. . . Try a Calorie-Balancing Act With Turkey-Based Menus : A Variety of Ideas for the Meat-Loving Dieter
Those who need to count calories to fit into their summer clothes don’t have to give up good eating entirely. It’s more a matter of adapting habits, and favorite recipes, to decrease the amount of fat in the diet. While sugary foods add empty calories, it is fat that contains the most calories per gram, nine as compared to four in a gram of carbohydrate (including sugar) or protein.
Of course this means cooking with less oil, bread with less butter, coffee with less cream, salad with less dressing. Or, none at all. It means cutting down on foods that contain high values of hidden fat, such as nuts, many cheeses and meats. For meat lovers, one answer is to trim away or render out as much fat as possible. Or, substitute skinless poultry and fish items in place of higher-fat cuts of beef, pork or lamb.
Since turkey meat is appearing in what seems to be an ever-expanding variety of light and dark meat cuts, our ideas here for lowered-calorie main dishes make use of these low-fat protein sources. Ground turkey, boneless turkey breast meat, turkey cutlets and whole turkey thighs are combined with a variety of other nutritious ingredients and seasonings that blend compatibly with the flavor and nutrient content of turkey.
Oriental Turkey Salad features ground turkey browned in a small amount of oil, then flavored with soy sauce, vinegar, Sherry, bouillon and cayenne pepper and served over lettuce with water chestnuts, carrots, mushrooms, chow mein noodles, green onions and tomatoes. This attractive salad offers a meal in itself, needing only a source of calcium such as a glass of nonfat milk, to be nearly complete nutritionally.
Ground turkey is also used in the Crustless Turkey Pizza and Broiled Deviled Turkey Pitas, both with less than 300 calories and needing only a calcium-rich food such as a milk product and a source of thiamine, such as peas, to balance out a relatively low-calorie meal.
The same balancing act can be performed on Turkey Creole With Mushrooms, a saucy dish made with turkey cutlets, that contributes only 216 calories to the meal.
ORIENTAL TURKEY SALAD
2 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups chicken bouillon
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons dry Sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar
Dash cayenne pepper
1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 head lettuce, shredded
3 medium carrots, shredded
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 (3-ounce) can chow mein noodles
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, cut in wedges
1 lemon, cut in wedges
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Add ground turkey, stirring to break up. Cook until turkey loses pink color. Combine sugar and cornstarch in small bowl. Add bouillon, stirring until smooth. Stir in soy sauce, Sherry, vinegar and cayenne. Add to meat mixture, stirring until thickened. Mix in water chestnuts. Keep warm.
Arrange lettuce on large serving platter. Arrange carrots, mushrooms and chow mein noodles over lettuce. Pile hot turkey mixture into center. Garnish with green onions, tomato and lemon wedges. Makes 6 servings.
PER SERVING: 321 calories; 24 gm protein; 31 gm carbohydrate; 12 gm fat; 1,042 mg sodium; 890 mg potassium.
USRDA
Protein 37% Riboflavin 20% Vitamin A 110% Niacin 32% Vitamin C 63% Calcium 09% Thiamine 13% Iron 18% CRUSTLESS TURKEY PIZZA
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash hot pepper sauce
2 pounds ground turkey
1/3 cup chopped green peppers
1 (8-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Combine tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Measure 1/4 cup mixture into large bowl. Reserve remaining mixture. Add egg, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup onions, garlic, hot pepper sauce and turkey to tomato sauce in bowl. Mix well.
Pat turkey mixture evenly on lightly greased 14-inch pizza pan. Top with remaining onion, green peppers and mushrooms. Pour remaining sauce over top. Bake at 450 degrees 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes longer or until browned around edges and cheese melts. Makes 8 servings.
PER SERVING: 255 calories; 32 gm protein; 9 gm carbohydrate; 9 gm fat; 410 mg sodium; 379 mg potassium.
USRDA
Protein 49% Riboflavin 16% Vitamin A 12% Niacin 37% Vitamin C 18% Calcium 10% Thiamine 07% Iron 12% BROILED DEVILED TURKEY PITAS
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup catsup
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pita breads, split and toasted
4 thin onion slices
4 tomato slices
4 green pepper rings
Combine turkey, catsup, horseradish, chopped onion, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire, salt and pepper, mixing well. Divide mixture among toasted bread halves, spreading to edges. Broil, about 3 inches from heat, 6 to 10 minutes or until turkey loses pink color. Garnish with onion, tomato and pepper rings. Makes 4 servings.
PER SERVING: 242 calories; 30 gm protein; 16 gm carbohydrate; 5 gm fat; 611 mg sodium; 508 mg potassium.
USRDA
Protein 46% Riboflavin 12% Vitamin A 13% Niacin 36% Vitamin C 39% Calcium 04% Thiamine 09% Iron 14% TURKEY CREOLE WITH MUSHROOMS
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 green pepper, diced
1 (16-ounce) stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 pound boneless turkey cutlets, 1/2-inch thick
Saute mushrooms in oil in non-stick skillet over high heat until browned. Stir in wine, onion, garlic, bay leaf, green pepper and tomatoes. Simmer 5 to 6 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Arrange turkey in single layer in shallow baking dish. Spoon sauce over. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees about 15 minutes, basting occasionally. Makes 4 servings.
PER SERVING: 216 calories; 30 gm protein; 10 gm carbohydrate; 5 gm fat; 224 mg sodium; 711 mg potassium.
USRDA
Protein 46% Riboflavin 12% Vitamin A 24% Niacin 53% Vitamin C 78% Calcium 03% Thiamine 09% Iron 11% TURKEY AND PINEAPPLE ON SKEWERS
1 pound boneless, skinless turkey breast
1 (16-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
2 tablespoons low-calorie prepared Italian dressing
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Cut turkey into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Thread on skewers, alternating with pineapple chunks, reserving pineapple juice. Brush with dressing. Broil or barbecue 3 inches from heat, turning frequently, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine reserved juice with soy sauce, cinnamon, salt and pepper in small saucepan. Simmer, uncovered, until thick. Spoon over turkey and pineapple just before serving. Makes 4 servings.
PER SERVING: 201 calories; 29 gm protein; 12 gm carbohydrate; 4 gm fat; 593 mg sodium; 479 mg potassium.
USRDA
Protein 44% Riboflavin 09% Vitamin A 03% Niacin 48% Vitamin C 13% Calcium 03% Thiamine 09% Iron 09% TURKEY WITH ORANGE
2 turkey thighs (2 1/2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup water
Rinse turkey and pat dry. Place under broiler to brown. Transfer to roasting pan and sprinkle with paprika. Arrange onion slices over turkey. Combine juice concentrate, brown sugar, parsley, soy sauce, ginger and water. Pour over turkey and onions. Bake, covered, at 400 degrees 60 minutes, basting once or twice with pan juices. Makes 6 servings.
PER SERVING: 329 calories; 44 gm protein; 9 gm carbohydrate; 12 gm fat; 149 mg sodium; 676 mg potassium.
USRDA
Protein 67% Riboflavin 21% Vitamin A 11% Niacin 31% Vitamin C 24% Calcium 03% Thiamine 06% Iron 21%