Turkey Tikka

Dieting, or “eating clean” as they say can get rather…boring at times. It doesn’t have to be though; you just need to use your imagination. Spices are your friend, they add nothing but flavor and the possibilities are endless!

A couple weeks ago I was chatting with Roy, or rather texting. He sent me a picture of his food, it looked wonderful! I asked him what it was and he said “chicken in spices and yogurt”…hmm, I can do that, low cal and delicious!

I asked him to get the recipe- he sent me this:

Not a lot of detail huh? But that’s ok, I can deal with that! As I say over and over, “Cooking is an art not a science”.

I made a change though, something else I always say “Rules are meant to be broken, they are merely guidelines for people who can’t figure out life on their own.”

I used turkey tenderloins! Ha ha ha!! I just happened to have them and I am also not a wasteful person, so I use what I have on hand.

I was home for the day; Cooper had his wisdom teeth pulled so I had time to putz around the house. Not ever having this dish, and only hearing from Roy that he enjoyed it, I just used my imagination as to correct measurements.

This is what I used, if you know anything about Chicken Tikka, feel free to let me know how I did!

I assembled my ingredients and this is the beautiful pallet of colors and spices.

I then smashed it all together to make a thick paste, sounded like the right thing to do.

I added in the Greek yogurt and again mixed it well to incorporate all the spices into the yogurt.

Then I added the turkey that I had cut into large pieces and made sure it was all well coated. I snapped a lid on it and put it in the refrigerator for two days. It was only supposed to stay for one, but I forgot about it! 

Roy said to bake it at 350 degrees and cover it with foil so it stayed moist.  I texted a picture when it was done and he said it looked right to him.

About that time I decided I should write about it so I asked him what it was called. He said: “Well, if you ordered it in a restaurant it would be called Chicken Tikka.” I laughed hysterically; I have seen the name many times and was always interested as I like the name.

Doesn’t Turkey Tikka sound better?

I like it, although I have no idea if it tastes like it is supposed to. It is mild, I was expecting something a bit spicier, so I added some sriracha sauce after I warmed it up to eat it, this was quite tasty.

You can serve this with any cooked plain green vegetable and I found it delightful with sautéed mixed cabbage (I have been eating a lot of that lately). If you eat starch then a sweet potato or brown rice is good also.

Turkey Chili

I have posted about this before but I think people tend to think cooking is a science and very specific, it is not. Baking, on the other hand is.

I love food in bowls, odd huh?  I was in the mood for some hot and spicy chili so I decided to make turkey chili again. I bought the ground turkey breast and then search in the fridge for the rest of the ingredients, I will use what I have!

I also love cooking, and spend hours every week making foods for the rest of the week. David is acting as the photographer today. He shouts "How about a lat spread while you stir!" LOL!

 

So what did I do this time? I sauteed red and white onion in olive oil (I had both onions), along with lots of chopped garlic. I then added about a pound and a half of ground turkey breast and cooked it till it was no longer pink. I then added lots of vegetables. I will not add beans to this so it is important to have vegetables as a carbohydrate. I have added lots of chopped purple cabbage, celery, carrots, fresh and pickled jalapenos, a Serrano chile.

The spice today were my new Spanish Smoked Chorizo rub, red pepper flakes, cayenne and a small amount of dried chipotle chile powder, I like it spicy! Then three 14 ounce cans of chopped tomatoes, a fresh tomato (it was about to die) and 16 ounces chicken stock.

I let it simmer away until it was the thickness I wanted and then package it up and freeze some, leave some in the fridge.

I got so excited I ate most before I took the picture, but I have topped it with fresh avocado and Greek yogurt. I then splash on Tabasco!

Homemade Turkey Chorizo

I love chorizo but it is way too fatty for me, so I make my own with turkey! It really is easy and fairly quick. It does need to be prepared one day ahead though, as the finished product must sit in the fridge overnight for the flavors to marry.


I cook with taste and eyeballing, so the amounts I am giving are approximate and based on my likes, feel free to add/subtract whatever you want!


2 pounds ground turkey breast
8 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 Tablespoons dried oregano, crumbled
8 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Put the turkey into a bowl and add all of the remaining ingredients (pretty difficult huh?). We make out own red wine vinegar, and dry our own oregeno. I like to use two different types of chili powders. The chipolte chili powder has great flavor and heat. 

Mix it thoroughly with your hands, that will ensure everything is thoroughly combined. Smell it, if it is not spicy and super vinegary, add more! Here I added more chipotle chili powder.

 

Pull off a small amount, make it into a patty and fry it in a pan over medium low heat (there is no fat in this so be careful you don't burn it.)

Taste it. It should taste good and spicy. If not, add more of whatever it is lacking. When it seems right, cover the bowl tightly with a few layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, form it into patties weighing the proper amount, wrap each individually and place into a freezer container or bag and freeze. Ground meats will keep about three months. You really don't want to keep them longer as the small pockets of air will allow the fat and meat to go rancid easily.

This chorizo is great in a scramble, as a meat dish, mixed with sautéed vegetables, any way you would eat your lean protein!

Here I have sautéed it with green onions, a whole bag of spinach, 1/2 cup egg whites and a small amount of low fat swiss cheese.

Turkey Chili

I love chili, but make my own healthy version. It is simple and can contain whatever you happen to have on hand. Virginia brought by some produce from her CSA and there was a giant head of kale in it. Kale is one of the healthiest things on earth that you can eat. 

One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.

Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.

Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.

So...I added kale to my chili and you really couldn't even tell!

24 ounces extra lean ground turkey

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, chopped

1 large bunch of kale, very finely chopped 

3 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes (you can use flavored ones, or fresh if it is tomato season)

2 cups chicken broth or water

4 Tbsps chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 small can or jar or fresh jalapenos, chopped

I start with extra lean ground turkey and saute it until no longer pink. I then add the remaining ingredients (except the kale) and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add the kale in the last few minutes, continue simmering until kale is tender. As with all vegetables, the less you cook them, the healthier they are for you.

I don't add beans, but you could if you like. 

I like to serve it alone, with a big dollop of fat free Greek yogurt, and fresh cilantro on top. A good squirt of hot sauce and I am a happy camper!

I will divide this into 6 serving portions, package into ziplock bags and freeze it for a quick meal after work.

Do try adding kale, it is the "Queen of Greens", filling and will taste great.

It feels good to feel good!

Turkey Oatmeal Muffins

My version of "prison loaf"  Actually, it's not mine at all, but a recipe from Jamie Eason and she calls this "Turkey Oatmeal muffins".

You are wondering what on earth would even make me want to create this dish?

My sister and I were driving down to visit my father this past weekend and I knew I would need some quick and easy meals. I needed something I could eat in between the "normal" meals, something that would provide all my nutritional needs, was fast and no mess.

Enter the muffins.

They are basically turkey meatballs with all of the complex carbs right in them, so you don't have pasta, you can eat them plain, on salad, or as I did, heated with mustard.

Here is the recipe and nutritional breakdown:

Chicken or Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

1/2 tsp. ground cumin1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed

2 tsp. dry yellow mustard

2 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. McCormick’s Chipotle Pepper Spice (spicy, but key to the recipe)

1 tsp. salt1 cup quick cooking oats

2 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tbsp of garlic powder)

1 small onion, finely chopped (I get the pre chopped version or even the frozen - thawed)

2 stalks celery, finely chopped (bell peppers will work too)

3 egg whites

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. ground extra lean chicken or turkey breast (I use 3 packages)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a large bowl, add cumin, thyme, yellow mustard, black pepper, McCormick’s Chipotle Pepper Spice, salt, oats, garlic, onions and celery. Mix until well combined.  Next add the ground chicken and egg whites and mix with your hands until evenly distributed.  Make racquetball size portions and place in muffin tins, sprayed with non-stick spray.  Bake for 40 minutes. 

Yields about18 muffins

Nutrition: 1 muffin

78 calories

2 g fat

4 g carbs

11 g protein

Servings are usually 2 for women and 4 for men.

Raw ingredients above, just before I mixed them up. Doesn't look too bad does it?

Would I make these again? Actually yes I would. Were they great and tasty? Not really. They were a great item to take while visiting someone though, it was a quick warm in the microwave, I didn't go hungry and warm food always satisfies me more than cold.

I think it can easily be changed to be a bit more tasty, changing spices, adding some vegetables. How does this compare to prison loaf? Not sure, but it keeps me in line!

Prison Loaf

I just read an article by Tovin Lapan called "Shawshank revulsion: Loaf used as punishment in jail"

It's about a form of punishment reserved only for the worst prisoners, and they are fed this loaf and apparently break down and turn into compliant pussycats after a few days on it.

What I found so interesting, is that it sounds quite similar to food I eat, voluntarily. I am wondering about the fact that I am eating the same foods as prisoners, yet I can go for months, and not break. It must be the fact that I am choosing to eat it. Or maybe it's because I am not in prison? Who knows....

I don't have enough room to post the entire article here, but just so you can get the "flavor" of it, here you go:

On Christmas Day, the inmates at Santa Cruz County Jail will get a welcome respite from their regularly scheduled, nutritious but mostly unexciting high school cafeteria-style meals -- glazed ham with sweet potatoes and ice cream for dessert.

If an inmate has been behaving poorly, however, while all his incarcerated compatriots dine on one of the few special meals of the year, he will instead be forced to feast on "the loaf."

Otherwise known as the disciplinary diet loaf, prison loaf and management loaf, when all else fails in disciplining an inmate -- be it loss of visits, free time or other privileges -- the deputies turn to this bland log of meat and vegetables to get the disruptive inmate to follow the rules.

It only happens once or twice a year, according to officials, but where other corrective measures fail, the loaf is typically successful.

"Usually, they only last a couple days on the loaf before they agree to comply with directions and are given normal meals again," said Tim Sanford, the jail's food service manager for 15 years.

The loaf -- by most accounts, a highly effective measure in getting inmates to follow rules -- is the only example of food being used as discipline in the correctional system, and has been challenged under the Eighth Amendment as cruel and unusual punishment in several U.S. states.

The loaf looks like it is constructed from layers of particle board, and little kernels of corn and slivers of carrot jut out from the insides when its is bisected. It does not taste bad, but rather is so dry and lacking in flavor as to be at best unappetizing and at worst better used mixed with milk to make a nice Spackle. It is served with two slices of wheat bread and, instead of the typical serving of milk, a cup of water.

 

CALIFORNIA RECIPE FOR DISCIPLINARY DIET LOAF

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 oz. nonfat dry milk
4 1/2 oz. raw grated potato
4 1/2 oz. raw carrots, chopped or grated fine
1 1/2 oz. tomato juice or puree
4 1/2 oz. raw cabbage, chopped fine
7 oz. lean ground beef, turkey or rehydrated, canned or frozen Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
2 1/2 fl. oz. oil
1 1/2 oz. whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. raw onion, chopped
1 egg
6 oz. dry red beans, precooked before baking (or 16 oz. canned or cooked red kidney beans) 4 tsp. chili powder

DIRECTIONS
Shape into a loaf and bake at 350-375 degrees for 50-70 minutes.

SOURCE: California Code of Regulations Title 15 

Tomorrow: the recipe I am eating that is similar. Turkey Oatmeal muffins, a recipe from Jamie Eason.

There is a lot more to the article, such facts as the states which have banned the loaf! You can find it here.

Roasted Turkey Stock

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My favorite part of Thanksgiving turkey is the roasted stock I make the next day! It is sublime if I do say so myself.


I got up at 4:15 a.m., feeling a little slow and the 30 degree weather didn't help matters at all. In fact, my birdbath in the backyard turned into an ice skating rink!


I had a 2 hour workout, back and bicep day and 30 minutes cardio, walking on the treadmill at 15% watching a silly show called Sweet 16 on VH1.


Then home to hack up the carcass! I am in the backyard, with my antique Briddell solid steel cleaver, it was a gift from my dad. He said it was from a restaurant in San Francisco that burned to the ground, this and another large knife were a few of the salvage items. I love things that come with a story!


The carcass needs to be hacked up to cut into the bones so all the gelatin can come out. I do it outside because turkey meat goes flying everywhere (I learned that the hard way).

Into the roasting pan goes all the hacked up bones and fat and any frozen chicken necks and pieces from my freezer.


I then add a couple big onions, cut in quarters, no need to peel them. Several stalks of celery, roughly cut up and lots of carrots, peeled and cut into big hunks.

I then roast it all in a 400 degree oven, stirring every once in a while, everything should get dark brown, with some crispy pieces.

Then all of this gets placed into a large stockpot and covered with cold water. I throw a few whole black peppercorns in, then bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer several hours, the end result will be a dark, rich, flavorful stock. Strain it and cool in the refrigerator until the fat forms a solid mass on the top, then remove and discard.


I will freeze the stock to use as a base for soup, just add some pasta or rice, a grating of Parmesan and it is the most delicious, simple meal. It can also be used for anything that calls for chicken or meat stock.


Your turkey carcass is probably gone by now, but if it's not, don't by pass this amazing treat. It really isn't that much work and there is nothing more satisfying than a homemade rich broth.

Thanksgiving

This was my lunch, a cold can of tuna.....!

I like tuna, it is good stuff. I also wanted to enjoy a great meal with my family, so I decided to eat light, skip the carbs and try to offset it all a bit.

I made everything except the appetizer and dessert, so I know what's in it all. I do not make my family "eat clean" on Thanksgiving, after all, this healthy eating stuff is my deal, not theirs.

We had a great meal, family and friends, lots of food and drink.

My brother, who is in India for a few months skyped and we "passed" him around the table on the laptop and had a good chat.

As usual, I packaged up everything for the guests to take except a little turkey and the carcass, I will make stock. My son very quietly asked me if I had saved anything, and I had not. Seems he wanted it all over again and I had given it all away! 

Guess I will reproduce the same menu next year. What did we have? Here is the menu:

Wilce Family Winery
Thanksgiving 2010

Appetizer

Brined “Good Shepherd” Heritage Turkey with Pan Gravy

Artichoke Parmesan Sourdough Stuffing

Roasted Cranberry Sauce with Herbed Candied Walnuts

Sweet Potato Pudding with Pecan and Gingersnap Topping

Buttermilk Chive Mashed Potatoes

Brussels Sprouts Hash with Caramelized Shallots

Harvard Beets

Rolls with Butter

Pumpkin Pie
Whipped Cream


Champagne
Wine
Sparkling Water
Coffee

Chorizo

I love Chorizo, who doesn't?

It certainly is not a healthy food group, no matter how you slice it.

The one you see above is a healthy choice, not the best, but if you need to eat chorizo, it's really the only one I have found that fills the bill.

It is also a very good example of how we can read labels and not completely comprehend what the label actually means. 

It is generally accepted that if you are adhering to a "low fat" diet, all of your foods should contain approximately 20% or less fat.  This is not as easy as you think if you eat any animal or packaged products.

 
I  eat this chorizo on occasion, never when I am competing (and I was in competition prep for 8 months this past year because I had three competitions, so I was on a non stop diet that entire time, no chorizo).

Here is the back of the package that shows the nutritional facts:

It looks totally healthy doesn't it? Only 2 grams of fat per serving.

 

But that's not quite the whole truth. You need to be able to interpret what this label is telling you, and it is only telling you what it must according to the law.

You need to look at two keys factors here:

Grams of fat and Total calories

One serving of this chorizo has only 2 little grams of fat. But each gram of fat is worth 9 calories.

2 x 9 = 18 Fat Calories

A serving is a total of 60 calories.

Divide the calories by the fat calories (18 divided by 60) = .30

This "healthy low fat" turkey chorizo is 30% fat......

Not such a healthy choice is it?

So what is that 3% fat they show on the back of the label anyway? That's the percentage of the daily value of fat according to a 2000 calorie diet. I can guarantee you that it is not a diet written for anyone who is attempting to lose body fat and look ripped either. 

So learn to read your labels, don't let them fool you into thinking you are eating healthy. 

Make your own chorizo, I do. In fact, I will be making chorizo turkey cutlets for dinner sometime this week and I will post the recipe. I have done it on a whim before, and posted it but it was a spur of the moment dish. I will put some effort into this one and it will surely be a keeper.

Keep following- it will be soon!

Butternut Squash and Turkey Soup

This soup was very nice, creamy (yet no cream), spicy and very healthy.

It is from the Precision Nutrition Cookbook by Dr. John Berardi.

I love soup. I usually tend to make the broth based soups because I just cannot eat the cream, so having one with a creamy texture is great!

This is one I would make again, and it was easy to do.  This serves 8 ( a big guy gets double)


Soup Base:

1 Tbsp coconut oil
5 cups butternut squash (skin removed, roughly chopped)
1 cup roughly chopped onion
1 Tbsp grated or minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp nutmeg
5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup water

Soup Garnish:

1 lb, 10 ounces ground turkey
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp cumin

Olive Oil cooking spray

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

 

Soup base:

Preheat large pot on medium high heat, add coconut oil and squash, saute until lightly browned. Add onion, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg and 2 Tbsp of broth; saute for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Add remaining vegetable broth and water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until squash is soft (approximately 30 minutes). Prepare garnish while soup base is cooking. Let soup cool a few minutes. Puree in blender or food processor until smooth and pour back into pot.

Soup Garnish:

Season turkey with salt, pepper and cumin. Preheat large non-stick frying pan on medium heat and lightly coat with spray. Saute turkey until lightly browned and completely cooked, breaking up meat into small crumbles. Add cooked turkey and cilantro to soup base. Reheat and serve immediately or portion soup into storage containers. To maintain tenderness of meat, avoid bring soup to a boil after meat has been added.

I make one batch, and do not add the garnish. I divide the base into 8 servings (7 containers and 1 small pot), and then mike the turkey and cilantro together, and divide that equally between the 8 containers. I have one bowl for dinner and other 7 go in the freezer for later.

Calories 219.8

fat 9.8 grams

carbs 14.3 grams

sugar 2.6 grams

protein 18.8 grams

Pincho Morunos Chicken

I am forever attempting to keep the family well fed and happy, and maintain my fairly strict diet at the same time.

For those of you have have known me long, it is no news that my hobby used to be cooking.  In fact, I even won the "build a better burger" contest for the western United States for my Gorgonzola Beefburger with Sun dried Tomato relish...I have always loved burgers.

I made this dish with pork tenderloins for the boys, and I  used ground chicken breast to make some 'patties" for myself. The only difference was theirs had olive oil in the marinade, I left that out of mine. They loved it, said it was a
keeper and I liked mine too!

This makes 8 patties

2 pounds ground chicken or turkey breast (only use breast, the other stuff is skin, fat, garbage, don't use it).
1/2 medium onion minced fine
2 cloves garlic minced fine
1 Tbsp parsley minced fine
1 1/2 tsp Spanish paprika (I like agri-dulce)

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp saffron threads (I know it's expensive so leave it out if you don't have it) I am lucky that my brother lives in Spain and it is cheap there! My sister is bringing some back this month in fact.

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp dry sherry or dry white wine

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients together. It will be a sticky mess!  Form into balls as best you can, wrap individually in plastic wrap, then "shape" into patties to freeze them.

Heat a cast iron skillet and spray with olive oil cooking spray, fry on each side until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. You can tell by pressing on the patty, it should be quite firm when done.

Great with lemon squeezed all over...

If you are cooking for someone who is not watching oil intake, you would mix 1 1/2 Tbsps olive oil in the marinade, and marinade whole pork tenderloins or pork chops several hours or overnight. Bar B Que over medium high heat.

Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

I am in heaven!

I made turkey meatballs and had them with shirataki noodles for lunch. Life has blossomed again! 

I adapted this recipe from musclemag and changed the proportions since it was designed for a huge bodybuilding male. 

To be completely truthful, it isn't as good as the big, beefy, breadcrumb laden, olive oil coated, Parmesan cheese meatballs that I make for my family (and if you want that recipe, let me know, it's fantastic!)

Considering the amazingly low calorie and carb count though, I am a happy camper eating this, in fact, I froze 7 single serving bags for myself and stocked up on shirataki noodles.

This recipe makes 4 servings. If you were feeding a big guy, you may want to give him double :)

Meatballs:

1 pound ground turkey breast
3 egg whites (or use 1/2 cup liquid egg whites)

1 cup onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

salt

pepper

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees, lightly coat a cookie sheet or baking dish with cooking spray.

Remember that spray has no calories only when you use the recommended amount, which is 1/3 of a second spray! I kept testing to see if I was using the correct amount and I am a slow sprayer, I couldn't spray in 1/3 of a second....a can of Trader Joe's olive oil spray has 564 sprays in it, maybe when I am bored some time I should track my usage to see if I am over using it, but I am fairly sure I am.

Mix all ingredients together, if using whole, dried spices, rub them together in your hands to pulverize them.

Scoop out spoonfuls of mixture to form 1" to 2" meatballs and place on tray.

Bake approximately 15 minutes. These won't brown, there isn't anything to brown, no fat, no bread, nothing.

While the meatballs cook, make the noodles. For 2 people use 2 packages shirataki noodles.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Drain and rinse noodles very well under lots of water, then boil 3 minutes. Drain again and place onto paper towels, blot well. It is very important to do this and dry them well to reduce the gelatinous texture. Leave noodles there until ready to add to sauce.

Sauce: 

1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken or beef broth


Place sauce ingredients into a skillet, then transfer meatballs into the sauce, simmer 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked noodles, stir together and warm for a couple minutes. 

This will have very little sauce, only enough to coat the noodles. Feel free to add as much sauce, prepared spaghetti sauce, anything but remember that tomato sauce has a great deal of carbohydrate, so if you are really watching your weight, try to use more broth based sauces, with just a small amount of tomato sauce added, or use fresh tomatoes, chopped up finely.

Sauces can all be made more flavorful by using mushroom soaking liquid (from dried wild mushrooms), beef broth, a small amount of balsamic vinegar, truffle salt or chicken stock.

This dish, when prepared as I describe, without extra sauce or any cheese has the following nutritional breakdown: 

212.5 calories (yes that is the noodles and the meatballs!)
15.2 grams carbs (yup!)

33 grams protein (wow!)
3.5 grams fat (I love it!) 

Give it a try.