Please tell us about yourself in 3 sentences:

As a New Orleans-based Sports Dietitian at Ochsner’s Elmwood Fitness Center, I’m also a nutrition columnist for The Times-Picayune newspaper and the nutrition and fitness expert for ABC26 News, with a weekly segment, Get the Skinny with Molly.   My specialty is showing people how to easily fit anything they love – cocktails, cheese, bacon, you name it – into an otherwise nutritious diet… guilt-free!

How can we best navigate the decadent Thanksgiving Day dishes?  Do you have any special tips?

Negotiate.  Go for quality over quantity.  The stuff that you can only get this time of year?  That’s worth splurging on.  So if you love homemade mac & cheese, skip the stuffing.  If your grandmother’s peanut butter fudge is what really does it for you, pass on the pies.

Do you have any healthier versions of a favorite Thanksgiving recipe?

Whipped Cauliflower, but I prefer to call it Mashed ‘Potatoes’ … please see recipe, below!

When faced with making a healthy choice on the big day, what are the 5 most nutritious Turkey Day foods?

1.  Turkey, of course.  White meat and dark meat are both low-calorie, as long as they’re skinless.   An excellent source of lean protein, turkey is also a good source of vitamins B3 and B6, as well as the antioxidant selenium.

2.  Sweet potatoes, since they’re naturally low in fat, crammed with beta-carotene, and a good source of vitamin C and belly-filling fiber.

3.  Pumpkin is loaded with antioxidant-rich carotenoids, and is a good source of potassium and vitamin C.  Its texture makes it perfect as a fat substitute, helping to slash fat and calories from your favorite recipes.

4.  Any green veggies, roasted, steamed, or grilled – they’re low in calories to help balance out the calorie-packed stuffings and pies.  My favorite:  Brussels sprouts, roasted with a drizzle of olive oil, pepper, golden raisins, and chopped walnuts.

5.  Cranberries – they’re bursting with phytonutrients that have been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects.  Try cranberry sauce made with fresh cranberries, not the cranberry ‘jelly’ from the can.

How would you dress The Laughing Cow or Mini Babybel for Thanksgiving dinner?

I love that sweet-salty combo, so I spread The Laughing Cow onto whole grain crackers or a Belgian endive leaf and top with a dab of pear chutney, fresh cranberry sauce, or fig preserves.

(By the way, just a side note, my all-time favorite breakfast is turkey, The Laughing Cow, and fig preserves wrapped into a La Tortilla Factory tortilla… I have it nearly daily!)

Mashed ‘Potatoes’

Compare to homemade mashed potatoes @ 230-plus cal’s per cup

4 cups cauliflower (fresh or frozen)

1 Tbsp. sour cream

1 Tbsp. half & half

1 Tbsp. butter

4 wedges of Laughing Cow Light Cheese (any flavor, though Blue Cheese is my fave!)

Dash of salt (optional) and pepper to taste

Garnish (optional): bacon bits, cheese & chives

Steam or microwave cauliflower until soft.  Add sour cream, butter, half & half, Laughing Cow wedges, salt and pepper. Blend in food processor or blender until smooth.

Garnish with bacon bits, cheese & chives, if desired.

Serves 4 (serving size, 1 cup)

Nutrition Facts per Serving:

Calories: 80
Total fat: 4 grams
Saturated fat: 1.5 gram
Trans fat: 0 grams
Total carbohydrate:  8 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Sodium:  260 milligrams

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