It's All Turkey !

Turkey is not just for Christmas or Thanksgiving, it really can be enjoyed at other times of the year too!

Turkey is one of those tasty meats that is positively good for you. It has essential nutrients that are good for the whole family. It contains:

Protein, which nourishes every cell of your body. Protein helps build muscles and bones, so is essential for childhood development. But you may not be aware that it’s also needed to stop muscle wasting, so is crucial as you get older too.

B Vitamins, which help to unlock the energy from foods. Turkey breast is a source of vitamin B6, which helps keep your red blood cells healthy and reduce tiredness and fatigue.

Selenium, which helps keep your hair and nails healthy, it is also needed to keep your immunity topped up, and is also vital as a protection against damage to your cells and tissues.

Phosphorus, is needed for normal growth and development of bones, it also helps to release the energy from food.

Read more about Turkey here
http://www.britishturkey.co.uk/health-and-lifestyle/turkey-whats-so-good-about-it.html

Recipe ideas to follow ..

All the best Jan

Method
Lightly brown the turkey breast and bacon in a pan over a moderate heat for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and shallots and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the chopped herbs. Add the wine then pour in enough cold water to just cover all the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil. Season to taste, reduce to a simmer and cook over a low heat, covered, for 30 minutes.

When the turkey is almost done, in another saucepan melt the butter in, then scatter the flour over the top. Stir to form a smooth roux then gradually add 400ml of the turkey cooking liquid, stirring constantly.

Once the sauce has a creamy texture, pour the sauce back over the turkey. Adjust the seasoning to taste and cook for 15 minutes more with the lid off stirring regularly. Cook turkey thoroughly with no pink showing.

Mix together the egg yolks, cream and lemon juice in a bowl. Beat in a little of the hot sauce from the turkey and then add the complete mixture back to the pan, whisking constantly. Heat gently for 2 minutes and allow to thicken, do not allow to boil, turn into a serving dish mix in the cooked vegetables, garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.

Each Serving:
Carbohydrate 15g Protein 21.1g Fibre 4g Fat 11.8g
From an original Tesco Real Food recipe
https://realfood.tesco.com/

All the best Jan

Thanks for the reminder, I haven't had turkey for a while. Usually I get smoked turkey from the farm shop (and smoked ham too for when I get bored). There's a Bernard Maffews factory not far away but no-one I know eats their products, or works there. Some of the farms have Norfolk Blacks, proper turkeys running around outdoors, much like my aunt used to keep, but they're a bit big now I'm on my own.

I don't know why people do not seem to eat too much Turkey, other than at Christmas or Thanksgiving - but it is often a reasonably priced meat and there are a variety of recipes around the net etc.

Take this dish from Dale Pinnock, it's reminiscent of both lasagne and moussaka. He says, it scratches that ‘comfort food’ itch, yet keeps the starchy carbs low … in fact the nutritional details per serving are:
Carbs 25g Fat 21g Protein 50g



Ingredients:
Serves 2/3
2 large courgettes, about 700g
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
250g turkey (thigh) mince
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1⁄2-1 tbsp. harissa, depending on taste
200ml passata
a handful of chopped coriander or parsley, plus more to serve
For the topping:
250g natural yogurt
1 large egg
1 tbsp. grated Parmesan

Recipe instructions:
1. Heat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Cut the courgettes into strips, about 5mm thick maximum. You can use a mandoline or a knife to do this.
2. Lay the courgette slices onto a foil-lined baking tray, brush both sides with 1⁄2 tablespoon olive oil, season, and then roast for 15-20 minutes. They need to be soft and golden at the edges, but not mushy.
3. Fry the onion and garlic in another 1⁄2 tablespoon of olive oil, along with a pinch of sea salt, until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey mince and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until the turkey has browned.
4. Add the spices and harissa and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant, then add the passata and season. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until you get a thick sauce. Stir in the herbs.
5. Place a layer of the turkey sauce into the bottom of a medium-sized ovenproof baking dish (about 20 x 25cm), top with a layer of courgette slices, another layer of turkey, and repeat until all the turkey sauce and courgette have been used up.
6. Combine the yogurt, egg and Parmesan, some salt and pepper, and whisk. Pour over the top of the dish.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The topping needs to have firmed and be a golden brown, similar to béchamel. Scatter with more herbs to serve.

From an original recipe here
https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/mains/moroccan-spiced-turkey-bake

All the best Jan

Like pheasant it has a strong flavour and doesn't go well with the usual spices I use with chicken. There wasn't any smoked turkey, just cooked and sliced but I bought some anyway and had a huge slice with another thickly buttered oatcake for breakfast.

Thinking about it I might have some more shortly as the rump steak is wearing off a bit. You can never be too careful.

It's definitely the time of year for Turkey! Why not try this one step creamy turkey bake. Minimal preparation is required, making it perfect for busy weekdays... or any day!

Ingredients:
Serves 3/4
3.4 g carbs per serving
300g tub of full fat crème fraîche
3 tbsp. milk
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage (or 1 tsp dried)
Salt & pepper to taste
600g fresh British Turkey breast, diced
1 head of broccoli, cut into thumb sized florets
250g mushrooms, sliced

To Serve:
Some may choose boiled new potatoes …  
My Choice, lower carb oven-baked swede (rutabaga) wedges.
see here https://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/2018/09/oven-baked-swede-rutabaga-wedges-low.html

Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 C / 160 fan / gas mark 4.
2. In a large bowl, combine the crème fraiche, milk, garlic, mustard and sage. Season well to taste with salt and pepper and mix until smooth.
3. Add the diced turkey, small broccoli florets and mushrooms to the sauce and mix together really well so everything is coated with the sauce.
4. Pour into a large oven dish and bake for around 45 minutes until the turkey is cooked through and the broccoli is tender. If the sauce splits a little, give it a mix when it comes out of the oven, and it will come together again.
5. Garnish with a few crispy-fried sage leaves (if desired), and serve with your choice of accompanying vegetables.

From an original idea here
www.britishturkey.co.uk/recipes/one-step-creamy-turkey-bake.html

All the best Jan

This lovely recipe suggestion is from Heather and you may find it most helpful, because at this time of year, I wonder how many of us think ... 'what am I going to do with the left over turkey ?'

Using Heather's idea ... you will see that the broth is made from the turkey carcass, so none of the nutrition in the turkey goes to waste, and is packed with minerals and gelatin — great for when you have a winter cold. You can really use any veggies or root vegetables in this simple soup. Sweet potatoes, rutabagas (swede), parsnips, jersey yams, or even turnips work just as well. You can add green beans, kale, tomatoes, peppers, or whatever vegetables you have sitting in your fridge. If you want your soup to have a rice texture, add chopped cauliflower.

'Leftover Turkey Soup'
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:10 hours

Ingredients:
1 leftover turkey carcass
4 carrots, peeled and chopped, divided
5 celery ribs, chopped, divided
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, peeled and cubed
2 T apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Water to cover
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
12 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
¼ to ½ t poultry seasoning
3 cups shredded cooked turkey
1 cup chopped broccoli


Method:
1. In a slow cooker, layer the turkey carcass, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, onion, garlic, and apple cider vinegar. Cover with water and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cover and turn the slow cooker on high. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
3. Strain the turkey carcass and vegetables out of the broth.
4. Either put the broth in a soup pot or back in the slow cooker.
5. Add 2 of the carrots, 3 celery ribs, the sweet potato, mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste, poultry seasoning, broccoli, and turkey.
6. If using a soup pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until everything is tender. If using a slow cooker, cover and cook on high for about 4 hours.
7. Enjoy!

PS: Don’t have any leftover turkey on hand? A chicken carcass and meat (or even duck) make a great substitute.

Heather is a celiac food blogger with a passion for cooking. She loves to help others eat healthier through creating delicious and nutritious recipes that everyone will enjoy. You can see the recipe idea, with step by step guide, from Heather here
https://blog.paleohacks.com/the-best-leftover-turkey-soup-recipe/

If you should need help with measurement conversions, see here
https://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/food/cups-to-grams-converter-87833

All the best Jan