answer is yes. Thanksgiving is ONE DAY a year. We have to live and enjoy our life. Let’s compromise though.
- Go for a walk after dinner and before dessert.
- Drink a full glass of water when you get back from your walk.
- Sit down at the table and enjoy your dessert. No social media, phone, tv, movie, etc while eating dessert.
- Then clean up and put it away. Out of sight, out of mind.
Do you have a plan for Thanksgiving day and meal yet? Not sure how to enjoy the day and stay on track with your goals? I am happy to help. Email me back!
If you do have a plan, I would LOVE to hear it. Email me at sarah@fitcitycrossfit.com
Coach Sarah
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