The Flat Belly Diet Guide to Thanksgiving

There are plenty of ways to make your Thanksgiving meal Flat Belly Diet Friendly. Concentrate on the MUFAs (moo-fahs) that the Flat Belly Diet recommends and think low calorie for the rest of your Thanksgiving dinner. For those not in the know or those who are cooking for others on the Flat Belly Diet, MUFA stands for monounsaturated fatty acids. You'll be relieved to know that the items on this diet aren't weird. Instead, the Flat Belly Diet promotes the use of oils, nuts, and other foods that you know should be part of your healthy diet, anyway. Adding them to your Thanksgiving dinner won't be very expensive or difficult to do. Instead, if you include some MUFAs it is more than likely that your Thanksgiving meal will be healthier and your guests won't even notice.

Thanksgiving Appetizers for the Flat Belly Diet

In the South, and maybe in your part of the country, too, it is traditional to include a relish tray as part of the Thanksgiving dinner. The traditional Thanksgiving dinner relish tray and the Flat Belly Diet are a match made in heaven. To please your Flat Belly Diet fans, include olives with the celery, carrots, and tomatoes found on the typical relish tray. Other items to include are artichokes, cucumber slices, and zucchini slices. Pair your relish tray with a spinach dip that includes pesto as the MUFA.

Be sure to set out bowls of nuts as appetizers, too. Nuts are MUFAs and the ones most often suggested for the Flat Belly Diet are almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pistachios, just to name a few. For a special Thanksgiving treat, roast some pumpkin seeds. Remember, don't purchase nuts with added salt and don't add salt to any nuts you are roasting yourself.

Thanksgiving Condiments and Sweeteners for the Flat Belly Diet

You will be glad to know that the Flat Belly Diet doesn't outlaw sugar or Splenda. You should use either sweetener, or perhaps honey as a substitute, but to keep things low-cal, use as little as possible to prepare your Thanksgiving dishes. Mayonnaise made with canola oil is highly recommended by the Flat Belly Diet Guide. Many folks have suggested that the Best Foods and Hellman's mayonnaise with canola oil have the most traditional mayonnaise flavor. Others to try include Whole Foods Mayo and 365 Mayo with canola oil.

Thanksgiving Main and Side Dishes for the Flat Belly Diet

Some traditional recipes you'll be able to keep include sweet potatoes (let pecans be the MUFA for this dish). Saute mushrooms, garlic, and onions in olive oil (MUFA) and add to steamed green beans for a low-fat vegetable side dish. Try acorn squash with a little brown sugar and sprinkled with pecans (MUFA). Or, how do roasted potatoes topped with blue-cheese and walnuts sound to you?

In general, keep to brown rice and whole wheat when preparing other additions to your meal - such as stuffing. And keep the butter to a minimum, as much as possible.

Thanksgiving Dessert for the Flat Belly Diet

Dessert? No, you can't and don't have to leave out dessert if you are on the Flat Belly Diet for Thanksgiving. If you are a guest for Thanksgiving dinner, surprise your hostess with a dessert perfect for your Flat Belly Diet. Only you have to know it's been MUFA-ized. Some ideas include Pumpkin Gingerbread, Ginger-Macadamia Nut Cheesecake with Praline Topping, or a Pumpkin Cream Roll.

Thanksgiving Recipes for the Flat Belly Diet

Almost all of the recipes suggested here for your Thanksgiving dinner can be found for free at Prevention.com . The Ginger-Macadamia Nut Cheesecake and Pumpkin Cream Roll can be found in the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook.

Whether you agree with the Flat Belly Diet or see it as just the latest fad, the recipes and eating guidelines promote foods and oils that have been proven to be good for you. Adding some dishes to your Thanksgiving dinner that are Flat Belly Diet friendly is easy and just might save you from gaining a few pounds over the holiday, too.

Sources:

Flatten Your Belly at Thanksgiving, Prevention.com

Liz Vaccariello and Cynthia Sass, The Flat Belly Diet Cookbook