Have Your Cranberries and Eat Them Too
I still haven’t decided if I’m going to make a Thanksgiving meal or not. I do love turkey, and it wouldn’t go to waste even though it’s just me and Jason. I’d freeze some of the leftovers, possibly make soup from the carcass, and the rest would make sandwiches and re-heated dinners for several days. I thought about making just a turkey breast because it’s smaller and easier to cook, which also means I’m less likely to screw it up, but I happen to prefer the less heart-healthy dark meat. I’ve also considered just roasting a chicken or some game hens, but the problem with those is that they’re not turkey.
Back when I was a teenager, there were a few years that my mom got a smoked turkey, and this is a great option because technically, it’s already cooked. It just has to be heated in the oven so it takes less time than a regular bird, and it’s far moister than any other turkey you’ll ever eat. My issues with that are that I don’t know where to get one where I live now, I don’t know if it’s too late to order one (my mom always had to order them in advance), and then of course, there’s the guilt I’d feel about the high sodium content which is a given with any kind of smoked meat.
I’m still deliberating, although I’m well aware I had better figure it out soon. I did look at turkeys while I was at the supermarket a couple of days ago, but I only saw ginormous ones. If I make a whole turkey, I would at least like to get a small bird. Turkey is my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal though. Luckily it’s the part that I can indulge in without worrying too much about my BG, and it’s possible that’s why it’s my favorite. I love stuffing, but it loses to turkey because I’d be chasing that high for hours if I ate too much of that.
Turkey is not complete without the cranberry sauce, in my humble opinion. Of course, your standard canned cranberry sauce has enough sugar to put me in DKA because I don’t skimp on it. I don’t like the canned stuff though - especially that jellied crap (bleh!) - because I discovered how much more yummy and fabulously easy it is to make cranberry sauce about ten years ago. I don’t normally go for “diabetic” recipes or sugar-free foods unless the SF version is just as good or better than the regular version. I think this is better than regular cranberry sauce because that stuff is too sugary and ruins the natural tartness of cranberries. The glorious low-carb nature of turkey would be ruined if I had to use canned, so this has become one of my Thanksgiving staples. No matter if I’ve eaten Thanksgiving dinner at home or at someone’s house, I make sure to have some. I love it on turkey sandwiches too, so I buy extra bags of cranberries to freeze in case I feel like making some during the year.
If you’re hosting Thanksgiving this year, make this in advance, as early as this weekend, so you don’t have to bother with it on Thanksgiving. If you’re going elsewhere for Thanksgiving, make a batch and bring it with you if you’re able. The basic version is just the cranberries, water and Splenda. The rest of the ingredients are for flavor and texture, so you can add that stuff or add something different (finely chopped dried apples or apricots, black pepper, cinnamon, caramelized onions - use your imagination).
Way Better Than Canned Cranberries
1c Splenda
1c water
12 oz. fresh cranberries, rinsed
3T orange juice
1/2c orange sections
1t orange zest
2T finely chopped celery
2T finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Boil water and Splenda. Add cranberries, juice, sections and zes. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until water is reduced, berries have burst, and sections have fallen apart. Remove from heat, cool, and add celery and nuts. Cover and chill. Makes about 3 cups. 1 serving = 1T.













