Ginger, Pear & Turkey Sausage Patties

14. Ginger, Pear & Turkey Sausage Patties

Sweet sausage! Our breakfast patties get their flavor from ripe pear (though apple would work too), ginger, scallions, jalapeño and cilantro. Try with chicken sausage, too.

These Asian-infused breakfast patties have enough bite for Sunday morning breakfast or brunch-worthy entertaining, but their eight-minute time frame also makes them a go-to for any hectic weekday morning!

Photo: Gregory James, Food Styling: Jessica Colley

By Nancy S. Hughes

Serves: 4
Hands-on time: 6 minutes
Total time: 8 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb lean ground turkey breast
• 1/2 cup diced ripe pear
• 4 scallions, bulbs removed, white and green parts finely chopped
• 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 tsp safflower oil, divided
• 4 medium oranges, peeled and cut into segments

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, combine turkey, pear, scallions, jalapeño, cilantro, ginger, salt, pepper flakes and 1 1/2 tsp oil. Shape mixture into 8 patties (each about 2 1/2 inches in diameter).
2. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add patties and cook for 4 minutes per side or until lightly golden and no longer pink in center. Serve with oranges.

Nutrients per serving (2 patties and 1/3 cup orange segments): Calories: 211, Total Fat: 5 g, Sat. Fat: 0 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5 g, Carbs: 15 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 9 g, Protein: 27 g, Sodium: 194 mg, Cholesterol: 55 mg

Nutritional Bonus: You may want to rethink traditional breakfast sausages. Standard pork breakfast sausages can pack 280 calories, 23 grams of total fat, 8 grams of saturated fat and 930 milligrams of sodium in each 4-ounce serving. To cut calories by more than half and reduce fat to almost nil, form your own patties out of 99% fat-free ground turkey breast instead: 120 calories, 1.5 grams of total fat, zero saturated fat and 65 milligrams of sodium
.