Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed

2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed,diced
1 red pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 orange pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 cup corn frozen kernels
Juice of 1 small lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Toppings: Sliced green onions, avocado slices, sour cream, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Or cook it in a rice cooker! Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover quinoa and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the peppers and corn. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa and black beans. Add the sautéed vegetable/meat mixture and stir to combine. Pour in the enchilada sauce and stir. Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

5.Pour the black bean and quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with toppings, if desired. Serve warm. Freezes well!

Adapted from www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

Pizza Stuffed Bell Peppers

Makes 4 Stuffed Peppers
Time: 1 hr, 10 minutes

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground Italian turkey sausage
4 bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed 
4 button mushrooms, diced
10 black olives, sliced
1/2 cup tomato or pizza sauce 
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tsp crushed red peppers
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
Dash of salt and pepper
2 cups shredded Italian cheese

Directions
Heat oven to 400 F
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Once oil is hot, add onions to pan and cook until translucent, stirring often (2 to 3 minutes)
Add garlic and cook for an additional minute, while continuing to stir
Add Italian sausage, peppers and mushrooms to pan, cook until meat is browned, about 10 minutes
Drain meat mixture and add to a large bowl along with olives, tomato sauce, tomato paste, crushed red peppers, herbs, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
Scoop the filling evenly into each of the four bell peppers and top with shredded cheese.

Place peppers standing up into a small glass baking dish.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until peppers are tender and filling is heated through.

Caprese Quinoa & Ground Turkey Bake

source

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground turkey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups steamed quinoa/wild rice (from Costco - so good)
2 cups tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon each: oregano leaves, minced garlic, thyme, onion salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup non-fat milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved
1 cup heirloom or grape tomatoes, halved (I used heirloom)
4-6 large basil leaves, chopped into tiny bits
1 cup spinach, also chopped into bits
1/2 cup skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Steam quinoa accordingly.
3. Brown ground turkey with salt and pepper, in a fry pan, set aside.
4. Over low heat, warm tomato sauce, tomato paste, and the herbs/spices.  When slow simmering, add milk, red pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese.
5. Remove from heat and fold in ground turkey, steamed quinoa, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, chopped spinach, and 2/3 the tomatoes.
6. Coat a 9x9 cooking pan with non-stick spray and pour the quinoa mixture into the pan.  Top with remaining tomatoes and mozzarella, and cover with foil.  Bake in oven for 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake until cheese is melted on top.  Remove from oven and top with fresh basil ribbons.

This was majorly adapted from an original recipe on Half Baked Harvest.

Spicy Thai Turkey Basil Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 4 t olive oil, divided
• 1/2 c minced shallots (you could use onions as well)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 4 t minced fresh garlic
• 1 1/2 lb ground turkey
• 2 t chili garlic paste (add more or less to taste)
• 2 T fish sauce
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 T low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 t fresh ground pepper
• 1 c fresh basil leaves (thai basil is the best!)
• 2 T fresh lime juice
• 4 lime wedges
• Large lettuce leaves
• Optional: cooked rice

Directions:

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots; sauté 2 minutes. Add bell pepper; sauté 1 minute. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Remove shallot mixture from pan.
2. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add turkey; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well. Return chicken to pan over medium heat. Add chile paste; cook 1 minute. Add shallot mixture to pan. Stir in fish sauce and next 3 ingredients (through black pepper); cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove pan from heat; stir in basil and juice. Spoon turkey mixture into lettuce leaves.  You can also add rice to the lettuce leaves or leave out lettuce and serve over rice.  Also, good served in a tortilla as a wrap. Serve with lime wedges.

I quadrupled this recipe to serve to 3 families for dinner club.  My family, including kids, all loved this dish.  We will repeat for sure! The chile garlic paste and fish sauce are located in the asian section of the grocery store.  Fresh basil is a must and I highly recommend the Thai basil.  The 2 t of chili garlic paste makes this minimally spicy - kid friendly.  If it were just my husband and I eating it, we would definitely add more.  This recipe is inspired and adapted from Cooking Light, enjoy!

Fresh Veggie & Turkey Tostadas

Ingredients:
1.25 lb. fresh ground turkey
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/3 cup taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
2 cups fresh baby greens
1/2 cup non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
1 avocado, sliced
10-12 flat corn tortilla shells
1 small can sliced black olives
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 cup green salsa (salsa verde)
14.5 oz. can black or pinto beans
1 cup shredded cheese of choice (I used feta and/or colby-jack)

Directions:
1.  Saute chopped bell pepper and onion in small saucepan, set aside.
2.  Brown ground turkey in medium saucepan, draining any fat.  Add sauteed bell pepper and onion, taco seasoning, and water.  Bring to quick boil, lower heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
3.  Heat corn tortillas on your grill, or on the stove in a small saucepan, just until very lightly browned.
4.  Lay corn tortilla on a dinner plate, layer with any/all of the ingredients from above and devour, several if you like! 

These tostadas are like mini taco salads on top of a tortilla, inspired by the Costa Vida-style salads.

Lemon Chicken Turkey Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon Moroccan or Greek seasoning blend**
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 4 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup diced tomato

**If you don't have Greek seasoning on hand, you can make it yourself. Here is the recipe I followed:

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation

• Combine first 6 ingredients; add 1 teaspoon rind, stirring well. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into 1/4-inch-thick oval patties.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes.
• Combine remaining 1 teaspoon rind, yogurt, and oregano, stirring well. Fill each pita half with 1 patty, 1 tablespoon yogurt mixture, 1/4 cup lettuce, and 1 tablespoon tomato.

These burgers are a fun escape from the "norm" and are bursting with flavor!

Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey (or ground beef)
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 2 large egg whites
• 10 oz frozen, chopped spinach, thawed with liquid squeezed out
• 3/4 cup feta cheese
• roasted red peppers (I used canned ones)

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients aside from peppers in a mixing bowl and combine with your hands. 
• Form into about 8 patties.
• Grill, top with roasted red peppers, and enjoy!

These were delicious! Even my toddler scarfed his down! The original recipe didn't recommend any condiments. We just used a bit of mayo. I think they would be even better with some chipotle mayo. We'll give that a whirl next time, because there will definitely be a next time!

Recipe from Green Lite Bites

Spicy Hawaiian Burgers

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground chicken
6 pineapple rings (or equivalent slices, cut about 1/2" - 3/4" thick)
6 slices pepper jack cheese
6 whole wheat hamburger buns
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp seasoning salt 
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
chipotle mayo (I used store bought, but there are plenty of recipes online if you'd like to make your own)

Combine the ground chicken, soy sauce, 1/2 the paprika, 1/2 the chili powder, seasoning salt, cumin, and garlic. Lightly mix with your hands and divide into 6 even balls. Form patties, making them slightly thinner in the middle and sprinkle with remaining paprika and chili powder. Refrigerate about 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to medium heat. Coat grates lightly with oil. Grill burgers over medium heat about 6 minutes per side. The burgers should flip easily when they are ready to turn, if they want to stick, give them another minute. Top with cheese for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time to melt. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to rest. Grill buns if desired.

For the pineapple, if you are using rings, grill directly on the grates over medium heat. Carefully turn after 1-2 minutes. If you are using pineapple slices or chunks, thread onto skewers and grill skewers in the same fashion. Assemble burgers and enjoy.

These were absolutely delicious!

Recipe from http://homeiswheretheholmansare.blogspot.com/2010/06/spicy-hawaiian-burgers.html 

Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1 pound 99% lean ground turkey
1/4 cup red onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon Chipotle sauce (I use Cholula hot sauce)
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sea salt, ground
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1 egg white, beaten
pepper jack cheese, sliced
romaine lettuce
fresh tomato, sliced thin
fresh avocado, sliced OR smashed
additional Cholula hot sauce
4-5 whole wheat hamburger buns

Preparation:

1.  Heat your grill to medium-high.
2.  Mix together: ground turkey, onion, cilantro, Chipotle/Cholula, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, garlic & onion powders, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.  Add beaten egg white and mix thoroughly.  The egg helps "hold" together the lean meat.
3.  Prepare a surface or carrying container for your burger patties by coating the surface with non-stick spray.  I lined a cookie sheet with foil, sprayed it, and then laid my formed burger patties on.
4.  Form turkey mixture into patties and lightly coat with non-stick spray.
5.  Grill burgers for 6-7 minutes per side.
6.  While grilling, prepare condiments: wash and cut romaine into bun-sized portions, slice tomato thinly, along with avocado.  I chose to smash my avocado and spread it on the buns instead of slicing and placing on top of burger, which seemed to avoid the "slippage" factor when eating the burger.
7.  Toast buns on top rack of grill, or in your oven using the "broil" setting.
8.  When your burgers are cooked, top with pepper jack cheese, tomato, romaine, avocado, and maybe a sprinkle more of Cholula or Chipotle sauce :)

Mama Marsh's Sweet n' Sour Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh green beans
• 4 strips bacon (I used turkey bacon)
• 1/2 c chopped onions
• 2 T brown sugar
• 2 T white vinegar

Directions:

1. Boil water in large stock pot.
2. Cook green beans in boiling water 8-10 minutes.  Drain.
3. While cooking beans, in saucepan, cook bacon and onion until bacon is crisp and onions are tender.
4. Mix together cooked beans, bacon/onion mix, vinegar, and brown sugar.
5. Serve.

I am seriously addicted to this green bean recipe.  Mama Marsh first made this for me while we were in Hawaii and I fell in love.  MOVE OVER GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE!  I made these for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a handful of other times just for our family.  They satisfy a million different flavor and texture cravings.  Seriously delicious and major thanks to Lynda Marsh for sharing the recipe with me!

Crockpot Spicy Turkey Chili

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 onion, chopped or sliced
1 can diced tomatoes with jalapeños
1 can each of black, kidney and chickpeas, drained and rinsed
14 oz of low-sodium non-fat chicken broth
Salt and cumin to taste
1/8 cup Chalula Sauce
1 jalapeño or Serrano pepper, chopped

Preparation:
1. Heat oil on medium-high. Sauté onion for about five minutos, or until transluscent. Add the turkey and brown.
2. Combine the tomatoes with juice, beans, broth, Chalula, and spices in your crockpot.
3. Simmer on low setting for 6-8 hours.
Serve with shredded colby/jack cheese and Trader Joe's whole kernel cornbread :)

This recipe comes from my super sweet friend, Melissa! She originally found the chili recipe in the Men's Health magazine.

Moroccan Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

• 5 acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise with seeds and pulp removed
• 1 1/2 c quinoa
• 3 c chicken stock
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 lb ground turkey (I used chicken breakfast sausage)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t ground tumeric
• 1/2 t ground ginger
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/4 t ground nutmeg
• 1 10 oz package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 cup golden raisins
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 t salt
• Optional garnish: 1 T chutney per serving (I used Major Grey's)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Place squash cut side down on two large cookie sheets sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake for 40 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, place quinoa and chicken stock in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes or so until all water is absorbed and quinoa is tender.
3. Place onion and ground turkey in a large nonstick skillet and use a spoon to break up ground turkey.  Heat over medium high heat for 8-10 minutes or until the turkey is browned and cooked through and onions are tender.  Add garlic, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg and cook one additional minute, stirring frequently.  Add spinach and stir until well combined.
4. In a large bowl, stir cooked quinoa, turkey mixture, raisins, lemon juice, and salt until well mixed.  Pile mixture evenly into cooked squash (top with chutney if desired) and ENJOY!

This recipe comes from cakebatterandbowl.com and is one that will definitely be a repeater.  Each half of a filled squash is not only packed with nutritious ingredients, but weighs in at just about 350 calories.  So it's a perfect, healthy dinner option jam packed with exciting flavors. My foodie girlfriend, Tessa, recommended the chutney topping, which for my tastebuds was absolutely perfect! Enjoy!

Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground turkey breast (you could also use beef or shredded chicken)
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 heaping Tablespoons taco seasoning
• 2 cups of cooked rice (any type you like – I like brown)
• 4-5 bell peppers, halved and seeds removed
• 1 can of black beans, drained & rinsed
• ½ cup of frozen corn
• 1 (15 -16 ounce) jar of salsa 
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Optional Toppings

• Avocado
• Cilantro
• Sour cream/plain yogurt

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) On the stove, brown turkey, add in onion and taco seasoning. Cook through so turkey is done and onions are translucent. 

2) In a bowl add the turkey mixture, black beans, corn and rice. Add in the jar of salsa and mix well.

3) Carefully spoon the turkey mixture into each half of the bell peppers and place into the baking dish. Cook the peppers for 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are cooked all the way thru. Before removing from the oven sprinkle the tops of each pepper with shredded cheddar cheese. Place back into the oven just until the cheese has melted.

4) Add toppings and serve.  I served it with homemade tortilla chips (cut tortillas and lay out on cookie sheet.  Mist with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.  Cook for 13-15 minutes at 350 degrees)

Pesto Lasagna Roll-Ups

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 (15 ounce) container low-fat ricotta cheese
• 1/2 pound spicy Italian chicken sausage
• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 cup fresh, chopped spinach
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 6-8 oz. pesto sauce
• 1 (20-28 ounce) fresh or jar marinara sauce

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Boil lasagna noodles for 5 to 8 minutes, or until just slightly underdone; drain and rinse.
2. Meanwhile, brown both the chicken sausage and ground turkey in saucepans.  Let cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together grated cheese, ricotta cheese, chicken sausage and ground turkey, fresh spinach, and 1 cup Parmesan cheese.
4. Lay out a noodle. Spread a layer of the cheese mixture on the noodle, then add a thin layer of pesto sauce. Roll the noodle up tightly, and place seam side down in a 13x9 pan. Repeat for other noodles. Top with marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 30 min, or until hot and bubbly.

Cook's Note: The first time I made this dish, I did not use pesto sauce on the inside of the lasagna roll-ups, I used marinara sauce.  My husband loved the roll-ups so much that he asked me to make them again two weeks later.  I love pesto sauce, so I added that to the dish the next time and posted my recipe as such.  Enjoy!

Thai Turkey Burger with Plum Sauce and Spicy Slaw

Ingredients:

Spicy Slaw:

• 1/2 cucumber, coarsely grated
• 1 carrot, coarsely grated
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers
• 1/2 cup grated cabbage
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Plum Sauce: (or buy pre-made in the Asian food section)

• 1/3 cup plum jam
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Burger Patties:

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 1/2 cup grated red onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt

Assembly:

• 6 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted

Directions:

1. To make the spicy slaw, mix shredded cucumber, carrot, and red pepper in a medium bowl. Mix rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt in a small bowl. Pour dressing over veggies and stir well. Place in the fridge for an hour to allow the flavors to meld.
2. To make the plum sauce, mix plum jam, rice vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl and stir until smooth. * I couldn't find plum jam, so just used store-bought.
3. To make the burger patties, heat oven broiler to 500. Place ground turkey, grated onion, garlic, and salt in a large bowl and gently mix all the ingredients together with your hands; form 6 burgers that are slightly larger than your buns. Place patties on a broiler pan and broil for 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
4. To assemble the burgers, place a patty on top of the bottom half of each bun and evenly spread the plum sauce on top of each burger. Drain any excess liquid off the slaw and spread evenly on the burgers. Add the burger tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers.

These burgers are healthy and delicious!  I was a much bigger fan that I anticipated and loved all the flavors melded together.  This recipe will definitely be repeated and could easily be eaten without the bun for a gluten free or lower calorie version.  Also, you can use a pre-bagged version of coleslaw mix and just add some cucumber and peppers to speed things up a bit. Slightly modified from a recipe I found on cakebatterandbowl.com  

Turkey-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

• 5 medium green peppers (I used green, yellow, and orange)
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
• 1-1/4 pounds extra-lean ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

• Cut peppers in half lengthwise and discard seeds. In a large kettle, cook peppers in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water; set aside.
• In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add the turkey, cumin, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper; cook and stir over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.
• Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the cheese, tomatoes and bread crumbs. Spoon into pepper halves. Place in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with paprika.
• Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and peppers are tender. Yield: 5 servings.

These were a big hit in my house! The meat was super tender, and they were SO quick and easy!

Taco Salad

This dinner hardly needs a recipe, but I'll add it as more of a reminder of what you can pull together quickly to make a dish your whole family will love.  I'll also throw in a few ideas to make it even healthier.

Usually I start with chips or crisped up tortillas (if you crisp your own tortillas, it will be even healthier!).  Then you can add a whole variety of toppings.  Some of these are pretty standard and some might peak your interest:

• lettuce, spinach, or cabbage
• grated cheddar or pepperjack cheese
• ground beef, ground turkey, pulled pork, or cubed/pulled chicken, fish for the meat
• chopped: tomatoes, avocado, bell peppers, 
• sliced: olives, green onions, jalapenos
• beans: my favorite are black also pinto (drained and washed)
• corn: my favorite is cut off the cob after being cooked/grilled
• dressing: fresh salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, plain non-fat yogurt, cilantro (or try mixing salsa with sour cream/yogurt together)

Rosemary Sage Burgers

Burgers

* 1 lb ground turkey
* 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (I use dried)
* 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage (I use dried)
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 4 whole-grain buns
* 1 cup baby spinach leaves


Chive "mayo"

* 1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
* 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
* 2 dashes each salt and pepper

Apple slaw
* 3 green apples, peeled, cored and grated (I put them in the blender and pulse them on "chop"
mode.)
* 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 tsp salt

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium high. Combine turkey, rosemary, sage, and salt in a medium-sized bowl; form into 4 patties.
2. In a small bowl, combine mayo ingredients.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine slaw ingredients.
4. Grill patties 4 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Toast the buns and spread each top with mayo. Place burger on bun and top with slaw and several spinach leaves.

These burgers are so easy to make and have a ton of flavor. I serve them with sweet potato fries.

Baked Mac N' Cheese with Turkey

 Ingredients:

16 oz. whole grain pasta
1 lb. lean ground turkey
2 oz. Lipton onion soup mix (1 packet)
15 oz. low-fat ricotta cheese
1.5 cups non-fat milk
4 large eggs
2 cups shredded cheese (I used one cup sharp white cheddar and one cup medium yellow cheddar)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup original or Parmesan bread crumbs


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   Coat 9 x 9 pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Boil pasta according to directions for al dente, drain when cooked, and rinse.

In a large saute pan, brown ground turkey.  Once completely browned, add packet of Lipton soup mix and stir in well.  Set aside to let cool.

Mix ricotta cheese, 1 egg, salt and pepper, set aside.  Whisk together the remaining eggs, milk, and paprika in a bowl.  Add 1 cup of ground turkey to the ricotta mixture to temper eggs.  Once done, add the remaining ground turkey to the mix and stir well.

Stir together ground turkey mixture and cooked pasta.  Pour ground turkey mixture into pan and spread evenly.  Layer 1.5 cups of cheese on the top.  Pour milk, egg and paprika over everything in pan.  Top with remaining cheese, then sprinkle Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs as the top layer.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until mixture is set in the middle.  Serve with steamed broccoli or asparagus, mmm.

This dish is very hearty and cuts like a thick slice of lasagna.   A satisfying idea for a warm meal in the everlasting winter.

Mexican Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lb. extra lean ground turkey
1/2 cup salsa
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chipotle-flavored hot sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
non-stick cooking spray
1 large ripe avocado, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
romaine lettuce leaves
5 slices cheddar or colby-jack cheese
5 whole wheat hamburger buns


Directions:
Thoroughly mix ground turkey, salsa, red onion, hot sauce, cumin, salt and pepper in large bowl.  Shape turkey mixture into five 3 inch-diameter patties.

Coat large skillet or grill with non-stick cooking spray and heat to medium-high.  Add burgers, cooking on each side for 7-10 minutes depending on desired doneness.  With only two minutes remaining cook time, top each patty with slice of cheese and melt.

Heat buns on grill or in oven on broil until toasted.  Place romaine leaves, sliced avocado and tomato on hamburger bun.

Notes:  Originally I found a recipe similar to this on epicurious.com, but after reading the reviews, I had to adapt the recipe A LOT and add the burger accompaniments.  So, now it's my own - and this is how we enjoyed the burgers...the only condiment I added to the burger's bun was a splash more of the chipotle hot sauce and it was PERFECT!  This burger definitely tastes Tex-Mex, so mainstream condiments like ketchup and mustard would take away from that taste.  We had a side of baked sweet potato fries with our burgers, but it would go really well with tortilla chips and salsa/guacamole, or a light side salad, because the burger is super filling.  I hope you love it!