Low Calorie Mains - Mains Turkey, Vegetarian,stuffing, Vegetables & Sauce
Turkey what else !!!!!!
Three to four slices roasted turkey (no skin) - approx 300 calories (depending on size) its the little bits that add on the calories such as ,pigs in blankets (sausages wrapped in bacon), stuffing, cranberry sauce etc.,
Classic roast turkey with red wine baste serves 8 - 10 calories per serving 476
Ingredients
1 onion, quartered
fresh bay leaves, to flavour and serve
4½ -5.6kg/10-12lb Bronze turkey, giblets removed
1 quantity of stuffing
85g butter, softened
1 whole nutmeg
10 rashers streaky bacon
glass red wine, such as Merlot
Method
Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the onion and a large sprig of bay in the cavity between the legs (drumsticks). Now pack half the stuffing into the neck end, pushing it towards the breast. Secure the neck skin in position with skewers and tie the turkey legs together at the top of the drumsticks to give a neat shape. Weigh the turkey and calculate cooking time at 20 mins per kilo, plus 90 mins. (You may need to use your bathroom scales.)
Put a large sheet of extra-wide foil in a large roasting tin, then put the turkey on top. Smear the breast with the butter, grate over half the nutmeg and season well. Cover the breast with bacon, pour over the wine, then loosely bring up the foil and seal well to make a parcel.
Roast in the oven, then 90 mins before the end of cooking, open the foil, discard the bacon, and drain off excess fat from the tin. Leaving the foil open, return the turkey to the oven to brown, basting with the juices several times. Then 30 mins before the end of cooking, put the sausage skewers (see link, right) and stuffing of your choice around the turkey or cook in a separate lightly oiled tin.
To test whether the turkey is cooked, push a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh – the juices should run clear. If they are pinkish, cook for 15 mins more, then test again. Transfer the turkey, stuffings and sausages to a platter, cover with foil, then a couple of tea towels and allow to rest for up to 30 mins before carving. This gives the juices time to settle back into the meat, ensuring that the turkey will be juicy. Garnish with sprigs of bay.
Leek, mushroom & goat's cheese strudels
(for the vegetarians or just because you fancy it.)
serves 4 - calories per serving 213
Ingredients
500g leeks, thinly sliced
150ml low-sodium vegetable stock
175g chestnut mushroom, sliced
4 large sheets filo pastry
1 tbsp olive oil
85g soft-rinded goat's cheese or vegetarian alternative
1 tsp poppy seeds
Method
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the leeks and stock into a large pan, then cover and cook for 5-8 mins until starting to soften. Add the mushrooms, cover again and cook for 3 mins, then remove the lid and continue to cook until the juices have evaporated. Tip the veg onto a large plate to cool slightly.
For each strudel, lightly brush half of each filo sheet with some olive oil. Fold the un-brushed side over to make a smaller sheet, 2 layers thick. Brush the edges with a little more oil, then spoon a quarter of the veg along one edge. Crumble over a quarter of the cheese, fold over the pastry edges, then roll up to seal in the filling.
Put the strudels on a baking tray, brush with any remaining oil and scatter over the poppy seeds. Bake for 25 mins until crisp and golden brown.
Vegetables
Thought for the day, just a little reminder . If you are really serious about a low calorie Christmas lunch, my advice would be to have steamed brussel sprout, asparagus, green beans, red cabbage. you will save a lot of calories. no stuffing, or sweet little sausages wrapped in bacon, bread sauce etc. you can still have a very nice lunch with a low calorie starter then turkey, roast potato and streamed vegetable to follow. delicious.
Sides
Red cabbage with Bramley apple & walnuts serves 8 - calories per serving 84
Ingredients
1 red cabbage, finely sliced
25g butter
1 Bramley apple, peeled and grated
1 bay leaf
3 cloves
100ml cider vinegar
25g light muscovado sugar
handful walnuts, toasted and chopped
Method
Put the cabbage in a wide shallow pan with the butter, apple, bay leaf and cloves. Cook, stirring, until the cabbage starts to wilt. Add the vinegar (stand back and don’t breathe in until the steam subsides), then continue to stir and cook until the vinegar has almost all disappeared. Add the sugar and stir until it has completely dissolved – be careful not to let it burn. Sprinkle with walnuts to serve. This will freeze well but let it thaw completely before gently reheating in a pan or microwave.
Sticky carrots with thyme & honey
serves 8 - calories per serving 73
Ingredients
1kg Chantenay carrots, unpeeled, larger ones halved
25g butter
few thyme sprigs
1 tbsp honey
Method
Tip the carrots into a deep frying pan with the butter, thyme and honey. Cook for 5 mins until starting to brown. Pour in 250ml water, bring to the boil and cook until the water has evaporated and the carrots are tender. Turn down the heat and cook the carrots slowly, stirring, until glazed.
Sticky spiced red cabbage
serves 6 to 8 - calories per serving 137
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium-size red cabbage, quartered, cored and shredded
1 finger-size piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped
2 onion, sliced
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp mustard seed
100g golden caster sugar
150ml red wine vinegar
Method
Heat oil in a large saucepan, add cabbage, ginger, onions, allspice and mustard seeds, then cook for 5 mins until just starting to wilt.
Scatter over the sugar and pour in the vinegar. Cover pan, gently cook for 10 mins, then remove lid and turn up the heat to medium. Simmer the liquid in the cabbage for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally, then stir continuously for the last few mins until all the liquid has evaporated and becomes sticky on the bottom of the pan. Tip cabbage into a large bowl and serve.
Really simple cranberry sauce
serves 8 - calories per serving 56
Ingredients
100g light muscovado sugar
100ml orange juice, fresh or from a carton
250g pack fresh or frozen cranberry
Method
Tip the sugar and orange juice into a pan, then bring to the boil. Stir in the cranberries, then simmer until tender but still holding their shape – this will take about 5 mins if using frozen cranberries or 8-10 mins if using fresh. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Will keep in the fridge for 1 week. On the day, bring to room temperature before serving.
Chunky roast potatoes
serves 8 - calories per serving 168
Ingredients
16 medium-size Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and halved down the middle so they are still very large
140g lard or goose fat, or sunflower oil for vegetarians
1 garlic bulb, halved (optional)
Method
Place the potatoes in a pan of cold, salted water and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for exactly 5 mins. Tip into a colander, then leave to drain for a good 10 mins to ensure they are really dry, before gently tossing in the colander to rough them up slightly.
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the fat in a sturdy, roomy roasting tin on the hob until it starts to shimmer. Carefully lay the potatoes in a single layer in the fat and leave for 1 min to start to crisp. Turn them until completely coated in fat, then transfer the tin to the oven. Leave undisturbed for 40 mins to crisp up, then turn them again, adding the garlic if you like, before returning them to the oven for 20 mins or until completely crisp and golden.
Apricot & hazelnut stuffing
makes 16 balls 124 calories per serving
Method
Fry onions in the butter. Stir in nuts; fry until golden. Remove from the heat, add apricots, breadcrumbs, parsley and lemon zest. Mix in the egg and season. Use half to stuff the neck end of the turkey; shape the rest into balls.
Put the balls in a buttered baking dish, then drizzle with oil. Bake for 30 mins until golden, or roast them around the turkey.