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Just because it’s the season to be jolly doesn’t mean you have to undo a year’s worth of working out and sensible eating. But neither do you have to forgo the pleasures of a delicious festive feast. Exclusive to Emirates Woman, here is a healthy spin on a traditional Christmas dinner courtesy of Cooking with a Manicure’s Farah Sawaf.

 

APPLE-CHESTNUT TURKEY BREAST ROAST

Serves 6
Brine: 4 to 24 hours
Preparation and cooking: 2 hours

Ingredients:

  • For the brine
  • 1/2 litre water
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup chicken/turkey stock
  • ½ cup fresh peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • mixed fresh herbs, rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano on stem, no need to chop
  • Large turkey breast roast – approx 3/4 kilos, if not you can use two large pieces
  • ½ cup honey- good quality in jar (included in photo)
  • 1red skin off apple, boiled
  • and chopped
  • 1 cup chestnuts cooked and removed from shell- ready to use packages available
  • Fresh herbs- large mix
  • Spinach leaves/rocket leaves
  • Good quality balsamic vinegar
  • Chestnuts for garnish

Method:

  1. Pre heat oven to 170 C.
  2. In a large pot boil ½ litre of water.  Combine the rest of the ingredients. Remove from heat and add 1 cup cold water.  Place your turkey roast in a large glass bowl or container.  Pour brine solution all over and place in fridge for four to 24 hours.
  3. When ready to cook, take turkey breast out of brine and pat dry with paper towel.  Place gently on a plate.
  4. In a food processor combine honey, apple and chestnut.
  5. In a small roasting pan place a small rack within so breast does not burn, or twist and bundle 4 pieces of foil to elevate turkey from bottom of pan.
  6. Rub turkey with ¾ of the honey apple chestnut mixture.  Cover and bake for 45 minutes.  Surround with fresh herbs and drizzle of olive oil – I use my olive oil sprayer. Uncover and use remaining mixture and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Use a turkey thermometer to ensure turkey is cooked..
  7. Allow cooling for 10 minutes.  Lay over bed of rocket and spinach, sprinkle chestnuts over turkey and greens.

 

SWEET CORN BAKE

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Serves 6
Preparation time:  25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cup sweet organic corn, fresh if possible- shaved off cob
  • 1 can good quality creamed corn
  • ¾ cup low fat cream cheese
  • ½ cup non-fat sour cream
  • 1organic egg
  • 1dry corn muffin mix or corn bread mix, found in most grocery stores
  • 1 teaspoon fresh chopped tarragon

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 170 C.
  2. In a medium bowl mix both corn kernels and creamed corn together with cream cheese, sour cream and egg.  Mix well. Combine corn bread mix and tarragon.
  3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes checking regularly.  Top should golden brown and centre is no longer wet.

 

BLACK WILD RICE QUINOA WITH THYME AND SAUSAGE

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Serves 6
Preparation time:  25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup wild black rice
  • 1cup quinoa, cooked in chicken stock and fluffed
  • 1½ cup chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon good quality light organic butter
  • 1¼ cup shallots, chopped
  • 1cup, mixed wild mushrooms
  • 1cup good quality sausage, cooked and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon each of fresh oregano, sage, thyme
  • A drizzle of truffle oil

Method:

  1. Prepare ½ cup of black wild rice as instructed. Leave to cook for over 30 minutes as it takes more time than regular rice.
  2. While black rice is being prepared, begin cooking quinoa as per the package instructions.  Use chicken stock in place of water to prepare.
  3. In a medium saucepan melt 1-teaspoon low fat organic butter.
  4. Mix in shallots and mushrooms.
  5. Softly fold in sausage and herbs.  After all is cooked transfer to a glass bowl and combine wild rice and quinoa. Gently mix with a fork and season with fresh ground salt and pepper. Drizzle a tiny amount of good quality truffle oil and fluff one more time with a fork.

 

NO-BAKE SWEET POTATO AND PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE CUPS 

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Serves 6
Preparation: 40 minutes
Cooling: 1 hour

Ingredients:

  • Low fat cream cheese- small pack
  • ½ cup sweet potato, puree-bake, mix with a bit of water and blend)
  • ½ cup pumpkin purée- good quality can
  • Low fat/light whipped cream
  • 2 tablespoons agave nectar syrup
  • Low fat/light digestive biscuits- mashed
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon organic
  • butter, melted
  • Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
  • Mixed nuts- hazelnuts, almonds, pine nuts – roughly crushed
  • Dark chocolate, crushed

Method:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sweet potato, pumpkin puree, whipped cream, and agave syrup until smooth.
  2. In small bowls or mason jars pat a bit of the mashed digestive biscuit and drizzle some melted butter to make it stick to bottom.  Dollop over the digestive, the purée mixture.
  3. Add a touch of additional whipped topping if you desire.  Top with nuts, berries crushed dark chocolate.
  4. Place in refrigerator at least one hour before serving.

 

Styling and accessories by bespoke wedding planning and event management company, Fabulous Day Weddings & Events, who promise to turn your vision into a fabulous reality. Visit fabulous-day.com. For more fabulous recipes visit cookingwithamanicure.com.

 

Compiled by: Lyndsey Steven |  Art Direction: Alexandra Bull | Photography: Ajith Narendra