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You are going to love all of these healthy Thanksgiving recipes. Only 530 calories for the entire meal and that includes dessert!
Tomorrow, I am going to be spending a FULL week at Fitness Ridge in St. George, UT. I am excitedly terrified, if that is even a thing (which I think it is because that is what I am feeling)! Emily went a few months ago and after her hearing about her amazing experience I just HAD to sign up! I chose the week before Thanksgiving for a reason—so I would be motivated to keep in check for Thanksgiving Day (my biggest weakness)! After a week of working out for 8+ hours, I won’t want it to all be for nothing! I am 100% on board for keeping Thanksgiving light this year.
When I talked to Emily about her experience, she mentioned how GREAT the food was at Fitness Ridge—that it was healthy, and low-carb, but filling! She said her whole time there, she never felt hungry because she was eating the RIGHT things that gave her energy throughout the day. So this got me thinking… does Fitness Ridge do a Thanksgiving dinner? I contacted them directly and found out the answer is YES. I spoke to the executive chef at Fitness Ridge, Sam Baker, and he walked me through everything he will be making for Thanksgiving dinner at Fitness Ridge this year.
Check out this low calorie Thanksgiving dinner menu: Roasted Turkey with Lemon Rosemary Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Purple Sweet Potato Puree, Gluten Free Stuffing, Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus AND Pumpkin Crème Brûlée. Doesn’t that sound delicious? Can you believe that ALL of this is only 530 calories?!
As soon as I heard this menu, I immediately knew I wanted to make it for Thanksgiving, but I wanted to do one better for you guys and make it all BEFORE hand and give you all the recipes so you could make it too! Chef Sam graciously shared all of these recipes with me and is allowing me to share them with you here on Favorite Family Recipes.
Let me just tell you, this Thanksgiving dinner was absolutely delicious and surprisingly filling! I actually felt good after eating it (meaning I didn’t want to lay down on the couch and die from being overstuffed). I was full, but I felt like I could still go out in the back yard and play flag-football. Even hours after eating it, I still wasn’t hungry. Just because meals are low-calorie or low-carb doesn’t mean they aren’t filling. We all completely had our fill without feeling totally ugg-ed out. Win-win!
Healthy and Low Calorie Thanksgiving Menu Ideas
Of course, if you wanted to just do one or two of these things, that is fine too! It’s all up to you in how you want to lighten up your Thanksgiving dinner! Whatever you want to do! I loved it all, every course and side-dish was perfection.
Now, on to the main event. Below you will find links to each recipe, including the calorie count per serving:
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes = 61 calories
Gluten-Free Stuffing = 82 Calories
Low-Sugar Cranberry Sauce = 27 calories
Purple Sweet Potato Puree = 117 Calories
Purple Sweet Potato Puree – Serves 4 (serving size ½ cup)
2 cups Okinawan (purple) sweet potato, medium diced
¼ cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
Salt and Pepper to taste
Peel the sweet potatoes, dice them into medium size pieces, and steam until soft. Using a mixer add sweet potato, butter, and yogurt then mix. Add salt and pepper. Mix until smooth. Serve hot.
Roasted Asparagus = 24 Calories
Roasted Asparagus – Serves 4
16 asparagus spears – Depending on how big they are maybe 5 or 6
1 tsp grapeseed oil
1 T lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Foil a sheet pan, and spray with nonstick spray, In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients and mix well. Then layer out the asparagus so they are not on top of each other. Roast for 15-20 minutes until al dente.
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée (recipe below) = 97 Calories
Pumpkin Crème Brulee – Serves 7
1 ¼ cup Greek yogurt
¼ cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 package Mori Nu vanilla pudding mix
3 Tablespoons water
½ teaspoon dehydrated cane sugar
In a mixing bowl add the first 6 ingredients thoroughly. Then split between 3-ounce ramekins. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Add ½ teaspoon cane sugar to each ramekin. Then torch the sugar to caramelize.
More Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes
For even more ideas to lighten up your Thanksgiving Dinner, give these a try:
Roasted Parsnips and Carrots = approximately 50 calories per ½ cup serving
If you make this Pumpkin Pie WITHOUT THE CRUST and bake the filling in individual 3-ounce ramekins it is approximately 134 Calories per serving (serves 10)
Have fun with your low-calorie Thanksgiving Dinner! If you are looking for even MORE Thanksgiving day recipes (maybe some that are not so “low-calorie”). Check out ALL of our Thanksgiving recipes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Surprisingly, it is a dessert, and that is pecan pie, with around 503 calories per slice.
Foods like white turkey meat, roasted veggies, salad, sweet potato casseroles, thin gravy, and pumpkin pie are usually the healthiest options on the table, however, eating everything in moderation is always the healthiest thing you can do.
Quinoa is a great and healthy option. You can bolster it a bit by adding things like nuts and mushrooms. Speaking of mushrooms, you can make a ‘stuffing’ of mushroom and eggplant, and even add pieces of cornbread if you’d like, or the zest from oranges. Rice pilaf is another great option. Couscous is also delicious and has many flavor varieties. You could make brown rice and dress it up with a little parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and again, chopped mushroom and even onion, garlic, or apples! And to any of these ‘stuffings’, you can’t go wrong by adding a little bacon! Savory and delicious.
Read More: 35+ Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas
This is awesome! Thank you for sharing! My husband is in the middle of a serious weight loss compition so this really helps me out!!
I’m so glad this is helpful to you! Good luck with the competition!
I am so excited to try some of these recipes! I think I have to go slow on my family but, very excited to change things up and get people to feel better.
Please tell Chef Sam Baker thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing these recipes! I do love the feeling of eating healthy and hope this will help my family out too! Enjoy your experience at Fitness Ridge!!!
A week at Fitness Ridge!? Oh my gosh! I am sooooo jealous!
When my mom and I hiked the Y a few weeks ago I was telling her all about it and said, “Wouldn’t it be a dream to go and spend a full week on nothing but your health, fitness, and happiness?” Her response was no. WHAT!? I couldn’t believe it. I think I would give just about anything to do nothing but learn how to be a better version of me and therefore a happier version of me. Best of luck! Hope you rock it! Run a few miles for me!!
Crissa- it was seriously one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I can’t even begin to express how much I loves it there (and how much I miss it now)!