There are a great many who only consider preparing turkey on special occasions, such as Thanksgiving in the USA or Christmas in the UK and other parts of Europe. Why this has come to be the case, I for one am not sure but the reality is that turkey is not like a seasonal vegetable and can very successfully be enjoyed in a great variety of ways all year round. Turkey is not just for Thanksgiving. Turkey is not just for Christmas. The healthy turkey recipes contained on this site are my attempt to convince others of this fact and show them just how versatile turkey can be made to be.

It is important when making a dish such as this to prepare the salsa at least an hour or two in advance, cover it and refrigerate it until it is required. This allows the different flavours incorporated in the salsa to infuse and leads to a far tastier ultimate eating experience.

Ingredients for Salsa (Per Person)

2 medium tomatoes (de-seeded and roughly chopped)

1 clove of garlic (crushed or finely chopped)

6 basil leaves (roughly torn or chopped)

1 small red chilli pepper (de-seeded and finely chopped)

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Small splash of white wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method (Salsa)

Add all the ingredients to a small glass bowl. Still thoroughly. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate. Check for seasoning immediately prior to serving.

Ingredients for Turkey and Rice (Per Person)

1 quarter pound turkey breast steak

2oz basmati or long grain rice

1 tbsp plain flour

Half tsp chilli powder

Salt to taste

Sunflower oil for frying

Method for Turkey and Rice

Rinse the rice in cold water through a sieve. Add it to a large pan of boiling salted water. It will take about twelve minutes to cook.

As soon as the rice is on, put the flour, chilli powder and salt on to a large dinner plate, mix well and spread out over the plate. Put a little sunflower oil in to a non-stick frying pan and bring up to a medium heat. Pat the turkey steak on both sides in the flour mix, carefully shaking off any excess before adding it to the frying pan. Fry gently for five minutes each side.

Drain the rice well and put it in the centre of a plate in a circle. Place the turkey steak on top and arrange the salsa around the edge.

This healthy turkey recipe is excellent served as a light lunch or a late supper. It also takes only around fifteen minutes to prepare, from start to finish.

Ingredients (Per Person)

1 quarter pound turkey breast steak

1 slice of bread

2oz hard cheese such as cheddar (grated or shredded)

2 large basil leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Grill the turkey steak for about six minutes each side, or until cooked. Toast the bread. Place the turkey breast on the toast and carefully cover evenly with the cheese. Add black pepper to taste and grill until the cheese has melted. Scatter the torn basil leaves over the top and serve immediately. 

It is not often that a burger and fries is portrayed as a healthy recipe. Here, however, I hope to show you that it can indeed be so when a little thought is put in to the process. The quantities given in this recipe will provide four servings as shown.

Ingredients

(Mayonnaise dressing)

2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise

2 garlic cloves (crushed)

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaf/cilantro

(Turkey Burgers)

1lb of minced or ground turkey

2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs

1 large egg

2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaf/cilantro

2 cloves of garlic (crushed)

1 small red chilli pepper (de-seeded and finely chopped)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Sunflower oil for frying

(Other)

4 soft bread rolls (not burger buns)

4 medium to large maris piper potatoes (unpeeled)

2 small tomatoes (sliced)

2 tbsp sunflower oil

Salt

Method

Prepare the mayonnaise first by simply stirring the three ingredients together in a small glass bowl, covering with clingfilm and refrigerating until required.

Wash (but do not peel) the potatoes and slice and chop in to the shape of large fries or chips. Mix them in a bowl with the sunflower oil and salt until all are evenly coated. Place them on a baking sheet in an oven pre-heated to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6 for thirty minutes, shaking them around well every ten minutes or so. Please note that the baking sheet should also be pre-heated in the oven.

Put all the burger ingredients in to a large bowl and mix thoroughly by hand. Separate the mix in to four equal portions and shape in to burgers. Bring a little sunflower oil up to a medium heat in a non-stick frying pan and fry the burgers gently for about ten minutes each side.

Cut the bread rolls in half. Add the burgers, followed by the mayonnaise, the tomato slices and a little more coriander/cilantro as a garnish. Add the fries to the plate and serve.

I have to admit that this recipe only came about as a result of me being left with a great many mushrooms to use up one day. I tried to be creative in my thinking in order to do so and can honestly say that this pie is absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

1/2lb diced turkey leg and thigh

1 pint fresh chicken stock

6 closed cup mushrooms (halved)

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander/cilantro

2oz butter

2oz plain flour

1/2 pint of milk

1/2lb puff pastry

Method

Gently seal the turkey in a dry pot then add in the heated chicken stock. Simmer for about twenty minutes or until the turkey is cooked. Add the mushrooms for a couple of minutes only, stir well and drain. Place the turkey and muchrooms in to a large pie dish.

Melt the butter gently in a small saucepan and add the sieved flour. Stir well to form a roux and cook off for a few minutes. Add the warmed milk in stages until a lush sauce is formed. Add the coriander/cilantro and stir well. Pour the sauce over the turkey and mushrooms.

Roll out the pastry on a floured board until it is large enough to cover the pie dish. Grease the edges of the pie dish and place the pastry on top. Press down all around to seal and make a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape. Glaze the pastry with milk or beaten egg.

Place the pie in an oven pre-heated to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6 for half an hour.

Serve immediately with choice of vegetables.