It is not often easy to cook with organic or natural ingredients if you do not know where to look. Organic foods are often wrapped in high prices and clouded in judgment. Many are over-priced, and for what? Lesser, more qualifying ingredients? If you want to sneak some affordable organic foods in your family’s Thanksgiving dinner this holiday, it does not have to be an impossible task.

Fruits and Vegetables

Organic fruits and vegetables do not have to break the bank, although many are worth the few extra pennies per pound. If you are lucky enough to leave near a Trader Joe’s or a Whole Foods (they do seem sparse), the store brands provide a natural – not always organic – produce section that is worth checking out.

Spices and Condiments

An important part of every great feast is in the spices and sauces. Pumpkin pie needs clove, ginger, and nutmeg; mashed potatoes need salt and pepper; sweet potato bake surely needs brown sugar. Store brands like Whole Foods, and Target’s Simply Balanced and Archer Farms, provide affordable, natural seasonings for your Thanksgiving favorites.

Egg Nog and Hot Drinks

Surprisingly, organic and ‘all-natural’ (be sure to read the labels for these claims) coffee, tea, cider, and egg nog cost about the same as your favorite brands. Even Silk, which provides a soy alternative, only runs $2.99 per quart of nog. There is more expensive organic nog, such as almond milk ‘egg’ nog, but it is not something for the typical family meal. Brand to watch out for: Organic Valley.

Cheese and Other Snacks

Many people serve snacks and drinks before their Thanksgiving feast – cheese platter, veggie and dip, or crackers. These appetizers provide another opportunity to slip an all-natural side dish in for your family and friends.

Note: common stores like Kroger and Target both provide a private label organics line. These are affordable and accessible.

The hype would tell an average consumer that organic products are expensive and a waste of both time and money. However, it is natural to want to feed your loved ones foods that you can trace back to a farm, or a sustainable company. Sneak in a few organic apples in your husband’s pie and be comfortable in the fact that you can provide a natural, bountiful feast.

The post 4 Affordable Organics for the Thanksgiving Dinner Table appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Crispy Roast Duck with Giblet Gravy

Servings: 8

• 2 Maple Leaf Farms Whole Ducks (5 pounds each), thawed if frozen
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 onion, unpeeled and quartered
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 small sprigs fresh sage
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 3/4 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
•  Salt and pepper, to taste

Remove giblets and orange sauce packets from ducks and reserve for another use. Rinse ducks; pat dry with paper towels. Place breast sides up on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Roast according to package directions.

Place remaining duck giblets and necks in large saucepan. Add broth, water, onion, carrots, sage sprigs, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer gently uncovered 1 hour. Strain broth; set aside giblets and discard remaining solids. If broth measures less than 2 cups add water to equal 2 cups.

Remove roast ducks from oven and transfer to rack of broiler pan. Preheat broiler. Pour off and reserve drippings from roasting pan. Add vermouth to pan and cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture is reduced by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Spoon off 1/4 cup fat from reserved drippings; transfer to medium saucepan. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat 1 minute. Add 2 cups strained duck broth and wine mixture to saucepan. Add drippings to saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, until gravy thickens. Chop reserved giblets and add to gravy. Simmer 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Broil ducks 5–6 inches from heat source until skin is well browned and crispy, 6–8 minutes. Cut each duck into quarters and transfer to serving plates. Pass gravy separately. Garnish with sage sprigs, if desired.

For more recipes, visit www.mapleleaffarms.com. 

Creamy Scalloped Potatoes

Prep time: 45 minutes

Servings: 14

• 2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups 2 percent milk
• 1 cup Daisy Sour Cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Asiago cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

Butter 11-by-7-inch (2 quart) baking dish and set aside. Slice potatoes to 1/8-inch-thick circles. Place potatoes in large saucepan or Dutch oven; add water to cover by 1 inch. Cook until tender and cool slightly.

Heat oven to 350°F. In 2 1/2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 1 minute. Stir in flour and salt. Cook until mixture bubbles. Gradually stir in milk and cook until mixture boils. Reduce heat to low. Stir in sour cream and cheese. Cook on low until cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Layer half of potatoes in baking dish. Pour half the sauce over potatoes. Repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce. Sprinkle potatoes with paprika. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until bubbly and top starts to brown.

For more recipes, visit www.daisybrand.com.

Brown Sugar Pecan Pie

Prep time: 35 minutes

Chill time: 1 1/2 hours or overnight

Bake time: 15–20 minutes

Cook time: 40–45 minutes

Servings: 8

Crust:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) ground pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cold
• 1 egg yolk
• 3–4 tablespoons ice water, divided
•  2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Filling:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pecan halves

To make crust, mix flour, nuts and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until pieces are size of small peas. Mix egg yolk, 3 tablespoons ice water and lemon juice in small bowl. Add to flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring lightly and tossing with fork until moistened and dough just holds together. Add remaining ice water, if needed. Gather dough and shape into 1-inch-thick disk.

Refrigerate, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour or overnight.

Heat oven to 425°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, rolling from center to edge, to form 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters; ease and unfold into 9-inch pie plate. Press pastry gently against bottom and sides of pie plate, easing out any air. Trim edge leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under; flute edge. Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes.

Line piecrust with aluminum foil; fill with pie weights. Bake in oven until pastry is set, 8–10 minutes. Remove foil and weights; pierce pastry all over with fork. Bake until pastry is golden brown, 5–7 minutes longer. Cool completely on wire rack.

Heat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs, brown sugar, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt in medium bowl until well blended. Arrange pecan halves evenly in bottom of piecrust. Carefully pour egg mixture over pecans.

Bake in center of 350°F oven until knife inserted midway between center and edge of pie comes out clean, 40–45 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Note: Pastry dough can be made in food processor. Also, ground almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts can be substituted for pecans.

For more recipes, visit www.IncredibleEgg.org.

*Family Features

The post appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Who doesn’t love the smell of a warm kitchen during the holidays? They’re designed around food and bringing family, old friends and new friends together. However, holidays can also be a detriment to your healthy lifestyle and cause you to lose your focus through the end of the year. But they don’t have to.

“Think of fall as the perfect time to reassess the state of your health and prep for the challenges of the holiday season,” says Alicia Rodriguez, corporate registered dietician at Life Time Fitness – The Health Way of Life Company. “When it comes to nutrition and avoiding weight gain, my motto is, keep it simple and easy.”

Here are some tips to help you do the same:

Bulk up your plate with protein and vegetables

The side dishes at most holiday meals are often as good as the turkey or ham, but stuffing and mashed potatoes aren’t the best way to fill your plate. One way to avoid-weight gain is to build your plate with protein. This should be easy since holiday dinners revolve around meat. Second, fill your plate with side dishes that include vegetables. You may have a little spot left on your plate – use this space for your “indulgence.” When you look at your plate, the goal is that the majority is still providing you with good nutrients and reduced carbohydrates.

Use the “fork” trick

Many of us go back for seconds, and even third helpings at holiday meals. This year, focus on asking yourself if you’re enjoying your food. To help you answer this question, use the fork trick. Once you take a bite of food, place your fork down on the plate and let it go. Chew your food, swallow and then pick it up again. The key to this trick is letting go of the fork. This will remind you to slow down, enjoy your food and converse with friends and family.

Avoid the clean plate club

Growing up, many of us were always told “You can’t leave the table until you finish everything on your plate” and inevitably, we spent many nights sitting alone at the dinner table. These days, Rodriguez advises her clients to eat until they are full and, if their plate is not clean, it’s OK. Focus on one plate of food, slow down and be careful not to overeat. Overfeeding is never really a healthy thing to do.

Share your dessert with a loved one

After a satisfying meal, it is hard to avoid the sweet smells of pumpkin -or warm apple pie. If you choose not to skip dessert, share a small slice with a loved one or new friend. If you are hosting, designate one family member to bring dessert to limit the endless selection of pies and reduce the urge to over indulge.

Make like a turkey and trot out the door

Start your holiday with a new tradition this year and gather the family to do something active. Take a walk to a local park, put together a family friendly flag football game, rake the leaves up in the yard (and jump into them) or encourage the family to sign up for a run/walk event such as the Life Time Turkey Day 5K or Commitment Day 2014.

Holidays are a time to be thankful for family, friends and everything in between. Savor the moment, really take time to taste your food, get out and have some fun, and avoid the-holiday weight gain.

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