Guilt-Free Thanksgiving Leftovers
Thanksgiving weekend, Friday through Sunday, seem like the ideal time to get back on track if Thanksgiving was a little excessive. However, after Thanksgiving, the rest of the weekend can be a little rough if you are watching your weight. Having leftover ready-to-eat mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pies in the fridge can lead to some meals and snacks that are not so good for weight loss.
There are ways, though, to have some Thanksgiving leftovers and to continue to enjoy the tastes of Thanksgiving without going overboard. The BariatricPal Store has some ideas.
Turkey Sandwich
Some people look forward all year to the post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich. It is hard to resist that perfectly-cooked, ready-to-eat turkey along with some choice fixings, such as cranberry sauce and mayonnaise, on a big roll, but it may be easier to resist if you realize how high-calorie that sandwich may be.
Instead of having 25 grams of sugar from cranberry sauce and 100 or more calories from a small amount of mayo, Calorie-Free Cranberry Sauce and Mayo can give moisture and taste to that leftover bird. Dijon, yellow, or spicy brown mustard also adds a kick. Try your turkey as a wrap in lettuce, or consider choosing low-carb bread, rolls, or bagels to keep the carb count minimal.
More Turkey
What about the rest of that 20-lb. bird? There are all sorts of good ways to serve it without adding unnecessary starches and other high-calorie nutrients. You might try...
- Turkey salad with low-calorie or calorie-free salad dressing.
- Turkey tetrazzini or turkey noodle soup with Protein Pasta.
- Turkey breakfast hash with Protein Mashed Potatoes and vegetables.
- Low-carb turkey skewers with cheese, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
Pumpkin Pie and More
Have you ever gotten up Friday morning after Thanksgiving and headed to the fridge for a slice of the pumpkin pie that has been calling your name all night? What a way to start the day: hundreds of calories, tons of fat, starch, and sugar, and not much in the way of nutrition! Instead, you could have a Pumpkin Pie Spice Muffin within minutes.
The muffins have only a fraction of the amount of sugar and carbs as pumpkin pie, and they have a reasonable 220 calories. Each one has 20 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber to help keep you full all morning.
It is just as easy to pass up the leftover pecan pie. Just you check out all kinds of Pecan Products at The BariatricPal Store. There are caramel pecan protein bars, sugar-free chocolate pecan candies, and even sweet potato pecan beef bars. They are ready to eat and guilt-free, so grab one or a couple instead of a 600-calorie piece of pecan pie, and enjoy!
As you prepare for Thanksgiving, remember that the leftovers will need to be reckoned with, too. Make a plan and come out on top this year!
