Recipes: Curried Turkey and Rice Soup With Coconut

CURRIED TURKEY AND RICE SOUP WITH COCONUT

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: Use canned, unsweetened coconut milk, not the coconut milk in the dairy case. To toast coconut, spread it out on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until it is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely. It goes quickly. This bright, fragrant soup warms up a cold, snowy night.

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

• 1/4 c. shallots, minced

• 1 to 2 tsp. curry powder, to taste

• 4 c. chicken or turkey stock

• 1 carrot peeled and cut into 1/2-in. pieces

• 1 celery stick, cut into 1/2-in. pieces

• 1/2 c. apple cider

• 1 c. canned unsweetened coconut milk (see Note)

• 1 c. cooked, diced turkey meat

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro for garnish

• 1/4 c. toasted shredded coconut, for garnish (see Note)

Directions

Film a large deep pot with the oil and set over medium heat and sauté the shallots until just tender, about 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder to coat. Stir in the stock, rice, carrot and celery. Increase the heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:

Calories270Fat15 gSodium165 mg

Carbohydrates25 gSaturated fat10 gCalcium32 mg

Protein12 gCholesterol22 mgDietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1/2 fruit, 1 lean meat, 2 1/2 fat.

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: Add any leftover cooked vegetables, such as green beans, to this pot pie recipe before topping it off. Vary the cheeses as you wish by substituting crumbled blue cheese, for example, for the Cheddar.

• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 1 small onion, thinly sliced

• 1 c. sliced mushrooms

• 1/2 c. diced celery

• 1/2 c. dark beer

• 1/2 c. turkey or vegetable stock

• 2 tbsp. heavy whipping cream, optional

• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

• 2 c. cooked, diced turkey meat

• 2 c. mashed potatoes

• 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese, or more to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large deep saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the onion, mushrooms, carrot and celery until they become limp, about 3 minutes. Cover, reduce the heat and continue cooking until the vegetables have released their liquid, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the cover and continue cooking until the liquid has cooked off and the vegetables are beginning to brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk in the beer, stock and cream (if using) and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme, parsley and turkey. Turn into a baking dish.

Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:

Calories233Fat10 gSodium370 mg

Carbohydrates16 gSaturated fat6 gCalcium88 mg

Protein18 gCholesterol67 mgDietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 bread/starch, 2 medium-fat meat.

Serves 6 to 8.

Note: When you're making those Thanksgiving sweet potatoes, bake a few extra potatoes to have on hand for this salad. You may also use any leftover sweet potatoes or squash if they are not topped with marshmallows or heavily glazed. To make this an entrée salad, toss in leftover turkey. To toast walnuts, place on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.

• 1/4 c. white wine or raspberry vinegar to taste

• 1 small shallot, minced

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

• 1/2 c. walnut or olive oil

• 1/2 c. cranberry sauce, fresh or canned

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 3/4 to 1 lb.), baked and cut into 1-in. cubes

• 1 fennel bulb, diced

• 1/2 c. sliced green onions

• 1/2 c. toasted walnuts (see Note)

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, mustard and honey. Whisk in the oil in a slow, steady stream. Stir in the cranberry sauce.

Turn the sweet potatoes, fennel, and green onions into a large bowl. Toss in enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss in the walnuts just before serving.

Nutrition information per each of 8 servings:

Carbohydrates17 gSaturated fat1 gCalcium38 mg

Protein2 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber3 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1/2 bread/starch, 1/2 other carb, 3 fat.

CURRY CRANBERRY MAYO

Makes 11/4 cups.

• 1/4 c. cranberry sauce

• 1/2 to 1 tsp. curry powder, or to taste

• 1 tsp. fresh lime juice

• 1/2 c. sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

• 1/2 c. mayonnaise

In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together.

Nutrition information per 1 tablespoon:

Calories56Fat6 gSodium37 mg

Carbohydrates2 gSaturated fat1 gCalcium7 mg

Protein0 gCholesterol5 mgDietary fiber0 g

GINGER-ORANGE MAYONNAISE

Makes 1 cup.

Note: Toss this into a turkey-pasta salad to serve on dark greens and garnish with chopped cashews and cilantro.

• 2 tsp. fresh grated ginger, or to taste

• 1 tsp. grated orange rind

• 1 c. mayonnaise

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together.

Nutrition information per 1 tablespoon:

Calories100Fat11 gSodium78 mg

Protein0 gCholesterol5 mgDietary fiber0 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 fat.

SPICY HORSERADISH CRANBERRY SPREAD

Makes 1 generous cup.

Note: Try this on sandwiches of pumpernickel, thinly sliced turkey, red onion and Swiss cheese.

• 2 tbsp. cranberry sauce, or to taste

• 1/2 c. sour cream

• 1/2 c. mayonnaise

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together.

Calories67Fat7 gSodium47 mg

Carbohydrates1 gSaturated fat2 gCalcium9 mg

Protein0 gCholesterol6 mgDietary fiber0 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 1/2 fat.

CRANBERRY MAPLE VINAIGRETTE

Note: Toss this into an entrée turkey-wild rice salad and top with toasted pecans. Simply whisking a couple of tablespoons of cranberry sauce into your favorite vinaigrette adds a sweet-tangy note and bright color.

• 1 small shallot, minced

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp. maple syrup

• 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 c. vegetable oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Put all of the ingredients into a bowl and shake vigorously until combined.

Nutrition information per 2 tablespoons:

Carbohydrates5 gSaturated fat2 gCalcium5 mg

Protein0 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber0 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1/2 other carb, 3 fat.

Side Dish Make-over Ideas

If you made three times the amount of your grandmother's beloved (yet fussy) stuffing or whipped enough potatoes to feed the neighborhood, don't despair. Here are a few ideas for side dish makeovers.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the leftover stuffing in a well-buttered baking dish and make several indentations into the stuffing large enough to coddle an egg. Crack an egg into each of the indentations. Sprinkle the eggs with shredded sharp Cheddar cheese. Bake until the eggs are set, about 15 minutes.

Melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large, heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat and sauté about 1 cup of chopped leeks (white part only) until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in several cups of chicken or vegetable stock, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Whisk in enough leftover mashed potatoes to make a thick soup. Add white wine if you wish and a little extra cream to taste. Season with grated nutmeg, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

Sausage Stuffing Bake