Roasted Turkey Redefined: A Healthier Tradition for Your Family!

The temperature is cooling, which signals that it’s almost time for Thanksgiving. For most people, that means a time for food and family. As you plan that all-important Thanksgiving dinner, you can’t forget the main attraction – your tasty roasted turkey. If you don’t choose the right recipe, however, your turkey might taste good but it won’t be good for you. That’s where an alternative option comes in!

What You Gain With A Healthy Recipe

Thanksgiving is a great time to spend with your family and it’s easy to lose track of what you’re eating. While health experts say that one serving of turkey is 4 ounces, it’s pretty fair to say that most people are going to eat more than that. And yet, that 4 ounces of turkey can pack over 200 calories and 8g of fat in a traditional recipe.

By comparison, the recipe we’ve included only has 150 calories and 3g of fat. That means you can enjoy your Thanksgiving turkey without worrying about your health. 

Your Healthy Roasted Turkey Recipe

Servings: 24

Ingredients

1 12 to 14-pound turkey

1 tbsp snipped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

1 tbsp snipped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed

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1 tbsp snipped fresh sage or 1 tsp dried sage, crushed

1 tsp kosher salt or ½ tsp regular salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

3 small onions, quartered 

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

3 stalks celery, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks

1 cup water

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1 tbsp olive oil

1 sprig of fresh rosemary, fresh sage leaves, pomegranate wedges, tiny apples or pears, and kumquats

RELATED: How To Cook Your Turkey Safely To Prevent Getting Sick

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove neck and giblets from turkey, reserving neck bone. Rinse the inside of the turkey; pat dry with paper towels. 
2. In a small bowl, stir together snipped or dried rosemary, thyme, snipped or dried sage, salt, and pepper. 
3. Season inside of the body cavity with half of the herb mixture. Pull neck skin to the back; fasten with a skewer. Tuck the ends of the drumsticks under the band of skin across the tail. If there is no band of skin, tie the drumsticks securely to the tail with 100 percent cotton kitchen string. Twist wing tips under the back.
4. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Arrange onions, carrots, celery, and neck bone around the turkey in a roasting pan. Pour the water into the pan. Brush turkey with oil. Sprinkle turkey with the remaining herb mixture. Insert an ovenproof meat thermometer into the center of an inside thigh muscle; the thermometer should not touch bone. Cover turkey loosely with foil.
5. Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Roast for 2 ½ to 3 hours more or until the thermometer registers 180 degrees F. About 45 minutes before the end of roasting, remove the foil and cut the band of skin or string between drumsticks so the thighs cook evenly. 
6. When turkey is done, the juices should run clear and the drumsticks should move easily in their sockets.
7. Remove turkey from oven. Transfer to a serving platter (reserve mixture in pan for gravy). Cover; let stand for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and discard skin before carving. If desired, garnish the platter with rosemary sprigs, sage leaves, pomegranate wedges, tiny apples or pears, and/or kumquats.

RELATED: 7 Tips For A Perfect Moist & Juicy Turkey

The Health Benefits Of Turkey

Another great thing about choosing the right recipe for your Thanksgiving turkey is that you get all the health benefits of turkey with none of the potential problems.

Turkey is a great source of lean protein, which means it’s relatively low in fat and calories. As a result, turkey can be good for your heart.

Turkey also has a lot of nutrients like Vitamin B12 and selenium, which boost your immune system. Additionally, nutrients like glutamine and tryptophan are good for your joints and brain health respectively.