MEDITERRANEAN TURKEY MEATBALLS, skinnier, easy

Tender, juicy, lower-fat meatballs for all ages...to make and to eat

posted  as Healthier Meatballs 2/17

Mediterranean Turkey Meatballs with Sun-Blush Tomato Cornbread 
'These are restaurant quality; they're so moist'' 'It's great seeing turkey used imaginatively; turkey producers should market these.' Taster

With Thanksgiving upon us, there is plenty of minced turkey in the supermarkets.  This recipe turns the popular low-fat meat into wonderful meatballs which are served alongside a gorgeous tomato dipping sauce.   

67's Skinnier Mediterranean Meatballs* will banish forever any memories of meatballs like hockey pucks floating in a puddle of indeterminate red sauce.

The meatballs are soft, juicy and easy for kids and older folk to bite into.  

A godsend for novice - or busy - cooks, they're a one-bowl wonder.  To save time, they're scooped rather than hand rolled and cooked in the oven.  There's no frying and only a tiny bit of chopping.  

Ideally they'll be served with 67's Italian tomato sauce but if you're up against it, a good deli or supermarket sauce will be ok, too.  

Serve the turkey balls at room temperature with hotbreads, as above, or heated in a generous portion of tomato sauce, over carbs of choice. 

The key to the amazing texture is in the mixing; resist the urge to press the ingredients together.  A fork keeps the mix airy; a bit of water lightens the mix without diluting taste.  

Form the meatballs gently - an ice cream scoop does a good job.  If slightly freeform meatballs aren't your thing, a young helper will probably be happy to hand-roll the meat, without pressing the mixture. 

Fresh breadcrumbs and grated parmesan are must for best results.

Serve immediately or cool and freeze.  

Cost: £3 (without sauce)
Feeds: 4-5 as main course; 12-15 as canapés

Ingred:

   14oz/400gm minced turkey (thigh has more flavour; breast, least fat)

     2oz/100gm high-meat sausage with Mediterranean seasoning

   1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs 

     1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

    1/4c fresh grated Parmesan

    1/2 tsp celery salt (table salt is fine)

    1/4 tsp pepper

    1 large egg, well beaten

    1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

    1 tbsp water

Method:

WALLET-FRIENDLY SEAFOOD, ITALIAN STYLE: Healthy indulgence, prep ahead, easy, portable

Stand-out Italian Mixed Seafood Salad, worthy of a an upmarket deli

Updated 5/23 first posted 2018;

Italian Seafood Salad with Avocado & Grapefruit
 

This is a gorgeous Italian-style seafood salad - garlicky, lemony, wine-scented and with a flash of heat.  67 adds the creaminess of avocado and tang of grapefruit for a new and blissful dimension.   

If there's the budget - and the time - one could start from scratch with a selection of fresh seafood but it will cost you, in money and time.  

67 recommends wallet-friendly frozen Seafood: 350 gm Premium Slection from Iceland £5 OR 200 gm from M&S £4.30 (or if on offer, £12 for 3) OR Sainsbury's £3.50 (untested).    They are a good mix of squid rings, mussels and prawns but if you want a wider selection; add defrosted frozen scallops and/or cubes of cooked white firm-fleshed fish.    

If shellfish is not your thing, use a mixture of dried and fresh fish fillets: cod, smoked or plain salmon, mackerel or haddock.  Add a generous handful finely sliced fennel for crunch.

The flavours of this dish are impressive but it needs to be started the day before you plan to serve it.  The shellfish is marinaded overnight or up to 24 hours. Avocado and grapefruit is added at the last minute. The dish keeps well in the fridge three days; it's perfect  for a portable lunch.

Cost: min £8'ish (2023) depending on choices
Feeds: a small group, in a buffet

Ingred:
   475gm/16oz cooked mixed shellfish (see * above) or filets of fish
   
   1/4 cup good olive oil
   1 tsp oregano
   1/4 tsp chilli flakes
   
   2 cloves garlic, grated
   1 1/2 tomatoes (no seeds or pulp), in small dice
   2 tbsp white wine vinegar   
   1/4 - 1/2 glass white wine
   zest half a lemon
   2 tbsp lemon juice
   2 stalks celery, cleaned, peeled and thinly sliced
   1/2 packet parsley leaves, rinsed and chopped coarsley

   1 small avocado
    juice half a lemon
   1/2 grapefruit, in segments

   lettuce leaves of choice(opt)

Method:

1. If necessary defrost fish on the morning of the day of preparation; rinse & drain; place in a glass bowl that will hold the fish comfortably 
2. Heat a small saucepan over med heat; add olive oil; heat through.  
3. Add oregano and chilli flakes (the oil will sizzle); cook 1 min
4. Add diced tomato and garlic; cook 2 mins
5. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine vinegar and white wine; cook 1 min. Remove from heat
6. Add thinly sliced celery and parsley; stir to combine
7. Pour over shellfish; cover tightly with clingfilm; refrigerate
8. Just before serving: peel and stone avocado; dice in sizes similar to the shellfish; sprinkle with lemon juice; add pepper and salt
9. Segment grapefruit (see Orange and Berry Plate); dry grapefruit on a paper towel -- you're looking for the bitter-sweetness of grapefruit without allowing the juice to dilute the marinade; chop into pieces similar to mussels
10. Mix the shellfish, avocado and grapefruit together with some of the marinade.
11. Serve at room temperature with plenty of parsley leaves decorating the outer edges or on a bed of shredded lettuce
12. If transporting to a picnic, line a plastic storage box with tight fitting lid with cling film, pour in shellfish and marinade; place a layer of cling film over the top of the container before covering it.  

                                                                                        

Comments:

'This is almost exactly like the glorious seafood salad I very occasionally buy from my favourite Italian deli...but at under half the price.  I make it go further by serving on lettuce, in small portions.' Retired writer

                  More fish on NavBar:RecipesI 

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

ROAST CHICKEN SPANISH STYLE, Easy peasy prepared ahead

Bring a little sunshine into your kitchen with this fantastically easy Spanish-style meal

updated 11/25; first posted 2017

A boon for the busy cook: Make Ahead Spanish Style Chicken
 takes the edge off Arctic temperatures

A relaxed roast chicken meal is a great weekend treat but on busy weekday evenings, a touch impractical.

Here's an idea for a fuss-free, make-ahead fabulous roast chicken meal for work nights involving a colourful Spanish-style sauce.

The next time you're roasting chicken, roast two.  Joint one bird,lie flat in sealable storage bags and freeze.  Or buy a plump supermarket chicken and use immediately OR joint and freeze.  

Up to two days vbut preferably the day before  planning to serve, make the sauce. Cool and refrigerate; don't freeze, if affects the flavour.  

Defrost the chicken the day before the planned meal, shred and remove bones  

Heat the the sauce over med high and gently reheat the chicken in it.  

Result?  Chicken that's interesting, quick and very tasty.  What's not to like?

Cost:

Feeds: 

Ingred:

   1 cold roast chicken, skin removed and jointed   

   3 tbsp olive oil
   1 mug sliced yellow onion or equivalent well cleaned fennel.
   3 cloves garlic, grated (opt)
   
   1/2 bell pepper diced (67 used yellow 'cause that was what was in the fridge; green or red will be fine) 
   10 mushrooms, diced  
     
     5 ripe tomatoes coarsely chopped or 1x 28oz tin tomatoes
     1 stick celery, peeled, crvices wiped and cut in small dice
     zest of one orange
     juice of 1/2 orange  
     
     2-3 tbsp med sherry     
    1- 1 1/2 tsp salt
     1 scant tsp honey, brown sugar or maple syrup
     1/2 scant tsp cinnamon      

Garnish: fresh parsley
             few olives (opt)

Method:

Sauce:

1. Heat olive oil in large deep pan over high heat
2. Add onions/fennel & garlic if using; reduce heat to med; cook 2-3 mins until onions are translucent
3. Add bell pepper & mushrooms; cook 1-2 mins 
4. Add tomatoes, celery, & salt and cook until tomatoes are broken down and mix is soup-like
5. Stir in  sherry, zest, honey and cinnamon
6. Simmer further 5-10 mins 
7. Roughly blend 1/3 of the mix; pour back into pan
8. If eating immediately, add chicken; heat over med until chicken is warmed through

If prepping ahead:

1. Cool sauce and refrigerate until day of serving
2. Take chicken (defrosted if necessary) and sauce out of the fridge an hour ahead of serving time
3. Reheat sauce over med heat in a pan large enough to take chicken pieces in one layer until sauce is gently bubbling
4. Add chicken pieces, pushing below the surface of the sauce
5. Simmer over med-low heat until chicken is heated though - about 15 mins
6. Serve sprinkled with plenty of fresh chopped parsley 

Comments:

'Chicken was moist; sauce whilst yummy was not what I was expecting. Could taste a citrus undertone and the peppers took over.  Delicious but not one of my favourites.' Wonder Woman office administrator (Blogger's note: amount of peppers has been adjusted)

Tips:

1. To speed up cooking time, strip flesh from bones of chicken in large pieces and add to reheated sauce
2. A little help from trusted supermarket friends: this recipe would work well with a rotisserie chicken 

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.

ALMOST INSTANT PLUM & GINGER JAM, low-sugar, quick & easy, wallet friendly

Makes the most of well-priced plums but any fresh fruit & spice will do...

Low-sugar Plum & Ginger Jam on pancakes, made in minutes
'Incredible!! Loved the chunks of plum & the warmth of ginger.' .'

updated 9/25; first posted 2017

Plenty of punnets of reasonably priced purple plums and nectarines around at the moment.

Either will make gorgeous Almost Instant Jam/compotes and will be a welcome addition to any household.

Preservative-free and very low in sugar, the Jam is much healthier than opening a jar of mass-produced -- and takes almost as little time.

First named 'weekend jam' because it can be easily cobbled together on a dozy weekend morning, it's likely to be consumed at a single sitting -- it uses only four plums.   

As much a compote as jam, chunky with juicy fruit, rich with spice, it has only enough sugar to enhance the flavour without overwhelming it.  

The recipe can be doubled.  Though it's at its best shortly after it is made, the jam will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

Cost: £2.25'ish (9/25)
Serves: 4

Ingred:
    4 plums, stone removed
    1 tbsp butter
    min 1, max 2 tbsp brown sugar

    1 generous tsp fresh grated ginger, skin removed
    1-2 pinches dried ginger (to taste)

    1/2 tsp good vanilla
    2-4 tbsp water

    1-2 tbsp fresh orange juice

Method:

1. Soak plums in water for 10 mins
2. Heat a heavy bottom med frying pan over med heat
3. Use a spoon to emove stone from each plum, then cut into 8 slices halve them 
4. When pan is ready, melt butter
5. Add plums & sugar, stirring to coat on all sides 1-2 mins
6. Stir in gingers; toss

   

   Plum & Ginger jam 

7. Add vanilla, a couple of tablespoons of water; simmer 3-4 mins or until fruit is beginning to collapse and a jammy sauce is formed
8. Taste; add more sugar if needed
9. Add orange juice
10. Take off the heat
11. Remove a quarter of the  mix; mash or roughly process; stir into the rest of the jam
12. To thicken further, put back on hob until desired thickness is reached
13. Serve on pancakes, toast, yoghurt or ice cream

Comments:
'Great jam!' Political Agent

'The plum and ginger Jam was incredible!! Loved the chunks of fresh plum and the warmth of the ginger at the back of your throat.'  Office Administrator 



Tips:

• kids may not like the ginger in this 
• add a shot of brandy for another layer of flavour
• if using nectarines, replace ginger with dried cinnamon and a pinch of allspice
• if you liked this, you will probably also like frugal Instant Fruit Compote
• the compote/jam can be frozen once cooled but after defrosting must be reheated; taste; it will likely need a little more sugar and/or spice 

Please leave a Comment in the box below

Copyright: This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.

HEALTHIER MEATBALLS. low-fat, low cholesterol, high protein, Easy, Prep Ahead

Tender, juicy, lower-fat turkey meatballs: a thing of absolute beauty

Mediterranean Turkey Meatballs with Sun-Blush Tomato Cornbread 
'These are restaurant quality; they're so moist'' 'It's great seeing turkey used imaginatively; turkey producers should market these.' Tasters

We've all had meatballs like hockey pucks floating in a puddle of indeterminate red sauce.

These Skinny Mediterranean Meatballs made with turkey mince will banish those memories forever.  

They're soft, juicy and easy for kids and older folk to bite into.  And they're lower-fat.  A godsend for busy cooks, they're a one-bowl wonder, scooped rather than rolled, and oven baked.  There's no frying and only a tiny bit of chopping.   

Adapted from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, the marvellous turkey meatballs will be a family favourite.  They are served with 67's Italian tomato sauce but if you're up against it, a good deli or supermarket sauce will be ok, too.  

The key to the amazing texture is in the mixing; resist the urge to press the ingredients together.  A fork keeps the mix airy; a bit of water lightens the mix without diluting taste.  Form the meatballs gently - an ice cream scoop does a good job though the balls are not perfect.  If slightly freeform meatballs aren't your thing, a young helper will probably be happy to hand-roll the meat, without pressing the mixture. 

Fresh breadcrumbs and grated parmesan are must for best results.

Serve immediately or cool and freeze.  

Cost: £3 (without sauce)
Feeds: 4-5 as main course; 12-15 as canapés

Ingred:

   14oz/400gm minced turkey (thigh has more flavour; breast, least fat)

     2oz/100gm high-meat sausage with Mediterranean seasoning

   1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (67 used oatmeal with good results)

     1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

    1/4c fresh grated Parmesan

    1/2 tsp celery salt (table salt is fine)

    1/4 tsp pepper

    1 large egg, well beaten

    1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

    1 tbsp water

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400f/200c/180fan/gas6; line a large baking tray with foil
2. Slit sausage down the middle; remove meat; use a fork to break off into small pieces 
3. Add sausage meat to minced turkey; toss with a fork until fully blended  
4. Add breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, water, s&p; blend
5. Add egg & Worcestershire sauce; mix
6. The mix should be soft and yielding; if not add a tiny bit more water 
7. Form meatballs with ice cream scoop or by hand, without mashing the meat tightly - keep it light; arrange on prepared pan with a little space in between (Use a spring loaded ice cream scoop size 40, generously loaded, for good-sized meatballs; tablespoons for small meatballs) 
8. Bake 18 mins for large meatballs; 15 mins for small 
9. When ready to serve, reheat meatballs in Italian Tomato Sauce 15 mins over med heat

Tips:

• large meatballs require a knife and fork; small ones work well as a canapé,  in stir-fries or in soups
• freeze meatballs flat then store in a zip freezer bag; this makes it easy to reach in and grab a handful of meatballs

Comments:
'I love turkey and it's great seeing it used so imaginatively. You have made it taste like restaurant quality meatballs in sauce.  Turkey breeders should market them.' Political agent
'These are restaurant quality; they're perfectly moist and the sauce complements them nicely.' Designer & fund-raiser

                                                                 More turkey on Nav Bar: Recipes I:chicken/poultry...

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission. 

CHOCOLATE CHIP THINS, (Slightly Lower Guilt), Indulgence, for busy bakers

Another recipe for busy cooks: an old favourite updated and made healthier but...

'I ate a whole load of these last night.  By myself!' Middle aged Taster

photo 8/9/16

The thing about chocolate chip cookies is that they are supposed to be an Indulgence.  They are meant to be thin and crispy yet cake-like, sweet and tender and so stuffed with chocolate and chopped nuts, conversation stops.  The full wonder of a mouthful should overwhelm the eater.

So, what's a girl trying to develop a lower-guilt chocolate chip cookie to do?  67 added wholemeal flour for fibre and produced smaller cookies but little else could be done for fear of irrevocably altering the classic favourite.  

The blend of brown and white sugars, for example, is characteristic of the cookie and contributes to the unique balance of crispy yet tender.  In the interests of health, all of the white flour could be replaced - one supposes - with wholemeal, or a 50-50 blend might be suitable.  Those changes are unlikely to damage the cookies' attraction but will definitely affect texture and flavour.
    
Whatever...Chocolate Chip Cookies are such a poignant and wonderful reminder of childhood, they should be classified as a justifiable special occasion indulgence.  Or even an emergency comforter (the first week back at school??).  Whatever the reason, these (slightly) lower-guilt chocolate chip thins can't be beat.  

Make just enough for a serving (one per person? 2 per person??), in medium sizes.  (67 uses a 1 1/2 inch/4 cm ice cream scoop).  Freeze the rest of the cookie dough in ready-to-bake balls; when needed, leave them to defrost until the oven is ready.  Trust 67: the taste and texture of the frozen cookie dough is just as good as fresh baked.

Cost: £4.75'ish 
Makes: 24 medium cookies

Ingred:

   125gm/4.5oz soft unsalted butter (zap in microwave 20 secs if necessary)
    80gms/2.8oz soft brown sugar
    75gms/2.6oz white sugar

    1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
    1/2 tsp vanilla extract
    zest of one orange (opt)
     
    100gm/3.5oz plain white flour
      40gm/1.4oz self-raising wholemeal flour
        1/2 tsp salt
        1/2 tsp baking soda

   100-150 gm/3.5 -5 oz dark chocolate chips (67 used 100gm)
     60-100gms/2-3.5oz chopped walnuts
     

Method:

1. Using electric beaters or a wooden spoon and plenty of elbow grease, cream butter and sugars together until well blended; it will take a few mins
2. Add egg, orange zest if using & vanilla; beat until blended
3. Add flours; blend
4. Mix in chocolate chips and nuts

If baking immediately:

Iced Coffee & Cookie Break

1. 
   
2. 
   
3. preheat oven to 350f/180c/160fan
4. line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper, use a bit of the cookie dough to stick down the corners to prevent slipping
5. fill a 1 1/2 inch/4 cm ice cream scoop, scraping the excess on side of bowl, leaving bottoms  slightly flattened
6. drop balls of dough onto cookie sheet, leaving 2-3 inches between
7. or use two spoons to scoop out generous tablespoons of the dough
8. bake 10-12 mins; the cookies will look slightly underdone but will crisp as they cool
9. leave cookies to cool on the tray

If freezing and baking later:

1. Scoop out cookie dough, scraping excess on side of bowl
2. drop balls of dough onto a lined cookie sheet, with corners stuck down with dough to prevent slipping; no need to leave lots of space in between as these are going to be frozen
3. place tray of dough balls in freezer for 1-2 hours
4. remove frozen cookies; count out portions and package individually; return to freezer
5. when ready to bake, arrange frozen cookies on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, leaving 2-3 inches in between
6. preheat oven to 350f/180c/160fan
7. bake 10-12 mins; the cookies will look slightly underdone but will crisp as they cool
8. leave cookies to cool on the tray

Comments:
'Truly stunning! Nice and moist in the middle.  Love the small nuggets of chocolate and nuts - like flavour explosions!' Political Agent (cookies from defrosted dough)
'Nice and moist.  Not dunkable but very good.' London Underground Driver 

Tip:

To make your own self-raising flour, for every 150g/6oz/1 cup plain flour, add 2 teaspoons baking powder

Thanks to Patty Boisort, West Coast Reader for cup to gram conversion

 Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission. 

INSTANT JAM/FRUIT COMPOTE. Low-sugar, Easy-peasy, Frugal

GREAT FOR USING UP END-OF-SEASON FRUIT...

Strawberry Compote: fast, easy, oh-so-delicious and good for you!

Those half-price packets of fresh berries because they're on a sell-by date?  They're usually off their best and it's not a good idea to freeze them; use them in smoothies or fruit salads.

OR try this unbelievably easy, delicious instant jam or compote.  The technique is used repeatedly on the BBC's Saturday Kitchen but is also used regularly in high-end commercial kitchens.

All you need is a frying pan, fruit, a bit of water, a bit of sugar and a few drops of vanilla essence.  Use one fruit or a mix and as much or as little sugar as you like.  For a juicy compote to serve over ice cream or with cake, add more liquid; for a thickish jam, less.  Orange juice can be substituted for water.

The method is super easy but attention is required.  Quanties of sugar in particular depend on personal taste so slow but cautious is the key.  You also need to watch water levels; juicy can turn easily into candied fruit.  Experiment with one punnet of berries to get a sense of what's needed and go from there.  

It's worth it.  It's pricier than shop bought products jams but a thousand times more tasty and satisfying.  And healthier with no additives.

Quantity and cost: depends on the season and amount of berries used

Method:

1. Put a heavy-bottomed frying pan over med-high heat.
2. Cut away any bruised or rotten bits of fruit and discard
3. Add fruit, a bit of sugar (try a minimum amount first, say a teaspoon or tablespoon) and a small amount of water - enough so the fruit doesn't stick  to the pan.
   
4. Cook until the berries begin to pop and the juices begin to run -probably a few minutes.  Add vanilla extract. Taste; you'll be surprised by its sweetness but if necessary, add more sugar, bit by bit
   
5. For a loose compote, add water until it reaches the consistency you like; this will be perfect for pouring over ice cream.
6. For jam, let the mix cook down until and it's nearly spreadable, 5-10 mins  
7. Keeps in the fridge three days.

Tip:

• Once the compote/jam is cooled, it can be frozen
• This method is also useful when supermarkets sell large quantities of berries because of a glut!  
• It works equally well with fresh or frozen berries.
• Fruit can be frozen once in its raw state and again when cooked, but no more.

Please leave a comment in the box below

Copyright: This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.