Category Archives: Poultry

Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes, Soups and Stews, Vegetarian

Delicious Turkey Ragout feeds the soul

Photo: Turkey & Vegetables Ragout

A rainy night or two ago, I pulled a package of frozen turkey from the freezer and pondered what I could throw together with it that suited this chilly night. I had canned tomatoes, an eggplant that needed to be used, and some of the mini-peppers in my fridge. So I threw this saucy dish together. It’s not quite a ragu nor is it a ragout exactly, but it’s closer to the latter, so that’s what I decided to call it. It’s a lovely combination of meat, vegetables, and sauce with Italian seasonings.

For my seasoning salt, I used Emeril’s Essence, but any seasoning salt will work. I also used red onion, which brings a bit more sweetness than a white or yellow onion, but any of them will work. In fact, this is a versatile recipe, so if you don’t care for eggplant, substitute in another vegetable, such as summer squash or mushrooms. Of course, you can also use ground beef in place of the turkey. For a vegetarian option, omit the meat and add in more vegetables, like the aforementioned mushrooms or chopped kohlrabi. Be aware that replacing the turkey with additional vegetables will increase the carb count a little.

Turkey and Vegetable Ragout

1 lb. Ground Turkey
1 15-oz. can Diced Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1 cup Eggplant, cubed
3 Mini-Peppers, sliced
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/4 cup Water or White Wine
1 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon ground Pepper

In a large saucepan, brown the ground turkey, chopping into small pieces as it cooks. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent.

Add the eggplant and peppers and continue to cook another few minutes, stirring a few times, then add the canned tomatoes and 1/4 cup of water (or white wine). Add all the seasonings and stir the whole pan together.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for about 20 to 30 minutes until the liquid is reduced to a delicious sauce and the vegetables are tender. Taste the sauce and adjust any seasonings.

Serve with cooked zucchini noodles. You can either buy these in the frozen food section or make your own with a spiralizer or a vegetable peeler. Or you can do a wide shred with a food grater.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Info for Turkey Vegetable Ragout

Asian Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes, Vegetarian

Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce and Broccoli

Photo: Thai Peanut Chicken with Broccoli

This is my take on a recipe for Thai-style broccoli and spaghetti squash. I like to make it a meaty main dish, so I added chicken and changed out a couple of ingredients to make it low carb. If you’d like to make it a vegetarian dish, then omit the chicken.

Thai Peanut Chicken and Broccoli Over Spaghetti Squash

1 small spaghetti squash, about 2 pounds
2 Chicken breasts, cut into cubes

For the Roasted Broccoli
1 small broccoli crown, broken into florets (2 cups)
1-2 tsp. sesame oil, can sub another vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste

For the Peanut Sauce
3 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sugar-free maple syrup
1 tbsp. lime juice
1-2 tbsp. water, as needed
1 tablespoon Thai Chili Sauce

Garnishes:
1-2 scallions, chopped
2 tbsp. roasted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375°.

Prepare the squash by cutting in half length-wise with a sharp kitchen knife. Scoop out the seeds, but don’t dig into the inner pulp. Oil the insides of the squash and place face down on a foil-covered baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove to a plate to cool until you can handle them.

About mid-way through the roasting time for the squash, begin preparing the broccoli. Place broccoli, oil, and garlic into an oven-safe pan or baking dish and toss until broccoli is coated. Put in the oven with the squash and roast until it is fork tender but still crisp. This should be about 15 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil then add the chicken cubes. Cook until lightly browned, but not overdone, then remove to a plate to rest.

In the same skillet, add the ingredients for the peanut sauce and stir together with a wooden spoon. Add as much water as needed to keep it a smooth, pourable sauce. Do not cook at this point.

Using a fork, rake the insides of the squash to loosen the noodles. It will shred easily and yield about two cups of noodles.

When the broccoli comes out of the oven, add the chicken to the peanut sauce and warm over low heat. Stir in the broccoli with salt and pepper and coat the chicken and broccoli.

Serve over the spaghetti squash and garnish with chopped green onions and roasted peanuts. Makes four servings.

Beginning with this recipe, I am posting more nutrition information for those who need a little more detail. For those who just want the nitty-gritty net carb total, this dish is 8.9 net carbs per serving.

Nutrition Thai Chicken

Poultry, Recipes

Think Middle Eastern with Tahini Chicken

Photo: Tahini chicken dish with riced kohlrabi

A few months back, I bought a large jar of Tahini when I made my Beet Hummus with Tahini. Since I had it on hand, I decided I should try another tahini dish. This recipe is adapted from one on AllRecipes.com. It makes a very nice chicken dish, but I do find tahini a little on the bitter side. I added extra sugar-free honey to my version, and I added in onions, both of which help to curb that bitterness.

I served it with green beans, sliced beets, and a scoop of riced kohlrabi, which is a delicious rice alternative. We found a bag of Green Giant frozen kohlrabi at our Wal-Mart, but if you can get fresh kohlrabi, use a medium-sized vegetable then peel it, cut into large cubes, and pop it into a food processor for about 5 or 6 pulses to rice it.

Tahini Chicken

1 cube chicken bouillon or Better Than Bullion with 3/4 cup Water
or 3/4 cup Chicken Broth
1/4 cup Tahini (sesame paste)
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons sugar-free Honey
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/2 small Onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Ginger Paste
2 teaspoons Butter, or as needed
2 to 3 large skinless, boneless Chicken Breast halves, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds (optional)

Dissolve bullion in 3/4 cup of boiling water and stir to mix. Or use 3/4 cup of chicken broth.

Mix broth with tahini, soy sauce, sugar-free honey, and ginger paste in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat, add the garlic and onion and cook for 2 minutes, then add the chicken cubes. Stir until the chicken is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.

Add tahini sauce to the chicken and stir to mix, then cook until the sauce is heated and the chicken is done.

Serve over riced Cauliflower or riced Kohlrabi. Makes 3 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 244.8 Fat: 4.0 g Net Carbs: 4.0 g Protein: 22.1 g

Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Find comfort in an easy Cottage Pie

Photp: Turkey Cottage PIe

I am resisting turning on my heater, but the temperatures in Reno have been chilly this past week. Snow has fallen at the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and fall has definitely hinted at the winter to come. So the idea of comfort food is really appealing.

Casserole dishes are always great in the cooler months. One of my favorites is the old British staple, Shepard’s Pie and it’s non-lamb variations of Cottage Pies. What is really nice about this version is that you make it using frozen vegetables and pre-made frozen mashed cauliflower to substitute for the potatoes.

This recipe is an adapted recipe that came with my lovely new 7″ square deep dish copper skillet. I picked up my first copper pan a couple of years ago and soon loved the ease of the cooking with it on the stove and taking it to the oven without having to dirty another pan. Although I have my cast iron that also works, I prefer the lighter weight and easier to clean copper pans, so I used that with this dish. This is not an ad for the copper skillets, but they are pretty snazzy.

Photo: Cottage Pie in Copper Pan

Anyway, this can be made in any stove-to-oven pan or transferred into a regular casserole dish. See the note below the recipe for the details on that.

Turkey Cottage Pie

1 lb Ground Turkey
1/2 Onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt
1 cup Mixed Vegetables, frozen (peas, carrots, green beans, & corn)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Better than Bullion Chicken
1/2 cup boiling Water
1 package Family Size Mashed Cauliflower
1/2 cup Grated Cheddar or Cheddar Jack Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.)

In a deep skillet that can go to the oven, add a dash of oil and heat over a medium-high burner. Add the onions and sauté a minute, then add the ground turkey and cook until the turkey is lightly browned. Add garlic salt and pepper and stir to mix well. If you wish, add seasoning salt or any other meat seasoning you prefer for added flavor. Remove from heat.

Prepare the frozen mashed cauliflower in the microwave as directed. Let it sit until the cauliflower thickens so it will spread and stay on top of the casserole. While it is sitting, finish the filling.

Heat water to a boil and add chicken bullion. Stir until melted in, then add to the turkey mixture. Add in frozen vegetables and mix to distribute them. Spread the mashed cauliflower over the top of the turkey mixture and sprinkle cheese over the top.

Bake for about 40 minutes until the cheese is melted and the cauliflower is lightly browned along the edges. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 308.5 Fat: 16.7 g Net Carbs: 8.3 g Protein: 27.9 g

Note: If you don’t have a stove to oven pan, mix the meat, bullion, and vegetables in the skillet, then transfer to a 2-quart casserole dish. Spread the mashed cauliflower and cheese over the top, then sprinkle with cheese and bake as directed.

Main Dish, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Poultry, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Call it a deconstructed Burrito

Photo: Burrito BowlThis recipe came in a Yummly email a couple of weeks ago, and it sounded wonderful and simple to make. Now that it’s getting warmer, cool and easy-to-make salads are great to have. This one combines all the flavors of a chicken burrito minus the tortilla. Best part, if you buy a precooked chicken, you don’t have any real cooking to do to make dinner. While you’re at it, buy a container of Pico de Gallo, which saves you from making it from scratch.

The ingredients include black beans (or red beans) and baby corn. I use Dynasty Baby Corn and cut it into little rounds. Both of these are used sparingly. If you’re in the induction phase of the low carb diet or can’t eat beans or corn in the stage you’re in, then omit them. The recipe is great without them. In fact, the photo doesn’t have either of ingredient in it.

You’ll need to heat the black beans and corn in a little chicken broth with the seasonings to make a light dressing, but you can do this in the microwave in no time. No microwave? Use a small pan and cook until it just comes to a boil.

So pleasant to take your burrito bowl, along with a tall glass of iced tea, to the patio on a balmy summer’s evening.

Low Carb Burrito Bowl

1/4 cup Black Beans (optional)
1/4 cup chopped Baby Corn (optional)
2 teaspoons Chicken Broth
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, ground
Pinch of Salt to taste
2 cups Cabbage, shredded
6 to 8 ounces precooked grilled chicken breast, cubed or sliced
4 tablespoons Sour Cream
2 tablespoons fresh Pico de Gallo
Fresh Cilantro or Parsley for garnish
1/3 cup crumbled Queso Fresco Mexican Cheese

Cooking the cabbage for this is optional. I’ve tried it both ways and it is good either way. The uncooked adds a little crunch to it.

In a small bowl, add the chicken broth, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, baby corn, and black beans (if you are using them). Microwave for 45 seconds.

Take two bowls and fill each one with the ingredients in this order. On the bottom of each bowl, put 1 cup shredded cabbage and spread to cover the bottom. Spoon the beans and sauce over the top of the cabbage in each bowl. Layer the chicken over the top, then spread sour cream over it. Top with Pico de Gallo and crumble the Queso Fresco over the top. Add cilantro or parsley for garnish.

Makes two delicious servings.

Nutrition Information per serving- fully loaded:
Calories: 337 Fat: 14.4 Net Carbs: 7.8 g Protein: 36.0 g

Nutrition Information per serving-without optional:
Calories: 298.6 Fat: 14.3 g Net Carbs: 4.1 g Protein: 34.1 g

Tip: This works equally as well with grilled shrimp replacing the chicken.