Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

We know you’re busy during the Holidays, so to make your Thanksgiving Day easier, our friends at The Asbury and Novant Health Kitchen have created some fool-proof, delicious and healthy recipes with step-by-step instructions. Check out the videos below! Oh, and keep your eye on this page, we’ll keep adding recipes throughout November to cover everything from turkey to dessert. Happy Thanksgiving!

• ½ C Cajun Spice Blend (recipe below)
• Sachet: 5 to 6 whole bay leaves, 4 bulbs of garlic (broken apart), 2 onions (cut into chunks)
• 1 (12-pound) fresh turkey
• Cooler or Bucket for storage

Combine the following ingredients and store in an airtight container if you do not use immediately:

• Paprika, smoked (1/2 C)
• Chipotle, ground (1/4 C)
• Ancho, Ground (1/4 C)
• Onion Powder (2T)
• Garlic Powder (4T)
• Oregano, dried (2T)
• Thyme, dried (2T)
• Black Pepper, Coarse Grind (4T)

• Celery
• Onion
• Garlic
• Grilled Lemon
• Rosemary Sprigs
• Bay leaves

• Heat enough water to dissolve the salt and sugar in a pan.
  
• Add remaining ingredients (spice mix, sachet).
  
• Place the turkey in a container large enough to fit the turkey plus the brine. This will also need to fit into your refrigerator at the recommended storage temperature (32F – 40F).
  
• Allow to “brine” (or stand) for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator.
  
• Once you have brined the turkey, remove from the liquid and place on a platter or large roasting pan (stainless steel or other nonreactive metal), uncovered, in the refrigerator for 24 hours to dry the skin out. This will give you the ideal browning and crispy skin that really makes a great roasted turkey.
  
• Once it has dried in the refrigerator for 24+ hours, gather the ingredients for stuffing turkey. Allow the turkey and ingredients to sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
  
• Remove the kidneys, liver and neck from the cavity before stuffing. Place ingredients into the cavity.
  
• Roasted in preheated oven (we do ours at 275°F until almost cooked, then increase to 350°F for the final 20 minutes to crisp the skin) until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion of thigh registers 165°F. Remove turkey from oven, and let stand at least 30 minutes.
  
• Tip: Remove turkey from the oven at 155°F as roasts of this size tend to continue cooking. Monitor with a digital thermometer to make sure it rises to 165°F. Return it to the oven if it needs additional time. Roasting time for a 12-pound turkey can range from 2 ¾ hours to 3 ½ hours.

• Consult charts such as this one from the USDA and make adjustments based on your oven and the cooking temperatures you choose: https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/turkeyroastingchart.html
  

• Allow to rest 30 minutes before carving.

• 1/2 cup grapeseed or canola oil
• 3 cups white cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 7 large eggs, divided
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 3/4 pound chicken sausage
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 large bunch celery, diced (3 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Granny Smith apples, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 6 (10 1/2-ounce) cans condensed chicken broth, undiluted or about 8 cups homemade chicken or turkey stock
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper

• Place 1/2 cup oil in a 13- x 9-inch pan or divide between two large cast iron skillets; heat in oven at 375° for 4 minutes.
• Combine cornmeal and next 4 ingredients; whisk in 3 eggs and buttermilk. Pour hot oil into batter, stirring until blended. Pour batter into pan or skillets. Bake at 375° for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
• Crumble cornbread into a large bowl; set aside.
• Sauté sausage over medium heat in a nonstick or cast iron skillet. Add onion, celery, garlic and apples. Cook until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in sage, parsley and rosemary.
• Add herbs and vegetables and the cooked sausage mixture to the crumbled cornbread.
• Add pepper; stir in remaining 4 eggs and chicken broth to moisten mixture. Let stand, covered, in the refrigerator overnight to soak up broth.
• Pour evenly into a food service baking pan or one lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking pan and one lightly greased 8-inch square baking pan.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown.
• Makes 16 to 18 servings.
• Tip: For a gluten-free version, use 1 (20-ounce) package Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Cornbread Mix. Mix cornbread according to package directions and proceed as directed.