The DASH diet plan tips

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Here are some tips for Thanksgiving dining from dietitian Marla Heller, author of “The DASH Diet Action Plan.”

Appetizers

• Raw veggies on a platter with a hummus dip.

• Sliced yellow, orange and red bell peppers, with a dip made from nonfat sour cream and salsa.

• Unsalted nuts.

• Apple and pear slices with grapes.

Thanksgiving dinner

• Turkey breast (with the skin removed) is very low in saturated fat. If you cook the stuffing separately from the bird, you are more likely to have a moist turkey breast. (Stuffing the bird means you need longer cooking times, which may result in dry breast meat.)

• Make a low-fat gravy by using a skimmer cup to separate out most of the fat from the turkey drippings. Make your gravy high flavor by first sauteeing some onions or shallots with some garlic. Then add some red wine, and boil to burn off the alcohol, while leaving great flavor. Add skimmed meat drippings. Use instant flour (Wondra) to thicken hot gravy.

• Use low-sodium, nonfat chicken broth for more flavor in gravy and for moistening stuffing which is cooked in a casserole.

• Mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes are great sources of potassium, a key nutrient in the DASH diet. Use skim milk and light margarine for mashing.

• Fill your plate with extra helpings of vegetables to avoid overdoing calories.

• Cranberry sauce is a great source of antioxidants, which are great for your heart.

• Choose whole grain rolls.

Dessert

• Pumpkin pie can count as a vegetable. For a low-fat recipe, go to http://dashdiet.org/dash_diet_recipes.asp.

• Similarly, apple pie will provide a serving of fruit.

Alcohol

• Limit alcohol to moderate amounts to keep calories under control and help you manage your blood pressure. Women should limit to 1 glass and men to 2 glasses per day. Fill your wine glass with water, so you have something to drink without overdoing alcohol. Or have a glass of skim milk to add another key DASH diet food.

• If you are eating at someone else’s house, bring a vegetable dish or vegetable appetizers, so that you can be sure to have a healthy dinner.

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