Turkey Cutlets with Avocado Salsa

This dish was really as good as it looks. Doesn't it look good -- all those gorgeous colors together? I told you I was only going to share the heart healthy dishes that I would eat even if I was not watching my fats and cholesterol. This dish would be a keeper even if I could eat anything I wanted. The turkey breast is really just the canvas for the bright, yummy flavors of the salsa. It's tender, cooked quickly in a pan, and kids like it because it has no strong flavors. All my kids liked this which was kind of surprising to me. My high school boy ate three servings because there was plenty.

The recipe called for using turkey cutlets, but they are sort of impractical with a largish family. Instead I bought a package of two turkey tenderloins (the white breast meat, no bones) and sliced it crosswise into smallish cutlets. There was plenty and it was much less expensive than buying several packages of cutlets. I made the salsa as directed, except I used a whole avocado instead of a half. Since I was splitting it among five, I felt justified. Besides, Peach eats enough avocado for two people.

The recipe came from Women Heart's All Heart Family Cookbook. The nutritional information given with the recipe is no longer accurate with the use of the tenderloins and the extra half an avocado, but I will tell you that it had 5 g monounsaturated fat and 1 g. polyunsaturated fat, with a total of 8 g all together -- good numbers for a meat dish. The avocado, tomatoes, scallions and olive oil are all really good for you, too.

Turkey Cutlets and Avocado Salsa
serves 5-6

1 c. grape tomatoes, quartered
1 avocado, halved, pitted, and chopped
4 scallions, chopped
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
juice of half a lime
½ t. ground cumin
2 turkey tenderloins (about 1.5 pounds), cut crosswise
salt and black pepper

In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, avocado, scallions, 1 T. olive oil, lime juice, and cumin. Salt to taste. Set aside.

The easiest way to chop an avocado: cut avocado in half; pull out the pit. With a knife, make a grid in the avocado by cutting into the flesh perpendicular to the skin, cutting all the way to the skin, but not through.

Then take a spoon and scoop out the flesh, running the spoon between the skin and the flesh.

Season the turkey pieces with the salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet with 1 T. oil and spread oil with a paper towel to coat the pan. Add half of the cutlets and cook, turning once, for 3 minutes, or until browned and no longer pink.


Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining cutlets. Top with the reserved avocado mixture.

Served with Peppered Couscous and Cumin Roasted Cauliflower.

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Original recipe can be seen here. Source: Women Heart's All Heart Family Cookbook

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