Thanksgiving on the Side

When it comes to my Thanksgiving feast I like to keep it very traditional with all the recipes I grew up with, however, last year I dared to try a few new ones. (They're adapted from the ever faithful Martha Stewart so I knew I'd be ok, hehe.) They were a lighter twist on two familiar favorites, but I promise you won't even notice. Now believe me, I'm a firm believer in NOT counting calories on Thanksgiving cause really what's the point, but I promise these recipes are even tastier than the regular version and might give you the excuse you need to have another piece of pie! Enjoy!


Creamy Green Beans with Crispy Shallots
*My version is adapted from this version, but I hold the mushrooms since I don't like them and make a few small changes*

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 pounds green beans, trimmed (I like fresh extra thin ones)
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced (1/2 cup) (make extra because trust me you'll snack on them!)
• 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/3 cup 2 percent Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup of skim milk
• Flour
• Lemon zest (optional but I like the tang it adds)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Soak shallots in milk in small bowl. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch beans until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile,  heat 2 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat shallots in flour and carefully pan fry in oil in batches if need be. (They'll cook really quick so keep an eye on them.) Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.
3. Whisk together stock and cornstarch. Add to skillet, stirring and cooking on low heat until thick, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in yogurt, lemon zest to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; and fresh pepper. Toss in beans and 3/4 of the shallots. Transfer to serving dish and top with remaining shallots. Keep warm to serve.

Whole Wheat Stuffing with Chicken Sausage

*adapted from this recipe*

Ingredients

• 8 slices whole-wheat bread, cut into small cubes (7 to 8 cups) (I like to use a mixture of different types of whole grain and wheat bread. Heals and leftover day old bread works great!)
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 8-9 oz of chicken sausage, casing removed (I like the sweet apple one by Alfresco brand)
• 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Arrange bread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until dried out, about 8 minutes. Let cool. (This step is important so make sure your bread is totally dried out)
2. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown sausage, breaking up meat with a wooden spatula, for 4 minutes. Stir in celery, garlic, and onion. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly.
3. Combine bread, sausage-vegetable mixture, stock, egg, parsley, thyme, and sage in a large bowl. Transfer stuffing to an 11-inch oval baking dish. Cover with parchment-lined foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn on broiler. Uncover stuffing, and broil 9 to 10 inches from heat source until top is golden brown and crunchy, about 1 minute. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

YUMMMM!