Quinoa & Cranberry Stuffed Turkey
We are on the countdown now until Santa comes! Who else is excited.
Make sure you check out our healthy Christmas day menu. Like this Stuffed Turkey with quinoa and cranberry. We can not wait to feast on all this healthy, delicious and nutritious food! Which is what Zing Wellbeing pride all our recipes on, being packed with nutrition for your health needs.
5 Course Healthy Christmas Day Feast the Whole Family Will Love
Quinoa & Cranberry Stuffed Turkey
Serves 12
Stuffing
- 60g butter
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 1 small carrot, finely diced
- 1 stick celery, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 250ml stock/broth
- 1 orange, rind and juice
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- ½ cup fresh sage, ripped
- Spring of fresh thyme
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- ½ cup organic dried cranberries
- 5 tbsp. almond meal
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
Turkey
- 1 whole turkey (approx. 7kg)
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper
Method
- Preheat oven to 220C. In a medium heavy based pot melt the butter, add the olive oil, onion, carrot and celery and sweat over medium heat until onion is translucent – not browned. Set aside.
- Rinse quinoa well and cook according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
- Mix all stuffing ingredients together and taste to adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Set aside.
- Place the turkey on a large baking tray with a rack to keep it off the bottom of the tray, and pat the skin dry with a paper towel. Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper all over.
- Stuff the stuffing into the cavity of the turkey. Pour water into the bottom of the tray to the bottom of the turkey but not touching it.
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour at 220C and then turn the oven down to 180C. If the turkey has good colour at this point, cover with foil to stop it burning as it cooks through. Top up the water as needed throughout the cook. Aim for 30 minutes of cooking time per 1kg of turkey or use a meat thermometer.
- The turkey is cooked through when the juices between the leg and body run clear when cut.
- Finish with 20 minutes back at 220C if you’re wanting more colour on top. Make a delicious turkey gravy from the pan juices if desired.
Benefits
Adding quinoa to your turnkey means that Christmas lunch will go a little further as it will be more filling and nutrient dense.
Quinoa is high in lysine, manganese, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, vitamin E and B6, riboflavin, niacin and thiamine. This little grain has more calcium than milk, as well as antioxidants, fibre, and iron. It is high in unsaturated fats, low carb and low GI. Quinoa is a complete food, is high in protein, full of vitamins, gluten and wheat free, and is cholesterol free.
Cranberries are rich in antioxidants including vitamin C and have anti-inflammatory effects.
Turkey is an excellent source of protein, high in B vitamins, zinc and selenium as well as tryptophan.
Nutritional value Per serve
- 506 kcal
- Fat 34g
- Carbohydrates 27g
- Fibre: 5g
- Protein: 30g
