As turkey day approaches, it’s time to start making your shopping list. Packaged gravy mixes as well as canned and bottled gravy products can seem like an easy way to cut down on your preparation time.
But beware! Those mixes and products often contain large amounts of sugar, salt and unpronounceable chemicals that preserve those Frankenfood versions of gravy through the year 2015. And putting those ingredients in your body isn’t exactly something to give thanks for.
The good news: Healthy versions of gravy don’t have to take a lot of time or money. Here are some tips to try:
- Mix the natural juices from your cooked turkey with pureed vegetables. The veggies will thicken your gravy without any need to use white flour. And for a quick solution, use baby food, such as Earth’s Best Organic Baby Food Stage 1 First Peas.
- Do you like to have gravy on the table to serve over mashed potatoes as well as slices of turkey? Make your own gravy but cut down on the calories by adding chopped seasonal vegetables, such as roasted cauliflower. Mushrooms add a meaty flavor as well. And you can also stretch out the gravy, cut down the calories and keep the taste by adding a small amount of low-calorie broth, such as Pacific Natural Foods Organic Turkey Bone Broth.
- Don’t ignore the vegans and vegetarians at the Thanksgiving table. My new favorite discovery is Massel Gluten Free Turkey Style Supergravy Mix. It’s not just gluten-free: It’s vegan and wheat-free as well.
- If you do decide to use a mix, choose one that’s organic, such as Simply Organic Gravy Roasted Turkey Seasoning Mix.