Thanksgiving Dinner for One

A couple of years ago I faced spending my very first Thanksgiving alone. Before you start wondering how anti-social I must be to have no invitations to Thanksgiving with others, no family to share dinner with or loved ones to entertain, let me explain. I was separated from my soon to be ex-husband and truly not in a holiday mood. Second to that was the fact that I was on a very stringent diet for my health. I was not willing to sacrifice even one day or one meal to indulge in the traditional Thanksgiving feast. My health had returned, my weight was very nearly ideal and I felt very alive for the first time in years.

My daily diet focused on eating fresh meats, vegetables, raw nuts, seeds, unprocessed oils, water and tea. I had eliminated sugar, pasta, most condiments, all canned foods, all dairy and all baked goods. As Thanksgiving Day approached I considered all the angles and opportunities to continue the diet on Thanksgiving Day without falling into a depression of melancholy and self-pity. I studied and rehearsed my expectations of the Thanksgiving traditions and considered which to keep and which could not be eliminated.

Obviously my day would have to begin with the traditional Thanksgiving Day parades. For as long as I could remember all Thanksgiving aromas had been accompanied by the sounds of high school marching bands and the sights of city streets. Just as Thanksgiving Day parades were scented with the smells of the Thanksgiving meal in every stage of preparation. I could not remember a year where I had not seen every marching unit in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade or missed the arrival of Santa Claus to New York City. I committed to rising early to watch the parades.

The smells of sautéing onion and celery, mixed with sage and melted butter for the turkey stuffing had become part of the Thanksgiving parade watching tradition. Roasting turkey accompanied by floats and hot air balloons created an environment reminiscent of home and heart, family and friends. I remembered how the aromas seemed to greet and carry the entire Holiday Season. It was obvious that those smells would be missed if I eliminated them. I purchased turkey breast tenderloins the day before Thanksgiving from the neighborhood Trader Joe's. I invested in fresh herbs and vegetables including sage, thyme, basil, garlic, onion and celery.

Pound turkey breast tenderloins to ¼ inch
Cut to similar sizes if necessary
Sauté onion & celery in olive oil
Add poultry seasonings, salt & Pepper to taste
Spread mixture on one side of tenderloin
Fold in half and secure with toothpicks
Broil or grill three minutes per side or until done

The afternoons of Thanksgivings Past were always wrapped h the sights and sounds of College Football. I was raised to appreciate every play in the game and spent my childhood glued to the screen while the women prepared the green bean casserole and candied yams to accompany the roasted turkey. Thanksgiving is about Bowl Games. As a mother I had taught my children to do the same. Now, as the only cook for the kitchen, I moved the television to where I could watch my favorite teams fulfill an important Thanksgiving dream as I prepared my meal.

I then contemplated the problem of the Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes. Lucky for me I had never appreciated slicing my finger each time I peeled the obligatory Irish potatoes and was not unwilling to eliminate them for sake of the diet. I wouldn't be able to have the will-it-turn-out-or-won't-it-turn-out giblet gravy of Thansgivings past because of the flour and butter involved. It was a difficult sacrifice. After all, my daughters and I had perfected a mashed potato recipe that called for a pint of sour cream and real butter. It was a creation fit for the fanciest of Thanksgiving tables. I knew I would find no substitute for that dish. For this one year, I convinced myself, I would do without.

I then faced the next item of concern on the Thanksgiving menu. It is never eliminated and seldom survives into the Thanksgiving leftover mountain in the refrigerator. For the sake of my diet though it would never come into being this Thanksgiving season. Green bean casserole with canned cream of mushroom soup and deep fried onions would not be making an appearance on my table. Mushrooms, cream and canning preservatives were not on my restricted diet. I invested instead in a bag of fresh petite green beans and some slivered raw almonds. A sweet onion would finish the dish.

Sauté sliced sweet onion in olive oil
Cook over low to medium heat until onions are translucent and slightly caramelized
Add green beans and continue cooking until beans are just tender
Add slivered raw onions, salt and pepper to taste

The loss of traditional Thanksgiving candied yams loomed before me. Luckily, earlier in the weeks of my diet, I had discovered that yams would satisfy my cravings for sugar and had learned to prepare them with nearly every evening meal. I had long ago abandoned the need for brown sugar and marshmallows toasted on top. I picked up a couple of Beuregard yams in the produce department and got a bag of raw pecan pieces from Trader Joe's. I double-checked to assure that I had a carton of almond milk, a bottle of real Vanilla and pumpkin pie spices in the cupboard.

Pierce or slice the skin of each Yam
Place on a paper towel on rotating dish
Microwave on High for 8 to 10 minutes. (Additional minutes required for more than one yam)
Remove and cool slightly
Scoop out the flesh and place in a mixing bowl
Mash with a potato masher
Mix in almond milk and vanilla as needed and whip to a smooth texture
Add chopped pecans, salt and pumpkin pie spices to taste.
Serve as a side dish or dessert

I made sure that my dinner was served at a table set with my best autumn toned linens, candles in their annual Thanksgiving candlesticks, and a fresh Thanksgiving centerpiece of flowers. I added a finely arranged tray of raw vegetables including broccoli, green onions, celery sticks, carrot sticks and jicama slices.

I can look back without remorse or melancholy on the first Thanksgiving I ever spent alone. My day had been full of enjoying the smells, sights and sounds of Thanksgivings past. I had enjoyed my leisurely time in the kitchen. I even made an extra plate and carried it upstairs to a shut-in who preferred to dine alone. There were no unexpected glitches, no expectations to fail, and no tradition left untended. Nothing was forgotten and dinner was served on time. All in all, it goes down in personal annals as one of the best Thanksgivings I ever had.