Thai Turkey

This is wickedly good - wonderful for leftover Thanksgiving turkey, or you can always use shredded chicken. I actually combined them both this time, because I didn't have quite enough of either, and it tasted just fine. It goes together in 15 minutes or less, and reheats very well - if there's any left! (Leftovers would be wonderful in a burrito, by the way.) It's very low fat (about 4 WW points), too. Serve over a bed of fresh spinach leaves.

Thai Turkey

3 c. diced or shredded turkey
3 green onions
1 red bell pepper
2 garlic clove, minced
4 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. Dried cilantro leaves
2 tbsp. honey
3 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. vegetable oil
Cilantro sprigs for garnish, optional

Coarsely shred turkey-breast meat. Thinly slice green onions; cut red pepper into 2-inch-long, matchstick-thin strips. In small bowl, mix garlic, soy sauce, cilantro, honey, curry powder, sesame oil, cornstarch, crushed red pepper, and 1/3 cup water until well blended. In a skillet over high heat, in hot salad oil, cook green onions and pepper, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender and golden. Stir in liquid mixture and shredded turkey meat and cook, stirring to coat turkey well, until heated through. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Serves 4.

Sausage Spaghetti Pie

I love spaghetti in all forms, and this recipe was especially intriguing because it is lower in fat and calories. I doubled it from the original and switched up the ingredients a bit. Nutrition is calculated for Ragu No-Sugar Added sauce and whole-wheat spaghetti.

Sausage Spaghetti Pie

8 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
1 pound smoked turkey sausage, diced
1 26-oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 15-oz container reduced-fat ricotta cheese
3 egg whites
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, saute sausage for 3-4 minutes or until browned; stir in spaghetti sauce.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and one egg white; set aside. Drain spaghetti; add 2/3 cup Parmesan and remaining egg whites. Press onto bottom and up the sides of a 9x13 casserole dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon ricotta mixture into crust. Top with sausage mixture.

Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and bake 5 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8.

Nutrition Info: 313 calories, 11g fat, 6g fiber

Curried Turkey

I've been busy today, folks - and this week I stuck mostly with the tried-and-true, and only made one new recipe. This particular recipe is easily one of my favorites. It has almost zero fat, and the smell wafting from the kitchen is postively divine. I use leftover turkey around Thanksgiving, and turkey cutlets the rest of the year. Serve it up with brown rice, and you have a delish recipe that fits the Weight Watchers Core program, and is plenty "fancy" to serve up to guests.

Curried Turkey

1 lb. turkey breast, diced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cans (15-oz) petite diced tomatoes
2 tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. thyme
Black pepper to taste
½ c. water

Brown turkey in oil. Remove using slotted spoon. Sauté onion, pepper and garlic in juices until tender. Add tomatoes, seasonings and water. Cook until heated through. Pour into 2 ½ qt. casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes. Serve with brown rice.

Penne with Peppers and Sausage

Mmm-mmm tasty! It smells wonderful cooking, it pretty easy to throw together, and reheats well. Plus it's good for you. If you can find them, use fire-roasted diced tomatoes. They add greatly to the flavor. Adapted from Weight Watchers online, here is:

Penne with Peppers and Sausage

1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 orange bell pepper, julienned
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. turkey sausage, spicy-Italian flavor
1/8 tsp dried oregano
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
3 c. cooked whole wheat penne

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Cook pepper, onion, garlic, and mushrooms until almost tender (7-8 minutes).

Remove turkey sausage from casings; add to skillet and brown until no longer pink. Break up with a spoon as it cooks. Add oregano, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes; stir in tomatoes. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Gently stir in pasta. If desired, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

Cinnamon-Orange Turkey Scaloppini

Don't be afraid - the combination of cinnamon and citrus is a delightful one. I served this with spaghetti the night I made it, and put it on a salad the next day. It's a very tasty and healthy way to cook turkey cutlets.

Cinnamon-Orange Turkey Scaloppini

4 6-oz turkey cutlets
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
salt & pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. canola oil
1/2 c. orange juice
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Combine cinnamon and garlic with salt and pepper; rub over both sides of turkey cutlets. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned cutlets, and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned on outside, but not fully cooked. Remove from pan and set aside; keep warm.

Pour orange and lemon juices into pan, stirring any bits of food that are stuck to the pan. Bring to a boil and return turkey to pan. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until liquid has reduced by half, 10-15 minutes. Serve cutlets with sauce spooned over.