Category: Turkey

Turkey, Cucumber & Goat Cheese Sandwich

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Turkey, Cucumber, Tomato, Goat Cheese, Hummus

Well, here’s another lunch option if you’re looking for lunch variety.  It’s a twist on a turkey sandwich that I happened to really appreciate.  This sandwich is basically layered with hummus, tomato, goat cheese, cucumbers, and turkey.  I REALLY wanted to put baby spinach leaves on it too, but I just used my spinach up yesterday (dang!).  The goat cheese offered a nice tang and it goes fabulously with the hummus.  Additionally, the crunchy cucumbers gave this sammich a lovely texture (and I had extra slices to eat with my lunch).

Turkey, Cucumber, & Goat Cheese Sandwich
Adapted from the Greatest.com

2 slices whole wheat bread (such as Sara Lee Delightful)
2 ounces sliced turkey
2 tablespoons hummus
2 slices tomato
4 slices cucumber
1 tablespoon goat cheese

Spread hummus on one slice of bread (or you can divide it in half and spread it on both slices if you prefer).  Atop your hummus layer tomato, cucumber, goat cheese, and turkey.  Top with remaining slice of bread.  Enjoy!

Serves 1.

Nutritional Information Per Sammich
Calories:  248
Protein:  23.4g
Carbs:  19.9g
Fat:  8.7g (3.5g = Sat.)
Fiber:  6.9g
Sugars:  3.7g

Turkey Sausages with Chicken & Spicy Beans

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This is a wonderful all-in-one kind of meal.  The nutrition is great, the method (skillet) is fabulous because you only dirty one pan, and the taste is awesome!  The simple list of ingredients made me wonder if the flavor wouldn’t be all that awesome, but I was wrong.  This dish is full of flavor and the combination of sausage, chicken, tomatoes, garlic, and a hint of red pepper is delightful.  I also loved having the cannellini beans as my carb for the night.  They pair well with the flavors and it gave me some variety to what I usually have for my carb.

You can add as much red pepper as you like which allows you to control the level of heat you want for the dish.  I wanted a hint of heat . . . just enough to add a depth of flavor, so I added approximately 1/4 teaspoon.   Clearly you can add more if you want more heat (the original recipe had much more heat than this), or less if you want less (all of you with children).

Sausages with Fagioli All'uccelletta

Turkey Sausages with Chicken & Spicy Beans
Adapted from the Cooking Channel

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6 ounces turkey sausages, sliced in ¼-inch slices
10 ounces chicken, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15-0z) diced tomatoes
red pepper flakes, to taste
2 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh flat-leave parsley, leaves picked and chopped

Heat a large high-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil to heat.  Once hot, add the sausage and chicken and cook until heated through and no longer pink (sausages will brown), about 8 minutes.  Remove sausage and chicken from the pan to a plate and reserve.

Add the garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  With a wooden spoon, stir in the diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes (I used 1/4 teaspoon), bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Lower the flame, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have broken down and thickened to a sauce-like consistency.

Add the sausage and chicken (and any juice left on the plate) and beans to the thickened tomatoes.  Stir well and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Add the chopped parsley before serving.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1/4 the Recipe)
Calories:  227
Protein:  26.5g
Carbs:  18.7g
Fat:  4.4g (1.5g = Sat.)
Fiber:  3.8g
Sugars:  3.8g

Grilled Pizza

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This is SUCH a fun summer meal.  I was first introduced to this concept by some good friends in my neighborhood.  They had invited us over for dinner one night and taught us how to make pizza on the grill.  It was so much fun. We loved the idea of putting the dough on the grill, and then “decorating” our pizzas with whatever toppings we wanted.  We each had our own individual pizza and it was exactly how we wanted it.  I thought the concept was brilliant, and I never have grilled pizza without thinking of my good friends (thanks Megan!).

Beau recently had a birthday and we decided this would be fun to add to the festivities.  I wasn’t sure who would stop in to see Beau that night, but I knew that if anyone did it would be very easy to offer them a grilled pizza.  I had dough ready and all the toppings prepared.  It worked perfectly and was a lot of fun.  The good news was that I had prepared plenty of toppings so Beau and I had grilled pizza again. . . two days later.  Bonus!  I can only imagine how fun this would be if you had children old enough to make their own pizzas!  I think I would have grilled pizza at least one night a week.

I like the recipe I’m giving you for the dough.  It works wonderfully for a pizza crust and I love the recipe because you don’t have to plan for the dough to raise twice!  In fact, you don’t have to wait for this dough to raise at all!  I’m serious.  It works just fine without any rising time.  I have other recipes that taste a smidge better, but I love the convenience of this one WAY MORE than I care for the smidge of better taste.  After all, it gets layered with all sorts of other flavors, so the crust becomes background anyways.  (If I had to eat the crust alone, then perhaps I would sacrifice the convenience for a better recipe.)

I usually will make my own marinara/pizza/tomato sauce.  It’s healthier, easy to make, and delicious.  However, in a pinch I have popped open a bottle of store-bought marinara too (still love me, okay?).  The nutritional information is calculated using a homemade version.

Because the toppings can vary and not every pizza is the same, I calculated the nutritional information based on the pizza I’ve highlighted in the picture.  It basically has diced, cooked chicken and a variety of veggies on it.  This is definitely a healthier option when choosing to put a pizza together.  Other toppings I have prepared for my guests include Canadian bacon, pineapple, turkey pepperoni, sliced cherry tomatoes, diced peppers, diced onions, sliced olives, fresh basil, and reduced fat cheeses.  This usually satisfies all age groups and most of the options are still pretty healthy.

So, what are you waiting for!?  Go make you a grilled pizza!  Tonight maybe?

Grilled Pizza

For the Dough:
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon lecithin
1 cup hot water (hot water from the tap)

For the Pizza:
Extra-virgin olive oil
Marinara/Tomato Sauce of your choosing
Mozzarella cheese, part-skim (or other reduced fat cheeses)
Desired Toppings (cooked chicken, Canadian bacon, turkey pepperoni, peppers, onions, tomatoes, olives, pineapple, fresh basil, etc.)

For the dough:  Mix dry ingredients.  Add lecithin and water.  Mix in until dough combines, approximately 1 minute and check for consistency (use your dough hook on your mixer).  Dough should be a little sticky.  If dough is too dry, add more water.  Mix for 5 minutes on a medium speed (this will knead your dough).  Spray your countertop with nonstick cooking spray and divide dough into 8 even sections.  Shape each section into a ball.

Using a rolling pin, create your pizza crust by rolling each ball of dough out to resemble a circle (or as close to a circle as you can).   Your crust will be thin.  Set aside on a greased surface (I usually use a large jelly roll pan and I stack the crusts with a piece of greased parchment paper in between each crust).  You do not have to wait for this dough to rise.  Yay!

For the Pizza:
Clean (use one of those handy BBQ brushes to scrape off any residue), lightly oil, and preheat your outdoor grill to medium heat (this could take 10-15 minutes, so it’s a good time to get your toppings ready).  If needed, lightly brush the pizza dough with olive oil (usually my crust is already lightly oiled from sitting between two greased parchment papers so I can skip this step).  Gently grab two edges of your dough and place it on the hot grill.  Close the grill and let the dough cook for about 2-4 minutes, or until your dough has lightly bubbled and has grill marks on the bottom (this could take longer depending on the heat of your grill).  Using tongs or a spatula, remove dough from grill.

This is when you’ll “decorate” your pizza with whatever you wish.  VERY IMPORTANT – when placing toppings on your pizza, make sure you place toppings on the side WITH the grill marks. (You’ll need to put the non-grilled side back on the grill to cook.)  Start with 2 tablespoons of sauce, then 2 tablespoons of cheese, then layer with remaining desired toppings.  Once all the toppings are on the pizza, place the pizza back on the grill, close the grill (you need to lock in the heat to melt the cheese and cook the toppings/crust), and cook for another 2-6 minutes.  The heat of your grill will determine the length of time it will take.  Your pizza is done when the cheese is melted and there are nice grill marks on the bottom of your crust.

Repeat with remaining pizza crusts.   (Side Note:  If you have all your toppings out by the grill, then, after placing the crust on the grill for the first time, you can just flip the crust and place toppings on the pizza while it’s on the grill.  This makes things a little bit easier.  However, if you do this, work quickly so that the crust doesn’t cook before you have all the toppings on.  Otherwise, you’ll have a burnt crust and undercooked toppings.)

Nutritional Information
(Per Pizza with 2.5 oz. Chicken & a Variety of Veggies)
Calories:  294.1
Protein:  28g
Carbs:  32.4
Fat:  5.6g (2g = Sat.)
Fiber:  5g
Sugars:   3.1g

CRUST – Nutritional Information (Crust Alone = 1/8 Recipe)
Calories:  147.8
Protein:  5.8g
Carbs:  30.7
Fat:  1g (0.2g = Sat.)
Fiber:  4.6g
Sugars:  3.1g

Classic Sloppy Joes

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These Sloppy Joes have a classic taste, they are super easy to make, and very kid friendly.  As true to America’s Test Kitchen recipes, this one does not fall short on flavor or texture.  I think it’s a brilliant idea to use mushrooms to help add bulk to the filling, but also to hide veggies from the kids (or adults who also cringe at veggies).  The mushrooms add a great meaty flavor (without adding very many calories).  Even better, the finely chopped mushrooms are hidden in the thick sauce and look just like bits of ground turkey.  Genius!  I used canned mushrooms because that’s what I had on hand.  However, you can use fresh mushrooms without any problem, but if you do, add them to the skillet with the onion so they can cook down.

The filling can be made ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.  It’s easy to reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave on a medium power.  (Thus, it’s not a bad idea to double this recipe so you have a meal for later in the week that doesn’t take you any time.  The filling will freeze well too.)

I served these on my Fit Burger Buns, but the nutritional information reflects serving them on sandwich thins.  The servings are VERY generous!  If you have little people to serve, I’m sure this recipe can stretch to 6 or more servings (depending on how much/little your kiddies will eat).

Classic Sloppy Joes
Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
12 ounces ground turkey (93% lean)
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 (8-ounce) can mushrooms, chopped fine
salt and pepper
4 whole-wheat sandwich thins (100 calories each)

Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.  Stir in the tomato sauce, water, ketchup, Worcestershire, vinegar, sugar, and mushrooms.

Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, divide the mixture among the hamburger buns, and serve.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Sloppy Joe)
Calories:  311
Protein:  24.5g
Carbs:  35.6g
Fat:  9.8g (2.3g)
Fiber:  7.6g
Sugars:  10.7g

Mexican Pita Pizza

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Who says we can’t eat pizza for dinner?  I love making pizza on whole wheat pita rounds because it saves on calories, fats, and lots of other stuff you probably don’t want me to ramble on about right now.  I created this Mexican version and Beau & I love it!  You know what is super cool about these pizzas?  They have a black bean paste on them.  I really love black beans, so making a paste (to use instead of pizza sauce) seemed like such an amazing idea!  It’s tasty . . . especially in this Mexican version of pizza!  You can pretty much top it with whatever veggies you see fit, but I went ahead and gave you the ones that I used.  This version is with lean ground beef, but you can make these pizzas with ground turkey or chicken.  I’ve used each of these meats and they all work fantastically!

I hope you enjoy this healthy pizza twist for dinner some time soon.  I’m kind of wishing I could eat them for dinner tonight! (By the way . . . if you haven’t ever purchased Ro-Tel tomatoes, they are found in the Mexican isle at the grocery store.)

Mexican Pita Pizzas
Mimi Original

1 can (15-ounce) black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes with lime juice & clinatro
12 ounces lean ground beef (or ground turkey or shredded chicken)
1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning
4 whole wheat pita rounds (120 calories each)
1/4 cup reduced fat (low-moisture skim) mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese
1 bell pepper, diced (any color)
red onion, diced – to taste
chopped cilantro, optional

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat.  Put black beans in skillet to warm.  Meanwhile, drain tomatoes but reserve all liquid.  Pour 1/2 cup of reserved liquid into skillet with black beans.  Once black beans and tomato liquid are warm, mash with a potato masher until a paste is formed.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add ground beef (or other meat of choice) and taco seasoning to the skillet.  Break meat apart while cooking and cook until done or until it is no longer pink throughout.  Add remaining tomato liquid to the skillet and let simmer until slightly thickened (this does not take long).  Remove from heat.

Assemble each pita pizza as follows:
Take 1/4 of the black bean paste and spread it evenly over the pita (this acts kind of like pizza sauce).
Top with 1/4 of the cooked ground beef, 1 tablespoon mozzarella cheese, 1 tablespoon reduced fat cheddar cheese, bell pepper, red onion, 1/4 of tomatoes, and cilantro.

Once all pita pizzas are assembled, place in oven and cook for about 10-14 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Pita Pizza)
Calories:  407
Protein:  29.5g
Carbs:  39.4g
Fat:  12.4g (4.8g = Sat.)
Fiber:  10g
Sugars: 4g

Skillet Beef Tamale Pie

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“You’ve really outdone yourself with this one!”  That’s what my Beau said when he had this for dinner.  He was elated to find out that there were leftovers and he could eat them for lunch the next two days.  I suppose it was the Southwestern filling capped with a corn bread topping that did it.  We are definitely huge tamale fans in our house, and this was a nice and simplified version of such flavors.  The base of this recipe comes from the America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook, and if you don’t know by now, I have a deep love for ATK.  They rarely let me down, and they certainly didn’t with this recipe.  I think that making this in a skillet is genius because there are less dishes to wash!  (That being said, if you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, you can totally transfer the filling to a casserole dish and top it with the cornbread topping and then bake.  If so, just get someone else — the kids, the spouse, the dog — to wash the dishes.)  When you decide to make this, please call Beau and invite him over.  You’ll make his day!

P.S.  This is more of a recipe for maintaining your weight, not necessarily for losing.  If you’re trying to lose, you’ll want to pull the black beans out of the recipe and possibly put less corn bread topping on top.  Substituting ground turkey will also pull the calorie count down a little.

Skillet Beef Tamale Pie
Adapted from the America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Filling:
1 teaspoons canola oil
1 onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound 95 percent lean ground beef
1 cup black beans, rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup shredded 50 percent light cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
salt and pepper

Corn Bread Topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING:  Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Heat the oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onion, bell pepper, and chili powder and cook until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the ground beef, beans, tomatoes and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Off the heat, stir in the cheese and cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and set aside while preparing the topping.

FOR THE TOPPING:  Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together.  Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until uniform, then stir in the melted butter until just combined.

Using a rubber spatula, dollop the corn bread topping evenly over the filling, then spread it into an even layer, covering the filling completely.  Bake the pie until the topping is golden and has baked through completely in the center, 15 to 20 minutes.  Let the pie cool for 10 minutes before serving.  Divide the pie into 6 equal slices and enjoy.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Slice)
Calories:  409
Protein:  29.9g
Carbs:  47.2g
Fat:  13.3g (5.8g = Sat.)
Fiber:  6.2g
Sugars:  11.2g

Turkey Meatloaf with Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze

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I hope you had a Thanksgiving that was full of reflection, good food, and family/friends.  I had a great week filled with all those things, but I am back to posting some delicious recipes.

I’ve been looking for a good turkey meatloaf recipe and I finally found one worth sharing with you!  I thought this turned out so flavorful and moist. The fresh herbs gave it a powerful punch of flavor and the milk/bread paste helped to make it so moist.

The technique for cooking it may be a little different than what you’ve done in the past.  I’ve included pictures to help guide you through it.  This cooking technique allows for the greases to run off the meatloaf rather than soak back into it after it’s been cooked.

While we were eating this meatloaf Beau said, “Have I told you that meatloaf might just be one of my favorite foods?”  I’m guessing that means the meatloaf was pretty darn tasty!

Turkey Meatloaf with Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze
Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 slice high-quality whole-what sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into small pieces
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
salt and pepper
1 ½ pounds ground turkey (93% fat-free)
1/3 cup ketchup
1 ½ tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Fold a piece of aluminum foil into a 10 by 6-inch rectangle, place in the center of a wire rack, and use a skewer (or sharp knife) to poke holes in the foil every 1/2 inch.  Place the wire rack on top of a foil-line baking sheet and spray with vegetable oil spray.  (See the following photo for what this looks like.)

Heat the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Transfer to a bowl to cool.

In a large bowl, mash the bread and milk together into a smooth paste.  Stir in the cooled onion mixture, eggs, parsley, mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until combined.  Add the ground turkey and mix with your hands until uniform.

Press the mixture together into a compact mass, then turn it out onto the prepared foil on the wire rack.  Press the meat into a uniform rectangle, letting the foil be your guide.  (See the following photo for what this looks like.)

Stir the ketchup, sugar, and vinegar together, then brush half of the mixture evenly over the meatloaf.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Brush the meatloaf with the remaining ketchup mixture and continue to bake until the center of the loaf registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes longer.  Let rest 20 minutes, then slice into 12 slices.  (I usually cut the loaf in half, and then each half is cut into 6 even slices.)

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 2 Slices)
Calories:  249.7
Protein:  25.2g
Carbs:  14.6g
Fat:  10.2g (3.1g = Sat.)
Fiber:  0.8g
Sugars:  10.8g

Hearty Chili Over Potatoes

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I hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween!  As mentioned in my last post, we ate our fair share of chili.  Are any of you sitting at home with leftover chili like I am?  Well, if so . . . here is a GREAT way to use it (if not, make some chili just so you can use it like this . . . it’s worth it)!

I love to pour leftover chili over potatoes.  You can either steam your potatoes (as pictured here), or you can use baked potatoes.  Either method works well and provides delicious results.

The beauty of this meal is that everyone can have their correct portion size.  I like to set up this meal in a potato bar fashion.  That way, everyone can take the portion size they need and include the toppings they want.  I’ve pictured my favorite combination above:  Potatoes, Chili, Reduced Fat Cheese, Light Sour Cream, and Green Onions.  Deeeeeelish!

I suppose I don’t need to mention, but will anyways, how easy and fast this meal is to throw together – especially if you’re using leftovers!  And, if you don’t want to make chili, Wendy’s sells chili and it’s pretty darn tasty and not all that bad for you.  (The calories listed below are figured using the small chili from Wendy’s).

I will say, from a nutritionist point of view, this is better suited for lunch if you’re trying to lose.  However, it works well for dinner if you use the appropriate portion sizes (or if you’re just maintaining your weight).

I hope you enjoy your chili leftovers like I know I am going to enjoy mine!

Hearty Chili Over Potatoes

1 small red potato, cooked (see text above)
1 cup of chili (make your own or buy from Wendy’s – see text above)
1 tablespoon light sour cream
1/2 tablespoon reduced fat cheese
1 tablespoon green onions

Place potato on a plate.  Top with chili, sour cream, reduced fat cheese, and green onions.  Serve & enjoy!

Serves 1.

Nutritional Information
Calories:  357.6
Protein:  23.5
Carbs:  45.6
Fat:  9.8g (4.8g)
Fiber:  8.5g
Sugars: 8.2

Grandma Grover’s Chili

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Hey!  Halloween is here and I just had to post chili today because eating chili is a Halloween tradition . . . in my family and in Beau’s family!  Both of our families host Halloween get-togethers and chili is the main course.  As I talk around my friend circles, I’ve learned that this is a fairly common tradition.  So, if you want a chili that is a little healthier this year – this is a great recipe!

This is a family favorite recipe from Beau’s side.  It’s been passed down through a couple of generations now and it is usually my go-to chili recipe.  Why?  Because it’s fast, easy, healthy, and oh-so-good!  It has a very traditional taste to it.  There are some chili recipes that have spices in them that totally stand out.  While I like those, this recipe is nicely balanced.  It has a chili taste with a rich tomato base.  It really is SUPER tasty and you can about guarantee that I’ll be eating this on Sunday at the Hunter Halloween Carving Party.  The main question for Sunday is . . . what in the world am I going to dress up as?  Hmmmmmmmmm???  Any ideas?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Hearty (Halloween) Chili
Adapted from Grandma Grover

1 lb. ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 15-oz. can chili beans
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes (juice and all)
1 8-oz. can V-8 juice
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat.  Add ground turkey and chopped onion.  Cook until turkey is brown and no pink coloring exists. Drain well.

2.  In a large pot at chili beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, V8 Juice, ketchup and brown sugar.  Stir to combine.  Add ground turkey/onion mixture to pot and stir to combine.  Cook over medium heat until heated through, about 20 minutes.

SLOW COOKER METHOD:
Follow step 1 as outlined above.
Follow step 2, but add all ingredients to the slow cooker.  Cook on low 4-6 hours, or on high 2-4 hours.  I love this method because I think the slow cooking method really helps the flavors to meld together well.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 355.7
Protein:  31.7g
Carbs:  40.1g
Fat:  9.1g (2.9g = Sat.)
Fiber:  10.9g
Sugar:  11.6g

Spiced Turkey Brugers with Roasted Red Pepper & Feta

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I make Turkey Burgers all the time.  But, listen!  These ones have jumped to the top of my favorite list (at least for the moment & we’ll have to see if other variations can beat it out).  The spices in this rendition make these so darn tasty.  The flavors are AMAZING!  I’ve been looking for the “perfect” burger to put that Tzatziki on, and this totally hit the spot.  I whipped this up in NO time.  Beau & I headed up the canyon with some friends and we grilled these up to perfection.  Everyone loved them and, to be honest, I was so pleased that I had leftover meat so that I could enjoy another one the very next day for lunch!  If you do not have roasted red peppers (usually sold in a jar at the grocery store), you can substitute with chopped, red bell pepper.  I’m sure it’ll still taste divine.  You must make these this summer.  Or, just pop by my house and maybe I’ll let you try them because I’m sure they’ll consistently make my summer menu again and again!  (By the way . . . we ate these on my homemade wheat burger buns.  They chalk up to be about 159 calories each.  They are, by far, my favorite burger bun.  If you are interested in having the burger bun posted, leave a comment and I’ll throw it up on the blog soon so you can enjoy them all summer long.)

Spiced Turkey Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper and Feta
Adapted from Pinch My Salt

2 medium cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoons cayenne
1/3 cup crumbled feta (about 2 ounces)
1/3 cup chopped roasted red pepper
Tzatziki (For Topping)

Make a paste with the garlic and kosher salt: On a cutting board, sprinkle smashed and peeled garlic cloves with the salt. Mince the garlic and salt together then smear and mash to a paste using the flat side of a chef’s knife.  Alternatively, you can mash the garlic and salt to a paste using a mortar and pestle.  If neither of those methods work for you, just press or chop the garlic finely and stir together with the salt.

Gently break the ground turkey into pieces in a large bowl then mix the garlic paste, cilantro, dill, olive oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, feta, and red pepper into the ground turkey. Shape the meat into 6 equal 1-inch-thick patties. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes and up to 4 hours.

While the burgers are chilling, prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Grill the burgers, covered with vents open, over direct medium heat until nicely marked and just cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted in a burger should read 165°F), about 4 to 6 minutes per side.

Top burgers with Tzatziki and serve wrapped in lettuce, your favorite bun, or flatbread.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Burger, No Tzatziki, No Bun)
Calories:  205.7
Protein:  25.3g
Carbs:  1.2g
Fat:  11.8g (3.7 = Sat.)
Fiber:  0.4g
Sugars:  0.4g

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Burger, 2 T. Tzatziki, No Bun)
Calories:  222.7
Protein:  26.9g
Carbs:  3.7g
Fat:  11.9g (3.7 = Sat.)
Fiber:  0.6g