Healthy food makes the holiday better

Guest Commentary:

Here it comes, Thanksgiving. The day of eating a lot of food and watching football. At least that’s what we did in my household growing up. Hanging with family at my grandma’s house helping cook and bake all the traditional Thanksgiving fixings. Then we eat our meal, watch some football, eat some more, take a nap, and maybe eat a little more. I remember leaving grandma’s house feeling gross and exhausted. I hated feeling this way.  

As I got older and could contribute more to my family dinners, I chose to make and bring healthier vegetable rich dishes to pass instead of the heavy cream and butter-based dishes that were usually served. I would load my plate half to three-quarters full of vegetables and then indulge on smaller amounts of the usual food. What happened? I felt great afterwards. I would play with my nephews and nieces outside or inside, felt more awake, had meaningful conversations with family members, and just felt good about myself. I learned that eating a more balanced meal and not overindulging allowed me to feel more connected and present with my family. Thanksgiving finally made more sense after I switched my food choices. The day was no longer about the meal, it was about togetherness and celebrating all the wonderful things in our lives. We may not always have positive thoughts in our day-to-day lives and holidays allow you to slow down, take a step back, and appreciate all the great things that you do have.

I encourage you all to think about how you want to spend this holiday season. What family traditions do you love and which ones would be more healthful to change or adjust. I wanted to share a couple of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes I have enjoyed making over the years. Start planning your holiday menu now for great success next week. 

Roasted Green Beans with Rosemary

1 ¼ pound (about 5 cups) green beans, trimmed.

1 ½ tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

(Optional ½ cup walnuts)

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Toss all ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Spread on rimmed baking sheet.  Roast 15-17 minutes, until the beans are tender and browned in spots, stirring occasionally.

Spanokopita

3 pounds frozen spinach, thawed

2 tbsp plus ? cup olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

8 green onions, sliced

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

3 large eggs

8 oz crumbled feta cheese

12 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Thaw, squeeze spinach dry, and place in a bowl. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a medium heat skillet.  Add onions and saute for 10 minutes, until browned. Add spinach, green onions, and nutmeg.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook five minutes until mixture is dry. Remove from heat and stir in parsley; set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk eggs in small bowl, stir eggs into spinach mixture and then fold in feta. In a nine-inch square baking pan, brush bottom and sides with remaining ? cup oil. Place 1 phyllo sheet in pan, let excess hang over the sides of pan. Brush sheet with oil, add a second sheet, and repeat with crisscross layering five more times. Spread spinach mixture in phyllo crust. Repeat phyllo layering on top of spinach mixture using the rest of the sheets. Trim edges of phyllo so no more than one inch hangs over edge of pan. Now roll edges over to seal, brush the top with oil, and score a diamond pattern over the top with knife.  Bake one hour, until flaky and golden brown.  Cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Liz Whalen is a personal trainer health fitness specialist who lives and works in Libby. She also blogs at lizwhalenhfs.com