Ground Turkey with Potatoes and Peas

As fall approaches, I like to make "soul" warming dinners. This one is easy and full of flavor!

1 medium tomato
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
20 oz 93% lean ground turkey
4 medium scallions, chopped
1 cup fresh peas

1 carrot; peeled and diced
1 potato, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
8 oz can tomato sauce
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp cumin, or to taste
salt, to taste
1 bay leaf

Brown Rice (to serve over)

In a mini food processor or you can chop by hand finely chop tomato, garlic and cilantro.

In a large skillet, brown turkey and season with salt and cumin to taste.
When meat is browned and cooked through add scallions, chopped tomato mixture, peas, carrots, potato, tomato sauce, water, cumin, salt and bay leaf.
Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until potatoes are cooked through, about 25 minutes stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Remove bay leaf and serve over rice.

Source: Skinny Taste

Turkey Noodle Casserole

Who doesn't love a good noodle casserole? This was a perfect dish for a cold, rainy day.

1 lb Ground Turkey (or ground beef)
1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
8 ounces Egg Noodles
½ teaspoon Salt
Sprinkle Black Pepper
1/2 cup Light Sour Cream (I used Greek Yogurt)
1 1/4 cup Non Fat Small Curd Cottage Cheese
1/4 cup Green onions; chopped
1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown meat in a large skillet; drain then return to the pan. Add tomato sauce and salt and pepper to season. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the greek yogurt and cottage cheese. Season with black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.

Spray a 8 X 11 baking dish with cooking spray. To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.

Turkey and Black Bean Nachos

After a weekend of company, I found myself with a few bags of leftover tortilla chips. What to do? Make nachos! I threw this dinner together in no time. Perfect with"Thirsty Thursday"Margartia!

Tortilla chips (I had Multi-grain and lime flavored Tostitos leftover)
1 can reduced sodium black beans; drained and rinsed
1 can Ro*tel tomatoes with chilis
1 cup shredded cheddar/Monterrey Jack cheese blend
A few spoonfuls of queso dip (leftover from company and a bit of a splurge.)
1 lb. ground turkey
1 small onion; chopped
1 lime
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Salsa and Greek Yogurt (my sour cream) to top

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large pan, saute onion till translucent. Add turkey and cook till browned. Drain; return to pan and add black beans and Ro*tel. Season with chili powder and cumin; stir until warmed through. Remove from heat and squeeze juice of 1 lime over mixture.

Arrange tortilla chips on a baking sheet lined with aluminium foil. Top with turkey mixture. Spoon queso over turkey mixture and top with shredded cheese.
Bake until cheese is melted.
Top with your favorite ingredients!

Three Bean Chili

Another Abs cookbook recipe - "Three Amigos Chili". Quick, flavorful and healthy! We topped the chili with crushed, baked tortilla chips, reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend and a spoonful of Greek yogurt (sour cream substitute). 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion; diced
1 lb ground turkey
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with jalapenos
1 can (10.5 oz) chickpeas; rinsed and drained
1 can (10.5 oz) black beans; rinsed and drained
1 can (10.5 oz) kidney beans; rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (I used about 1/16 teaspoon)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned; drain (if desired).
Add the tomatoes with juice, beans, broth and spices. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Vegetable Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze

To quote Will Ferrell from The Wedding Crashers "Hey MA, the meatloaf! We want it now!"
My awesome Brother, Steven, gave me this recipe from Bobby Flay. This was awesome! It came out so tender and the balsamic glaze is amazing. LOVED it! 

Picture from Food Network

My picture

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small zucchini; diced
1 red bell pepper; diced
1 yellow bell pepper; diced
1 white onion; diced
5 cloves garlic; smashed to a paste with coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large egg; lightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (90 percent lean)
1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell peppers, onions, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.

Gently press the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli

You can't go wrong with pasta or this recipe. I found this one in my new cookbook - The New Abs Diet. We have been cooking a lot from this book lately and everything has been awesome! 

1 bunch broccoli rabe; tough ends trimmed (or regular broccoli would work)
12 ounces orecchiette pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion; chopped
3 cloves garlic; minced
1/2 lb hot Italian turkey sausage links
2 cups marinara sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cut the broccoli rabe into 2 inch pieces. Cook the pasta according to package directions; add the broccoli rabe during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until translucent.
Remove the casing from the sausage. Add the meat to the skillet and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 3 minutes until nicely browned.

Add the pasta and the broccoli rabe to the skillet and toss to combine. Stir in the marinara sauce and pepper flakes and cook until heated through.
Top with cheeses.

Turkey Burger Pitas with Tahini Sauce

Fast and flavorful turkey burger recipe adapted from Cooking Light - September 2010 edition. 

1/2 cup plain 2% Greek-style yogurt

1 Tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove; minced

1/4 cup chopped green onions

3 Tablespoons parsley; finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 lb ground lean turkey

Cooking spray

2 whole wheat pitas, cut in half

Tomato slices

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. 

Combine onions, parsley, salt, onion powder and turkey in a large bowl. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2 inch- thick patty. 

Heat a grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray and add patties to the pan. Cook for 4 minutes on each side or until done.

Line each pita half with patty (I sliced cooked patties in half), tomato slices and tahini sauce. 

Turkey Taco Salad

I found this recipe on my Everyday Food Ipod app; you can find the original recipe here. I love this app because there is a new recipe sent to me everyday. I have saved several and this one has been sitting saved for awhile. This week was a great time to use it. YUM! We both loved it. 

1 lb ground turkey; lean

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion; diced

1 small zucchini; diced

1 can black beans; rinsed and drained (I added these)

1 red bell pepper; ribs and seed removed and diced

1 1/2 cups green salsa

Salt and pepper

Romaine lettuce

1 1/2 cups Fritos (recipe calls for tortilla chips, but Fritos sounded better) 

1 cup small cherry tomatoes; halved

1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent (about 5-7 minutes.) Add turkey; cook, stirring often until starting to brown (another 5-7 minutes.)

Add zucchini, bell pepper, black beans, and 1 cup of salsa; cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and let cool. 

In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with Fritos, tomatoes, remaining 1/2 cup salsa and 2 tablespoons oil. Transfer to serving dishes and top with turkey mixture and cheese. 

Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Turkey and Zucchini

I feel a little silly posting this recipe. Mainly because it is a regular dish in our house and I feel it is too easy to blog about. Regardless, I posted it. This dish includes two of our favorite ingredients: pasta and turkey. (As you can see from the label counts on the side of the blog!) We love this pasta dish!

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta (I prefer the Barilla brand for whole wheat)
1 lb. ground turkey; lean
1/2 white onion; diced
3 cloves garlic; minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 zucchini; ends trimmed and chopped
2 - 14.5 oz cans petite diced tomatoes; drained (I like to drain, because I think the juice makes the sauce too thin.
1 - 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil - fresh would be great, but I was out.
Salt and pepper
Fresh parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; salt and add pasta. Cook till al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, brown turkey in a pan over medium-high heat. Once cooked through; drain and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, warm oil over medium- high heat. Add garlic and onions. Cook till tender then add zucchini. Season with crushed pepper flakes and pepper. When zucchini is tender, add tomatoes, tomato sauce, cooked turkey, oregano, basil and salt. Lower heat to medium-low and adjust seasonings.
Allow sauce to cook for 5-10 minutes.
Top pasta with sauce and parmesan.

Buffalo Style Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes are always a hit and this version was no different. Using ground turkey and whole wheat buns helped to lower the fat and calorie count. Another winner in my book!

1 lb ground turkey, lean
1 carrot; peeled and diced
2 celery stalks; washed and diced
2-3 cloves of garlic; minced
1 yellow onion; diced
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup hot sauce (or more or less to your taste)
1/2 tablespoon tomato paste (I buy the paste in a tube and store in my fridge)
1/3 cup chicken stock
Whole wheat buns
Blue cheese crumbles
Broccoli Slaw

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey and break up with a wooden spoon. When the turkey is no longer pink, drain. Return to pan and add carrots, celery, garlic and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Stir together and cook for another 7-8 minutes.

While the mixture continues to cook, make the sauce. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and chicken stock. Pour sauce over turkey mixture and stir together. Lower heat to medium-low and add tomato paste. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Toast the buns in toaster and build your sloppy joe. Top with blue cheese crumbles and broccoli slaw (for a little crunch).

You may have noticed that our ratings haven't been showing up lately.... this is because we both got a little tired of rating each meal. I decided that if we both like it, I will post it. We both REALLY liked this one. Give it a try!

Recipe adapted from A Little Ditty (my talented friend Ali's talented sister, Kristen) and the Food Network's Rachael Ray.

Turkey Sausage Kabobs

1 lb. hot turkey sausage links
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 yellow onion
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper

Prepare a grill or grill pan over medium high heat. Arrange the sausages and cook for 10-12 minutes; turning every couple of minutes. Remove them to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes; then cut them into bite size pieces. The sausage will not be cooked completely, it will finish cooking on the skewers.

While sausage is cooking, core and slice the peppers into bite size pieces. Do the same with the onion.
In a small bowl, whisk together the canola oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard and Italian seasoning.

When you are ready, heat the grill pan over medium-high heat. Thread the sausage, peppers and onions onto the skewers. Brush them with the oil and vinegar mixture and season with salt and pepper.
Grill the skewers on both sides or until they are cooked completely (about 6-8 minutes.)

Chad's rating: 9.5/10
Amy's rating: 9.5/10

Recipe adapted from Food Network.

Creamy Taco Mac

1 lb. ground lean turkey
8 oz whole wheat elbow noodles + 1 cup reserved pasta water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 packet mild taco seasoning
3 oz light cream cheese
1 cup light sour cream
Salt and pepper
Cheddar cheese


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according till al dente; drain and reserve 1 cup of pasta water. 
Meanwhile, brown ground turkey over medium heat till no longer pink; drain. Return to pan and add taco seasoning and diced tomatoes. Allow to simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, cream cheese and sour cream. Give it a good stir until cheese is melted and incorporated. Simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in cheddar cheese right before serving. 


Chad's rating: 10/10
Amy's rating: 10/10 - Easy weeknight meal that is a healthy take on Hamburger helper. :-)


Recipe adapted from Delish. 

Healthy Tex Mex Turkey Tacos

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion; diced
4  garlic cloves; minced
1 lb. ground lean turkey
1 package taco seasoning (I used a Hot & Spicy flavor) 
1 red bell pepper; seeded & chopped
1 jalapeno pepper; seeded & chopped
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn 
1/3 cup light Mexican beer (or water)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10-ounce) can Ro*tel; drained (or Mexican-style tomatoes)
1-1/2 cups of salsa
1/2 small can chipotle chiles; drained & chopped 
Corn Tortilla shells
Avocado, tomato, reduced fat Mexican-blend cheese


Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with olive oil.
Add the onion and cook 3 minutes.  Add garlic to skillet and cook 2 minutes more or until slightly soft.
Turn heat up to medium-high and add turkey; stir to crumble the turkey. Add taco seasoning and combine. 
Add red pepper and jalapeno pepper to the pan and cook for 3 minutes.
Stir in corn and next 8 ingredients (corn through chiles). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes.
Warm shells according to package directions and fill. 
Serve with avocado, cheese and tomatoes. 


Chad's rating: 9/10
Amy's rating: 10/10


Recipe was adapted from here.

Turkey and Rice Dinner

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 to 1 container of reduced fat feta cheese
1 can Rotel tomatoes (In case you are not familiar with Rotel, you can use diced tomatoes with green chili's.)
Salt and Pepper
Brown rice; cooked per directions on package.

Brown turkey in a medium skillet over medium- high heat; drain.
Add feta cheese and tomatoes. Stir till well combined and reduce heat to medium- low. Continue to cook till cheese softens and tomatoes are warm. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve over brown rice.

I have made variations of this recipe before like this one, but I personally feel this one is BEST! The Rotel tomatoes give it a little zing.

Chad's rating: 9/10
Amy's rating: 10/10 - so easy to make, healthier option and YUMMY!

Recipe created by me :-)

Sausage and Roasted Vegetable Penne

1 sweet onion, cut in wedges
1 medium zucchini, cut in big wedges
1 red bell pepper, cut in big wedges
1 pint button mushrooms, stemmed
2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, washed and dried
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 lb hot turkey sausage links
1/4 cup white wine
1 lb whole wheat penne, cooked according to package; 1/2 cup pasta water reserved
Freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, toss the onion, zucchini, pepper and mushrooms with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast, until caramelized, about 30 minutes, turning vegetables halfway through cooking time. In a small bowl add the tomatoes, garlic and remaining olive oil. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper. Add to the baking sheet at the halfway point of cooking, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, spray the pan with cooking spray and add the turkey sausage links. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Once cooked, slice the links and return to the pan. Increase the heat to high and deglaze the pan with the wine. When the vegetables have cooked, cool slightly, then coarsely chop. Add the vegetables and any pan juice to the sausage in the skillet. Toss in the cooked penne, adding the reserved pasta water, if needed, to moisten. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and serve in bowls topped with Parmesan.

Amy's rating: 10/10 - LOVED! Can't wait to make again.
Chad's rating: 10/10

Recipe adapted from the food network - Melissa d'Arabian.

Turkey Nachos

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 green pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

10 ounces frozen corn kernels

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed & drained

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 lime, juiced and zested

Tortilla chips - baked or multigrain

1 1/2 cups shredded reduced fat pepper jack or cheddar cheese

Salsa

Avocado

Preheat oven to 375.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add ground turkey. Brown and crumble meat. Season with chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes. Add green pepper and garlic.

Cook for 8-10 minutes then stir in corn and beans. Adjust seasoning. Stir in zest and juice of lime.

Arrange a layer of chips on a baking sheet. Top with half turkey mixture and half cheese. Repeat layers.

Transfer to oven and bake for 5-6 minutes.

Top with salsa and avocado slices.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 9/10

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

Turkey Goulash

1 lb ground turkey - lean

1/2 white onion, diced

1 garlic clove, diced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 zucchini, diced

1 can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 lb mini farfelle pasta

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Crushed red pepper flakes

Parmesan cheese

Bring pot of water to a boil; season with salt and cook pasta.

Brown turkey in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once cooked through, drain and set aside.

In the same pan, heat oil and add onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until softened and then add zucchini.

Allow zucchini to soften, then add tomatoes, kidney beans and turkey. Stir together and then season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.

Combine with cooked noodles and top with Parmesan cheese.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 9/10

Turkey Casserole Melt

1 -1/3 cup Bisquick Heart Smart Mix

1/4 cup water

4 egg whites

1 -1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese

1 lb ground turkey breast - lean

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 cup frozen, mixed vegetables

(For the Beans and Greens salad)

Mixed greens - spinach and romaine lettuce

1 can cannellini beans - rinsed and drained

1 seedless cucumber, diced

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 lemon (zest and juice)

Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13 X 9 pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine Bisquick, water, eggs and 1 cup of the cheese. Spread in the pan.

Brown the turkey over medium high heat until browned; Drain.

Stir in the soup and vegetables; heat until hot. Spread over the batter in the pan.

Bake 23-25 minutes or until edges have browned. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and continue baking for 1 -3 minutes more.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 8.5/10

Recipe adapted from the Bisquick cookbook.

Turkey Stuffed Potato

Turkey Stuffed Potato

1 lb ground turkey

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 zucchini, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 large baking potatoes - scrubbed

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Poke potatoes with fork, roll in olive oil and season with salt. Bake in the oven for 1 hour.

Brown turkey in skillet over medium high. In another pan, saute onions and garlic till softened. Add green peppers and zucchini. Cook for about 7-8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook over medium low. Finally add the cooked turkey. Season with salt and pepper.

Once potatoes are cooked, open and stuff with turkey mixture.

Chad's rating: 7/10

Amy's rating: 7/10

Turkey Mash with Green Beans

Turkey Mash with Green Beans

1 lb Turkey Breast - lean

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 to 1 container fat free feta cheese

1 lb green beans, trimmed

1 cup walnuts, toasted

1 tsp honey

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Brown turkey in skillet; drain and return to pan. Add tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add feta cheese, cook 1 more minute and serve.

Warm oil in separate pan. Add green beans. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes than add walnuts. Add honey and toss together.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 10/10