Healthy and Delicious Recipes - Good for Diabetics, Too
November 2005

In the United States, Canada, Brazil and other countries November is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving. Many cultures and countries have festivals resembling Thanksgiving around the world and typically, all of these joyous occasions revolve around food. Here are great non main dish recipes for any time, but especially for the holidays.

Orange-Pineapple Corn Muffins
Dried Cranberry-Raisin Whole Wheat Bread
Orange (Sweet) Potato Puffs
Sweet Potatoes with Apricot-Pineapple Sauce
Shortcut Stuffing
Wild Rice and Apricot Stuffing

Orange-Pineapple Corn Muffins
Serves:  18
Source:  Countertop Magician
by Jyl Steinback (www.AmericasHealthiestMom.com)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray 18 muffin cups with cooking spray. Combine applesauce, pineapple with juice, orange juice and sugar in large bowl; mix with handheld mixer until creamy and smooth. Combine cornmeal, flour, and baking powder in a resealable plastic bag; shake until mixed. Gradually add flour mixture to bowl and mix until blended. Fold in orange zest and mix well. Fill muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cook slightly before removing from pan.

Dried Cranberry-Raisin Whole Wheat Bread
Serves:  8; 1 pound loaf
Source:  Countertop Magician
by Jyl Steinback (www.AmericasHealthiestMom.com)

Add whole-wheat flour, bread flour, yeast, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, water buttermilk, applesauce, raisins and cranberries to bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Process on the whole-wheat bread cycle.

Orange (Sweet) Potato Puffs
Serves:  8
Source:  Supermarket Gourmet
by Jyl Steinback (www.AmericasHealthiestMom.com)

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place potatoes in a large bowl; mash until smooth. Add orange juice, egg substitute, orange peel, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix until blended. Spoon potato mixture into mounds on baking sheet; sprinkle with wheat germ. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

Sweet Potatoes with Apricot-Pineapple Sauce
Serves:  4
Source:  Supermarket Gourmet
by Jyl Steinback (www.AmericasHealthiestMom.com)

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Spray an 8 or 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cut sweet potatoes into 1 inch slices and arrange in dish. Spoon apricot spread over potatoes; add pineapple chunks and toss lightly. Cover dish with foil and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until heated through.

Tip: Substitute fresh sweet potatoes for canned; cook in boiling water for 25 minutes. Peel, slice and prepare according to recipe directions.

Shortcut Stuffing
Serves:  10
Source:  Supermarket Gourmet
by Jyl Steinback (www.AmericasHealthiestMom.com)

Spray a Dutch oven or large saucepan with cooking spray. Combine broth, onion and celery and mushrooms, if using, in pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Remove pan from heat; stir in croutons and mix until blended and moistened. (If mixture is too dry, add additional broth.) Serve immediately or bake in 350ºF oven for 35 to 45 minutes, until lightly browned.

Wild Rice and Apricot Stuffing
Serves:  4
Source:  Supermarket Gourmet
by Jyl Steinback (www.AmericasHealthiestMom.com)

Combine ½ cup of broth, onion and thyme in a large pot; cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Pour mixture into a bowl and set aside. Pour remaining broth into pot; add sage and poultry seasoning and bring to a boil over high heat. Add wild rice; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in white rice; cover and simmer until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in reserved mushroom mixture and apricots. Cover pot and simmer until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with pepper and serve.

Tip: You can substitute dried cranberries for the apricots and diced fresh onion for frozen.