Celebrate Every Day This Year

January 27, 2012

The holidays are certainly behind us now, but for many of your customers, those celebrations may have had their consequences in unwanted weight gain. To help those patrons who want to lose weight, are health conscious or just want to enjoy flavorful menu items, Butterball turkey is the answer.

Turkey is an everyday menu item—it’s low in fat, high in protein and can be incorporated into meal planning in a variety of recipes throughout the year.

Take your patrons on everyday flavor adventures. The foods from the Mediterranean region are very appealing to so many customers. And it’s a great cuisine to pair up with healthy recipes—Mediterranean cuisine is characterized by flexibility, a wide range of ingredients and regional variations. The flavors are perfect for the blank canvas of Butterball turkey.

The following recipes have even been slightly modified to reduce the number of calories without affecting the flavor. You’ll see from the Mediterranean Turkey Flatbread recipe, turkey is very versatile and many chefs are now incorporating turkey into their menus throughout the whole year in cuisines from all continents.

Begin experiencing a world of flavors this year, and use Butterball turkey as your lean protein of choice. For more recipes and ideas, visit the E-Z Menu Ideas section.

Mediterranean Turkey Flatbread
Yield: 6

INGREDIENTS:
6 flatbreads (approx. 3 x 7)
1 recipe White Bean Spread
24 oz. roast turkey (cold or warm), sliced ¼” thick
12 slices tomato
12 red onion rings
1 recipe Avocado Sauce
24 cilantro leaves

METHOD:

1. Spread equal amounts of White Bean Spread evenly over the flatbreads and place on serving platter or individual plates.
2. Top the White Bean Spread with the sliced Butterball turkey (4-oz. portions).
3. Place two tomato slices and two onion rings on each flatbread.
4. Ladle equal amounts of Avocado Sauce over each flatbread.
5. Garnish each flatbread with four cilantro leaves.
6. Serve. (Great when served with a soup or salad.)

White Bean Spread
Yield: 6

INGREDIENTS:
15.5 oz. white beans, canned (chick peas may be substituted)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh
3 Tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves, chopped
Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

METHOD:

1. Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Refrigerate covered until needed. Set at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to preparing the flatbreads.

Spicy Avocado Sauce
Yield: 6

INGREDIENTS:
3 avocados, ripe & peeled, seeds removed
6 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 serrano peppers, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped fine
1 tsp. honey
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup red onions, finely diced
Sea salt (to taste)

METHOD:

1. Place all ingredients, except diced onions, salt and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, drizzling in olive oil, until it reaches a sauce consistency. (Use a little more olive oil if too thick.)
2. Place the sauce into a bowl and fold in the diced red onions and season with sea salt to taste.
3. Refrigerate covered until needed. Set at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to preparation.