By: Dave Schreck
Here in New England the leaves are past their peak color, and frost is on the pumpkin. Next come the snow flurries, watching the Macy’s parade on TV and then the Thanksgiving Day dinner.
For many this signals the start of the holiday weight gain, 5-7 pounds on average. Considering the majority of Americans are already overweight only reinforces our need to make a few easy and simple changes in the way we eat. Need motivation? How about living a longer and healthier life? Too far-reaching? How about maintaining your weight over the holiday weekend? Still too far off? How about waking up on Friday morning refreshed and energized with no hangovers – carbohydrate or otherwise?
The traditional Thanksgiving meal offers an opportunity to go off the Zone and enter the twilight Zone or the option to be mindful of what you’re doing and congratulating yourself on controlling your eating habits. I prefer to be mindful and wake up the next day feeling alert and energetic. If you can stay in the Zone on Thanksgiving, you’ve established a strategy that will serve you well throughout the holidays and beyond.
You might be thinking, “Why should I apply the Zone principles on Thanksgiving Day? It’s a holiday!” Well, you could select this meal as one of your monthly “pig-out” meals. But you can still “pig out” in the Zone and be happy with the way you’ll look and feel four hours later.
Here are a few scenarios:
◊ You’re invited to friends for dinner
◊ You prepare the Thanksgiving meal
◊ You make reservations for Thanksgiving dinner
If you’re invited to friends, the only thing you may have to bring is a good appetite. But this could signal trouble. Best to have a small hormonal touch-up (a Zone snack) before you go. Remember last year when Uncle Larry fought with the kids for the last chip? He was on carbo-overload.
To be successful, you must arrive at your relatives’ house or the restaurant with a game plan. Here are a few suggestions:
◊ Arrive satiated; not ravenous. I remember in my hometown in Upstate New York we had a restaurant with a salad bar, a big deal back in the ‘60s. I’d starve all day just to be able to eat more. Years later I’m somewhat wiser and now hormonally challenged. We all are. As we age, we become more sensitive to carbohydrates, and insulin begins to rise along with the risk factors associated with chronic disease.
◊ Watch your portions! Replace that volcano of mashed potatoes with a larger portion of non-starchy vegetables, i.e. a Holiday Salad, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Sautéed Broccoli Rabe or Pan Roasted Balsamic Onions. (Recipes below.)
◊ Be mindful. Easier said than done. Train that little voice within you to ask, “Am I eating too fast, too much? Slow down. Pay attention.”
◊ Learn to recognize when you’re satisfied versus full. If you’re stuffed, bloated and uncomfortable, chances are you’re heading to the couch for a snooze, and before you know it, you’ll be looking for more to eat with Uncle Larry as your competition. Not a pretty sight.
Now, if you have been selected to host the Thanksgiving dinner (lucky you), you know it takes a tremendous effort to put on an impressive holiday repast, however, with all the information on the Internet and 800 support numbers, you can plan and organize ahead of time. The issue is what do we substitute for all those starchy carbohydrates if we are going to be in the Zone? Here are a few recipes, and remember if those candied yams, mashed potatoes, pureed butternut squash with maple glazed pecans pass your plate, you can have a couple of tablespoons leaving the rest of your plate for super sizing with the recipes that follow.
Holiday Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 heads (medium) Belgian endive lettuce (trim base, cut into ¼ inch rounds)
1 medium Granny Smith apple, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bunch Arugula or watercress, rinsed, patted dry, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small head radicchio, cut into 1-inch pieces
2/3 cup Mandarin oranges (canned, drained)
4 ounces Alpine Lace Swiss Cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 avocado – cut into ½-inch cubes
Instructions:
To prepare dressing: In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 4 tablespoons olive oil, shallot, salt and pepper. Set aside. In a large festive bowl place endive and apple. Toss with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to prevent browning. Next add remaining ingredients. Just before serving, toss with dressing.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Walnuts
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed washed.
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium-sized mixing bowl place Brussels sprouts, garlic, walnuts, thyme and olive oil. Toss to coat well. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt. (Gray sea salt adds a nice touch.) Place tossed and seasoned Brussels sprouts into a baking dish. Roast for 30-35 minutes at 350 or until fork tender and edges begin to brown.
Sautéed Broccoli Rabe with Pine Nuts
Serves 4
Ingredients:
3 bunches (about 3 pounds total) broccoli rabe, remove stems
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon currants
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Sea salt
Instructions:
To a large pot of boiling salted water add broccoli rabe. Partially cook for 2-3 minutes. Leave a little crunchy. Remove to colander to drain. Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and quickly sauté until garlic is light brown. (Careful, burnt garlic will taste bitter.) Add the broccoli rabe to the sauté pan, tossing constantly to prevent burning. When lightly browned, place on serving platter. Sprinkle with currants and pine nuts. Can be served at room temperature.
Pan Roasted Balsamic Onions
Serves 4
Ingredients:
6 ounces white pearl onions
6 ounces red pearl onions
6 ounces cipoline onions (flat Italian onions)
2 pounds leeks
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup low-sodium canned chicken stock
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions:
To peel onions, boil water in a medium saucepan. Add white, red and cipoline onions and boil for 1 minute. Drain. Peel off skins using paring knife. Can be time-consuming so listen to good music. Place onions in bowl and add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and ground black pepper. Toss and set aside. Prepare leeks. They are usually dirty and sandy. Trim off tops and root end and discard any damaged outer leaves. Cut leeks in half lengthwise from top to bottom. Fan out ribs under cold water to remove any visual dirt and sand. Place in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. Gently remove leeks from water (sand will be on the bottom) and pat dry. Place in bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and sauté leeks until slightly browned and just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. To the same skillet add the onions. Sauté, moving pan around until onions are browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and add balsamic vinegar and chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes; then add in the leeks. Continue to simmer until onions are soft when pierced with a knife. Remove cover. Add butter and increase heat to high. It will bubble. As the liquid evaporates, you’ll be creating a glaze, about 2-3 minutes. Shake pan occasionally to coat onions. Remove to serving dish. Serve hot.
Need another dish? See Smashed Faux Potatoes, which was featured last December in The OmegaZone.
Next month in The OmegaZone: Dave will supply us with recipes for leftover turkey.