Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without our local VIPs weighing in on the festivities. On our request, AOL co-founder Steve Case, D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee and PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin were nice enough to offer their thoughts:
Here’s Case’s heart-healthy tips:
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“Stick to tradition: although deep frying turkey has become popular in recent years, the traditional roasted turkey is superior in terms of calories and fat. By roasting, instead of frying, you’ll reduce your calorie and fat intake by about 30 percent.
“Second, rethink mashed potatoes: instead of using cream and butter to prepare mashed potatoes (about 250 calories and up to 10 grams of fat), try using skim milk, reduced-fat sour cream or nonfat yogurt and chicken broth. The difference? More than 100 calories and more than five grams of fat per serving.
Thirds, Groove Up Gravy, using chicken broth instead of fat drippings from your roasted turkey makes for a healthier, yet still tasty gravy. A can of chicken broth has just 30 calories and two grams of fat, or buy fat-free, sodium free broth for an even healthier alternative.
Fourth, Doll Up Dessert: traditional desserts like pumpkin pie taste just as good if you use skim milk instead of whole milk or egg whites instead of whole eggs. Maintain tradition, but lose the calories. The lighter version of pumpkin pie cuts the fat almost in half.
Fifth,snack smart: for most people, Thanksgiving means a day-long feast with snacks in between the formal meal. Offer healthier alternatives, like fat-free pretzels or popcorn, fruit and low-fat yogurt, nuts and whole wheat crackers with lower-fat dips.
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And here’s tradition with a twist, courtesy of Rhee:
Squash Casserole
Ingredients:
2 cups mashed squash (4 medium yellow/summer squash)
1 stick butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cup Pepperidge Farm stuffing* (can use herbed, cornbread, whatever)
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt & pepper
garlic salt
8 oz medium sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Directions:
Boil squash until just tender, drain and mash.
Mix all ingredients (start with 1 cup stuffing/bread crumbs and add as needed to make mixture a firm batter).
Bake on 375 for 15-20 minutes.
Finally, Tauzin let us reprint a recipe from his Cajun cookbook, “Cook and Tell.”
Barbecued Shrimp #1
Ingredients:
4 lbs. shrimp, remove heads
1 pound butter
1 tablespoon red pepper
2 tablespoons dried barbecue seasoning
2 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons garlic puree
3-5 whole garlic cloves, cut in pieces
3 tablespoons Lea & Perrins sauce
2 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
Directions:
Rinse shrimp. Place in a 3-quart baking dish. Add salt, pepper, Lea & Perrins sauce and olive oil. Melt butter in a 2 cup measuring cup in microwave mixed with seasonings. Heat in microwave three minutes. Pour over shrimp, mix thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap or lid. Let marinate in refrigerator for 1-2 hours or overnight. Cook on medium for 15 minutes, stir and cook at 3 minute intervals. Small shrimp will cook faster than larger shrimp so cooking time changes. Do not overcook. Taste test for doneness.
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