Turkey Pesto Burger

This might be the easiest and most tasty recipe ever!!  It's only 3 ingredients and takes minimal work on your part.  Sorry about not having a photo, I'll take one next time I make this, which should be very soon!  Each patty has a points+ value of 5.  Lots of flavor and protein! Woohoo!

Turkey Pesto Burger

(serves 5)

1 pound lean ground turkey meat

1 cup shallots, chopped

1/4 cup pesto sauce or this dairy-free pesto (store bought is fine too)

Spray a large saute pan with non-stick spray and cook shallots until translucent, about 10 minutes over medium heat.  Transfer shallots to a glass bowl and let cool.  Once cooled, add ground turkey and pesto and mix with clean hands until combined.  Form 5 patties and cook them on the BBQ or if you are indoors use a grill pan.  Cook each side for about 7-8 minutes.  Serve burger with a slice of provolone.  It goes really well with some Creamy Jalacado Spread. 

Turkey and Zucchini Bolognese

This past sunday I started Weight Watchers, the points plus program.  It's been 2 full days and I've already planned out my whole week of food.  I know that's totally insane but for me it's totally normal.  I'm kinda of crazy like that and love to plan and be organized.  I have been brainstorming some recipes that are great and low in points. Here's one to try, with or without pasta! This can also be done all in one pan or pot, less dishes to clean!  Yay!

Turkey and Zucchini Bolognese
(serves 1)
1 cup store bought Marinara Sauce ( I like Rao's, 3 points)
1/4 pound lean ground turkey (3 points)
1 zucchini, quartered and sliced thinly (0 points)
Olive Oil flavored Pam Non-Stick Spray (0 points)

NOTE: If you use one serving of pasta, which is 2 oz uncooked, add 6 points, 5 points for whole wheat. Also you can omit the pasta and replace it with 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa for 4 points.  Another idea is to omit the pasta or quinoa and use another 1/4 pound ground turkey. For this add 4 more points.  If you are forgoing the pasta or quinoa, try adding 1/2 cup canned cannelini or black beans,  add 2 points.   The more vegetables the better, mushrooms would be a good addition!

Measure out 1 cup of store bought marinara sauce and put aside.  Next spray a nonstick pan with Pam and saute the zucchini until browned and cooked through, place in the measuring cup along with the marinara.  (If you'd like to add more veggies, saute them in the pan with the zucchini.)  In the same pan place the ground turkey meat and use a wooden spoon to break it up while cooking. Cook for about 10 minutes. Pour marinara and veggies into the pan or use another pot (if adding beans, do so now), let sauce simmer for about 10 minutes to let the flavors combine.  Pour over pasta, quinoa, rice, or eat alone! ENJOY!

Turkey and Herb Meatloaf

For Valentine's Day I invited some of my single friends over for dinner.  I wanted to make something healthy and decided on a meatloaf.  I made up this recipe and it was a huge hit!! I am definitely going to make this one of my staples!  It feeds 4 people perfectly. I stole 2 slices to put in my lunch for the next day, but if I hadn't done that we would have eaten the whole loaf!! Whoops!  It was moist and full of flavor! I hope you enjoy it as much as my friends and I did!!

Turkey and Herb Meatloaf

1 pound ground turkey

1 tablespoon chopped chives

1 tablesoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped thyme
2 zucchinis, chopped very small (see note below)

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

4 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs

1 onion chopped and sauteed, cooled

1 1/3 cup panko crumbs or breadcrumbs (plain or seasoned)

pepper to taste

**NOTE: I used a mini food processor to chop the herbs, the garlic, the onion, and the zucchinis.  I would do the zucchini separately, and make sure to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from it before mixing it into the meat mixture. Use a sieve or double layer of cheese cloth to do so!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and using clean hands to mix until all ingredients are incorporated throughout.  Place in a loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake for about an hour and 10 minutes, uncovered, and let rest for about 5 minutes.  Serve with your favorite jar of marinara sauce, warmed up of course. Enjoy!

To make meatloaf muffins, divide into muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Turkey Chili

Last night I made turkey chili for dinner, and then I had it today for lunch too, click here for photo.  It was the perfect night to have a warm and hearty bowl of chili.  And my goodness, I did enjoy!! I followed this recipe from Epicurious but added ground turkey and some extra spice using a jalapeno pepper! and more cayenne pepper as well.  If you don't prefer your chili to be spicy or if you are a vegetarian simply follow the recipe on Epicurious.  Enjoy!

Turkey Chili

(Makes 4 main-course servings)

1 pound ground turkey, cooked, in 2 tablespoons olive oil and put aside

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions 
1 2/3 cups coarsely chopped red bell peppers (about 2 medium)

1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, drained, 1/2 cup liquid reserved
1 16-ounce can tomato sauce

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers, and garlic; sauté until onions soften, about 10 minutes. Mix in chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne; stir 2 minutes. Mix in beans, 1/2 cup reserved bean liquid, cooked ground turkey, and tomato sauce. Bring chili to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors blend and chili thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. 

Ladle chili into bowls. If desired, add chopped cilantro, sour cream, grated cheese, and/or green onions to your bowl!

Double Duty

A few days ago I conducted an experiment that ended up being a huge success!! I had bought a pound of turkey to try making stuffed peppers, but decided that since I'm only one person and live alone I don't need to make a whole pound of turkey worth.  So I bought only 4 peppers and figured that I'd use half of the turkey for the pepper stuffing.  The other half a pound of turkey I decided I'd make some sort of turkey meatloaf.  I really wanted to make them small so I thought I'd use my mini muffin tin.

Well, when I started to look and see what I had around in the apartment to mix up for the stuffed peppers I thought to myself instead of rice (which I didn't have anyway) I'd use quinoa.  We all know I love love love quinoa!  I mixed up 1 pound ground white meat turkey, uncooked quinoa, basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, sauteed onion, egg, and salt and pepper in a bowl and that was the filling for my stuffed peppers!   I stuffed as many of the peppers I had into the small pot I had and then filled my mini muffin tin up with the rest of the meat filling.  I baked those off in the oven, and VOOOIIILLLLA before the stuffed peppers were done I had 12 mini meatloaf bites that were delicious, healthy, and filled with protein!!!

Turkey and Quinoa Filling 
(for meatloaf or stuffed peppers, see recipes below)

1 pound ground white turkey meat
1 large egg
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup uncooked white quinoa, rinsed
1 small onion chopped small and sauteed in olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 handful of basil leaves, about 1/2 cup

Place turkey meat, salt, pepper, egg, red pepper flakes, and rinsed quinoa in a large bowl.  In a mini food processor chop the garlic and basil together, until finely chopped.  In a pan saute chopped onions until soft and translucent, let cool.  Mix basil garlic mixture and sauteed onions into the bowl with the turkey mixture and combine ingredients together using a fork or your hand.

This is the Turkey and Quinoa Filling

Use the filling to prepare the following recipes:

Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf Bites
(makes 24 mini meatloaf bites)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of turkey and quinoa filling into each section of your mini muffin tin and bake in oven for about 15 minutes.  Enjoy! Freeze leftover bites and save for a snack or lunch another time! Serve with some marinara sauce, yum!!

Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf Bites

Stuffed Red Peppers in Tomato Sauce

(makes about 8 stuffed peppers)

2 large can of crushed tomatoes

1 tomato can filled with water, you may need to add more as the peppers cook to prevent sauce from drying up.

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste (in the sauce)

8 large red bell peppers

Cut off the tops of the peppers and take out the seeds.  Stuff each pepper to the top with turkey and quinoa filling.  Place stuffed peppers along with crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and water in a large deep pot.  (Make sure the pot you are using has a lid.) Be sure that all the peppers are covered in sauce, if you need more liquid add more water.  Let simmer on low-medium heat, while continuing to watch and stir the pot so that the peppers do not burn on the bottom, for about 45 minutes to an hour, the peppers should be soft enough to pierce with a fork and the meat should feel firm inside.  Serve with roasted veggies or a nice salad! ENJOY!

Here are the peppers simmering in crushed tomato sauce and bay leaves.  DO NOT LEAVE THIS UNATTENDED, BECAUSE THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN WILL BURN!!!!!

 Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Peppers in Tomato Sauce

Deli Roll

This recipe is actually something I've eaten at a friend's house.  I have made it once or twice before and anyone who's ever eaten this has loved it!!  It's a super easy recipe to make, and you can really use any deli meat you like or have on hand!  All you need is deli meat, puff pastry, mustard, egg wash, and an oven!!   NO measurements required either!

Here are the pictures of how to assemble a deli roll:

Open the thawed puff pastry sheet on a foiled and oiled baking sheet.  Spread a generous amount of mustard down the center of the pastry.  Layer with turkey slices, 1-2 layers.

Next layer the pastrami over the turkey.  Fold one side of the pastry over the center and then the other side over the first side (see picture below).  Seal the pastry together with egg wash and also make sure to brush egg wash over the top.

This is what the deli roll should look like before it goes into the oven.  Bake at 360 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until medium golden brown.

Voila...Here's your finished Deli Roll!  Let stand 5-7 minutes before serving, it will be very hot!

Tex Mex Burgers

My friend makes these burgers and I thought I'd adapt it a bit and share it with everyone!  They are healthy, full of protein, and very tasty!  You don't even need to add salt! 

Turkey Tex Mex Burgers (serves 6)
1 pound ground lean turkey or chicken
1/2 cup canned black beans (drained and rinsed)
3/4 cup canned corn (drained and rinsed)
4 tablespoons BBQ sauce
1/2 cup cooked quinoa (red or white)
1 cup finely chopped cilantro

Combine ingredients together in a bowl and divide into 6 patties.  Mixture will be sticky so wet your hands before making the patties.  Grill, pan fry, or broil burgers for about 5-6 minutes on each side. Enjoy with some more of your favorite BBQ sauce with some roasted or grilled veggies for a delicious healthy meal. 

Calorie Count per burger: about 220 calories
Protein Count per burger: about 18 grams protein

Tex Mex Turkey Burger, roasted zucchini, and sauteed spinach