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Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the easiest feast dinner to celebrate fatfree and with
mixed veg-carnivors.  Almost everything can be made fatfree and taste
about like the traditional stuff.  (being an American living in Canada our
family traditionally celebrates TWO thanksgivings one in October for
Canadian Thanksgiving and one in November for American Thanksgiging)

Look at what your family does and just adapt to your diet.  Here are some
of the things I do:


1.  Turkey substitute:  Make day or so ahead of time

I would suggest fatfree meatless cutlets made this way

1 package of lowfat tofu drained.  

Place in a food processor and blend smooth.  Add about a cup of mushrooms
and flour poultry seasoning (about 1/2 t) and salt and enough flour to
make a very stiff dough.  Place on non-stick cookie sheet and bake for a
long time at about 325 until very firm.  Serve topped with gravy

 OR

Make TVP patties out of TVP which has been softened in broth.  Add enough
flour to make it stick together and poultry seasoning.  Form into whatever
shape you wish - even turkeys - bake and serve with gravy.
  
  OR 

something like Yeves patties seasoned with poultry seasoning.  


or

Stuff a small pumpkin with dressing to which you have added a lot of
chopped frozen tofu or TVP.  I actually would rather eat one of the above
but the presentation with the pumpkin is great.

2.  Gravy can be fat free and veg by just using veg broth.  Onions and
mushrooms can give it more flavor if you wish.  If you want to brown the
flour do it in the oven on a cookie sheet (avoiding the oil) or else just
do not brown it and cook the gravy a little longer to get rid of the "raw
flour" taste.   I always season mine for Thanksgiving with poultry
seasoning or fresh sage.

3.  Mashed potatoes - just leave out the butter and moisten with broth as
you are whipping

3b.  Sweet potatoes can be served the same way.

4. You can serve peas, broccli or whatever as just plain veggies - can put
butter on the side for those who want it.

5.  Dressing.  I like to make dressing with about half bread cubes and
half cooked celery, mushrooms and onions.  Poultry seasoning and fresh
sage and lots of dried Cranberries.  Can sub egg beaters for whole eggs in
regular recipe - if vegan add some flour to make it "stick together" a
little.  Cook separately in a covered container in the microwave.

6. Fresh fruit salad of any kind.  I like chopped apples and grapes with a
dressing of fat free sour cream sweetened with the sweetener of your
choice and a little nutmeg.

8. If you serve cornbread there are lots of good recipes in the archive.

7.  Regular pumpkin pie for those who want it (and have room for it) a
fatfree pumpkin custard for the fatfree those going fatfree.  I just use
the recipe in the Old Betty Crocker cookbook (below) with fatfree milk or
soy milk substituted for the milk and cream and egg beaters for the eggs.
I cook it in a contaner set in hot water (like a custard).  You can also
make any of the crusts suggested or like the plate with large eggroll
wrappers (I get them at a chinese store - they are big enough for a pie
pan - need to trim the edges)

Fatfree Pumpkin Custart (adapted from Recipe for Pumpkin Pie in Old Betty
Crocker Cookbook)

9" Pie

1 3/4 C pumpkin
1/2 t salt
1 3/4 C skim milk 
3 egg equivalents
1 C brown sugar or Splenda
1 1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger (sometimes I use fresh grated)
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t cloves


I usually double the recipe and cook in a large corning ware dutch oven
placed in a pan of hot water.



Enjoy your dinner

Barb Beck
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada