Wine Brined Turkey w Gluten Free Gravy

Ah, I can't believe it's almost Christmas and I don't have my Thanksgiving recipes up yet!  So sorry about that.  The holidays have been nuts this year.  I made a delicious tender, juicy, brined bird without the added sugar.  That's right.  I used wine instead of sugar to tenderize my T-day bird.  With 24 hours of soaking, the turkey sucks up all the salt and flavor in the brine.  It helps to tenderize and flavor every inch of meat.  Then, before I cooked it, I let it sit out at room temp for about an hour and stuffed it with lemons and more fresh herbs.  The result was perfection and the leftovers only lasted 2 days at most.  A delicious recipe for the holidays. Remember to start your prep 1 day ahead.  Enjoy.

A delicious holiday bird for the whole family

Brine Ingredients:
Water, several quarts
1 1/2c coarse sea salt
6 bay leaves
2tbs whole coriander seeds
2tbs whole black peppercorns
1tbs whole fennel seeds
1 bottle white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
1 whole thawed turkey (15-20lbs), pat dry (neck and giblets removed)

Other Turkey Ingredients:
1/4c butter
3tbs fresh rosemary plus 3 full sprigs
3tbs fresh sage
1tbs freshly minced garlic
1 lemon, cut in 1/2
5 sprigs parsley
1/2 onion, cut in chunks
salt pepper

Gluten Free Gravy Ingredients:
2tbs butter
2tbs brown or white rice flour
juices from the cooked turkey
salt to taste

Directions:
1. Brine your turkey:  In a large pot, bring 1qt water to a boil.  Add the salt, bay leaves and spices.  Bring to a simmer until all salt has dissolved.  Let cool to room temperature.
2. Line a large container with a plastic oven-roasting bag to help minimize clean-up.  I used a bag in a large cooler.  Add the turkey, the dissolved salt & spice mixture and then the bottle of wine.  Add water until the bag or container is full or the turkey is fully submerged. Refrigerate 24 hours.  If it doesn't fit in the fridge (mine didn't), fill the outside of the bag with ice in a cooler and change out the ice when it melts to keep the turkey cold.
3. The next day:  Discard the brine.  Pat the turkey dry. Set in a roasting pan at room temp for at least 1 hour.
4. Prep the turkey for baking:  Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.  Place the oven rack on it's lowest position.  Generously salt and pepper the inside cavity of the bird.  Then stuff it with 1/2 of a lemon, onion chunks, rosemary & parsley sprigs. 
5. In a small bowl, melt 1/4c butter.  Stir in 3tbs chopped rosemary and 3tbs chopped sage.  Stir in minced garlic, 1/2 of a lemon (juiced), and some salt and pepper.  Loosen the skin of the bird and rub the butter mixture all under the skin.  Use the leftover to rub over the top of the skin.  Then salt and pepper the whole thing one last time.
5. Bake in the oven, basting with its own juices every 30 minutes until the thigh comes out 165 degrees.  This took my 15lb bird about 2 hours (the larger the bird, the longer it will take).  If the breast becomes too brown, you can cover it with foil at the end to stop the browning.
6. When the turkey is done, take it out of the oven and let is rest while you make the gravy.
7. Make the gravy:  In a large saute pan, heat 2tbs butter until melted and bubbling over medium high heat.  Add rice flour and stir constantly until the butter is fully absorbed and the flour turns golden brown.  Then slowly add the pan juices from the turkey, whisking constantly.  Turn down the heat until the gravy is at a low simmer.  Add juices until it reaches its desired consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve the carved bird with gluten free gravy on the side if desired.  Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Turkey Legs with Lemon Garlic Broccoli

Turkey legs are an easy, inexpensive main course that are absolutely delicious.  My husband's favorite thing is smoked turkey legs at the fair so when I figured out how cheap they are to buy at the grocery store, I was hooked!  This time I threw them in the slow cooker before I left for work and they were done when I got home.  I love dinner's like that!  Paired with simple lemon garlic broccoli, this dish is perfectly healthy and perfectly satisfying.   

An easy primal meal for the whole family to enjoy!

Ingredients (serves 3):
3 turkey legs, dethawed if frozen
3tbs butter, preferably organic or pasture fed
1/2tsp poultry seasoning
1/2tsp orange zest
1tsp sea salt
a bit of oil
2 broccoli crowns
1tbs butter
1tsp minced garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
sea salt to taste

Directions:
1. With a little oil and a napkin, coat the inside of your crock pot so the legs don't stick.
2. In small bowl, melt 3tbs butter.  Add poultry seasoning, orange zest and sea salt and stir well.  With your hands, loosen up the skin from the turkey legs.  Spread butter under and over the skin until all legs are well coated.  Place them in the slow cooker lying flat.
3. Turn the slow cooker on low for 12 hours.
4. About 10 minutes before you're ready to eat, wash and cut your broccoli crowns into pieces.  Place them in a large glass dish with a tbs of water and cover.  Microwave for 5 minutes (they should be crisp-tender not soggy).
5. In a large skillet, heat remaining tbs butter over medium high heat.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add broccoli and stir well.  Add lemon juice and continue to cook until well coated and the lemon has absorbed into the broccoli.  Sprinkle with sea salt.
6. Serve your turkey leg with 1/3 of the lemon garlic broccoli.  Enjoy!

Nutritional Information:
1 serving = 1 turkey leg (8.4oz) with the skin and 1 1/3c broccoli
Calories: 547
Protein: 70g
Fat: 29g
Carbs: 8g
Sodium: ~ 600mg

Leftover Turkey Cranberry Open Faced Sammies

With the last of the turkey from Thanksgiving I made open faced sandwiches using my grainless paleo bread as the base.  It was so tasty that Anthony had 4 of them!  Feel free to substitute my Paleo Bread Recipe with an alternative gluten free bread recipe such as this one or choose your store brand favorite.  A simple solution for tackling leftovers.  Enjoy!

Eating primal doesn't mean you have to eat boring!  Get creative!

Ingredients (serves 2):
4 slices Liz's Grainless Paleo Bread or substitute of your choice
2tbs mayonnaise
1tbs dijon mustard
a handful of arugula
1 1/3c shredded leftover Turkey
1/3c leftover Cranberry Sauce

Directions:
1. Spread fresh bread with mayo and mustard.  Top with arugula, turkey and a big helping of cranberry sauce.  Enjoy!

Leftover Turkey Tostadas

It's difficult for me to eat the same turkey meal over and over and over so I try to get a little creative when it comes to Thanksgiving leftovers.  In this dish, I made some simple paleo tortillas, topped them with salsa, turkey and cheese, and added a garnish of arugula.  They were full of warm Mexican flavors that hit the spot for lunch.  Looking for creative leftover recipes?  Try this!

You can turn anything into a tostada!

Tostada Ingredients:
1c shredded cooked turkey
1/4c salsa
a handful of arugula
1/4c shredded mexican cheese (optional)
4 paleo tortillas (recipe found on my blog here or below or substitute with a store bought tortilla of your choice)

Tortilla Ingredients:
2tbs coconut flour
1/2tsp cumin
1/4tsp chili powder
2 large eggs, beaten
1/3c water
1tsp fresh lime juice

Directions:
1. Preheat a griddle to 350F or heat a saute pan on medium high.  Mix dry tortilla ingredients.  Mix wet ingredients separately.  Slowly pour the wet into the dry, stirring constantly so no lumps form.  Pour in 1/4c increments onto the griddle.  Cook for 2 minutes or until browned on one side, then flip and cook until browned on the other side.  They will look like thin pancakes at this point.
2. Preheat your oven to broil.  Set your tortillas on a baking sheet about 4" away from the heat source at the top of your oven and cook a few minutes per side, or until nicely browned and starting to blacken.  Remove from heat, spread with salsa then arugula then turkey and sprinkle with cheese.  Return to the oven and broil until cheese browns, a few minutes more.  Serve hot.

Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Croquettes

I love getting creative with Thanksgiving leftovers!  This was a cinch to put together and was fun to eat.  Little croquettes were filled with turkey, mashed potatoes, and green beans; rolled in flax meal; and then pan fried on a griddle.  I served them with leftover cranberry sauce.  So fun and tasty at the same time!

All the flavors of Thanksgiving day in a little patty

Ingredients:
1c chopped leftover cooked turkey
1c leftover mashed potatoes
1/4c chopped leftover green beans
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/4c flax seed meal
olive oil for pan frying
leftover cranberry sauce

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix turkey, potatoes, green beans, and egg.
2. Roll into small golf ball sized balls.
3. On a cutting board, spread flax meal.  Roll balls in the meal and then flatten into croquettes.
4. Heat a griddle or a flat pan with oil over medium high.  Cook each croquette until browned on each side and hot in the middle, about 4-5 minuets per side.  Serve warm with cranberry sauce.

Fresh Herb Roasted Turkey with Gluten Free Gravy

In the past I have brined my turkeys for days in a solution of salt, sugar, and spices but this year I really wanted to go all natural without the fuss and just bake it in the oven.  The result was still tender, juicy, and full of flavor from the fresh rubbed herbs.  In fact, this turkey was so delicious I doubt I will ever hassle with brining ever again.  Better yet, I made the most simple gluten free gravy with brown rice flour and everyone raved on how delicious it was (So good that we didn't have any gravy leftover for the next day.)  Turkeys don't have to be tricky to make.  Sometimes simple is better!

My bad for forgetting to snap a picture before Anthony tore into it!

Ingredients:
1 turkey (12-14lbs), thawed, rinsed and patted dry
1tbs chopped fresh rosemary plus a few sprigs
1tbs chopped fresh sage plus a few sprigs
1tbs chopped fresh thyme plus a few sprigs
3tbs minced garlic
5tbs organic butter or oil
course salt and pepper
3 lemons, washed, cut in half, and poked all over with a fork
1/2c chicken stock (more if your pan gets dry)

Gravy Ingredients:
2tbs brown rice flour
2tbs butter
juices from your roasted turkey

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.  Place your oven rack on the lowest setting.  Remove giblets and neck from cavity. 
2. In a small bowl, combine rosemary, sage, thyme, garlic, 1tsp sea salt, 1/2tsp pepper and 4tbs melted butter.  Using your fingers, loosen the skin from the turkey.  Spread the rub herb mixture under the skin of the breast and thighs.
3. Season the cavity with salt.  Fill with lemons and leftover spice sprigs.  Place in a roasting pan (or do what I did and buy a $3 disposable aluminum pan).  Pour chicken stock at the bottom of the pan. 
4. Loosely tent with foil (you may need someone to help you with this to make sure it is tented).  Roast 1 hour.
5. Uncover and continue to roast, basting frequently with the pan juices (I did it about every 10-15 minutes), until an instant read thermometer reads 170F at the thickest part of the thigh.  This will take about 2-3 hours more.  You can tent with foil again if the turkey is not done and is browning too quickly and add stock if the pan is too dry.  When done, take out the turkey, cover with foil, and let stand 30 minutes before carving.
6. To make the gravy, in a saucepan or saute pan, heat butter over medium high.  Add brown rice flour and cook, stirring constantly, until browned.  Add all of your turkey juices (strained if there are large pieces of meat in them) to the pan and boil and stir until thickened.  Taste and add salt if needed.  Serve warm.

Sage Roasted Turkey Legs

Oh how I love turkey legs!  Yes, I am one of those people that go to a fair or amusement park and buy a huge turkey leg for dinner.  I finally started making them at home last year.  They are so delicious and inexpensive to buy at the store!  Although they are wonderful on the grill, today I decided to roast them with some traditional Thanksgiving-style-stuffing-herbs to really bring out those warm fall flavors.  I served them with my French Green Beans wtih Sauteed Onions & Almonds and Easy Potato Casserole.  The result was nothing less than amazing.  I could eat these every day. 

A pre-Thanksgiving treat

Ingredients (serves 3):
3 turkey legs, skin on
1 stalk celery, cut into 3 pieces
1/2tsp garlic powder
1tbs sage
1/2tsp onion powder
1tsp sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
2tbs butter, softened

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.  Loosen the skin from the turkey.  In a small bowl, combine your dry rub ingredients. 
2. With your hands, generously rub the softened butter under the turkey skin, spreading it all around.  Rub it over the top too.  Take some of the dry rub and rub it under the skin evenly.  Top the skin with salt and pepper.  Repeat with each turkey leg. 
3. Then, use a knife to make a slit down the meaty side of the leg.  Stuff in a celery stalk in each leg.
4. Place in a roasting pan and cook for about an hour and a half (or until internal temp reaches 180F).  Baste occasionally with the juices of the turkey (I had to use a basting brush because there wasn't much juice).  Serve hot!

Mini Turkey Burgers with Sauteed Cinnamon Apples

Most of you that read my blog know how much I love to put meat and fruit together in the same dish.  I let the apples be the star in this 15 minute meal.  I used a hearty but mild ground turkey with baking spices to compliment the flavors of fresh fall apples.  Finally, I topped everything over a fresh bed of arugula with lemon and olive oil.  This is a fast, delicious meal for the whole family.  Enjoy!

Fresh ingredients make for the tastiest meals, even if you only have 15 minutes!

Ingredients (serves 2):
1lb ground turkey
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp allspice
1/4-1/2tsp cayenne
1tsp sea salt
1 large crisp apple or 2 small, diced
1tbs butter, preferably from grass fed beef
a couple pinches of cinnamon
1 tsp honey (I buy local honey to help my horrible allergies)
2 handfuls arugula or other baby green
1tbs extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mix 1/2tsp cinnamon, 1/4tsp allspice, 1/4-1/2tsp cayenne, and 1tsp sea salt.  Sprinkle over your ground turkey and mix in with your hands.  Form into 4 balls and press down slightly to make thick, but small, burgers.
2. Meanwhile, power up your electric George Forman (Come on, I know you have one collecting dust somewhere in those cabinets!!).  Okay okay, if you don't have one you can alternatively throw these on the grill.  I put mine on an electric indoor grill for 7 minutes.  Outside they will probably only take about 3 mintues per side so watch them closely.
3. While the meat is cooking, melt butter in a large saute pan.  Add your apples and cook until crisp-tender.  Add as much cinnamon as desired and stir.  Taste and if you like a bit more sweetness add 1tsp honey to the mix and give it a good stir.
4. Okay, time to get your salad ready:  In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1tsp honey.  Pour over your arugula and toss well.
5. To serve (what you've been waiting for): Place some greens on a plate.  Top with 2 or 3 mini burgers.  Ladle a big scoop of apples over the whole thing and dig in!

Spaghetti Bolognese

This is a rich, hearty meat sauce that Anthony loves.  I used ground turkey because it was on sale, but ground beef is even better.  I made a huge (and I mean HUGE) batch of the bolognese sauce and froze half for later.  If you are on a gluten free diet, serve with Ancient Harvest Quinoa Spaghetti.  Delicious!

It's even better the next day

Ingredients:
4-6oz bacon, chopped
1lb ground beef or turkey or half Italian sausage half beef
1c diced carrots
1/2 red onion, diced
1tbs garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 jar of your favorite marinara
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 can tomato puree
1/2c red wine
2tbs sugar
1/4c heavy cream or 1/3c half and half
2tbs unsalted butter
Salt, oregano, and fresh basil to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan for serving
1lb cooked spaghetti (Use ancient harvest if you want the best gluten free pasta)

Directions:
1. Cook bacon over medium heat until brown and all fat is rendered.
2. Add carrots and onion and cook until soft.  Drain fat if needed.
3. Add garlic and cook a minute or so, then add ground meat of your choosing and cook until browned.
4. Drain fat again if needed.
5. Add wine and scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan.  Then add the tomato puree, diced tomatoes, marinara, sugar and spices.  Bring to a boil and simmer over low until flavors blend, 30 minutes to an hour.  Taste and season as needed.  Add cream and butter and turn off heat.  Serve over pasta with Parmesan. 

Butternut Squash Chili

I love chili, all kinds of chili.  It is the ultimate comfort food for me.  Every Halloween my mother would always make a huge pot of chili and cornbread and we would eat it before going out trick or treating.  She would also make it during the summer with fresh veggies and serve it with a glass of milk.  This is my early fall chili:  chock-full of seasonal late summer and early fall veggies in place of beans.  I make my chili a little lighter than the traditional heavy winter chili and I freeze the leftovers in individual containers for an easy no-cook dinner later in the month.  Be sure to check out my Sweet Potato Cornbread recipe to finish off the meal.

Light and fresh seasonal chili makes fabulous leftovers too

 Ingredients:
1lb lean ground beef or turkey
2 sweet onions, peeled and diced
2tbs minced garlic
1tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 zucchini, quartered and sliced
1c diced or shredded carrots
4c butternut squash, cut into 1/2" cubes (I buy a pack of the precut squash and just throw it in)
1-14oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes (Muir Glen of course!)
1 can tomato puree
2tbs chili powder
1/2tbs ancho chili powder
2tsp cumin (more to taste)
2tsp garlic powder (I usually put this in at the end if the minced garlic wasn't enough)
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp cayenne (omit if you don't like yours spicey!)
2tsp dried oregano 
2c beef or chicken stock
1 lime
1 large handful chopped cilantro
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat 1tbs of oil in a large skillet over medium high.  Add garlic and onion and cook until translucent.  Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spatula as you cook.
2. In a soup pot, add tomatoes and puree, spices, zucchini, carrots, butternut squash, broth and seasonings.  Add beef mixture.  Bring to a boil, then turn to low and simmer 20 minutes or until veggies are tender.  Add the juice of 1 lime and a handful of cilantro.  Turn off heat.  Adjust salt and seasonings as needed.  Enjoy!

Sesame Garlic Lettuce Cups

This is a stir fry that I make all the time:  throw in some ground turkey or beef, chopped veggies, Asian seasonings, and viola!: A quick and healthy weeknight meal.  If you eat gluten free, make sure you stock up on Coconut Aminos and Gluten Free Soy Sauce at Whole Foods.  This meal makes great leftovers too:  I take this to work at least once a month.

Fits perfectly into butter lettuce leaves

 Ingredients:
1lb lean ground turkey
3gloves garlic, minced
2tbs ginger, minced
1tsp sesame oil
1tbs canola oil
2c sliced mushrooms

3 green onions, sliced (reserve green stems)
1c shredded carrots
2c snow peas, chopped
2tbs seasoned rice vinegar
1/4c coconut aminos
2-4tbs gluten free soy sauce
2tbs organic agave nectar or honey

Directions:
1. Brown turkey in a skillet over medium high with 1tsp canola oil.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, heat canola and sesame oil over medium high until hot.  Add garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add veggies and stir fry until crisp-tender.  Turn down heat.  Add vinegar, coconut aminos, soy sauce, agave nectar, and cooked turkey.  Stir until the seasonings are spread evenly throughout the pan and the sauce has reduced.  Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
3. Serve heaped onto butter lettuce leaves or with rice.

Grilled Turkey Legs with Sweet Potato Mash

There is NOTHING Anthony likes more than smoked turkey legs from the fair, so I was determined to make something just as delicious on the grill.  The sweet tangy glaze matched perfectly with the juicy meaty turkey leg.  I served this with a sweet potato mash and a green salad.  Dee-lish!

Juicy turkey legs off the grill are an inexpensive treat!

This thick, sweet, and tangy glaze would also be wonderful on grilled chicken

 Sweet & Salty Pomegranate Glaze 
Ingredients:
1/2 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced (I just use a large squirt of the pre-minced garlic in a tube)
1c Pomegranate infused red wine vinegar (feel free to substitute for your favorite vinegar here)
1/4c brown sugar
1 tbs paprika

4 tomatoes, chopped
4c chicken stock
Oil to saute onion and garlic


Directions:
1. Pour a small amount of oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat.  Saute onion and garlic until golden brown and softening.  Add vinegar and boil until reduced by half.
2. Add brown sugar, paprika, chopped tomatoes and chicken stock.  Bring back to a boil and cook until reduced by half.
3. Pour into a blender and blend (over LOW w/ some ventilation to let the steam escape: Don't make the mistake I made and choose high speed.  You will learn that this leaves your kitchen covered in glaze.)
4. Return to pan and cook until thickened.  Let set at room temperature.

Grilled Turkey Legs
Directions:

1. Rub a small amount of oil over turkey legs and cover in salt and pepper.
2. Cook lets on medium heat over a gas grill until golden brown on all sides.  Then cover the lid and continue to cook (checking every so often) for about 40 minutes or until 180F.  During the last  20 minutes, baste with glaze.  When finished cooking, baste with a generous amount of glaze and let set 5 to 10 minutes.  Serve wtih glaze on the side to dip the meat in.  It's to die for!

Sweet Potato Mash (serves 2)

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
handful brown sugar
3-4tbs of butter
salt
nuts and cinnamon for garnish (I used walnuts today but toasted pecans is my favorite with this dish)

Directions:
1. Boil sweet potatoes for 20 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.  Drain and return to pan.
2. Add butter and brown sugar (to taste) and cover with a lid until it melts.
3. Using a potato masher or a hand held mixer, mix potatoes until a soft creamy texture.  Add milk if desired.  Top with nuts and cinnamon and serve hot.