Turkey Tenderloin with Cranberry-Shallot Sauce

I am always looking for something different to do with turkey, and this was a  great new recipe that I found on eatingwell.com. It was pretty easy, taking about 45 minutes total to make, with prep and cook time combined. To complete this meal, I made steamed broccoli and roasted red potatoes to go with the turkey tenderloins. To roast the potatoes, I just cut them into 1-inch pieces, seasoned them with a little salt, pepper and olive oil and baked them, uncovered at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes.  There was more than enough food for the three of us in our house, so we had this for dinner two nights in a row (and no one seemed to mind because it was so good!).

Turkey Tenderloin with Cranberry-Shallot Sauce

Ingredients

3 all natural turkey tenderloins (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1/4 tsp pepper
4 tsp canola oil, divided
4 shallots, peeled and quartered
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup organic chicken stock
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp pomegranate vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Season tenderloins with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Heat 2 tsp oil in large pan over medium heat. Brown tenderloins on all sides, cooking a total of about 5 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tenderloins reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

3. While tenderloins are roasting, add remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan used to brown the turkey. Add shallots and cook, stirring constantly, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add thyme and broth. Cook for about 1 minute, scarping brown bits from bottom of the pan. Stir in fresh and dried cranberries and simmer for 6-7 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, vinegar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 1 minute. Cover and remove from heat.

4. Remove turkey from oven and baking sheet and let rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

(Recipe adapted from eatingwell.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Turkey tenderloins are low in fat and very high in protein. Just one 4oz serving of turkey tenderloin provides 28g of protein! Turkey is also a great source of iron. Cranberries are a good source of vitamins C and E (which are both antioxidants) as well as fiber. Shallots are a good source of fiber and potassium. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium. Leaving the skin on the potatoes adds a good amount of fiber as well. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium.