(Photo: heatherchristo.com)

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, you’re probably gearing up to hit the store and pick up the last necessary ingredients for the big meal.
While the holiday is about family, and giving thanks, keeping sight of our health goals is also important.
As holidays approach, it’s easy to lose sight of the promises we’eve made to ourselves, our doctors, and loved ones to keep a healthy diet for a healthy heart.
But have no fear!  Freedom Home Care is here to share the great news that you can be grateful for: Thanksgiving doesn’t mean one must forgo the deliciousness of the holiday.
Here are three delicious, flavorful, festive Thanksgiving dishes that are heart healthy.  Skip the calories, fat and sodium of traditional dishes this Turkey Day — your guests won’t even know it!

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:
• 3/4 cup water, divided
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
• 2 cups unsalted vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 green onion top, chopped
Directions:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat 1/4 cup water. Add onion and cook until tender, not let onion dry out. Add the remaining water, pumpkin, broth, cinnamon and nutmeg to the saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk and cook until hot. Do not boil.
Garnish the soup with black pepper and green onion tops. Serve immediately.

Glazed Turkey Breast With Fruit Stuffing

Ingredients:
•1-5 pound whole, bone-in turkey breast (thawed)
Rub:
•2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
•2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
•2 tablespoons olive oil
Stuffing:
•1 small onion, thinly sliced
•1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 pear, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)
Glaze:
• 2 cups apple juice (divided)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown mustard
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine herbs and olive oil to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers. Make two deep pockets between the skin and meat. Smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly over the top of the skin.
In another small bowl, mix the sliced onions and fruit. Stuff each pocket with the mixture. Pour 1 cup of apple juice into the bottom of the pan. Roast the turkey breast for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an thermometer registers 165 F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. If the skin is over-browning, cover with aluminum foil.
While that turkey is being roasted, combine the remaining cup of apple juice, brown sugar, mustard and olive oil in a sauce pan. Heat to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until it becomes thickened and reduced in volume to about 3/4 cup. Use this to baste the turkey during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
When the turkey is done and cover with foil. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Carve, serve and spoon any remaining glaze over the turkey.

Apple salad with figs and almonds

Figs are a sweet fruit with soft flesh and tiny edible seeds. They are a good source of iron, calcium and phosphorus. You can eat figs raw, with or without their peel, or use them in baked goods.
Ingredients:
2 large red apples, cored and diced
6 dried figs, chopped
2 ribs of celery, diced
1/2 cup fat-free lemon yogurt
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
2 carrots, peeled and grated
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine apples, figs and celery. Add yogurt and mix thoroughly. Top with almonds and grated carrots. Serve.