Healthy Recipes
Southwest Roast Turkey
1 (12-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper Cooking spray 1/2 cup boiling water 1 to 2 chipotle chiles *Chipotle chiles are dried, smoked jalapeņos. 3 3/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup all-purpose flour Chile peppers (optional) Assorted herb sprigs (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°.
Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Loosen the skin. To loosen, start at neck cavity and gently push fingers between skin and meat.
Combine cumin and next 4 ingredients (may add turmeric if available) in a mixing bowl. Rub cumin mixture under loosened skin and inside body cavity. Tie ends of legs with cord. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey.
Place turkey on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray or on a rack set in a shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Bake at 350° for 3 hours or until thermometer registers 180°. (Cover turkey loosely with foil if it gets too brown.)
Combine boiling water and chipotle chiles in a small bowl; cover and let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain the water and discard stems, seeds, and membranes. Combine chiles and 1/2 cup broth in a blender, and process until smooth. Set aside. This will be mixed with turkey drippings later.
Remove turkey from oven. Cover turkey loosely with foil; let stand at least 10 minutes before carving.
Pour drippings into a 2-cup glass measure lined with a plastic sandwich bag and let stand for 10 minutes or until fat rises to top. Seal bag, and cut the bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a medium saucepan, stopping before fat layer reaches opening. Add 3 cups low sodium broth to drippings. Bring mixture to a boil; cook until reduced to 3 cups (about 6 minutes). Stir in chile mixture, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Combine 1/4 cup broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk, and add to chile mixture in saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl, and discard solids. Serve sauce with turkey. Garnish with fresh chiles and herbs, if desired.
Autumn Apple Muffins
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cornmeal 1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1 3/4 cups shredded Golden Delicious apple (use large holes on cheese grater) 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 large egg, lightly beaten or equivalent egg substitute Cooking spray 2 teaspoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine apple, buttermilk, oil, and egg in a bowl; stir well. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moist.
Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Combine remaining ingredients; sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immediately. Serve warm.
Yield: 1 dozen