Your stomach rumbles and your mouth starts to water as you reminisce about Mom’s home cooking during the holidays; you can practically taste it. A smile appears on your face. Why? There are certain foods that you simply associate with “home.” These feelings are irreplaceable… it’s the warm, fuzzy feelings that you get with each bite; the sense of well-being and satiety that abound as those aromas fill the kitchen; it’s comfort. However, due to the ingredients often found in these foods (butter, sugar, cream, etc.), they can certainly add an inch or two to the waistline!
Comfort foods are not the healthiest choices, but they are our guilty pleasures; foods that we enjoy but feel as if we shouldn’t. Often these feelings arise during the holidays, when comfort foods and family gatherings are abundant. You may feel torn over the happiness derived from chewing every morsel of this delightful food versus the satisfaction from avoiding all of these excess calories. That is no way to spend the holidays! How can we turn these guilty pleasures into guiltless pleasures? Just leave it to me!
Today I’m recreating the decadent Chicken Pot Pie… and since we are going to have so much turkey left over from Thanksgiving, we’re making a healthy Crustless Turkey Pot Pie! We’re swapping some of the heavier ingredients (flour, butter) with lighter versions! It’s so delicious I bet your family won’t even know it’s a healthy version! P.S. If you simply must have the full-fat versions, here are some tips to be more healthful: 1.) Eat a smaller amount, 2.) Do some extra physical activity to burn the extra calories off, 3.) Try replacing a few of the ingredients with lighter ones (i.e., skim milk, low-fat cheese, etc.).
Keeping our bodies in shape is hard work… and, yes, it absolutely does mean making sacrifices when it comes to the foods that we choose to eat! However, the key is to still enjoy the foods that you love by simply recreating them into a healthy version. That’s what I’m here for! I’ll take the guesswork away from you and bring you new recipes each and every week! It’s all about being creative with good-for-you foods! As my trademark proclaims, I will always do my best to deliver to you: 100% Taste, 0% Guilt!
It’s all here for you and ready to go. Each Alli’s Slim Pickins recipe provides detailed ingredients, nutritional information, and step-by-step instructions on how to prepare each mouth-watering meal! Come on, let’s make it happen…
CRUSTLESS TURKEY POT PIE
Ingredients:
1 cup ea, sliced: onion, carrot
3/4 cup celery, finely diced
3/4 cup ea, thawed: frozen edamame beans, yellow corn
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 can (10 oz.) condensed low-fat cream of chicken soup
1 tsp. ea: thyme, sage
1/2 tsp. ea: black pepper, sea salt (adjust to taste)
1 lb. cooked turkey breast, cut into small chunks
4 pieces light whole-wheat bread, toasted and crumbled
How to Prepare (so simple!)
1. Coat a large skillet (or large pot) with non-stick cooking spray over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions, celery, carrots, edamame, and corn. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned.
3. In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 F.
4. Once browned, add almond milk, condensed soup, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix well and then let simmer for approximately 5 minutes, or until mixture starts to boil.
5. Once at a boil, remove skillet from heat, add turkey chunks, and mix thoroughly.
6. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray.
7. Sprinkle the whole-wheat bread crumbs evenly on top.
8. Put in the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
NUTRITION DATA
Per serving (serves 4): 325 calories, 42 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fat
Editor’s Note: If you have any specific requests or would like to share your feedback on the above recipes, please e-mail Allison Frahn at AliFrahn@yahoo.com.
