Chef Meg's Decadent, Delicious (and Healthy!) Thanksgiving Menus

By , SparkPeople Blogger

An Entire Thanksgiving Meal--for 400 Calories!


As you know, the typical Thanksgiving meal can include more calories than some of us eat in two days (more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat, according to the Caloric Control Council)! Two years ago, I created SparkPeople's 500-Calorie Thanksgiving Feast. This year, I did even better. Not only do you get 7 brand-new recipes for Thanksgiving (plus several recipes and ideas from "The SparkPeople Cookbook"), but you get three sample menus. Thanks to my slimmed down but flavor-packed recipes, you can feast even if you aren't willing to blow your calorie budget. Would you believe that you can eat five different dishes, including dessert, for about 400 calories? 

I hope these recipes will soon become family favorites and healthy staples on your Thanksgiving table.

400-Calorie Trim Thanksgiving


500-Calorie Thanksgiving Dinner

600-Calorie Thanksgiving Feast


Want more recipes? Keep reading!

Soups

Chef Meg's Roasted Squash Soup 128 calories, 3 g fat, 6 g fiber
Chef Meg's Roasted Vegetable Soup 150 calories, 3 g fat, 7 g fiber
Chef Meg's Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds 88 calories, 4 g fat, 2 g fiber
Chilled Curry-Carrot Soup with Citrus Yogurt* 160 calories, 4 g fat, 6 g fiber


Side dishes: starches and whole grains

Chef Meg's Vegetable and Fruit Stuffing 78 calories, 1 g fat, 2 g fiber
Chef Meg's Roasted Root Vegetables* 82 calories, 2 g fat, 3 g fiber
Chef Meg's Whole Wheat Couscous with Spinach and Squash 228 calories, 2 g fat, 10 g fiber
Chef Meg's Herbed Bulgur and Lentil Salad* 160 calories, 7 g fat, 6 g fiber
Chef Meg's Vegetable Risotto 220 calories, 8 g fat, 4 g fiber
Baked Lemon Spiced Rice* 142 calories, 3 g fat, 2 g fiber
Farro Arugula Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette* 240 calories, 13 g fat, 5 g fiber
Roasted Red Potatoes with Garlic Herb Oil* 94 calories, 4 g fat, 2 g fiber
Wheat Berry and Broccoli Salad* 138 calories, 5 g fat, 5 g fiber
Wild Rice with Roasted Shallots and Garlic* 97 calories, 0 g fat, 2 g fiber
 

Side dishes: vegetables

NEW: Chef Meg's Carrot-Cranberry Salad 87 calories, 0 g fat, 4 g fiber
Chef Meg's Easy Steamed Vegetable Packets* 54 calories, 0 g fat, 2 g fiber
NEW: Chef Meg's Escarole Salad with Gorgonzola-Walnut Apple Crisps 161 calories, 11 g fat, 2 g fiber
NEW: Chef Meg's Pumpkin Butter Acorn Squash 63 calories, 0 g fat, 3 g fiber
Chef Meg's Roasted Beet Salad 189 calories,  13 g fat, 4 g fiber
NEW: Chef Meg’s Creamy Corn Pudding 157 calories, 4 g fat, 4 g fiber
Braised Spinach with Pine Nuts* 32 calories,  2 g fat, 2 g fiber
Braised Swiss Chard with Beans* 168 calories,  2 g fat, 13 g fiber
Grapefruit-Pear Salad with Fennel* 171 calories,  8 g fat, 6 g fiber
Green Bean Casserole* 96 calories, 1 g fat, 4 g fiber
Roasted Asparagus* 30 calories, 0 g fat, 3 g fiber
Sauteed Cumin Carrots* 75 calories, 3 g fat, 3 g fiber
Lunch Box Carrot Slaw with Apples* 90 calories, 1 g fat, 4 g fiber
Spinach Salad with Cherries and Pomegranate Vinaigrette* 200 calories, 13 g fat, 4 g fiber
Trio of Grilled Vegetables with Balsamic Glaze* 64 calories, 4 g fat, 2 g fiber
 
 

Main dishes and accoutrements:

Chef Meg's Herb Roasted Turkey*  167.3 calories, 5.8 g fat
Cornish Hens with Apple-Pecan Stuffing*  252.8 calories, 10.0 g
Chef Meg's Tofu-Squash Stew  296.0 calories, 15.5 g fat
Chef Meg's Apple Cider Gravy  20.0 calories, 0.0 g fat
 
Chef Meg's Cranberry Relish  42.7 calories, 0.0 g fat
Chef Meg's Caramelized Onions*  26.4 calories, 0.6 g fat
 
Chef Meg's Herb Roasted Garlic  26.8 calories, 1.6 g fat
 
NEW: Chef Meg's No Added Sugar Pumpkin-Apple Butter  19.9 calories, 0.2 g fat


Desserts:

NEW: Chef Meg's Cranberry-Orange Creme Brulee  134.2 calories, 6.3 g fat
Chef Meg's Sweet Potato Tarts  151.1 calories, 2.0 g fat
Chef Meg's Mini Apple Tarts*  124.2 calories, 4.1 g fat
 
NEW: Chef Meg's Nutty Baked Apples with Raisins (Diabetic Friendly)  119.7 calories, 4.5 g fat
 
Chef Meg's Pumpkin Dip  31.7 calories, 1.7 g fat
 
Chef Meg's Spice Cookies  61.1 calories, 2.6 g fat
 
Chef Meg's Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix*  8.9 calories, 0.3 g fat
 
Chef Meg's 'Seedy' Pumpkin Pie  168.4 calories, 7.2 g fat
 
Chef Meg's Petite Pecan Tarts  102.7 calories, 5.2 g fat
 
* recipes available in "The SparkPeople Cookbook: Love Your Food, Lose the Weight"

Which of these recipes will be on your Thanksgiving table this year?
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