[ RECIPE ] Caramelised Red Onion Turkey Salad

Believe it or not, I first realised that Turkey wasn’t only for Christmas about 3 years ago when I decided to finally start eating healthier lunches. I walked into the canteen at work and there was this salad bar with so many options to choose from. When it came to the choice of meat, it was often between either diced Chicken or Turkey.

At first I couldn’t tell much difference but after a while I realised they did have their own tastes, and after some research I realised that Turkey was such a lean meat with very little fat, which was perfect for some variety and eating healthy.

One of the main reasons that I lost all of the weight and reduced my body fat percentage was because I consistently went back for more Turkey. You’ve got to consistently make the right choices as often as possible, over a long enough period.

Today’s dish is my dedication to that decision. As the Turkey can be on the dry side, I would suggest serving this with some fresh salsa that you can either buy from the shops or make yourself. You won’t go wrong with this salad, it’s perfect hot or cold and full of protein, iron and flavour. 

 Serves 2

2 x Turkey Breast Fillets
2 tsp x Ground Cumin
Freshly Ground Salt & Pepper

2 x Red Onions (peeled & sliced)
Olive Oil (fat for the pan)
2 tsp x Light Brown Sugar
2 tsp x Balsamic Vinegar
1 Bag of Spinach
2 tsp x Roasted Peppers

Fresh Salsa (to serve)

1. Start by adding the salt, pepper and ground cumin onto both sides of the turkey breast fillets. Heat a griddle pan on the hob at a high temperature. After 5 minutes, add the fillets to the pan and press down once. Cook for 12 minutes, turning at halfway.

2. Heat a separate frying pan with some olive oil over a medium-high heat and add the red onion, cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the sugar and mix well, then add the balsamic vinegar and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. 

3. Remove the red onions onto a side bowl and return the frying pan to the heat. Add the spinach and allow it to wilt fully.

4. Check the turkey has cooked through by cutting it in half, there should be no pink and the juices should run clear. If this is not the case, return the fillets to the griddle for a few more minutes. Once they are cooked, remove them onto a board and cut into chunks. Place the wilted spinach on the bottom of the plate, add the turkey along with the peppers and finally add the balsamic red onions.

Scatter a few spoonfuls of fresh salsa across the plate and serve.