November...

a time of gratitude.

As the cold days of November begin to get shorter and shorter, I find myself once again making plans for holiday celebrations. November is a time to reflect on the year that's fading and all that we have to be grateful for.  This year, let's begin our Thanksgiving dinner with a moment of silence to remember all of our veterans and those on active duty in the military.  Veterans Day is a reminder of the sacrifices that our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, neighbors, and parents are making.  Many families have someone (or more...) fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan, or serving elsewhere, that will not be joining them at the holidays this year.  I am grateful to them for their service to our country.  My Thanksgiving prayer is that they all return home safely and soon!

As the "most travelled holiday of the year", Thanksgiving family gatherings are a time when we all enjoy each other's company along with great home cooked meals.  We all know that the star of the day is the turkey, but let's take a look at some healthy breakfast choices for the week-end.  Many people are concerned about eating eggs.  They have garnered a bad reputation in recent years and one that many believe no longer holds water.  Gone are the days when my grandmother fried up eggs and bacon every day for my grandfather.  Today we are much more conscious of high fat foods, and eating everything in moderation.  Eggs in particular can be eaten hard or soft boiled, in salads, omelets and quiches, and most doctors today agree that eating 3 or 4 eggs a week is part of a healthy diet.  The good news is that one large egg contains 126 mcg of choline (a nutrient that helps to maintain the integrity of cell membranes and is particularly crucial to brain health and function) and just 70 calories!   The bad news is that it's high in saturated fat and cholesterol.  If you are watching your cholesterol, skip the yoke, as all of the cholesterol and most of the saturated fat comes from the yolk. 

Try my favorite no crust quiche recipe, it's filled with vegetables and healing spices and will make a great brunch in preparation for shopping on Black Friday, or breakfast any day.  Serve it with a toasted whole grain baguette and a salad and you've got an entire meal!

Another healthy breakfast choice is fruit and yogurt with a handful of nuts.  Berries can bring plenty of bright colors to the table plus they give you a nice helping of antioxidants with Vitamin C, fiber and folate, low fat yogurt provides calcium, and protein.  Add a handful of walnuts to lower your risk of heart disease as well as your blood pressure! (To prepare yourself for Aunt Millie's endless dinner chatter about her skin condition...)

A Healthy Thanksgiving Holiday to you all!