Thanksgiving is probably the worst holiday for people on a diet. It almost demands that we engorge ourselves to the point of exploding, simply for the pure fact that there are traditional foods we are supposed to eat: turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie. The average Thanksgiving meal is 85 Weight Watchers Points ... that's insane, and yet, completely believable.

I've decided to post healthy alternatives to some traditional holiday dishes, one recipe each day for the next seven days until Thanksgiving. Even though these meals are healthy options, make sure you pay close attention to the points. Most likely you won't be able to consume each dish and still stay within your daily points. So, without further adieu, here is day one. The most important dish. Turkey!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 ½ tsp ginger root, fresh or minced
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup cranberry juice cocktail, divided
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ cup orange marmalade
• 2 pounds uncooked boneless, skinless turkey breast
• 1 tsp table salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ cup fresh orange juice, divided

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, ginger, sugar and 1/4 cup cranberry juice
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes; remove from heat.
• Add mustard and marmalade; stir to combine. Set aside.
• Rub turkey all over with salt and pepper.
• Place in a roasting pan top-side down (the side where the skin would have been).
• Spread half of cranberry sauce over turkey.
• Pour ¼ cup orange juice and 2 tablespoons cranberry juice around turkey in bottom of pan.
• Roast, uncovered, basting once, for 25 minutes.
• Flip turkey and spread with remaining cranberry sauce.
• Pour remaining orange juice and cranberry juice in bottom of pan.
• Roast until turkey is cooked through and sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.*
• Remove turkey; loosely cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, scrape sauce out of bottom of pan; place in a serving bowl.
• Slice turkey and serve with sauce spooned over top.

Notes:

• Yields about 3 ounces turkey and 1 tablespoon sauce per serving.
• * Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat, minimum of 165°F.

Servings: 8 servings

WW+ Points: 6 per serving

Recipe Credit: Weight Watchers