Healthy Thanksgiving food swaps

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Your Thanksgiving meal can be healthful and lower-calorie than you think, if you make some conscious food swaps. Vicki Shenta Retelny, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, has four healthy swaps.

1. Swap your holiday morning hot chocolate for a Pumpkin Spiced Hot Chocolate, which is jammed packed with cocoa flavanols, the beneficial plant nutrients that can help improve healthy blood flow and circulation.
2. Fill up on plant-based nutrients with fiber, plant proteins and other nutrients by adding pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils and split peas) to your Thanksgiving meal. Swap white beans for cream/cream cheese in mashed potatoes.
3. Swap lentils for all or half the meat in stuffing or whip up simple appetizers, such as Lentil Caprese Brushetta.
4. Use pureed chickpeas in place of dairy in green bean casserole or spinach dip.

Connect with Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN

Recipes can be found here:

Pumpkin Spiced Hot Chocolate

Vegan Slow Cooker White Beans Mashed Potatoes

Butternut Cranberry Lentil Stuffing

Lentil Caprese Brushetta

Green Bean Casserole with Chickpea Sauce