{"id":7741,"date":"2025-11-24T21:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7741"},"modified":"2025-11-24T21:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T21:30:00","slug":"live-whole-health-293-thanksgiving-in-a-bite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7741","title":{"rendered":"Live Whole Health #293: Thanksgiving in a bite"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"tni-source-date\"><strong>Originally published:<\/strong> 2025-11-24T21:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n<p>The holidays call for dishes that feel indulgent yet leave you feeling satisfied and energized.\u00a0Traditional Thanksgiving flavors don\u2019t have to mean oversized plates and post-feast naps.\u00a0Enter Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs, a wholesome twist on classic comfort, packed into portioned bites making it easier to enjoy the season without overindulging.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Lean ground turkey keeps the protein high and fat content low, while old-fashioned oats step in for heavy breadcrumbs, adding fiber that helps you feel fuller with fewer bites. Fresh spinach sneaks in color and a boost of iron, vitamin C and antioxidants.<\/p>\n<p>And the real star? A tangy cranberry glaze delivers immune-supporting Vitamin C, while bone broth offers collagen and added protein\u2014making this dish as restorative as it is flavorful, but far lighter than a heavy sauce or gravy.<\/p>\n<p>Perfect for a holiday party, potluck or as a dinner centerpiece, these meatballs make portion control effortless.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>See how it all comes together in this quick video from VA\u2019s Healthy Teaching Kitchen, and remember\u2014the best parts of the holidays aren\u2019t just on the table, they\u2019re shared with the people gathered around it.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"video-shortcode\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Move it!<\/h2>\n<p>Don\u2019t forget how important it is to move the body after all that great Thanksgiving food! Take a walk with family and friends, play some touch football, or check out <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/pLVgrHzCTOg\" rel=\"noopener\">this chair yoga session<\/a> for some very gentle movement. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recipe<\/h2>\n<p>Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes | Total: 35 minutes | Yield: 5 servings | Serving Size: ~4 meatballs<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ingredients<\/h3>\n<p>\u2022\u00a0 1-pound lean ground turkey (90% or higher)<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u2022 1 egg, lightly beaten \u2022 1\/2 cup old fashioned oats<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 1\/2 cup finely diced onion<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 3\/4 cup chopped spinach<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 1\/4 cup low-fat (1%) milk<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 1 tablespoon garlic powder<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u2022 1 teaspoon ground thyme \u2022 1\/2 teaspoon salt<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 1\/2 teaspoon ground black pepper<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Zest from 1 lemon (optional)<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Glaze<\/h3>\n<p>\u2022 1 (14-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce (or 1 1\/2 cups homemade cranberry sauce)<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u2022 1\/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth or bone broth<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 1 tablespoon honey<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Directions<\/h3>\n<p>1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.<\/p>\n<p>2. In a medium mixing bowl, gently toss together the ground turkey, egg, oats, onion, spinach, milk, garlic powder, thyme, salt, pepper and lemon zest (if using).<\/p>\n<p>3. Use 2-tablespoon cooking scoop to divide mixture up and roll into balls. Place the meatballs onto a baking sheet.<\/p>\n<p>4. Bake the meatballs until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, or about 25-30 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a05. While the meatballs are cooking, add the glaze ingredients to a small saucepan (pot).<\/p>\n<p>6. Place the pot over medium-high heat, bring to a rapid simmer, and stir as needed until the glaze is slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Keep warm over low heat until the meatballs are done cooking.<\/p>\n<p>7. Toss or top the meatballs with the glaze and serve or place the glazed meatballs in a slow cooker set to warm and serve from the slow cooker.<\/p>\n<p>Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Calories: 295 | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Fiber: 2g<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/143600\/live-whole-health-293-thanksgiving-in-a-bite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The holidays call for dishes that feel indulgent yet leave you feeling satisfied and energized. But that doesn&#8217;t mean they can&#8217;t be healthy!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-health-care","category-whole-health-wellness"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Live Whole Health #293: Thanksgiving in a bite - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The holidays call for dishes that feel indulgent yet leave you feeling satisfied and energized. 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