THANKSGIVING Done Right!

You spend the entire day in the kitchen - cooking, nibbling, tasting...and no doubt, starving yourself so you have an excuse to overeat when the actual Thanksgiving meal occurs. You were too busy coordinating for the family, so you skipped the gym, and you have less energy than you normally do. After you eat, it's time to sit and watch football... now remind me why we say HAPPY Thanksgiving?!

I'm just kidding. There's plenty to love about Thanksgiving. But let's face it - not much of it is healthy...unless you make some substitutions! Enter Michelle. :)

Here are some healthy and creative ways to make your Thanksgiving just as fun and taste just as good - without all of those fat grams and calories! I'll give away all my secrets over the next week so you can continue reaching your fitness goals throughout the holiday season!

Stuffing:
½ cup wild rice
1 cup long grain brown rice
1 med onion, chopped
¾ cup diced celery, about ¼ inch pieces
2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
1 medium green apple, diced about ¼ inch pieces
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped walnuts or almonds
6 dried apricots, coarsely chopped
½ cup raisins
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 TBS chopped fresh sage
3 TBS chopped fresh thyme
½ TBS fennel seeds
½ cup + 1 TBS chicken broth
Morton Lite salt and black pepper to taste

* Bring 3½ cups of lightly salted water to a boil. While water is coming to a boil, rinse the wild rice under running water in a strainer. When water is boiling, add both wild and brown rice.
* Cover, turn heat to low and cook for about 45 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook. You will most likely have excess water when rice is cooked properly.
* Put cooked rice in a strainer and drain out excess water. Set aside in a large enough bowl to mix everything together.
* Heat 1 TBS chicken broth in a large non-stick skillet. Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and celery and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
* Mix all the stuffing ingredients together in bowl and season with salt and pepper.