Healthy Holidays Recipes: Mushroom and Sausage Stuffed Boneless Turkey Breast

During the Holidays, turkey breast is a star on the table. Our family couldn't care less for the legs and other parts of the turkey. So, if you are like us, this recipe is a must. The breast comes out juicy, delicious, the flavors of the meat and the stuffing blend in together. Believe me...you have to give this one a try!

Mushroom and Sausage Stuffed Turkey Breast (Roulade) with Gravy
Servings: 10 portions

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice 
• Kosher salt
• 8 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
• 1 pound shiitake mushrooms (use other mushrooms if you prefer)
• 1/2 bunch sage, leaves finely chopped 
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives
• 1 pound bulk Italian Chicken or Turkey sausage, crumbled
• 1 turkey breast, removed from the bone, about 4 pounds
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup dry white wine
• Thyme bundle
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Coat a large saute pan, over medium-high heat, with olive oil, add in half of the diced onion, season with salt, to taste. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and very aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in the mushrooms and sage, season with salt, to taste. Cook until they are soft and wilted, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chicken or turkey sausage and use a large kitchen spoon to chop up the sausage. Cook until the sausage is brown and a little crispy, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the sausage mixture to a large mixing bowl and let cool.

While the sausage mixture is cooling, cut the turkey breast into 2 separate halves and remove skin. Butterfly each half to make a wide, flat surface (Most of them will do it without charging anything). Cover each half with plastic wrap and gently pound each breast half, to flatten.

To the mixing bowl with sausage mixture, add the bread crumbs, grated cheese, the eggs, the olives and 1/2 a cup of water. Mix together until it becomes a homogeneous mixture. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Arrange a turkey breast flat on the plastic wrap. Lay half the stuffing mix on the turkey and roll it up, creating a neat even log.  Tie with twine to secure. Repeat with second turkey breast.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Put a large roasting pan on a burner, coat it with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the turkey rolls and brown on all sides. Remove the rolls from the pan and add in the remaining diced onion, carrots, celery. Season with salt, to taste, and cook the veggies until they start to soften, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup of low sodium chicken stock and 1 cup of white wine to the roasting pan with a thyme bundle. Return the turkey rolls to the pan, cover with foil and roast for 25 minutes, remove the foil and roast for 10 more minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the turkey to a tray or platter and cover with foil to rest and keep warm.

Put the roasting pan over 2 burners to make the gravy. Remove the thyme and skim the fat. Mix the flour with 6 tablespoons chicken stock and slowly whisk it into the roasting pan. Whisk in the remaining chicken stock and bring it the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture has thickened to a gravy consistency. Taste and season with salt, if needed.

Remove the string from the roulades and slice into medallions. Arrange the roulades on a serving platter and serve with the gravy.

Sources: Based on multiple recipes including recipes from the Food Network 

Pumpkin and Yellow Pepper Soup with Smoked Paprika

Creamy pumpkin soup is so delicious and feels right in the Fall. Check out this healthy recipe, also great for Halloween and Thanksgiving parties.


Pumpkin and Yellow Pepper Soup with Smoked Paprika

Servings: 7 portions

• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 3 1/2  cups  chopped yellow bell pepper (about 2 large)
• 1 1/2  cups  chopped carrot (about 2 medium)
• 1  cup  chopped onion (about 1 medium)
• 1/2  teaspoon  Spanish smoked paprika
• 2  garlic cloves, chopped
• 5  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 15 oz pumpkin puree (roast and puree it, or opt for a 15-ounce can of salt-free pumpkin puree)
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons  unsalted pumpkin-seed kernels, toasted
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, carrot, and onion; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add paprika and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add 3 cups broth and black pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Place one-third of vegetable mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid spills). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining vegetable mixture.
Return pureed vegetable mixture to the heat; stir in remaining 2 cups broth and pumpkin. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in juice. Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 7 bowls; top each serving with about 1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds and about 1/2 teaspoon parsley. Serve immediately.


Source:  My Recipes

A Clever Pie for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving pies are usually full of calories, not matter what. However, you can make them healthier while not sacrificing taste at all! Here are a few ideas collected from different sources:

- Try to use at least some whole wheat flour for the crust.
- Use organic fruits (and real pumpkin) instead of canned sugary versions. Limit the sugar you add. Fruit is sweet by nature. Add flavor boosts with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and zests or rinds from citrus fruit instead.
- Because the crust requires a considerable amount of butter, try to limit the crust to one side. Don't use it for the bottom and top of the pie.
- Choose butter over shortening or lard - it's the least of the three evils. The healthiest option is oil but this can only be used if you are making a crumb crust (a regular crust will be dense and greasy if made with oil).
- Make your own whipped cream. Most commercially prepared versions have hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup in them along with a medley of other ingredients that don't belong there. Homemade whipped cream will be higher in fat but it's more natural to make your own and a small amount of homemade is more satisfying than a large amount of fake stuff.
 
Sources include Yahoo, Self Magazine 

Reduce Calories on Thanksgiving While Not Sacrificing Taste

Check out these great baking tips from Women's Health to drastically reduce calories during Thanksgiving. They promise that it won't sacrifice taste!

- In fruit pies, use half the amount of sugar the recipe calls for. You’ll save 744 calories for every cup of sugar you don’t use.
- In cookies and crusts, use half whole-wheat pastry flour and half all-purpose flour. Whole wheat has 12 grams of filling fiber in every cup and guests probably won’t notice the difference if you cut the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour.
- In cheesecake, substitute part-skim ricotta cheese for cream cheese. You’ll double the amount of hunger-fighting protein and cut the fat by close to 60 grams for each cup you use.
 
Source: Women's Health