A Traditional Thanksgiving Menu

We’ve gathered our favorite Thanksgiving recipes to help you build the essential holiday menu. You’ll find juicy turkey, fragrant gravy, succulent sides, and delicious desserts.

Article By: WeightWatchers.com

When your family and friends sit down to these delicious versions of the all-American classics, no one will know that they’re enjoying healthier food. Save your recipe secrets (like sauerkraut in the cake!) until the end of the meal and your guests will be pleasantly surprised that they’ve eaten a more virtuous meal than they planned.

Turkey and Rosemary Gravy
Our Best-Ever Slimmed Down Turkey and Gravy recipes were prepared especially for WeightWatchers.com by Thanksgiving 101 author and cooking guru Rick Rodgers. He takes you through the paces of everything from making turkey stock to trussing the bird to getting the gravy just right.

Cranberry-Orange Relish
Forget the canned stuff. This fresh cranberry sauce is spiked with orange and requires absolutely no cooking.

Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts
Even the non-Brussels sprouts eaters on our staff liked this version featuring turkey bacon, chestnuts and a touch of maple syrup.

Stuffing with Sage and Chives
This stuffing gets a nutrient boost from whole-wheat bread and is infused with the distinct flavors of sage and chive.

Apple-Topped Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This sweet, spiced combination is certain to impress your holiday guests. Be sure to use Golden Delicious apples because they hold their shape well while sautéing.

Pumpkin Pie with Graham-Cracker Crust
Our take on a Thanksgiving classic features a light graham cracker crust and has just the right sweetness to balance the spiced filling.

Dark Chocolate Cake
This cake’s a winner. It’s like a rich devil’s food cake but it's slimmed down by adding a secret ingredient: canned sauerkraut. (Yes, you read that right. Trust us, you'll never taste it!)

Caramel-Apple Tart
A light piecrust is no easy feat. But we mastered it for this tart. A drizzle of sweet caramel over the apples seals the deal.

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