Nutritionists recommend cutting back on your portions, substitute butters and heavy creams with reduced or non-fat products, and look for less fatty ways to cook your Thanksgiving feast. And don't forget exercise and activity will be key to helping you minimize those post Thanksgiving Day blues.

Chef Sharon Kobayashi created Akamai Foods which specializes in healthy convenient foods made with whole foods and local ingredients, with no artificial ingredients. A variety of products are available online and at the Saturday Farmers’ Market at Kapiolani Community College from 7:30-11 a.m.

Akamai Foods’ oatcakes can also be found in the refrigerated sections at Down to Earth Natural Foods, select Times Supermarkets, Costco Hawaii, Kale’s Natural Foods, and KTA Superstores. They are also sold individually at select Seattle’s Best Coffee and 7-Eleven locations, Castle Medical Center, and Kulia Grill at the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine.

Mashed Root Vegetables

1 1/2 lb. cauliflower, separated into large florets
1/2 lb. celery root (or turnip and parsnip), peeled and diced in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 lb. leek (white part only), cut into 1-inch lengths
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup low-fat milk
4 Tbsp. instant mashed potato flakes
Salt and pepper

Place all vegetables and garlic in a large pot; add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well.* Add butter, buttermilk and milk. Puree until smooth with a food processor or hand blender. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and whisk in potato flakes one tablespoon at a time until mixture is of desired consistency. (Do not use food processor or hand blender.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings.

*Reserve water from cooking vegetables to make soup or gravy.

Per serving: Calories 90, protein 4 g., carbohydrates 14 g., total fat 3 g., saturated fat 2 g., cholesterol 9 mg., sodium 80 mg., fiber 3g., Weight Watchers POINTS value: 2.

Pumpkin Flan

2/3 cup sugar, divided
6 extra-large eggs
2/3 cup canned pumpkin (or fresh, roasted and mashed)
1/3 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/3 cup low-fat milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 Tbsp. dark rum (optional)
12 – 24 pecan halves, toasted (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a small, heavy-bottomed pan, melt 1/3 cup sugar over medium heat. Swirl mixture in pan to evenly cook the sugar until it caramelizes and turns brown. Carefully pour caramel into a pie pan, swirling mixture to coat the bottom evenly. If caramel sets, place briefly over a low flame to soften. Arrange pecans on caramel before it sets. Allow to cool. Combine remaining 1/3 cup sugar, eggs, pumpkin, cottage cheese, milk, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice in a blender; puree until smooth. Pour mixture over caramel. Place entire pie pan in a large baking pan and place in oven. Pour enough hot water into the baking pan to about one-third the height of the pie pan. Bake about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool, cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours (up to 48 hours). To serve, run a butter knife around the edge of the flan. Place a serving platter, top side down, over pie pan. Invert pie pan with serving platter. Drizzle with dark rum. Makes 12 servings.

Per serving: Calories 110, protein 5 g., carbohydrates 13 g., total fat 4 g., saturated fat 1 g., cholesterol 110 mg., sodium 60 mg., fiber 0 g., Weight Watchers POINTS value: 3.

WEB EXTRA: Watch Chef Sharon Kobayashi finish her pumpkin flan recipe and find out where you can get her special cranberry sauce and fruit cake.

Want to check out a thanksgiving meal and it's healthier counterpart meal? Check out Diet Bites.com - http://www.dietbites.com/calories-in-holiday-meal.html

Related Links:
www.akamaifoods.com - Akamai Foods
www.hmsa.com/eat - HMSA Eat Healthy Campaign

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