Turkey Sausage Patties Easy Entree To Prepare, Easier On Your Heart

One of the best ways you can show your love for your family today, Valentine’s Day, is to fix a healthy meal that will keep everyone’s cardiac cargo beating strong.

An easy approach to planning a meal averaging less than 30 percent of calories from fat is to choose an entree from The Heart Institute of Spokane’s Food Plan, a healthy eating guide and recipe booklet.

Judy Rogers of The Heart Institute says the 28-page booklet is a tool to help people work with what they already know about a healthier diet and lifestyle. It includes information on such topics as stress, exercise and alcohol.

You can find the red-and-white booklets through February at Tidyman’s stores and at the Great Harvest Bread Co. at Lincoln Heights, or call The Heart Institute at 625-3000.

Along with individual recipes, there’s a three-week, 1,500-calorie-per-day menu plan you can pull out and put on on your refrigerator as a guide. Following it can help you control your weight, as well as reduce your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.

I chose Turkey Sausage, a really low-fat recipe, from the booklet. Since its fat content is so minimal, it needs to be watched carefully and cooked in just a few minutes.

The sausage being so easy to make, I focused on making real mashed potatoes as an accompaniment, skipping the box of instant flakes. Needless to say, I overcooked the turkey and ended up with a rather dry product.

Topped with catsup and served with mashed potatoes and a vegetable, the sausage worked out just fine. Next time, however, it will be cooked at the last minute.

You can cut corners even more in this already quick recipe by using 1 teaspoon of onion powder in place of the chopped onion.

Turkey Sausage

From The Heart Institute of Spokane’s Food Plan.

1 pound skinned, ground turkey breast

1-1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

2 teaspoons sage

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients. Form mixture into 8 patties. Place patties in nonstick frying pan.

Cook over high heat for 1 minute; turn patties and continue to cook 1 more minute. Reduce heat; cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through (about 3 minutes).

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 64 calories, 0.5 grams fat (7 percent fat calories), 36 milligrams cholesterol, 23 milligrams sodium.

, DataTimes MEMO: The goal of Five and Fifteen is to find recipes where you can do the shopping in five minutes and the cooking in 15. Merri Lou Dobler, a registered dietitian and Spokane resident, welcomes ideas from readers. Write to Five and Fifteen, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.

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