Talking turkey: MayoClinic.com highlights healthy holiday cooking

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for family, friends, good health and great food. This year, instead of serving the old, not-so-healthy standbys — turkey smothered in gravy, candied yams, buttered corn and pumpkin pie — try healthier Thanksgiving recipes from MayoClinic.com.

MayoClinic.com offers a number of options for a fresh approach to healthy eating this Thanksgiving, including tasty recipes for turkey gravy and pumpkin soup. A new video on MayoClinic.com also provides users with instructions on creating a healthy Thanksgiving dinner.

Many holiday recipes can tolerate a healthy renovation without affecting the taste or texture of the food. MayoClinic.com offers a few tips and techniques to make recipes healthier:

• Reduce the amount of fat, sugar and sodium. With most recipes, fat, sugar and sodium can be reduced without losing flavor.
• Make a healthy substitution. Healthy substitutions not only reduce fat, calories and sodium, but also can boost the nutritional content. For example, use whole-wheat pasta instead of enriched pasta.
• Delete an ingredient. In some recipes, ingredients can be removed altogether; likely candidates include items such as frosting, coconut and nuts, which are high in fat and calories.
• Change the method of preparation. Healthy cooking techniques — such as braising, broiling, grilling and steaming — can capture the flavor and nutrients of food without adding excessive amounts of fat, oil or sodium.
• Change the portion size. Smaller portions have less fat, calories and sodium and allow individuals to eat a wider variety of foods during a meal.

Mayo Clinic.com provides users with a number of healthy recipes, nutrition facts and grocery shopping tips to use during the holiday season.

• Thanksgiving recipes: Delicious options for healthy eating
• Video: Making healthy turkey and turkey gravy
• Healthy Recipes Center
• Healthy eating and food groups
• Food labels and shopping