November brings us the great American feast known as Thanksgiving. Every year dieticians warn us against the insanely high caloric intake by eating this traditional meal. In the coming weeks, we will offer slight adjustments to reduce the calories and fat intake without compromising taste. Today, we look at dressing.

Start a new tradition by making this great dressing that boasts 69% less fat, 93% less sat fat and 36% fewer calories than a traditional recipe. Changing butter for a smaller amount of oil cuts 2/3 of the total fat and using whole-grain bread adds 3g of fiber per serving.

Ingredients

15 slices white whole-grain bread

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrot

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

1 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crushed, or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried or 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Steps

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray; set aside.

2. On large cookie sheet, place bread slices. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, turning each slice once, until firm and very light golden brown. Remove bread slices from cookie sheet; cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

3. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion and carrot; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in broth, sage, salt, thyme and pepper; heat to boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in bread cubes until well mixed. Spoon mixture into casserole.

4. Cover; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until hot and top is light golden brown.

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• Food & Nutrition