Posted on: Thursday, November 15, 2007
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GRILL THAT TURKEY
Looking to impress your guests this holiday season? A surefire way to get everyone to the table is by serving turkey straight off the outdoor grill. A couple of handfuls of wood chips scattered over the fire will provide deep flavor with no added calories. "Many years ago, I converted from ordinary oven-roasted turkeys to lightly smoked birds with much more succulence," says chef and writer Jamie Purviance, author of "Weber's Charcoal Grilling: The Art of Cooking with Live Fire" (Sunset Books, 2007). Follow these steps from Purviance for a delicious tradition that also solves the old problem of the white meat turning dry before the dark is done. 1. Start with a soak According to Purviance, "Brining a turkey before barbecuing helps the meat stay moist and delicious throughout." A brine is a salt-and-water solution. He adds apple juice and herbs for better flavors, which are absorbed by a turkey's lean meat, protecting it from overcooking. Arrange the turkey, breast-side down, in a sturdy plastic bag. Put the bag in a cooler lined with ice, then pour the brine over the turkey. Pull up the sides of the bag so the brine covers the turkey and let it soak for 24 hours. 2. Fire it up Prepare a crescent-shaped fire on one side of the charcoal grate for higher temperatures on that side. On the opposite side, a drip pan filled with warm water will help maintain the temperature of the grill, which should be 300 degrees to 350 degrees. 3. Smoke that bird Remove the turkey from the bag and rinse it with cold water. Pat it dry and season it with pepper. Next, in a heavy-duty roasting pan, combine good-quality chicken stock with chopped vegetables and any reserved turkey parts. Place the pan over indirect low heat and add wood chips to the fire. "Start by cooking the breast meat, on a rack, facing down in the pan. This way, the leg meat gets a head start, while the breast meat is shielded by the pan and the liquid," says Purviance. "After the first hour, the legs, wings, and back will be golden brown, but the breast will have barely begun to cook. Turning the turkey over will allow the breast and leg meat to finish together." Remove the turkey from the grill when the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees in the thickest part of a thigh and 165 degrees in the breast. 4. Take a break and enjoy Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and cover it loosely with foil. Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. If you want to save even more calories, you can remove the skin and still maintain the flavor.
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We've searched far and wide to bring you interesting, healthful Thanksgiving recipes.
The first recipe is from Jackie Keller of NutriFit (www.NutriFitonline.com), author of "Body After Baby" (Avery/Penguin, 2006). When not specified, they are Platkin originals.
Cook, eat, enjoy and be healthy.
PUMPKIN BISQUE
3 cups sliced carrots
2 (10.75-ounce) cans fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth
3 cups canned pumpkin
12 ounces fat-free evaporated milk
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Combine carrots and 1 cup broth in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer carrots and liquid to an electric blender; cover and process until smooth. Transfer to a 3-quart saucepan; add remaining broth, pumpkin, evaporated milk, water, sugar, pumpkin spice, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot; ladle into bowls.
Serves 6.
Per 1-cup serving: 123 calories, 0.4g fat, 7.8g protein, 23.6g carbs, 4g fiber, 379mg sodium
Christine Merlo, chef and professor at the School of Hotel & Restaurant Management at Newbury College in Boston, created this relish.
CRANBERRY ORANGE RELISH
12 ounces (1 1/2 cup) fresh cranberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1 navel orange, ends removed, unpeeled, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon honey
Julienned orange peel or very thin slice of orange, for garnish, optional
Wash and dry the cranberries. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of cranberries and the orange juice. Cook until the cranberries have burst and leaked their juices. Remove from heat and cool.
In a food processor, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries and the orange. Blend until well minced. Add to the cooled cranberries and stir. Taste and adjust the flavor by adding some or all of the honey. Refrigerate until serving.
Serves 6 to 8.
Per 1 tablespoon serving: 32 calories, 0.8g fat, 0.5g protein, 10g carbs, 1.1g fiber, 0g cholesterol, 0.7mg sodium
This recipe is by Janet Bond Brill, author of "Cholesterol Down" (Three Rivers Press, 2006).
MASHED POTATOES WITH CHICKPEAS
2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup light soy milk
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup light margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Place potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return potatoes to pan. Add chickpeas and mash using a potato masher. Add soy milk, chicken broth, margarine, salt and pepper and stir. Cook 2 more minutes, stirring constantly, until heated through. Serve warm.
Serves 6.
Per 1-cup serving: 255 calories, 5g fat, 7g protein, 46g carbs, 5g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 751mg sodium
Tosca Reno, author of "Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook" (Robert Kennedy Publishing, 2007) created this recipe.
BROWN RICE AND APPLE STUFFING
1 1/2 cups brown rice, uncooked
2 cups natural apple juice plus 1 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 crisp apple, cored and diced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup finely chopped brussels sprouts
4 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine
1 cup diced celery
1/3 cup oat bran or wheat bran
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup slivered, raw almonds
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cook rice according to package instructions using the apple juice and water for the cooking liquid.
Place olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook all chopped fruits and vegetables in the oil until they are crisp, not soggy. Add cooked brown rice, bran, cranberries, almonds, any remaining apple juice, poultry seasoning, thyme and pepper. Toss well.
Serves 10.
Per 3/4-cup serving: 193 calories, 4g fat, 4g protein, 38g carbs, 3g fiber, 18mg sodium
GREEN BEANS WITH SLICED ALMONDS
1 1/2 pounds snap green beans
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lemon
Cut strings off both sides of the beans. Spray a medium cooking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the beans and cook on medium high until beginning to brown. Add the water, cover and cook approximately 10 minutes longer. Water should evaporate and beans should be moist to the touch. Add almonds and cook until beans and almonds are slightly brown. Remove from heat and stir in garlic, salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over all and serve.
Serves 5.
Per 4-ounce serving: 80 calories, 1g fat, 4g protein, 13g carbs, 6g fiber, 43mg sodium
This apple pie recipe is from Jyl Steinback, "America's Healthiest Mom" (www.AmericasHealthiestMom.com).
WHOLE-WHEAT APPLE PIE
For crust:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup corn oil
3 tablespoons skim milk
For filling:
1 (9-ounce) can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup low-fat granola
Place flour and wheat germ in mixing bowl. Add corn oil and milk; mix lightly with a fork until moist. Roll out on lightly floured surface and place in pie pan sprayed with cooking spray.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine apple juice and cornstarch until smooth. Arrange apple slices on pie crust; sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour juice and cornstarch mixture over apple slices and mix carefully. Sprinkle granola over top and bake 45 to 60 minutes until bubbling and brown.
Serves 8.
Per serving: 257 calories, 10g fat, 4g protein, 40g carbs, 6g fiber, 38mg sodium
Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public-health advocate, and author of "Breaking the FAT Pattern" (Plume, 2006). Sign up for the free Diet Detective newsletter at www.dietdetective.com.
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