Healthy Comfort Food

The weekend before last my husband and I went to Newport, Rhode Island for a little getaway and on our last day there, we found D Kelley Fine Used Books. (please see my first post for details on our used bookstore excursions) I found a great selection of books by my favorite romance authors and I picked up a great cookbook for my collection that is filled with slow cooker recipes (Best-Loved Slow Cooker Recipes) from soups to stews and side dishes to main dishes.

This past Saturday I felt like making a dinner that would be good comfort food so I thought I would try the slow cooker 'Turkey Mushroom Stew' (slightly adapted to make healthier - ex. substituting half and half for fat free milk). I served the mixture over biscuits (recipe follows) with a side of freshly cooked green beans and dill mashed potatoes.

Turkey Mushroom Stew Ingredients
Serves 4
1 lb Turkey Cutlets, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 boiling onion, chopped
2 tbsp green onions, minced
1 8 oz. package of sliced mushrooms
2-3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup organic fat-free milk
1 tsp dried tarragon leaves
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1 cup frozen petite peas

Step 1 - Layer turkey, onions and mushrooms in slow cooker (repeating the process once) Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours. When time is up, remove turkey mixture to a bowl and set aside.
Step 2 - Blend flour into milk until smooth, pour into slower cooker. Add tarragon, salt and pepper next. Return turkey, mushrooms and onions to slow cooker. Stir in peas. Cover and cook for 1 hour on High setting or until sauce has thickened and peas are heated through.
Step 3 - Serve mixture over the top of an open biscuit

Biscuit Ingredients
Yields 12-15
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
3 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco 0 Grams Trans Fat)
1 egg
2/3 cup organic fat free milk

Step 1 - In a bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt with a whisk. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Step 2 - In a small bowl, beat egg and milk. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened.
Step 3 - Turn dough onto a sheet of parchment paper coated with flour, knead 16-20 times. Push dough to a 3/4 inch thickness and cut with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 4 - Bake at 450 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Mashed Potatoes
When I don't feel like taking the time to peel potatoes but want mashed potatoes, I use the instant potatoes from Barbara's Bakery - they are made from whole, unpeeled Idaho® potatoes and only contain potato flakes and citric acid. I find them in the health food section of our local Hannaford. I like to add in dried dill weed and a bit of ground black pepper to taste.