Thanksgiving is a day to not only be grateful, but the menu is basically the center of attention. While we tend to overindulge this holiday, we can still do it in a healthy manner.
Dr. Diana Bitner, nationally recognized menopause specialist, stopped by the Morning Mix Kitchen to show us how to make one of her favorite recipes,
Brussels sprouts are one of Dr. Bitner's favorite vegetables and loves to put them in a salad. She adds some additional ingredients but keeps the simple essence of Brussels Sprouts, red onion, apples, and a maple vinaigrette. Everything is better with arugula and rounded out with a sprinkling of blue or gorgonzola cheese.
Brussel Sprout Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 lb brussels sprouts and arugula
- ½ red onion
- ¼ c white vinegar
- 1 Tb Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove
- ¾ c olive oil
- 1 apple
- 1 c walnuts
- 4 oz gorgonzola cheese
Directions:
Slice the sprouts and onion thin with a knife or mandolin, toss with the arugula. Mix the dressing ingredients and toss with the greens. Sprinkle with nuts and cheese, enjoy the healthy goodness!
Another one of her favorite dishes is cooking with squash. Squash has many of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to stay healthy and maintain energy including Vitamins A, B, C, and minerals calcium, magnesium, copper, and iron. It's also high in antioxidants helping to fight inflammation.
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Ingredients:
- Butternut Squash (or any variety of squash)
- Onion
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- Curry powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 Cups apple cider
- 2 Cups chicken broth
- Instead of boiling the butternut squash, Dr. Bitner roasts it first to better bring out the sweetness and when cool, cut into cubes. Then brown the onion in two tablespoons of olive oil, add curry powder, and cook for two minutes.
- Add several shakes of cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, and 2 cups of apple cider and 2 cups of chicken broth. Let it simmer until the onions are soft. Add the cubed butternut squash, 2 apples peeled and chopped, and fresh nutmeg.
- Once the apples and squash are soft, Let it cool a bit and use a hand-held soup blender to mix the cooked ingredients thoroughly, making sure there is enough liquid to not have the soup resemble baby food.
Happy holidays and remember to add color to your plate and that healthy eating does not have to be complicated or expensive.
To set up an appointment with the Midlife, Menopause, and Sexual Health team at Spectrum Health, call (616)-267-8520. Their offices are located on the west side of Grand Rapids at 3800 Lake Michigan Drive North West in Suite A, and on the East Side of Grand Rapids at the Integrated Care Campus on East Beltline.
