Stuff From My Fridge Wrap

I have to thank my husband, Ted, for coming up with this simple wrap with stuff leftover in our fridge. It is now my favorite thing to eat for lunch! Using whole wheat tortillas in place of traditional wraps or bread not only tastes great, but really cuts down on the calories. One 6-inch whole wheat tortilla has 80 calories, whereas just one slice of the whole grain bread that we buy has 120 calories. Toss some fruit or vegetables on the side, and it's an awesome lunch!

Stuff From My Fridge Wrap

Ingredients

1 6-inch whole wheat tortilla

1 tsp mayonnaise 

1/2 tsp yellow mustard

3 oz turkey breast

2 dill pickle slices

1/4 cup tomato, chopped

1 Tbsp red onion, chopped

1 Tbsp queso fresco

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in tortilla, wrap-up and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Turkey Sloppy Joes

I just checked out the My Healthy Dish cookbook from the library by My Nguyen and immediately wanted to make these sloppy joes when I saw the recipe. My 5 year old son has never liked ground beef but likes ground turkey, and he really liked this meal! Any meal that he will eat is a keeper around here. And the fact that my husband and I liked it too is a bonus! I made a few changes to the ingredients and amounts called for in the original recipe. In particular, I left out the dijon mustard thinking that my son probably wouldn't like it. The recipe called for chicken stock, but I had beef stock in the cabinet, so used that instead.

Slow Cooker Turkey Sloppy Joes

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground turkey

1/2 cup organic carrots, chopped

1 14.5oz can organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1/2 organic red bell pepper, chopped

1/3 medium sweet onion, chopped

1/4 cup ketchup

1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt (optional)

1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup organic beef stock 

8 whole wheat buns (I got mine from the bakery at the grocery store)

1 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Cook ground turkey in pan over medium-high heat until cooked through. Place turkey and remaining ingredients (except buns and cheese) into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

2. Serve sloppy joe mixture on whole wheat buns, topped with cheddar cheese.

(Recipe adapted from My Health Dish by My Nguyen, "Turkey Sloppy Joes" recipe, p. 138)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Ground turkey is low in sodium and saturated fat, and is an excellent source of protein. Whole wheat buns are higher in fiber and bioavailable vitamins and minerals due to the flour being unrefined.

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. 

Thanksgiving Turkey & Gravy

My husband, Ted, made a locally-raised, all-natural free-range turkey for a little pre-Thanksgiving dinner a few nights ago, and I am not exaggerating when I say that it was the best turkey I have ever had. The flavor and tenderness were just perfect, and he prepared the turkey by rubbing it with canola oil instead of butter. But the absolute best thing about this turkey was that our son, Charlie, could not get enough of it. We had to refill his plate 3 times with turkey! The next time we make a turkey, it will be with the same exact method as Ted used on this one.

Anyone that has had Ted's cooking knows that he is a master at making good sauces. It turns out that he is also a master at making amazing gravy! He said that the key to making the gravy was to constantly whisk it and not let it brown.  Gravy is not exactly healthy, but since this is the one time in the whole year that we will make gravy, it is nice to indulge a little bit for a special occasion! 

Thanksgiving Turkey & Gravy

Thanksgiving Turkey

Ingredients

12 pound all-natural free-range turkey
2 organic apples, quartered
2 stalks of organic celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound organic carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 fresh lemon, cut into wedges
Salt and pepper, for seasoning
Canola oil, for rubbing the turkey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. Season cavity of turkey with salt and pepper. Rub outside of turkey with canola oil and then season with salt and pepper. Our butcher tied the legs together for us, but if your is not tied, use some kitchen twine to tie legs together. 

3. Combine apples, celery, carrots, onion, and lemon in a large bowl and mix together. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with as much of the mixture as needed to fill it.  Place the remainder of the mixture in the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the giblets and neck to the mixture in the bottom of the roasting pan.

4. Place roasting rack over the mixture in the bottom of the pan. Place turkey on the rack, front side up, and tuck the wings in underneath the turkey (so that the breast meat will cook evenly).

5. Bake turkey in center of the oven. The classic method for baking a turkey is 20 minutes per pound, according to foodnetwork.com. Our 12 pound turkey was done in 2 hours and 45 minutes, as indicated by the pop-up thermometer that came with our turkey.  To be sure, check the temperature of the thigh meat with a meat thermometer. It is fully cooked when the thigh meat is 165 degrees.

6. Remove turkey from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes to lock in the juices. Discard vegetable mixture in cavity and pan. Remove giblets and discard, or save if desired.

7. Carve and enjoy!

Gravy

Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
Turkey drippings
Organic chicken stock, for thinning
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Remove rack and vegetable and giblet mixture from roasting pan. 

2. Pour turkey dripping through gravy separator. 

3. Heat roasting pan over medium heat on the stove and melt butter in pan. As butter is melting, whisk in flour to make a roux. When butter and flour are fully combined, whisk in turkey drippings gradually.  Once all drippings are whisked in, if gravy is not thin enough, whisk in chicken stock until gravy reaches desired consistency.

4. Serve with turkey and enjoy!

What are the nutritional benefits of gravy?  Absolutely none, but it is a nice treat once a year at Thanksgiving to make your turkey even more delicious!

What are the nutritional benefits of turkey? Turkey is very high in protein. Just one 4oz serving provides 28g of protein! Turkey is also a great source of iron. If you choose the white meat portion and discard the fat, turkey is very low in fat.  Also, if you discard the fat, you won't double up on the fat if you use gravy!

Turkey Cutlets with Lemon-Caper Sauce

This dinner was really easy, healthy and delicious. It is great for a weeknight due to how quick it is.  I made wild rice to go with it, and I made it in advance (in the morning) since it takes a good hour to cook, and just reheated it right before I was ready to serve the turkey.  I also made some simple roasted asparagus by snapping off the woody ends, tossing it with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and then roasting it on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. I just popped the asparagus in the preheated oven right before I started preparing the turkey, and everything was ready less than 30 minutes later!  The best part of this meal is that my 2 year old son, Charlie, loved it, so we will be making this again for sure.

Turkey Cutlets with Lemon-Caper Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 pound extra lean turkey breast cutlets

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp capers

Chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges for garnishing

Directions

1. Combine flour, salt and pepper in shallow bowl. Dredge turkey in flour mixture.

2. Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; cook turkey for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes per side, or until golden. Keep warm on serving dish while preparing the remaining turkey.

3. Add wine, lemon juice and remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil to skillet, strring to loosen particles in skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, or until heated through thoroughly.

4. Stir in garlic, parsley and capers; spoon over turkey. Garnish and serve.

(Recipe adapted from myrecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Turkey breast cutlets are low in fat and very high in protein. Just one 4oz turkey cutlet provides 28g of protein! Turkey is also a great source of iron. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control. Garlic contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese. Capers are a rich source of the  flavonoid (antioxidant) compounds rutin and quercetin. Wild rice is a great source of protein and antioxidants, as well as vitamins A, C and E. Asparagus is high in vitamin K and is also a great source of vitamin A, folate and iron.

Turkey Chili & Dairy-Free Cornbread

This chili is one of our favorite fall and winter meals. It has a great chili flavor, but is not as "tomato-y" as traditional chili tends to be due to the chicken stock taking place of tomato sauce. The crushed tomatoes provide just enough tomato flavor. This chili is also a great meal for Charlie because it is not very spicy.  To add more hotness, you could always add more hot sauce to your bowl (which Ted often does).  

I have always made this chili by simmering it on the stove, as I indicate in the directions, but you could easily cook it in the slow cooker. To go the slow cooker route, just cook the ground turkey, bell pepper and onion in a pan until the turkey is cooked through and the onions are translucent. Then place the turkey mixture, along with the remaining ingredients, in the slow cooker and cook it on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

This is the first time I have made this corn bread, and it was just as good as regular corn bread (it may have even been better!). 

Turkey Chili

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup organic yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 pound antibiotic free, all-natural ground turkey
1 (28oz) can crushed organic tomatoes, undrained
1 (16oz) can organic red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp sugar
2 cups organic chicken stock
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp hot sauce (I used Chalula)
1 tsp sea salt (optional)
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper and saute until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add ground turkey and cook until browned.

2. Add remaining ingredients and stir until evenly combined. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes. 

(Recipe adapted from foodnetwork.com)

Dairy-Free Cornbread

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
6 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups almond milk
2 large organic free range eggs
1/2 cup canola oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with canola oil and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large bowl, combine almond milk, eggs and oil. Add milk mixture to cornmeal mixture and stir until evenly combined.

3. Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

(Recipe adapted from wholefoodsmarket.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Turkey is an excellent source of protein as well as vitamins thiamin (B3) and pyridoxine (B6), and the mineral selenium. Onions are rich in quercetin (a type of antioxidant) and vitamin C. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Canned tomato products contain lots of vitamin C and more bioavailable lycopene than fresh tomatoes. Kidney beans provide lots of protein, folate, fiber, and iron.

Turkey Schnitzel Oktoberfest Feast

Saturday was the perfect Fall day - it was beautiful and sunny outside, with a nice cool breeze, and Ted cooked an amazing Oktoberfest meal!  As I have mentioned before, Ted is a really good cook, and this meal is definitely up there as one of the best that he makes. He only makes it once or twice a year in the Fall because it is very rich, and I always look forward to it! This is a mostly dairy free meal. The turkey and potatoes contain no dairy, but the dill sauce is not dairy free (but thankfully Charlie doesn't seem to mind not eating any since he has never really liked creamy things anyway). The cabbage can be made dairy free with dairy free margarine in place of butter.  This is the first time Ted has made this red cabbage, and it was by far the best red cabbage I have ever had! To complete our German meal, we paired it with an Amber Marzen, the traditional beer of Oktoberfest - delicious!

Oktoberfest Feast

Serves 6

Turkey Schnitzel

Ingredients

1 pound extra lean turkey breast cutlets
3 organic free range eggs, beaten
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Dash of celery salt
1 1/2 cup canola oil

Directions

1. Wash and pat dry turkey cutlets and season with half of salt and pepper. 

2. Mix flour, bread crumbs and remaining seasonings in a shallow dish. 

3. Place beaten eggs in a separate shallow dish.

4. Wash turkey cutlets in egg, and then dredge in flour mixture; repeat egg wash and dredging in flour a second time (so each cutlet should have 2 layers of the egg wash and flour mixture)

5. Heat oil in large pan or pot over medium high heat. Place turkey cutlets in hot oil and cook for 3 minutes per side. You will know they are done when they float on top of the oil and are golden brown. Place finished cutlets on a wire rack while cooking remaining cutlets.

6. Serve with green dill sauce (recipe below)

Green Dill Sauce

Ingredients

3 hard boiled egg yolks
Juice of half of a lemon
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup sour cream
6 oz fresh organic dill
2 oz fresh organic thyme
2 oz fresh organic parsley
2 oz fresh organic chives
Black pepper to taste

*You can use any fresh herbs that you like. The traditional German herbs that are used to make green sauce are difficult to find in the U.S. so we used the herbs that we like.

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in large food processor and process until smooth

2. Serve cold

Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds organic yukon gold potatoes
1 yellow onion
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp canola oil

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Wash and pat dry potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Rough-chop onion and combine with potatoes. Add remaining ingredients and toss until evenly combined and coated with oil.

3. Spread potato mixture on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour (stir after 30 minutes), or until golden brown

Red Cabbage

Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter or dairy free margarine
5 cups red cabbage
1 cup organic apples, sliced
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp water
1/4 granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a large pot and stir to combine. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until cabbage is tender.

2. Serve warm

(Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal?  This dinner would probably considered more of a "splurge" for us - but there are still a lot of great things in this meal! For starters, using extra lean turkey for the schnitzel instead of pork cuts down on the fat and calories. Additionally, using canola oil instead of butter for frying the turkey greatly reduces the amount of saturated fat (and makes it dairy free). Canola oil is the lowest in saturated fat of any oil, and is rich in healthy unsaturated fats. Dill activates antioxidants in the body and is a good source of calcium, manganese, iron, magnesium, and fiber. Thyme is rich in antioxidants, vitamin K and iron, and is a good source of calcium, manganese, fiber. Parsley is packed with vitamin K, and is a great source of vitamins C and A. Chives supply antioxidants, potassium, calcium, beta carotene, folic acid, and vitamin K. Yukon gold potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium. Red cabbage is packed with antioxidants and vitamins K and C, and is a good source of folate, fiber, manganese, molybdenum, and vitamin B6. Apples provide even more vitamin C and fiber.

Turkey Burgers

We bought a lot of avocados this week, so here is another dinner with an avocado garnish! Turkey burgers are a quick and easy go-to meal for us, and they are one of our son's favorite things to have for dinner. You can easily put the ingredients together and form the patties the night before or in the morning, which I often do.  Because I have had a difficult time finding dairy free bread crumbs, let alone whole wheat bread crumbs, I make my own from plain old dairy free whole wheat sandwich bread. It takes about 2 minutes to make them, and we like them more than the pre-packaged bread crumbs we have gotten in the store.  

I use antibiotic free, all natural free range ground turkey. I have yet to find organic free range ground turkey - anyone found it anywhere? We are looking into some local organic farms for buying our meat and poultry so maybe we will have some luck there.

Turkey Burgers

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

1 pound antibiotic free, all natural free range ground turkey

1 organic egg

1 slice whole wheat bread (for bread crumbs)

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Sliced avocado, tomato and red onion for topping

Whole wheat buns

Directions

1. Place wheat bread in toaster and toast on medium setting; bread should be toasted enough that it is no longer soft, but crisp. Let toast cool and then break into pieces in small food processor. Grind toast pieces into small bread crumbs.

2. Place ground turkey, egg, bread crumbs, garlic powder, pepper, and salt (optional) in medium mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix ingredients together until uniformly   combined. Form into 4 large patties (I make 4 medium-sized patties and one small one for Charlie).

3. Heat grill pan, with top, on high heat for 3-4 minutes. Place burgers on pan and cook for 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through.

4. Serve on whole wheat buns with your favorite healthy toppings. I chose to top with avocado, tomato and onion slices.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Turkey is an excellent source of protein as well as vitamins thiamin (B3) and pyridoxine (B6), and the mineral selenium. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc. Red onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese.