PHOENIX (AZFamily)—The countdown is on to Thanksgiving! Jamie Miller from Village Health Clubs and Spas shares some healthy, not-so-typical Thanksgiving recipes to inspire you and your family for holiday cooking.
Cornish Hens with Apple-Cranberry Rice Stuffing
Stuffing
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1-1/2 cups cooked rice (long grain
- and wild)
- 1/2 cup peeled, diced apples (about 1/2 large apple)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Splash apple cider
- Optional: parsley or sage to garnish
Glaze
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar monk fruit (for low sugar option)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- pinch ground cinnamon
Hens
- 4 cornish hens (1.25 to 1.5 pounds each)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
Stuffing: Heat oil in a large pan. Add onions and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add pecans, sage, thyme, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 more minutes, until pecans are fragrant. Deglaze the pan with a splash of apple cider, and scrape any brown bits from the bottom. Remove from heat and stir in cooked rice, apples, and cranberries. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Set aside.
Glaze: In a medium pot, combine apple cider and maple syrup or monk fruit. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a steady boil. Simmer until the mixture is reduced to about 1/3 or 1/2 cup, which will take about 15 minutes. Whisk in Dijon mustard and cinnamon until smooth. Set aside.
Stuff and Roast the Hens: Remove Cornish hens from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before roasting. Remove giblets, rinse hens, and pat dry with a paper towel. Preheat oven to 425 F with the rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a roasting rack inside of a foil-lined roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet. Spray a roasting rack with cooking spray.
Season the cavities of the Cornish hens with salt and pepper. Spoon about 1/2 cup of stuffing into each cavity. Tie the legs closed with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the birds. Arrange the hens in the pan with space between them. Brush the tops of each hen with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Continue roasting for an additional 40-50 minutes.
During the last 30 minutes, lightly brush the hens with the glaze every 10 minutes. If the hens start to brown too quickly, shield them with a piece of foil. When finished, the hens should register 180 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh, and the juices should run clear. Let hens rest for 10 minutes before serving. Arrange on a bed of extra wild rice stuffing and garnish with parsley or sage if desired.
Green Bean Salad
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
- ½ head radicchio, sliced into strips
- ¼ cup thinly sliced shallot or red onion
- 2 ounces goat cheese or feta
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts or sliced almonds
- ¼ cup fresh tarragon
Honey Dijon Dressing
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 small garlic clove, grated or minced (or ⅛ tsp garlic powder)
- ¼ tsp salt, more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a bowl of ice water nearby. Add the green beans into the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove the beans and immediately immerse in the ice water long enough to cool completely, about 15 seconds. Drain and place on a towel or in a colander to dry . Transfer the beans to a bowl and toss with the sliced radicchio, onion or shallot, and a few spoonfuls of the dressing. Arrange on a platter and top with small dollops of goat cheese or crumbled feta, the walnut or almonds, and fresh tarragon. Drizzle with more dressing, season to taste with salt, and serve.
Roasted Sweet Potato with Tahini Yogurt Sauce
- 2 lb sweet potatoes or yams, cubed
- into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp cardamom
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- ⅓ cup pomegranate seeds
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds or pepitas
Tahini Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 ½ tbsp tahini
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ⅛ tsp garlic
- ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
- Water to thin, 1-2 tbsp or to desired consistency
Preheat oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil. Add the cubed sweet potatoes to the baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and cardamom. Toss with your hands so the sweet potatoes are evenly coated and then spread the cubes out evenly on the pan. Roast for 20-35 minutes, tossing midway. When they are soft and slightly browned, remove from the oven and let cool. While the potatoes roast, in a small bowl add all the tahini yogurt sauce ingredients and stir until well combined. Place in the refrigerator. When the sweet potatoes are done cooking and cool off partially, add to a serving platter or bowl. Drizzle a few generous spoonfuls onto the top of the sweet potatoes, then sprinkle the dish with cilantro, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Serve a room temperature or slightly warmed.
Easy Pumpkin Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 package cake mix (yellow, spice cake, or vanilla flavored)
- 1 can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Optional: ¼ cup chocolate chips & chopped pecan for batter
Frosting
1 (8 oz) package reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tub of whipped topping (such as TruWhip), thawed
Optional: caramel sauce and chopped pecans for garnish
Preheat oven to 350F and prepare 2 8-inch round baking pans by coating with cooking spray and sprinkling lightly with flour to avoid sticking. In a standing mixer or large bowl, add the packaged cake mix, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice. Whisk until smooth. Optionally, add chocolate chips and/or chopped pecans to the batter and stir until combined.
Pour the batter into 2 prepared baking pans and spread batter out evenly with a spatula. Bake for about 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely. While cooling, prepare the frosting. In a standing mixer or bowl, add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Gently fold in the whipped topping. Set frosting aside. Once cooled, remove cakes carefully by running a knife around the edges and flipping over into your hand.
Place one cake on a cake stand. Add a big dollop of frosting to the center of the cake and spread evenly over the top of the cake. Place the second cake round on top and repeat with another big dollop of frosting. Continue to spread out the frosting til the entire cake is covered. Garnish as desired with a drizzle of caramel sauce and/or chopped pecans.
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