I participated in my first-ever turkey trot last Thanksgiving, and I’m convinced this is one of the nicest possible Turkey Day
Soon, this pumpkin pie will be in my oven. Shortly after, it will be in my belly.
traditions a healthy family can adopt. There’s a trot almost everywhere, so even when you’re traveling, it’s possible to get in a good workout — and get a taste of that city’s running community. Last year, we ran the St. Petersburg Times Turkey Trot near my parents’ home in Florida. This year, we’ll start the day with the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Turkey Trot 10K (check out a fabulous PSA for the race here).But our runner-friendly Thanksgiving doesn’t stop there.
In the interest of helping other runners plan their own Thanksgiving feasts, here’s a roundup of the recipes I’m bringing to the table (literally) this Thanksgiving:
A harvest salad with pears, dried cranberries, blue cheese and walnuts.
Roasted turkey breast brined with vegetable broth and herbs.
Sweet-potato stuffing (made with whole-grain bread, minus the bacon)
Homemade cranberry sauce. I’d hoped to use my foodie-friend Chris’ awesome-looking chipotle cranberry sauce recipe (he swears it sounds weird but tastes great), but I couldn’t find a dried chipotle pepper. I’m making this Cooking Light recipe instead.
My own roasted butternut squash recipe: Peel and dice one large butternut squash. Toss diced squash in 1 TBSP olive oil; juice from 1/2 lemon; 2 TBSP minced garlic; and cinnamon, nutmeg, red pepper flakes to taste. Bake for about 45 minutes at 375 degrees. I like it a little crispier, so I leave it in for about an hour.
And a pumpkin pie. I’m planning to use up the sweet little pumpkin that’s been decorating my table since I bought it from my farm stand a couple months ago for the filling. I’m also planning to make the crust myself, because my dad worked in a bakery in high school and made fabulous pies my whole life, and ain’t no daughter of Ed Reinink’s gonna eat no store-bought crust on Thanksgiving.
Looking for more runner-friendly Thanksgiving fare that won’t make your dinner guests leave early in search of a Big Mac? Check out Deena Kastor’s Thanksgiving recipes here.
Still looking for a turkey trot? Check out my roundup of Washington-area races for Examiner.com.
Amy Reinink 
My pie crust never turns out : (
(So I use a vegetarian brand from the freezer.) What’s your #1 tip for a perfect crust?
~
Wishing you a special Happy Thanksgiving day.
Excellent question! The tips I remember about making pies with my dad (full disclosure: it’s been a few years): Stick the dough in the fridge for about an hour before you roll it — makes it easier to handle. Also — and this is a biggie — DO NOT overwork the dough when you mix it or roll it! Overmixing is what makes pie crust tough. We’ll see if I can follow my own advice …
ha!Excellent reasoning for making your own pie crust….
Great list of recipes up there! Usually my aunts/grandma take over the cooking for the day, but I might have to start stepping in with a few tips 😉
have a great holiday and enjoy the Trot!
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