14 Healthy Thanksgiving Tricks

1. Make a super-rich, extra-flavorful poultry stock that you can use to add a ton of savory flavor. Make a basic chicken stock, but add the turkey neck that comes inside your turkey to the chicken bones. When it’s done, simmer it on the stove until it’s reduced by half.

2. The fortified stock has a lot of flavor, so the finished stuffing won’t feel any less decadent or savory, and there will still be enough fat in the stuffing to keep it from drying out.

3. Slow-roast your sweet potatoes so that they’re maximally sweet without any added sugar.Cut 3 lbs sweet potatoes into ¾-inch pieces, toss with 2 Tbsp olive oil and a little salt and pepper, and spread onto two baking sheets. Roast in a 325°F oven until the undersides are browned, about 40 minutes.

4.Mashed cauliflower admittedly doesn’t taste much like the real thing, but adding cauliflower purée to traditional mashed potatoes makes them a little bit lighter without compromising their taste.

5.Dry your turkey thoroughly before roasting so the skin crisps without any extra fat.

6.Serve individual baked apple crisps instead of apple pie.

7.In a small sauce pot, combine a 12-oz bag frozen cranberries, ½ cup orange juice, ½ cup water, the zest of one orange, and ⅓ cup granulated sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook over medium-low heat until the cranberries burst and the mixture is thick, 20 to 25 minutes.

8.Thinly slice your Brussels sprouts, then roast them in a big ol’ heap — they’ll get soft and caramelized without much oil.

9. Make pumpkin pie filling with almond milk instead of evaporated milk, ¾ of the sugar, and twice as much cinnamon.

10. At cocktail hour, serve Campari and soda instead of beer, wine, or sugary cocktails.

11. If you’re serving creamy dip as an appetizer, use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

12. Tossing your green beans in browned butter is delicious and actually way healthier than green bean casserole.

13. Double the quantity of vegetables in your stuffing.

14. Make sure you have a simple green salad on the table.