If the family MUST have the cheese and crackers consider having a safe selection for yourself. Slice full fat for others and light cheese for you. Lower fat/carb chip alternatives in the column below.
SIDE DISHES: The previously mentioned abundance of carbohydrat-ish foods in this meal gives me reason to want to sub vegetables in ways which taste and feel like carbs. Instead of mashed potatoes make mashed cauliflower...
MASHED CAULIFLOWER
1 large head cauliflower, chopped into small pieces
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 Tbl butter
1/4 cup almond milk
salt, pepper, seasoning to taste.
In large pot steam cauliflower and garlic cloves until soft. Drain and feed into a food processor or blender. Add other ingredients and blend.
Or how about subbing the sweet potatoes for butternut squash? Here is the recipe from the last issue which is super easy and is very holiday-like in appearance. 
SPICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH YOGURT LIME SAUCE
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 1 /2 inch thick pieces (or buy pre-cut from TJs or Whole Foods)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup low-fat or non fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 Tbl Xylitol or sugar (or sweetener of choice)
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the squash, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the allspice, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste in a shallow baking dish. Roast until tender, stirring once, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Whisk the yogurt, lime juice, sweetener, 1 tablespoon water, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Transfer the squash to a serving dish and drizzle with the yogurt dressing. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and cilantro. Season with salt.
Lighten up that green bean casserole...
MUSHROOM AND ONION GREEN BEANS 
2 lbs French cut green beans (Trader Joes has the best delicate beans: Haricots Verts), trimmed and halved
spray oil
30 crimini mushrooms, sliced thin
2 Tbl butter
2 Tbl flour
1 cup water
1 Tbl Better Than Bullion (or use broth instead of this and 1/2 the water)
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, sliced with a mandolin slicer
Preheat oven to 350
In a steamer, or in the microwave steam green beans until slightly soft.
Spray a large frying pan with spray oil and saute mushrooms until brown. Add butter and swirl around pan. Add flour and make a roue. Slowly add broth. Cook until creamy. Set aside.
Spray a smaller saute pan and saute onions until soft and golden.
Spray a 9x12 baking dish and lay beans on the bottom. Cover with mushroom mixture. Top with onions.
Bake for 20 minutes, and then turn the oven to broil and broil for 5 minutes or until onions are crispy.
DESSERTS: I know pumpkin pie is mandatory, but maybe some folks might like the filling and not the crust, so make some pumpkin custards for those wanting lighter and healthier. Here is a recipe:
PUMPKIN CUSTARD WITH ORANGE YOGURT SAUCE:
CUSTARD
spray canola oil
1 15 oz can plain pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 cup almond milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup egg substitute (or 2 more eggs)
1/2 cup xylitol or sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
YOGURT SAUCE
1/4 cup non fat Greek yogurt
1/8 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 Tbl xylitol or sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 6 ramekins with spray oil.
Mix all custard ingredients in food processor or mixer until smooth and creamy. Fill ramekins and bake for 40 minutes, or until knife comes out clean. Let cool completely.
Mix all the yogurt sauce ingredients together and place a dollop on each custard ramekin.
Trader Joes Pineapple Salsa
TJs Canned Artichoke Hearts
s
bot 75% Cheddar
or bullion: much more flavorful. But that is because it is made with autolysed yeast protein, which is a version of MSG. So if you have a sensitivity to MSG do not use this product and just use broth instead . 
Duenas, who is one of my favorite Zumba instructors, has had to close his Thursday morning class because he got a real job...dang! But he will be doing a 
