A THINNER THANKSGIVING ; 8 Skinny T-Day recipes to be thankful for.

  Sometimes it’s hard to enjoy Thanksgiving when the thought of trying to lose the usually gained 2-10 pounds is looming over your (turkey-gorging) head. To help alleviate this unnecessary holiday stress, we’ve put together a few recipes and tips to make your T-Day dishes subtly skinny so that you enjoy your feast with abandon without abandoning your waistline.

Seize the Salad

Start by filling up on a big, veggie-dense salad. We’re not talking the iceberg lettuce and ranch dressing variety, but rather something composed of actual, whole, nutrient-rich vegetables.

Thanksgiving Green Salad

This salad feels light but is surprisingly filling, with lots of leafy greens, dried and fresh fruit, and nuts.

Cue Cauliflower

Swap out the usual mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower. Your dish will taste about the same (if not better!), but with half the calories.

Mock Mashed Potatoes

Parmesan and garlic combine to make this dish a flavor sensation.

Go Organic

Splurge on an organic turkey; regular store-bought turkeys tend to have a ton of added sodium. After the big day, try leftover turkey on something healthier and more exciting than sandwich bread.

Asian Turkey Cabbage Cups

The Asian flavor of this über-light dish will provide some welcome relief from more traditional T-day tastes.

Don’t Miss Dessert

Desserts don’t have to be over-the-top rich to be good. In fact, sometimes it’s nice to have a lighter sweet option at the end of such a big meal. Also, remember that you can always substitute oil with a with fruit puree like applesauce when baking.

Cranberry Pineapple Sauce

Cranberry sauce goes au natural, replacing most of the sugar called for in traditional recipes with pineapple.