Thanksgiving Recipe: Low-Sugar Cranberry Sauce - Made Fit TV - Ep. 72

Thanksgiving kicks off my favorite time of the year!  To me, it’s like a “pre-Christmas” with family, good food, and warm decor - I love it!  But for many, the food can be both a blessing and a curse!

As a health and fitness professional, I have to always be the one to see the silver lining in every situation to keep people motivated, healthy, and happy.  It can be so easy to give in to temptation and not only “fall off the wagon”… but go flying off the wagon and crashing into a barn!

It is a common assumption that the average person gains about 5 pounds following the Holidays.  Do you want to spend the extra effort in losing that Holiday weight just to break even to where you were before you gained it?  Didn’t think so.  Now, one day of binging won’t turn you into Shrek.  But if you don’t already lead a healthy and fit lifestyle, it could be the beginning of a slippery slope.

In this week’s Made Fit TV video, I provide a quick recipe that can eliminate some extra sugar from that favorite side dish cranberry sauce.  I provide that recipe below, along with a bonus recipe: Mashed Cauliflower!  It’s a great alternative to buttery, fatty mashed potatoes, and may even taste better!

Low-Sugar Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients: 12oz bag of cranberries, juice and zest of one orange, 1/2 cup of splenda

1. Empty the cranberries in a sauce pan with 1/2 cup of water on medium heat (may need to sit longer if frozen)

2. Stir frequently as they berries start to cook down and crack open

3. When most of the berries have softened, add in the orange zest and juice, allowing to simmer on a lower heat

4. After 3 minutes, add the splenda or any other sugar substitute of your choice

5. Allow to simmer for another 5 minutes, turn off stove and cool

Servings = 6

Servings size = 1/2 cup

Nutrition information: 32 calories, 0 fat, 8.5g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 4g sugar, 0 protein

Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients: 1 cauliflower head, 1 garlic clove, 1 can chicken broth, fat-free cream cheese, fat-free sour cream, salt, pepper

1. Cut up the cauliflower removing the stems

2. Bring a can of chicken broth or 2 cups of water with a bouillon cube to a boil

3. Gently place the cauliflower into the broth and lower the heat to medium, cooking the cauliflower for about 5 minutes

4. Chop up one garlic clove into minced pieces

5. Strain the cauliflower, but DO NOT rinse, and put it in a food processor

6. Add the garlic, 2 tbsp of both the cream cheese and sour cream, and 1 tsp of both salt and pepper to the cauliflower

7. Pulse every few seconds and scrap the bowl to get all of the cauliflower mixed until it is a thicker, yet mashed potato, consistency

8. Don’t over-mix unless you like them smoother

Servings = 3 cups

One serving = 1 cup

Nutrition information: 42 calories, 1g fat, 7g carbs, 2g fiber, 3g sugar, 3.5g protein