Traditional Christmas meal with all the trimmings

Traditional Roasted Turkey Crown with Savoy Cabbage, Roast Potatoes (in Dripping) and Parsnips, Buttered Green Beans, Pigs in Blankets, Yorkshire Puddings, Cranberry Jelly, Bread Sauce and Real Gravy.

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen turkey crown (with skin)
• 1 bag of frozen roast potatoes
• 1 bag of frozen green beans
• 1 bag of frozen cabbage
• Frozen pigs in blanket or 8 frozen chipolatas and 8 slices of bacon (Veggie sausages and veggie bacon available as a yummy alternative!)
• 1 bunch of chives
• 1 bag of frozen parsnips
• 1 bag of frozen carrots
• 1 bag of frozen cranberries
• 1 bag of breadcrumbs or 5 slices of bread
• 1 jar of cranberry jelly
• 1 pack of frozen Yorkshire puddings

Cooking instructions:

1. Pull the turkey out of the freezer the night before to ensure that it is completely defrosted the whole way through. Click here for more information on how to safely defrost your frozen Turkey
2. For the bread sauce: Push cloves into onions and infuse with milk for one hour. Remove the onion and add breadcrumbs to thicken.
3. For the turkey stuffing, warm the butter but do not melt and mix with garlic and chives. This mixture is then stuffed between the skin and the meat of the turkey crown. To do this, make a slit in the skin and carefully pull back.
4. The crown is then roasted for 45/55 minutes depending on the weight (see pack) at 180°C or Gas Mark 6 and rested for ten minutes.
5. After 10/15 minutes of roasting add the pigs in blankets and the roast potatoes and parsnips as these usually take about 30 minutes.
6. Shred cabbage and add 50g of butter and cook over low gas for 30 minutes until soft.
7. At the same time as the cabbage, put the carrots on a low heat, also for 30 minutes.
8. Ten minutes before serving (when the Turkey has been in for 40/45 minutes) bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the beans, cook for 3/ 4 minutes until slightly tender.
9. Add the Yorkshire Puddings as these take about 5 minutes to warm up.
10. Leave the turkey till last to serve to keep it resting for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Yvonne says:

Turkey is another good source of tryptophan, which will help you feel more relaxed and happy. If you are looking for a vegetarian alternative to turkey, the vegetarian nut roast is a great choice as it is rich in protein. For a slightly lighter meal, try roasting the potatoes in coconut oil instead of dripping. The result will be deliciously crispy,but lower in saturated fat. Coconut oil is said to help the body fight off harmful bacteria, and so supports the immune system. After all, ourbodies prefer to use calories from the fat as energy rather thanclogging up the arteries and heart. Having both green and orange vegetables on your plate ensures a range of vitamins and minerals to help support your immune system. So try to include roasted butternut squash into your meal, and it will help you keep going until the New Year celebrations. Include a handful of cranberries too as they are powerful antioxidants to further boost your liver and immune system. Another good vegetable to accompany a protein and carbohydrate rich meal is sprouts. Sprouts are not only packed with nutrients, but have also been shown to protect DNA from damage, which in turn could reduce the risk of cancer.