Turkey Day Game Plan 2012

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Seems everyone right now is sharing their awesome recipes on the blogs, which offers an overwhelming array of delicious foods to choose from.

This year, things are going to be simplified in our house. We'll probably visit the in-laws for the usual feast, which means I will need to be stocked with some safe dining options. I'm cool with that, I love Thanksgiving food (and especially leftovers)!

However, due to the increasing size of my belly, and the strain on my poor muscles, I am not allowed to spend as much time on my feet. This has severely cramped my ability to cook lately (and do dishes, darn...).

So, this is my plan for the big day:

The Amazing Feast of 2011 

The bird: I have a 10 lb free-range turkey on its way, which I ordered from my favorite Sprouts Farmer's Market. I plan on keeping it simple, and following this winning recipe from allrecipes.com.

The sides: My favorite green bean casserole for the past few years - Thanks to Irvin at Eat the Love for allowing me to enjoy this classic dish without all the gluten and dairy! (pictured above)

Still debating between these two recipes - Roasted Orange Sweet Potatoes from Gluten Free Girl & The Chef - or Cinnamon Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (I know it's a recipe from a yogurt website, but I plan on subbing cashew cream in for the yogurt). 

Of course, I'll be whipping up a batch of Cranberry Citrus Sauce from Kim at Cook it Allergy Free! I can't get enough of this stuff. I've been dreaming about it for months now, as the weather's hinted at getting colder ;) (pictured above)

If I have any leftover sauce, I may try adding some of it to this gorgeous cake recipe from Iris at the Daily Dietribe. 

Dessert: Of course, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without something amazing to satisfy the sweet tooth! I'm sticking to my tried and true (and much loved) Chocolate Pecan Tart. I think I'm going grain free on the crust this year (I love the Food Lovers' almond flour crust!), and will somehow be adapting the filling (possibly using Hallie's pecan tart as a guide?). 

I promise to follow up this year with the results of all this hard work!

What do you all have planned this year?

*The photo above is from last year's dinner, however, I never posted a follow up on how everything turned out! It was great! The turkey was deliciously flavored, and I definitely enjoyed all my leftovers :)

Thanksgiving Menu 2011

I'm rather embarrassed that it has been 2 months since I last posted. Life has been incredibly busy and stressful, but mostly good. However, I have not had much time to keep up the blog.

So, Thanksgiving is just about here, and I'm sure most of you have your menus all planned. However, if you are in need of any last-minute inspiration, here is my plan for the big dinner.

Well, technically, we are having 2 Thanksgiving dinners. Wednesday night, we're having a smaller feast, with just the two of us. On Thursday, we're headed to Grandma's house to celebrate w/ the in-laws. They should have some safe foods for me, but I always like to be prepared, just in case. So I'm sure I'll have a Tupperware or two of leftovers hanging out in my purse.

As far as my meal plan goes, this is the rundown:

For the bird - I have my brine soaking my 12-pound free-range turkey right now, a delicious-smelling concoction from Pioneer Woman (also, check out her tips on controlling saltiness post-brine). I plan on following this recipe to actually cook the turkey tomorrow.

I LOVED this cranberry citrus sauce last year, so I am making it again. But I am struggling to resist the gorgeous photos of this tart recipe, so I think I'm going to halve the first recipe, and make a half-batch of The Food Lovers primal cranberry sauce too! Funny that I never touched this stuff as a kid, and now I can't get enough cranberry sauce!

Rolls - I had planned on making Carol's beautiful GF/DF dinner rolls...but laziness struck, and I hit up the health food store to see if I could find any rolls from my new favorite local bakery! Success! They are a bit pricey, and not at all paleo (but still GF of course), but after my first bite, I decided they're definitely worth the cost! Hopefully I will have the self-control to save the rest for dinner tomorrow.

Since we're on a pretty paleo diet these days, I thought I'd skip the stuffing this year, since I'm the only one who likes it anyway. Hopefully the rolls will be enough to give us our carb-fix (and I'm sure my husband will get his fill of mashed potatoes on Thursday).

Another favorite recipe from last year - Irvin's GF/VEGAN green bean casserole. I've been having dreams about this dish, and can't wait to taste it again! I'm trying an onion-free experiment to see how my body does without them, so I wanted a substitute for the absolutely divine shallot crisps in this recipe. I think I'm going to give this almond "bread crumb" topping a go.

I don't ever remember eating butter pecan sweet potatoes, but someone mentioned them in a blog post the other day, and I started fantasizing. So I did some searching, and came upon this recipe. Knowing Martha, she won't disappoint.

We're bringing a couple appetizers to the big dinner on Thursday. I've got a veggie platter in the works, as well as my favorite cheezy dip from Kristen's Raw. I'm also contemplating baking some bacon-wrapped dates. I wonder how many of those would still be on the plate when we get to Grandma's...

On to desserts.

I keep coming back to this paleo pumpkin pie recipe. I love that it looks like a creamy, fluffy pumpkin filling, but there's no coconut in it! I'm sold! For those who can tolerate coconut, I suggest this chocolate mousse pie which has me salivating. As far as my own chocolate fix goes, I'm also planning on making my chocolate pecan tart recipe again, but I'm wanting to paleoize it if I can. We'll see how that goes.

There are so many great resources out there for paleo/gluten-free/dairy-free and other allergy-friendly recipes, if you can find them! I hope some of the recipes I've listed have inspired you! I can't wait to hear how everyone's meal goes :)

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving all!

Paleo Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Avocado "Sandwich" - 2 ways

Ok, it's recipe time!

I have always been a fan of the BLTA/turkey club sandwich combo, so I had to try both of the paleo recipes I came across. I couldn't decide which variation of my paleo club sandwich I liked better, so I will share both with you!

First up, we have the Portobello Sandwich. This sandwich was inspired by Sarah @ Everyday Paleo's Chicken Sandwich (doesn't that look delicious?!).

Paleo Turkey BLTA Sandwich #1

2 portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed

A few slices quality turkey lunch meat

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

A handful spinach or lettuce

Half a tomato, thinly sliced

2-3 pieces bacon, cooked

1 tbsp mayo (I know there are some paleo recipes out there, but I haven't delved that deeply into the lifestyle yet. Still using up the ol' Best Foods)

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet, and add mushrooms, cap side up. Cook for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook 5 minutes more. The tops will turn a golden brownish color. Remove from pan.

My mushrooms decided to sweat, and so I put them on a plate w/ paper towels to soak up the excess liquid for a couple minutes.

Spread the mayo on underside of the mushrooms. Pile the remaining ingredients on top of one of the mushrooms, then top w/ the other.

Enjoy, and try not to freak out!

The next variation of my sandwich comes from Mark Sisson's cookbook, Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals. This was the first recipe I bookmarked when flipping through the book. Great foresight!

Paleo Chicken BLTA Sandwich #2

1 chicken breast (1/4-1/3 of the top cut off)

1 tbsp mayo

2 slices bacon, cooked

A handful of arugula or spinach

Half a tomato, thinly sliced

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

Butterfly the chicken breast (cut lengthwise through it so it can be opened up like a book).

Heat a little butter in a pan, and cook the chicken, opened up, for 4-6 minutes, or until browned. Flip chicken over and cook, covered, for an additional 5-10 minutes (depending on the thickness). Don't overcook the chicken, or it will be dry!

Remove from pan, and spread the mayo on the inside. Add the rest of the ingredients, and "close" the chicken breast. Dig in, and revel!

Notes: The original recipe called for a whole chicken breast, but I had a larger-sized piece of meat, so I decided to trim it a bit. I probably cut of about 1/4 of the breast, and may even take off more next time. Keep an eye on your cooking times if reducing the meat.

This one was pretty messy, and the hinge broke, so everything slid out a few times. No biggie. It was good and messy fun!

The cookbook suggests eating either warm or cold. I have only had this warm, but I bet it would make an amazing lunch and plan on trying it cold soon!

This sandwich was much more filling, thanks to the massive amounts of protein, I'm sure. I didn't eat anything else for the rest of the day (5-6 hours).

*

I ended up with less than half of an avocado leftover w/ both of these recipes, not really enough to save. So I made some Avocado Goodness to go along with each sandwich. I would highly suggest you do the same. You won't regret it!!

*

Also, if for some reason you need any encouragement to enjoy either of these sandwiches, head over to Primal Toad's blog for 5 Reasons Why Loving Bacon May Be The Healthiest Thing In The World ;) Then you can enjoy your bacon without feeling guilty!

Thanksgiving preview: Roast Turkey with Prosciutto Hazelnut Butter

Thanksgiving is coming up, so I should probably finally post my awesome turkey recipe from LAST year! I guess this is probably more of a post-view than a preview...But, it's so good that I plan on repeating it (I even went out and bought a thyme plant for my kitchen garden!). I figured if anyone else is looking for inspiration, I've definitely got something to share!

Last year for Thanksgiving, I made an amazing meal! I wasn't even jealous that I had to tote around my tupperware at the family dinner. I was that excited to eat my food! I got this recipe from my monthly email from glutenfreeda, a great resource for gluten free recipes! The article highlighted three different turkey preparation methods. Scroll down to the third one. That one's mine.

Isn't that a beautiful-looking bird?

I do have to admit, I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to non-boneless meat. I really have a hard time with all the skin and tendons and stuff. So, to still have the good stuff for making post-Thanksgiving soup, but not have to deal with gizzards and such, I opted for a turkey breast. This one was probably about 6-7 lbs, so I did cut the original recipe in half.

Roast Turkey with Prosciutto Hazelnut Butter

GF/DF

Serves 6

For the butter:

1 1/2 sticks butter (or sub - Earth Balance is great here), at room temp
3 tbsp finely chopped hazelnuts
3/4 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp crushed black peppercorns
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
4-5 oz chopped prosciutto
1 1/2 green onions, chopped

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup for gravy, reserving the rest for the turkey.


For the turkey:

One 6-9 pound turkey (or turkey breast)
1/2 onion, halved
1 1/2 cloves garlic, halved
3 sprigs of thyme
1 sprig of tarragon
1/2 tbsp crushed black peppercorns
2 1/2 c chicken broth (GF!)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Move oven rack to the lowest position.

Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Slide your hand between the skin around the breast and legs to loosen. Spread the butter (minus the 1/4 c for the gravy) under the skin, and covering the outside of the bird as well. Sprinkle salt and pepper inside and out of the turkey. Place turkey on the rack of a roasting pan.

Place the onion, garlic, thyme, tarragon and peppercorns inside the bird's cavity. Tuck wings under the body and tie legs together.

Roast turkey for 1 hour uncovered. Add 1 c broth, and cover w/ a foil tent, continuing to roast for 1-2 more hours, or until the internal temp reaches 175. Baste the turkey with pan drippings occasionally.

Remove from oven and transfer to a platter (set aside the pan drippings for the gravy). Tent with foil to keep it warm. Let it set for about 30 minutes.


For the gravy*:

Reserved 1/4 c prosciutto hazelnut butter
3 shallots (I think I just used an extra onion)
1 bay leaf
1 c dry white wine
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh tarragon
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
Pan drippings from the turkey (recipe called for neck/heart/gizzards, but I opted out of that one), fat strained off if desired
5 c chicken broth
1/8 c GF flour (I think I used a sorghum flour mix)

Melt half of the reserved butter in a large pot over med-high heat. Add shallots and bay leaf. Saute about 20 minutes, or until browned. Add wine and herbs, and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid has reduced to a glaze. Add half of the pan drippings and broth. Return to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for about an hour. Pick out the herb sprigs and bay leaf. Add enough of the remaining pan drippings and chicken broth to make about 5 cups of gravy.

In a large pot, melt the remaining half of the butter over medium-high heat. Add flour, and whisk for about a minute. Slowly add the gravy, mixing constantly w/ whisk. Cook until the gravy thickens. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if desired.


*Note, I didn't half the gravy recipe, b/c I love gravy!! I only halved the butter, but you get enough flavor w/ the pan drippings mixed in.

**Gluten free flour blends work fine for this. I would also suggest a starch, like cornstarch, or tapioca. It makes the gravy a bit shiny, but it tastes the same, in my opinion. I usually use whatever starch I have on hand.

Next on the Turkey Day Preview agenda: Some tips for getting through the holiday meal unscathed, as well as the incredible chocolate pecan pie I made for dessert last year! Everyone loved it! All of my gluten-eating relatives! But hey, what's not to love about chocolate, right? Stay tuned.

Sloppy Dudes (think turkey burger meets fresh mex tacos!)

I'm so excited to share this new recipe with you all! I made this for dinner tonight, and it was amazing! An inspired dish as well, as it combined all the things I was trying to get rid of before they went bad in my fridge!

I can't even describe this dish. It's a perfect blend of the most unexpected ingredients. The flavors work so well together.

Ok, so think sloppy joe, only think, california style. Fresher. Lighter. Throw some avocado and tomato in there. Add a hint of zesty cumin and a splash of lime.

Yeah, this is it. Don't question it. Just make it!

GF/DF Sloppy Dudes
(adapted from the recipe in "Just In Time" by Rachael Ray)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
16 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed well
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
juice of 1 small lime
1 tbsp ground cumin
salt and pepper
1/2 c chicken stock (more if needed)
2 ripe avocados
4 gluten free rolls*
2 tomatoes
tortilla chips, for serving
(recipe also calls for 1 jalapeno, but I didn't have one. I bet it would be great though!)

Finely chop/mince tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapeno (if using).
Place a large skillet over medium-high, and add oil. Once it's hot, stir in the turkey and chopped veggies. Break up the turkey and mix everything together in the pan. Season with half the lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add half a cup of the chicken stock, and simmer for 5 more minutes. The liquid will have mostly evaporated by the end. Add more liquid if needed.
In the meantime, halve the avocados, remove pits, and scoop out of the skin. Mash avocados in a small bowl with remaining lime juice.
Split and toast or broil the rolls until lightly golden browned.
Slice the tomatoes, and set aside. You can also use additional red onion slices, if desired (raw onions don't do so well with my system).
To assemble, spread some of the avocado over the rolls. Scoop on the turkey filling. Top with a tomato slice. If possible, you can put the top of the roll back on. My rolls didn't split so easily, so I just did open-faced sandwiches. I actually ate them with a fork, as they were a bit sloppy (really the only true resemblance to sloppy joes).
Serve with tortilla chips.

Makes 4ish servings. I halved the recipe, and still think I have enough for 3 meals! Maybe I just need to go heavier on the toppings. My GF rolls aren't exactly ginormous.

*My roll recipe is still a work in progress. The rolls I've made taste good, but they don't really look amazing. Nor do they have that glutenous split-in-half thickness to them. I am planning on testing another batch this weekend, and will post the recipe soon!

I apologize. None of the pictures I took of the finished product turned out that great. So, I photographed all the elements to the meal. Don't they look yummy though?

P.S. If you have leftover avocado mash, it works great as a butter/mayo sub on toast/sandwiches. I make "poor man's butter" all the time by mashing an avocado, and mixing in some lime juice and salt. Soooo good!

P.P.S. This recipe is linked over to Linda's Gluten Free Wednesdays! Check out the other fabulous recipes there!

*Note: This recipe has been recently updated, thanks to a disastrous experience in the kitchen the other night :P

This recipe has also been linked to Diane's Friday Foodie Fix - Tomatillos.

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

This recipe is so good! I got the recipe from "A Year of CrockPotting,"(http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/11/crockpot-turkey-and-wild-rice-soup.html) and used the ingredients she posted, however, followed the cooking instructions from "Kalyn's Kitchen" (http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/02/turkey-and-wild-rice-soup-with-cabbage.html).

I really enjoyed the flavor of this soup. It was a great way to use up that leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Luke liked this soup better w/ extra chicken broth added (not a huge fan of the balsamic vinegar). He also was weirded out by the wild rice, and requested that next time it be made w/ regular white rice.

The only problem with this soup is that it was the last thing I ate on the Sunday evening after Thanksgiving. And thanks to someone at our Thanksgiving dinner, I spent the wee hours of Monday morning hugging my toilet (stomach flu). So, even though I had made a huge batch of this soup, I was only able to eat it on Sunday for lunch and dinner. I spent the next 3 days in bed, eating flax rolls and drinking lots of tea.

So, my advice is, don't eat this if you are going to be sick in the middle of the night. Cuz then you won't be able to enjoy the leftovers. And will have to file this recipe away until next Thanksgiving when your stomach doesn't churn at the thought of eating it again.

But I promise, it really is good!

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

2 c cooked turkey, shredded

8 c chicken broth

2/3 c uncooked wild rice

about 1 tsp onion powder

1 c chopped carrots

1 tsp sage

1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2-3 c spinach leaves

Put broth, rice, onion powder,carrots and sage into a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and turn heat down. Cover. Allow to simmer 1/2 hr.

Add turkey and spinach, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for another half hour. Stir in vinegar to taste, and serve.

Really good when served w/ GF bread!