VIDEO: Alyssia Sheikh Shows How To Roast A Tasty Turkey For Holiday Season

By  //  November 24, 2015

ALYSSIA SHEIKH's 'mind over munch'

ABOVE VIDEO: In this episode of Mind Over Munch, Alyssia Sheikh shows you how to roast a turkey. There’s no need to be intimidated by cooking your Thanksgiving turkey, so here’s a quick tutorial on how to do it easy peasy, says Alyssia.

Thanksgiving Made Easy For Beginners – How To Cook A Roast A Tasty Turkey For the Thanksgiving Holiday

INGREDIENTS

1 thawed turkey, insides removed
2 onions, quartered
4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
6 adult carrots, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt + 1⁄2 tsp pepper (for presalting)
1⁄3–1⁄2 cup (80–120mL) olive oil (depending on turkey size)
1⁄3 cup (10g) fresh herbs, chopped (I use a mixture of thyme, sage and rosemary)
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp pepper
1/2 onion + 1/2 apple
3 cups (720mL) chicken/turkey stock
1 cup (240mL) wine/cooking wine

ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES

Roasting pan & rack (rack is optional)
Baster (optional if you’d like to baste)
Meat thermometer
Twine

PROCEDURE

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Add onions, celery and carrots to roasting pan and place turkey on top, breast-side up.
4. Presalt by sprinkling salt & pepper all over the bird–front and back–and inside of the cavity.
5. Mix together oil, herbs and salt & pepper. Carefully, use your hands to spread herby oil underneath the skin (try not to pierce through), as well as all over the bird, covering every square inch to ensure beautiful browning and flavor! If you do NOT want to get under the skin with your hands, feel free to skip this step and simply brush the herby oil on with a basting brush.
6. Put your 1⁄2 apple & 1⁄2 onion together and place inside the cavity for moisture.
7. Tie the legs of the turkey together with twine.
8. Pour wine and stock into the bottom of the roasting pan.
9. Bake in the oven 3–4 hours, depending on size. About 15 minutes per pound is a good rule of thumb!
10. After each hour, remove from oven and baste if desired, using the juicy-goodness on the bottom of your roasting pan.
11. Check your meat thermometer after 2 hours by piercing into the lower thigh. Once your bird reaches 175°–180°F (80-82°C) it’s done! 12. Allow to rest 45 minutes before carving. Use your juices in the baking pan for gravy, or discard. Discard the vegetables in the baking pan– they’ve done their job!

Nutritional information will differ based on whether or not you are eating white/dark meat, and if you’re eating the skin or not. Below is the nutritional information for white and dark meat without skin.

While white meat does have slightly less calories and more protein per serving, dark meat should not be discounted nutritionally, as the micronutrients are abundant.

Dark meat contains more iron, zinc, riboflavin, thiamine, and vitamins B6 and B12 than white meat, and both white and dark meat have less fat than most cuts of red meat, so you really can’t go wrong either way! Skipping the skin will save more calories and fat whether you choose white OR dark meat.

NUTRITION per 3.5 oz serving white meat, no skin
(Servings depend on size of bird)
• 161 calories 0g carbs | 4g fat | 30g protein

NUTRITION per 3.5 oz serving dark meat, no skin
(Servings depend on size of bird)
• 192 calories | 0g carbs | 8g fat | 28g protein

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ABOUT MIND OVER MUNCH & ALYSSIA SHEIKH

Welcome! I’m Alyssia Sheikh, and I’m the founder of Mind Over Munch. What began as my personal challenge to eat clean for 100 days on Instagram has become a journey of sharing recipes, fitness tips and general advice for your healthy lifestyle!

Alyssia-SHEIKH-180-2On the Mind Over Munch website, you’ll find delicious recipes that are guilt-free and figure-friendly alternatives to your favorite foods (and more!) without sacrificing any flavor. I am a group fitness instructor and personal trainer, and while I love exercise–I’ll be the first to say that weight loss, weight maintenance, and muscle gain are mostly dependent on diet (although a good balance of diet, exercise, and rest are all crucial to incorporate into your regular regimen!). Through this resource, you’ll find recipes that are appropriate for you regardless of your fitness and health goals. These recipes are NOT just for people dieting–these are for people who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and learn how to enjoy the foods they love without ousting anything from their diet.

My philosophy on food revolves around “moderation” being key, and not depriving yourself of things you want. I believe that allowing yourself to enjoy the foods you crave is essential to prevent overindulging. The problem is that most of us don’t truly practice “moderation.” Eating out once a week used to be “moderate,” but for many dining out daily is now the norm. I live in NYC and am a huge foodie, so I of course love to indulge in a not-so-light-meal every once in a while–which is all the more reason why I choose to cook HEALTHY when I’m at home. My recipes are lighter than their origins, meaning they are lower in fat, calories and carbs, and higher in protein and overall nutrition. Take a look around the site and find some recipes you’d like to try! They’re all easy, and I’m a busy girl so most are quick to make! If you have any questions, fill out the form below, and be sure to subscribe to be updated on all the newest happenings of Mind Over Munch!