With spring provoking thoughts of young tender carrots and bright baby green peas, this is the perfect time to work out an easy pot pie topped with a fearless crust. This dish bridges the seasons with fresh spring vegetables and a warm, spiced sauce. Weighing in at less than 300 calories, it’s also a healthy comfort food to keep you satisfied without all the fat. Research has shown eating high-fiber plant-based foods can help you fill up with fewer calories so you can eat smarter throughout the day and keep with your weight loss plan.
Turkey Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust
½ cup sliced carrots, in ½ – inch slices
½ cup sliced celery, in ½ – inch slices
1 cup frozen pearl onions
2 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ Tbsp. rice flour
1 cup low-fat (1 percent) milk, at room temperature
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 cups cooked diced turkey breast, in ¾ – inch pieces (see note)
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Topping
5 tsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup low-fat (1 percent) milk
1 large egg
½ package (10 oz.) gluten-free cornbread mix such as Bob’s Red Mill
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In medium saucepan, simmer carrots, celery and onions in chicken broth until they are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. With slotted spoon, remove vegetables and set aside. Boil broth until it is reduced to 1 ¼ cups, about 5 minutes. Set broth aside.
In heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Mix in rice flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute as it bubbles. Do not let it color. Slowly add ½ cup of reduced broth and whisk until combined with flour mixture. Gradually add remaining broth while whisking vigorously. Add milk and cook sauce for 5 minutes, whisking often, until it has consistency of light creamed soup. Mix in thyme, turkey, green peas and reserved vegetables. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper. Spread filling in 8-inch square baking dish and set aside.
For topping, in microwavable bowl, melt butter. Add milk and egg and mix with fork to beat egg. Stir in cornbread mix. Spoon topping over pot pie filling in baking dish, dropping it in dollops to leave room around edges of pan and between dollops.
Bake pot pie for 30-35 minutes, or until topping feels firm to touch, is lightly browned, and filling is bubbling. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Note: Use only turkey carved from breast, not the kind sliced to use in sandwiches. Or, arrange 3 slices raw turkey scallopini on a large sheet of aluminum foil and fold top and sides to make packet. Bake turkey at 400 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until white in center.
Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 1 ½ cups.
Per serving: 270 calories, 7g fat (2.5 g sat fat), 34g carbohydrates, 19g protein, 3g fiber, 460mg sodium.
Grocery list
Carrots
Celery
Pearl onions
Reduced-sodium chicken broth
Olive oil
Rice flour
Low-fat milk
Thyme
Turkey breast
Peas
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Butter
Egg
Cornbread mix
Recipe reprinted with permission from the American Institute for Cancer Research. www.aicr.org
What’s your favorite healthy comfort food? Please share in the comments below.
Meanwhile, if you want to lose weight, improve your energy and feel better, I can help you get started. Take my free Self-Assessment at https://njnutritionist.com/freeassessment
Until next time, eat and be well!
Lorraine Matthews-Antosiewicz, MS RD
Image courtesy of marin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
