Part 32 (1/2)

Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 27 g protein; 6 g carbohydrate; 1 g dietary fiber; 5 g usable Asian Turkey Burgers Ground turkey is handy, but by itself it can be bland. Here's a good way to liven it up.

1 pound (455 g) ground turkey cup (40 g) minced onion 3 tablespoons (11.4 g) chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce 2 tablespoons (20 g) minced green bell pepper 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cold water 1 tablespoon (6 g) grated fresh ginger teaspoon pepper 2 cloves garlic, crushed Combine all the ingredients in a big bowl and with clean hands squeeze it together until it's very well combined.

Divide into three equal portions and form into burgers about inch (2 cm) thick.

Spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Cook the burgers for about 5 minutes per side until cooked through.

Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 5 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 27 grams of protein.

Turkey Chorizo with Eggs Here's how to turn a pound of ground turkey into a quick-and-easy Mexican dinner!

1 pound (455 g) ground turkey 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil 4 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons dried oregano teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons (30 ml) dry sherry 1 teaspoon Splenda 1 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal 8 eggs 1 cup (240 g) canned diced tomatoes, drained cup (40 g) minced onion Start the turkey browning in the olive oil, crumbling it as you go. When it's mostly browned, add the garlic, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper. Cook it for 2 or 3 more minutes and then stir in the sherry, Splenda, and salt or Vege-Sal. Remove from the heat.

Now scramble the eggs and stir in the tomatoes and onion. Put the skillet back on the heat, pour the eggs over the turkey, and scramble until the eggs are set.

Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 32 g protein; 8 g carbohydrate; 1 g dietary fiber; 7 g usable Sloppy Toms This is an easy way to add interest to a pound of plain old ground turkey. You can serve this on low-carb rolls, if you can get them locally. I prefer to serve it over cauli-rice or in omelets-even better!

1 pound (455 g) ground turkey 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil [image]cup (55 g) chopped onion 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 Anaheim chili pepper, diced cup (120 ml) Dana's No-Sugar Ketchup (page 463) 1 tablespoon (15 ml) yellow mustard 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cider vinegar 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce In a big, heavy skillet, start browning and breaking up the ground turkey in the olive oil. Throw in the onion, garlic, and diced pepper.

When all the pink is gone from the turkey, stir in the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, Splenda, and Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce. Simmer the whole thing for 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 4 to 5 servings 4 to 5 servings a.s.suming 5, each will have 17 g protein; 10 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber; 8 g usable carbs. a.n.a.lysis does not include cauli-rice or low-carb rolls.

Braised Turkey Wings with Mushrooms Turkey wings are my favorite cut of turkey for the slow cooker. They fit in easily, they come in good individual serving sizes, and they taste great.

3 pounds (1.5 kg) turkey wings cup (60 ml) olive oil cup (120 ml) chicken broth 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon concentrate 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1 tablespoon (16.5 g) tomato paste 1 cup (70 g) sliced mushrooms medium onion, sliced cup (115 g) sour cream In a big, heavy skillet, brown the turkey all over in the oil over medium-high heat. Transfer the turkey to a slow cooker.

In a bowl, stir together the broth, bouillon, poultry seasoning, and tomato paste. Pour the mixture over the turkey. Add the mushrooms and onion. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 6 to 7 hours.

When the time's up, remove the turkey from the slow cooker with tongs. Whisk the sour cream into the sauce and serve the sauce over the turkey.

Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 41 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 5 g usable Lemon-Glazed Turkey Cutlets Turkey cutlets-slices of turkey breast less than inch (6 mm) thick-are good for cooks in a hurry because they take almost no time to cook through. They're pretty bland by themselves, however, and can easily turn dry and tough. But they take beautifully to this tart-sweet lemon glaze.

3 turkey cutlets, about 4 ounces (115 g) each 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dry sherry 2 teaspoons Splenda teaspoon soy sauce Guar or xanthan 3 scallions, finely sliced In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, brown the cutlets in the oil. While that's happening, mix together the lemon juice, sherry, Splenda, soy sauce, and just a sprinkle of guar or xanthan to thicken the mixture. When the cutlets have just a touch of golden color on each side, pour the lemon juice mixture into the skillet and turn the cutlets over once to coat both sides. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and let the cutlets simmer for just a few more minutes until the sauce reduces a little.

Serve with any glaze left in the pan sc.r.a.ped over the cutlets and a sliced scallion scattered over each.

Yield: 2 or 3 servings 2 or 3 servings a.s.suming 2 servings, each will have 4 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbs and 37 grams of protein.

Mustard-Pecan Turkey Cutlets Of all the things I've tried with turkey cutlets, this is my husband's favorite. The mustard-mayo coating keeps these from getting dry.

3 turkey breast cutlets, about 4 ounces (115 g) each cup (60 g) sh.e.l.led pecans 1 tablespoon (15 ml) spicy brown or Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons (45 g) mayonnaise 1 tablespoons (21 g) b.u.t.ter Place the pecans in a food processor with the S-blade in place and pulse until they're ground medium-fine. (Alternately, you could buy the pecans already ground.) Mix together the mustard and mayonnaise, blending well.

Lay the turkey cutlets on a plate and spread half of the mustard and mayonnaise mixture on one side. Sprinkle half of the ground pecans over the mustard and mayonnaise and press lightly with the back of a spoon to help them stick.

Spray a large, heavy skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Place over medium-high heat. Melt the b.u.t.ter and add the cutlets, pecan side down. Saute for about 4 minutes. With the cutlets still in the pan, spread the remaining mustard-mayo mixture on the uncoated sides and sprinkle the rest of the pecans over that, once again pressing them in a bit with the back of a spoon. Flip the cutlets carefully, doing your best not to dislodge the crust. Saute for another 5 minutes and serve. Sc.r.a.pe any yummy toasted pecans that are stuck to the skillet over the cutlets before serving.

Yield: 2 or 3 servings 2 or 3 servings a.s.suming 2 servings, each will have 4 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 2 grams of usable carbs and 39 grams of protein.

Turkey with Mushroom Sauce 3 pounds (1.4 kg) boneless, skinless turkey breast (in one big hunk, not thin cutlets) 2 tablespoons (28 g) b.u.t.ter cup (15.2 g) chopped fresh parsley 2 teaspoons dried tarragon teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon pepper 1 cup (70 grams) sliced mushrooms cup (120 ml) dry white wine 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon concentrate Guar or xanthan (optional) In a big, heavy skillet, saute the turkey in the b.u.t.ter until it's golden all over. Transfer the turkey to a slow cooker.

Sprinkle the parsley, tarragon, salt or Vege-Sal, and pepper over the turkey. Place the mushrooms on top.

In a bowl, mix the wine and bouillon together until the bouillon dissolves. Pour it over the turkey. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 7 to 8 hours.

When the time's up, remove the turkey and put it on a platter. Transfer about half of the mushrooms to a blender and add the liquid from the slow cooker. Blend until the mushrooms are pureed. Scoop the rest of the mushrooms into the dish you plan to use to serve the sauce, add the liquid, and thicken further with guar or xanthan, if needed.

Yield: 8 servings 8 servings Each with 34 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, trace dietary fiber, 1 g usable carbs.

Orange Blossom Turkey Breast This is very moist and tasty! It's wonderful left over too, especially made into turkey salad.

1 turkey breast, bone in, about 5 pounds (2.3 kg) cup (120 ml) white wine vinegar teaspoon orange extract cup (60 ml) sugar-free imitation honey cup (6 g) Splenda cup (60 ml) yellow mustard 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce 3 cloves garlic Wood chips or chunks, soaked for at least 30 minutes For this recipe, it's really nice to have a meat injector-basically a big hypodermic syringe used for injecting meat with various flavors. They're pretty easy to find and even easier to use! If you don't have one, this is still a great marinade, but it won't penetrate the meat quite so much.

Mix together everything but the turkey breast. Put the breast in a nonreactive bowl that's fairly deep and narrow. Reserve some marinade for basting and pour the rest the marinade over the turkey. Stick the whole thing in the fridge and let the breast marinate all day or even overnight, turning it now and then. If you have a meat injector, suck up some marinade with it and inject the breast all over with the marinade.

When the time comes to cook, set up a grill for indirect cooking-pile the charcoal to the side, or light only one gas burner. Have plenty of wood chips or chunks soaking! Place a drip pan under the grill under where you're placing the turkey, add the wood chips or chunks, and put the turkey on the grill. Smoke the turkey for about 1 to 2 hours, replacing the wood chips or chunks whenever the smoke stops and maintaining the grill temperature at about 225F (110C). Baste the turkey now and then with the reserved marinade, using a clean utensil each time you baste. The turkey is done when a meat thermometer stuck in the thickest part of the breast (but not touching the bone) registers 170F (80C). Remove from the grill and let the breast sit for 10 minutes before carving.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings 8 to 10 servings a.s.suming 8 servings, each would have 9 grams of carbohydrate (not counting the polyols in the imitation honey) if you consumed all of the marinade. Since you won't, figure closer to 4 or 5 grams per serving; 57 grams of protein.

Mediterranean Marinated Turkey Legs Turkey legs are a convenient cut to grill or barbecue. They cook relatively quickly and are a nice one-serving size-they taste great, too!

3 turkey legs cup (120 ml) olive oil [image]cup (80 ml) red wine vinegar 3 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice Wood chips or chunks, soaked for at least 30 minutes Put the turkey legs in a big resealable plastic bag. Mix everything else together. Reserve some marinade for basting and pour the rest into the bag, press the air out of the bag, and turn the bag a few times to coat. Stash in the fridge and let the turkey legs marinate for several hours.

Okay, it's cooking time! Get a charcoal or gas grill going; you'll want a medium fire. Pour the marinade off. Add the wood chips or chunks to the grill. Smoke the legs over indirect heat in a closed grill. Baste every 15 minutes or so with the reserved marinade, using a clean utensil each time you baste. Turn and then close the grill again. They'll take about an hour.

Yield: 3 servings, 1 leg per person 3 servings, 1 leg per person Even if you used all the marinade you'd get only 3 grams of carbohydrate per serving, with a trace of fiber. As it is, I'd count no more than 2 grams, and maybe 1. About 47 grams of protein-it depends on the size of you legs!

Chipotle Turkey Legs This dish has a spicy, rich Southwestern flavor.

3 turkey legs 1 teaspoons c.u.min 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon dried, powdered sage 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 cloves garlic, crushed teaspoon red pepper flakes teaspoon turmeric 1 or 2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, plus a couple of teaspoons of the sauce they come in 8 ounces (225 ml) tomato sauce 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce Guar or xanthan 6 tablespoons (45 g) shredded queso quesadilla (optional)*

Plunk the turkey legs in a slow cooker. (If you can fit more, feel free. My slow cooker will only hold 3.) Put the c.u.min, chili powder, sage, garlic, red pepper flakes, turmeric, chipotles, tomato sauce, and Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce in the blender, run it for a minute, and then pour the mixture over the turkey legs. Cover, turn the slow cooker to low, and leave it for 5 to 6 hours.

When it's done, remove each turkey leg to a serving plate, thicken the juices in the pot with guar or xanthan, and spoon over the turkey legs. If you like, sprinkle 2 tablespoons (7 g) of shredded cheese over each turkey leg and let it melt for a minute or two before serving.

Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 8 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbs and- depending on the size of the turkey legs- 40 to 50 grams of protein.

Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapenos. They're very different from regular jalapenos, and they're quite delicious. Look for them, canned in adobo sauce, in the Mexican foods section of big grocery stores. Since you're unlikely to use the whole can at once, you'll be happy to know that you can store your chipotles in the freezer, where they'll live happily for months and stay pliable enough that you can peel one off when you want to use it. Queso quesadilla is a mild, white Mexican cheese. Monterey Jack is an acceptable subst.i.tute.

Cranberry-Peach Turkey Roast This fruity sauce really wakes up the turkey roast!

3 pounds (1.4 kg) turkey roast 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil cup (80 g) chopped onion 1 cup (110 g) cranberries cup (6 g) Splenda 3 tablespoons (45 ml) spicy mustard teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 peach, peeled and chopped If your turkey roast is a b.u.t.terball like mine, it will be a boneless affair of light and dark meat rolled into an oval roast, enclosed in a net sack. Leave it in the net for cooking so it doesn't fall In a big heavy skillet, heat the oil and brown the turkey on all sides. Transfer the turkey to a slow cooker.

In a blender or food processor with the S-blade in place, combine the onion, cranberries, Splenda, mustard, red pepper, and peach. Run it until you have a coa.r.s.e puree. Pour the mixture over the turkey. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 6 to 7 hours.

Remove the turkey to a platter, stir up the sauce, and ladle it into a sauce boat to serve with the turkey. You can remove the net from the turkey before serving, if you like, but I find it easier just to use a good sharp knife to slice clear through the netting and let diners remove their own.