The stuffing, the candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cornbread, rolls, cranberry sauce, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, apple pie....the holiday foods and their caloric intake go on endlessly, right? Now, it's just one day and I'm all for indulging and then going back to our regularly scheduled programming, BUT if you've been really good, working out and watching what you eat and you have the willpower to not indulge in all the temptations that are surrounding you, have I got the gravy recipe for you--with nary a drop of butter or flour, you can indulge to your heart's content and still fit into your skinny jeans the next day!!

The secret here is caramelized onions which when pureed with broth, thicken up nicely to give you a rich, flavorful gravy that's low in calories and fat but high in taste. I'm still partial to my mom's butter/flour recipe, but this healthier version is totally delicious and leaves you feeling light and guilt-free. And whether or not you choose to use lightened-up version during the holiday, it's a great go-to gravy for the rest of the year. Terrific on roast chicken as well! Your jeans can thank me later. With all the goodies I post, I'm just trying to do my little part in keeping you healthy and happy!!

Healthier Gravy

Makes about 2 cups

You will need a food processor, blender or immersion blender for this.

Prep Time:  Under 1 hour (most of this is hands-free)

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken or turkey stock (homemade or store-bought)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 large yellow onions, sliced
• Kosher salt and black pepper

The Recipe

1.  Place the broth in a small pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Allow it to boil until it's reduced by half--this took somewhere between 15-20 minutes for me.

2.  Meanwhile, place the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When the pan is hot, add the onions and season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Cook for about 40 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are soft and caramelized. WARNING:  Do not not be tempted to turn up the heat to make the onions cook more quickly. You only want them caramelized and golden, not browned or slightly burnt. If this happens, toss out the onions and start again--using over cooked onions will leave the gravy with a bitter taste--trust me, I've learned from experience. Burning the onions, is the only way you can mess up this dish.

3.  Once the onions are cooked, puree them in a blender or food processor with the reduced stock or transfer the onions to a deep bowl or pot and use an immersion blender to puree them until smooth. If the gravy is too thick, add a bit of water to thin it out. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gravy can be made one day ahead, stored in an airtight container in the fridge and reheated over low heat before serving.

Enjoy!

Note:  Recipe adapted from The Beetlebung Farm Cookbook by Catherine Young and Chris Fischer.