Tag: turkey

  • Fuss-free Thanksgiving dinner

    Fuss-free Thanksgiving dinner

    Fuss-free Thanksgiving dinner

    Less shopping, more savoring

    The solution for a simple, delicious Thanksgiving can often be found in what we already have. Look to the ingredients you have in your pantry, fridge, and freezer for all the inspiration you need to put together these recipes that will help you embrace a fuss-free Thanksgiving—all while keeping things nutritious and flavorful.

    Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Pistachios and Pomegranate

    What would Thanksgiving be without sweet potatoes? These are done Hasselback style, avoiding tedious peeling and last-minute mashing.
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    Servings: 12
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 sweet potatoes about 8 oz each
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon divided
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
    • ¼ cup pistachios
    • ¼ cup pomegranate seeds

    Method
     

    1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
    2. To cut each sweet potato Hasselback style, place a chopstick on either side of potato, parallel to the length of the potato, as a guide to prevent cutting all the way through. Make thin slices about 1/8 inch thick along the sweet potato, stopping as the knife reaches the chopsticks.
    3. Then cut each in half through a center slice so you have 2 pieces for each potato, for a total of 12 portions.
    4. In small bowl, combine olive oil, maple syrup, cumin, cayenne, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and pepper. Brush mixture over each sweet potato, carefully brushing between slices, taking care not to break them. Arrange potatoes on baking tray or casserole dish and sprinkle with salt. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.
    5. Combine yogurt with remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon and set aside. Put pistachios in food processor to break them up into pea-sized crumbs.
    6. To serve, drizzle yogurt dressing over baked sweet potatoes and top with pistachios and pomegranate seeds.

    Notes

    Each serving contains: 361 calories; 6 g protein; 5 g total fat (1 g sat. fat); 79 g total carbohydrates (18 g sugars, 10 g fiber); 202 mg sodium

    Turkey Sausage Skillet with Mixed Vegetables and Spinach

    This is a simple and delicious way to enjoy turkey and all the fixings. Made with turkey sausage and frozen vegetables, this dish cooks up on the stovetop without any chopping but with plenty of flavor.
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    Servings: 6
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 turkey sausages total weight about 10 oz
    • 10 oz bag of mixed frozen vegetables
    • ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
    • 2 tablespoons dried sage
    • ½ teaspoon white pepper
    • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 9 oz frozen chopped spinach

    Method
     

    1. Remove and discard sausage casings. With kitchen scissors, snip sausage into pieces approximately 1 inch thick.
    2. Heat large cast iron or nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown on all sides. Add mixed vegetables and chicken stock and stir to combine. Lower heat, cover, and cook on medium heat for about 1 minute. Season with spices, add spinach, replace cover, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, until spinach is warmed through.

    Notes

    Each serving contains: 122 calories; 11 g protein; 5 g total fat (2 g sat. fat); 10 g total carbohydrates (3 g sugars, 3 g fiber); 363 mg sodium

    Cranberry Almond Pilaf-Style Barley

    This satisfying dish has all the flavor of your favorite stuffing with an added punch of nutrition from nutrient-dense barley.
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    Servings: 6
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
    • 1 shallot finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 cup uncooked pot barley well rinsed and drained
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • ⅓ cup slivered almonds
    • ⅓ cup dried cranberries

    Method
     

    1. In medium-sized saucepan (with lid) on medium heat, saute shallots and garlic in olive oil, until soft, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add barley and thyme, and stir well, toasting barley mixture slightly in pan. Add 2 cups water, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 40 to 50 minutes, until barley is tender but retains a slight bite. Turn off heat and add almonds and cranberries to saucepan. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and stir thoroughly before enjoying warm.

    Notes

    Each serving contains: 132 calories; 4 g protein; 5 g total fat (1 g sat. fat); 20 g total carbohydrates (1 g sugars, 5 g fiber); 153 mg sodium

    By Helena McMurdo

    Article Courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

    Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

    Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

    Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without turkey, and this Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast is a healthier option that still delivers all the savory goodness you crave. With a blend of fresh herbs, it’s a mouthwatering centerpiece for your holiday feast.

    Elisa Franco

    Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

    The combination of fresh herbs infuse the meat with incredible flavor, making it a delightful centerpiece for your holiday celebration.
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    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 bone-in skin-on turkey breast about 4-5 pounds
    • 2 tblsp olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 tblsp fresh thyme leaves
    • 1 tblsp fresh rosemary leaves
    • 1 tblsp fresh sage leaves
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Method
     

    1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
    2. In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, fresh thyme, rosemary, sage, olive oil, salt, and pepper to make a herb rub.
    3. Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels and rub the herb mixture all over the skin and under the skin where possible.
    4. Place the turkey breast in a roasting pan, skin-side up.
    5. Roast in the preheated oven for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
    6. Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before carving.
  • The Turkey Dilemma

    The Turkey Dilemma

    Welcome to the holiday season (otherwise known as The Turkey Dilemma), that glorious time of year when we all come together to mix pumpkin into absolutely everything, regardless of whether it belongs (pumpkin spice salsa, anyone?)

    Faced with another case of PPSD (Post Pumpkin Stress Disorder), and the traumatic memories of last year’s epic episode of indigestion, you’ve made the misguided attempt to avoid yet another barely-edible Thanksgiving at Aunt Doris’ (in an assigned seat next to that awkward 3rd cousin with the turtle-neck sweater obsession), and you’ve told everyone you’re going to host Thanksgiving this year.

    Forget the pumpkin, now you’ve got to try navigate the minefield of options, opinions, myths and misinformation, and decide what sort of Turkey you’re going to buy. And you’re still trying to set the menu, and decide who you’re not going to invite. You don’t have time for this.

    And that’s why you love Basil Bandwagon Natural Market. We’ve done all the heavy lifting for you (hint: if you ask nicely, we’ll even carry the bird out to your car for you).

    So, let’s go ahead and assume you’re not going to follow Aunt Doris’ example and go with the conventional, factory-farmed turkey that’s been languishing in a deep-freeze in the back of the supermarket for the last three seasons. (And we’ll assume you prefer your antibiotics prescribed by your doctor).

    But there’s still so much to consider, right? Right. But we’ll all miss Thanksgiving dinner if we really get into the ethics of turkey choices here (check out our infographic below for the key points). We can assure you, however, that our turkeys check all the boxes, from helping to prevent the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, all the way down to supporting your local farmers (and the turkeys) keep living the good life. And if a heritage turkey is your choice, you’re helping keep those breeds away from the brink of extinction.

    But after all those considerations, we can break this down to a much simpler choice:

    Do you like your turkey white, plump, and juicy? Or do you prefer it a little darker, gamier, and more textured?

    The former? Buy our certified organic turkeys, or turkey breasts, from Koch’s Family Farm in Tamaqua, PA. If the latter sounds more like you, then you’ll want one of our heritage birds, from Double Brook Farm in Hopewell, NJ.

    And, now that we’ve sorted that out for you, all that’s left is to work out how to let Aunt Doris know you don’t have room for any extra cousins and their turtle-necks. But that one’s up to you.