What's for Dinner
So I just finished pan-searing a batch of low calorie / low fat turkey meatballs. They're very light in texture and quite juicy. The flavor of the peppers and spices is intense but very well balanced.
So what am I going to make with these luscious lovelies?
Ah, my friends, that is the question.
The meatballs themselves are made with 95% lean ground turkey, 2 slices of whole wheat, reduced calorie bread, 2 small peppers, 1 onion, fresh garlic, cilantro, crushed red pepper, and nutmeg. I think they'll adapt well to Asian, Mediterranean, Spanish, Mexican, or Island flavors. I don't want to do Italian but beyond that I am at a loss.
Here's our dinner menu over the last few days:
Saturday: Moroccan spiced chicken breast, pan seared and served on a bed of kidney beans, tomatoes, eggplant, apples, onions, and parsley.
Sunday: Roasted turkey breast with vegetable stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce.
Monday: Lean roasted pork and sauerkraut served on a bed of roasted root vegetables.
The weather's been a bit nippy and I suppose that's the reason that I've had such an affinity for the classicly roasted fare of the last two days. Today is a bit warmer and I'd like to make something a little lighter.
Edits: Added ideas
Thanks to the world that is VOX I may have an idea...
Back in September, Elly posted her recipe for Youvarlakia (classic Greek meatballs in egg-lemon broth) in the group, "What's Cooking?" This recipe now has me thinking...
What about serving the meatballs on a bed of wilted spinach/pepper/onions and topping it off with a bit of Avgolemono (egg-lemon sauce)? [!!!] It certainly sounds interesting, fresh, and original.
I can take 1 cup of chicken stock and add a pinch of nutmeg.
Whisk 3 egg yolks and beat until light and frothy.
Add the juice of 2 lemons and whisk for a minute or so.
Temper the eggs with a bit of the stock and then add that to the remaining stock in pot.
Warm it through gently until it is just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.Ladle the sauce over the meatballs, placed atop the bed of wilted spinach, onions, and peppers. Top with low calorie, whole wheat croutons and serve.
Hmmm... Yes. This does sound interesting.
Edits: The verdict
Last night's dinner consisted of thses low calorie meatballs, prepared just as I noted above. I must say that it was quite a pretty dish and it came out quite yummy. Evidence of this lies in the fact that my husband couldn't keep his fork out of it until it was photographed but that's all for the good.
I should also note that I added garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper and a bit of sugar to the basic sauce in order to bring all of the flavors together and take a bit of the edge off of the tartness.
As I wrote to Sue, I'm always looking for ways to enhance low calorie / low fat dishes. If anyone's interested in my recipes, calorie and nutrition counts for these dishes please let me know and I will be happy to post them for you.
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Comments
Thanks, CP. I tasted 2 of them and I have to admit that they are. I keep them rather small [about a tablespoon in size] and sear them over high heat before turning it down to medium to finish. This way the vegetables retain their crispy deliciousness and the meatballs themselves stay juicy. I HATE dry meatballs and I don't want the extra calories of an added egg -- what can I say.
Anyway - I'm still thinking and am open to suggestions.
So what's New Zealand food like?
What would you normally eat for dinner?
Do you have any fave recipes native to your country?
I'm not kidding Haze .... I really can't cook. I'm an expert at wielding a can opener (often burning the contents) and I make a killer dish of instant mashed potatoes. I'm a grazer ....nibble all day
New Zealand food .... well it's pretty much like many of the western countries, we eat too many take-aways! Our meat is cheap and we have lovely fresh veges all year round (I know cos I buy them for the guinea-pigs). We have a festival on the west coast every year that's a bit different Wild foods Festival
heehee. Thanks, Sue.
After your comment I did some research and came up with the recipe for Pavlova. Interesting that. If I try it I will let you know how it came out and all of that. Maybe I'll even post photos. ;)
Last night I actually ended up doing exactly as I thought and piled the meatballs on top of the spinach, peppers, and onions. Then I topped it with the egg-lemon sauce and low fat / reduced calorie whole wheat croutons.
Truth be told, I'm all about the calories right now. Well - That's always - so I'm always trying to make truly low calorie/ low fat, healthy choices much more interesting. It's a challenge some times but it's working. For instance: the vegetable stuffing for the turkey breast - I managed to take about 1200 calories out of that and did not sacrifice a bit of the flavor. My husband, didn't even notice a difference.