Light and Quick Suppers for Thanksgiving Eve

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. You've baked the pies, prepped the veggies, bought the bird, and prepared everything in advance you could. Now what are you going to have for dinner tonight, Thanksgiving Eve?

If it was just yourself perhaps you would just as soon have a yogurt or a grilled cheese sandwich. Yet chances are if you're making a big dinner, you've got company or a family to feed. The best suppers for Thanksgiving Eve are quick, fast and light. Nobody expects a fancy feast on this casual evening, and everyone wants to eat sparingly in preparation for the big feed on Thanksgiving.

Seafood is always a quick and healthy option. Salmon is a rich, satisfying fish with lots of nutritional benefits. It also cooks quickly and easily. There are lots of different ways to prepare it but here's an easy recipe idea. Season the salmon fillet(s) with kosher salt and ground black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. In a bowl toss minced garlic, chopped tomatoes (you can use canned), chopped olives, capers, chopped green onions and some dried dill, salt, pepper and another squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Top the salmon with this mixture and broil in the oven until salmon is almost done; about 15-25 minutes depending on how thick it is. Remove it from the oven and it will finish cooking without being dry. Serve it with a big salad and serve the fish over some cooked orzo or wild rice.

If salmon isn't popular in your household consider a comforting, hearty vegetable soup. It's nourishing and quite easy to make. If you don't want to chop any vegetables you can buy the pre-cut vegetables from the produce section or else use frozen vegetables. First sauté garlic and onions in a couple of tablespoons of EV olive oil. Add a dash of kosher salt and ground pepper and cook over a low heat until they turn golden brown. Now add the vegetables you like, such as diced carrots, parsnips, peppers, zucchini, cubed eggplant, etc. It's really a matter of taste. Sauté them for a few minutes and then add a tablespoon of Italian seasoning or whatever fresh herbs you have available. Toast them in the pan for a couple of minutes and add a splash of white wine. Now add enough vegetable stock so veggies are covered with at least four-five extra inches of broth. At this point you can also add a can of diced tomatoes, canned (and rinsed) beans such as white or pinto, frozen spinach, etc. Let the soup simmer gently until it has thickened slightly and the veggies are cooked; probably ½ hour to an hour. Serve it with a warm loaf of crusty whole grain bread and some sharp cheddar cheese. It's also a great way to use up leftovers in your fridge and freezer before you make a bunch more on Thanksgiving.

Remember that you can and should enlist some of the people hanging around the kitchen chatting as your prep cooks and make life even easier! Hopefully these light and healthy Thanksgiving Eve supper ideas will help you feed the crowd without exhausting you for the big day.