Kate Lyman Nutrition

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MACRO-FRIENDLY THANKSGIVING RECIPES

Diana Dewan

Feeling the holiday stress all of a sudden? How is it half-way through November already and how in the world is next week already Thanksgiving?! The holidays bring about lots of time with friends and family and with that usually comes lots of food. Cherishing time with loved ones is most important during this time, so don’t let anxiety about your food add to your holiday stress this season. And in case you need a little help with what to bring, we’ve got you covered with these healthier macro-friendly versions of all your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. Your family won’t even know the difference and you can enjoy your meal, guilt-free!

MACRO-FRIENDLY SWEET POTATO PIE CASSEROLE

Traditional sweet potato casserole dishes can be packed with tons of sugar and butter. If you prefer a healthier spin on a sweet potato dish, this macro-friendly version tastes just as good, but without the added calories!


PREP TIME:  25 minutes || COOK TIME:  55 minutes || Makes 10 servings


WHAT YOU NEED

  • 3 lbs. Sweet potatoes, raw, peeled and cut into 1” cubes

  • 240 grams (1 cup) Unsweetened almond milk

  • 120 grams (½ cup) Unsweetened applesauce

  • 100 grams Egg whites

  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

  • 2 teaspoons Baking powder

  • 8 grams (2 tsp.) Cinnamon

  • 4 grams (1 tsp.) Nutmeg

  • 4 grams (1 tsp.) Salt

  • 60 grams (½ cup) Pecans

  • Cooking oil spray

  • Hand-mixer or stand-up mixer

  • Large mixing bowl

  • Large pot (half full of water)

  • 9 x 13 Casserole dish


WHAT TO DO

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

  2. Peel & boil sweet potatoes in large pot until soft enough to mash with a fork; drain sweet potatoes and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

  3. Whip sweet potatoes with hand-mixer or stand-up mixer

  4. Add almond milk, applesauce, egg whites, baking powder, spices and salt; mix until well-combined.

  5. Add mixture to casserole dish that’s been sprayed with cooking oil spray

  6. Bake casserole for 40 minutes; add pecans on top and bake for an additional 15 minutes.


MACROS PER 200g (about ¾ cup) SERVING: 4P/5F/36C

NOTE: Traditional sweet potato casseroles are around 8P/35F/70C per serving!


You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching:
“KLN Recipe Macro-friendly Sweet Potato Pie Casserole”.

THANKSGIVING HARVEST SALAD

I always make sure to bring some type of salad to a big dinner. Having an easy high-volume option available helps me get my veggies in and fills up space on my plate. Since you don’t want to be boring and just bring a bowl of spring mix, try this easy harvest salad! It’s simple to make and still captures the flavors of the season.

PREP TIME:  15 minutes || COOK TIME:  40 minutes || Makes 6 servings


WHAT YOU NEED

  • 180 grams (6 cups) Mixed greens

  • 125 grams (1 apple) Honeycrisp apple , cored and sliced thin

  • 400 grams (about 2 cups) Delicata Squash, raw (about 1 medium squash)

  • 40 grams (about ⅓ cup) Roasted squash seeds*

  • 40 grams (about ¼ cup) Shredded parmesan cheese

  • 60 grams (about 1/4 cup) Toasted Pecans (roast in the oven at 350 for 8-10 minutes)

  • 4 grams each (½ tsp.) Salt, pepper, ground nutmeg

  • Serve with Bolthouse Farms Classic Balsamic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Vinaigrette


  • Large serving bowl

  • Medium mixing bowl

  • Baking sheet

  • Parchment paper

  • Cooking oil spray

  • Colander

  • Cutting board and knife



WHAT TO DO

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil spray.

  2. Wash delicata squash and slice off both ends. Slice squash in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, clean out the seeds. Put the seeds in a colander and clean thoroughly.

  3. Transfer seeds to a mixing bowl and spray with cooking oil spray (about 3 seconds). Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Toss until thoroughly coated - place on lined baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, or until soft. Once squash is done roasting, cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.

  4. Toss all ingredients in a large serving bowl and serve with 2 TBSP. of dressing per serving


MACROS PER 150g (about 1 cup, with 2T of dressing) SERVING: 4.5P/5F/19C

You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching:
“KLN Recipe Harvest Salad”.

MACRO-FRIENDLY MINI BAKED APPLE PIES

Anyone else love cute desserts?! These mini baked apple pies are adorable and delicious. They have minimal ingredients and are really simple to put together if you need a yummy dessert on the fly. You can choose to make them with or without the crust depending on your macros!

PREP TIME:  20 minutes || COOK TIME:  22 minutes || Makes 4 servings

WHAT YOU NEED

  • 300 grams (about 3 medium apples) apples, cored and diced

  • 140 grams (about ⅔ cups) Unsweetened applesauce

  • ½ cup Water

  • 5 grams (1 tsp.) Vanilla

  • 6 grams (1 ½ tsp.) Cinnamon

  • 2 grams (½ tsp.) Nutmeg

  • 2 grams (½ tsp.) Allspice

  • 2 grams (½ tsp.) Salt

  • 40 grams (4 servings, 2T each) Fat Free Cool Whip

  • 20 grams Toasted Pecans (roast in the oven at 350 for 8-10 minutes)

  • Keebler Ready Crust Minis, pack of 4

  • Medium mixing bowl + wooden spoon

  • Medium saucepan

  • Baking Sheet


WHAT TO DO

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

  2. Add apples, applesauce, vanilla and spices to mixing bowl and combine using a wooden spoon, until apples are evenly coated.

  3. Transfer mixture to a medium saucepan and simmer over low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently. Add more water as needed. (The mixture should be somewhat thick, but add water to deglaze the pan if apples begin to stick.) Cook until apples begin to break down, right before they become mushy.

  4. Evenly distribute apple mixture between 4 mini pie crusts. Place crusts on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.

  5. Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Top with 10 grams (about 2T) of Fat Free Cool Whip, a dash of cinnamon and 5 grams of toasted pecans.


NOTE: you can also make this without the ready-made crust for even less calories. Simply transfer mixture into 4 small ramekin dishes (sprayed with cooking oil spray) and bake. Let cool and then add topping!


MACROS PER SERVING (with crust): 2P/8F/35C
MACROS PER SERVING (without crust): 1P/3.5F/22C

You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching:
“KLN Recipe Mini Baked Apple Pie (with crust)” -OR-
“KLN Recipe Mini Baked Apple Pie (without crust)”

We want to hear from you! We’re working on some more holiday recipes and would love to know: What are some of your favorite holiday dishes that you would like to make more macro-friendly? Let us know in the comments!