Friday Feast: Spelt Breaded Turkey Fingers Are Positively Yummy

When my youngest child was in the hospital at age nineteen with a serious case of pneumonia, she lost fifteen pounds over the course of the nine day ordeal. It was horribly scary from day one until an infection specialist was called in and figured out the problem. Once he made his changes to her care, she started to turn around in just ten hours! We weren’t out of the woods yet. She still didn’t have any appetite. Her already thin body became rail thin, and my heart pounded with worry each time I would see her frail arms and legs sticking out from under the hospital sheets. I was determined to get her healthy with the good food she was used to eating at home. When her appetite gradually returned, the hospital fare wasn’t cutting the mustard, so to speak. The first thing she asked for were my own twist on the mini-chicken bites so famous in fast food restaurants. My daughter’s blood type food program suggests that she avoid chicken. I started making turkey nuggets at home and that’s the first thing she wanted to eat when she felt hungry. I knew she was going to be alright. Here’s the plan.

Spelt Breaded Turkey Fingers

6 slices of spelt bread (white or whole) crumbs

1 pound of boneless turkey cutlets pounded thin and cut into strips

¾ cup of buttermilk

1 cup white or whole spelt flour sifted

3 eggs

1 packet of Ranch dressing mix

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried or fresh chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon dried or fresh chopped parsley

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ cup canola oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a wire cooling rack in a baking sheet and set aside.

The “dipping station”

In a medium bowl, mix the dried bread crumbs, packet of Ranch dressing, and all the remaining spices and herbs. Stir to blend. Let sit on the counter under a towel to dry out a bit.

Pour the buttermilk in a plastic food storage bag, add the turkey strips. Seal and place in a bowl in the refrigerator to marinate for 15 minutes.

Place the flour in a medium bowl. Break the eggs into another bowl and beat with a fork. Add a pinch of salt to the flour and the eggs.

Set the bowls out for the “dipping station”-(dry, wet, dry.) Flour first, eggs second, bread crumbs and spices third. Take the turkey out of the refrigerator and place at the dipping station.

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet on medium high. When oil is ready, begin dipping the turkey in the flour, then the eggs, then the bread crumbs and slowly place in the hot oil. Fry on one side for 2-3 minutes. Turn and fry for another 30 seconds. Place the turkey fingers on the rack on the baking sheet. When all the strips have been fried, place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Watch carefully and don’t allow to get too dark.

Don’t underestimate the value of “finishing” off the turkey fingers by baking in the oven. This is the secret to moist meat on the inside and a perfect crust on the outside. This same daughter doesn’t like it when I “cook the crap” out of the meat.

Serves four.

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

Check out my new website Joy E. Held

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Be well, write well