Turkey Time

I swear every time I make meatballs I forget to write down what I threw into them.  Ohhhh, the elusive turkey meatball recipe… changes every time.  Yet, always tastes delicious.

I bring you spaghetti squash with turkey meatballs and garlic mushroom marinara:

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Easier than it looks, I promise!

(Check out this post  for some tips on cooking up your spaghetti squash)

While my spaghetti squash was doing its thang in the oven, I got to work on the meatballs.  Here’s what went into them:

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Your guess is as good as mine. Winking smile

Alriiiiiiiiight, here’s approximately what went into the meatballs:

  • 10 ounces 99% fat free ground turkey breast
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp bread crumbs
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp marjoram
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp dried oregano

This mix gave me 10 2-bite meatballs:

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I sprinkled each meatball with a little olive oil (about 1 tbsp for all 10 meatballs).  I cooked these in a 400 degree for 15 minutes, flipped them over and cooked for another 10.

Meanwhile, I sautéed 2 cloves minced garlic and a couple handfuls of sliced baby bella mushrooms in a sauce pan:

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Then added 1.5 cups of Prego sauce to the pan along with some garlic powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and dried oregano.  I popped a lid on the pan and let it simmer away on low heat until the meatballs and spaghetti squash were done cooking:

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I promise you–this dish will totally satisfy your pasta cravings.  Look how tasty:

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As an added bonus, I was able to get 3 servings out of this batch.  Hello tomorrow’s lunch and the day after tomorrow’s dinner!

Stats on 2 cups Spaghetti Squash with 3 Turkey Meatballs and 1/2 cup sauce:  320 calories, 37g carbs, 10g fat, 27g protein, 7g fiber.  Molto bene!

Since the ground turkey comes in a 20 ounce package, I decided to use the remaining 10 ounces to make up some of my beloved Turkey Meat Muffins Open-mouthed smile 

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Only thing I did different this time was to omit the oil.  I didn’t notice much of a difference, so I think I’ll stick with the oil-free version in the future. 

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I LOVE these guys for several reasons.

  1. They are pre-portioned and super cute.
  2. They satisfy my belly in a healthful way.
  3. Leftover meatloaf sandwiches rock my socks off.
  4. Saying “meat muffin” brings an unavoidable smile to my face 😀

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Nom.

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Szechwan Shrimp

Whelp, I haven’t been doing much blogging lately BUT I have been doing a decent amount of cooking!  Time to play catch up!

Three things that I look for in any good recipe:

  1. Easy.
  2. Healthy.
  3. Onions.

ok… The recipe just has to be friggin delicious (usually that comes with the addition of some onions, but not always).

This recipe for Szechwan Shrimp has been a favorite of mine for a couple years now, simply because it meets my three criteria (even the onions!).  Even though it has lots of ingredients, most of them are things I always have on hand.  Can’t complain about that!

First up, I mix up the sauce ingredients in a small bowl:

  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp ketchup
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1/8 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp olive oil

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Then I sprayed down a skillet, heated it over medium heat, and added 1 large sliced green onion and one clove minced garlic.  I let these sauté for a bit, then added 3 large raw shrimp:

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Once the shrimp was cooked through I added the sauce and used a rubber spatula to combine. 

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I let the mixture heat up until it started to bubble and thicken and then tossed on top of 1 serving of brown rice.  I also added some steamed oriental veggies and a Chung’s veggie spring roll:

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So pretty!

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So delicious…

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Eggcellent.

My kitchen is no stranger to eggs.

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Shortly after starting this blog, it dawned on me that I really do eat an excessive amount of eggs.  So I started thinking about possible substitutions I could make.  Something healthy, clean, and full of protein.  Something filling and delicious that gave me energy without spiking my temperamental blood sugar.

I searched high and low and ended up right where I started.

Eggcellent. 

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One of the MANY things I LOVE about eggs is that I can make them in a big batch.  Typically, I cook up a 5 serving egg scramble Sunday night and that serves as my breakfast #1 for the workweek.  Each serving of my scrambled eggs consists of 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites, which I season up with S&P, Red Pepper Flakes, and some Franks Red Hot. 

I was feeling lazy Sunday night, so I ended up pushing back the egg-makin til Monday night this week.  After work I headed to the grocery store to get the goods.  I typically have some roasted broccoli alongside my eggs, but made a last-minute produce aisle decision to use up some of the frozen veggies in the freezer instead.

Low and behold I didn’t have any frozen veggies (dangit).  You know, I actually think this was co-worker karma come back to haunt me.  Recently, I discovered that roasted broccoli heated up in the community microwave makes the ENTIRE floor smell like butt.  Apparently, I was oblivious to this smell for the last 9 months… Whoops!  I guess it’s just pay back for those afternoon snackers who always burn their popcorn in the microwave leaving us with a 3pm funk.  YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! 😉 

Luckily, I had 1 lonely large potato on hand (leftover from my Zuppa Tosacana).  Eggs and potatoes. Can’t go wrong with that!

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I tossed the potato into a bowl and seasoned it up with a drizzle of EVOO, some S&P, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper:

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Then I popped them into a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes to get their roast on.  Once everything was done cooking, i evenly divided the goods up into four containers:

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Tuesday through Friday B#1:

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Now repeat 52 times and you have B#1 for the whole year… hahahah 🙂

QUESTION OF THE DAY:  What are your go-to workday breakfasts?

 

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Healthified Slop Sloppy Joes

Sloppy joes are a fall food staple in my family, and I have been craving a big fat sloppy joe since the start of football season!  This was my first attempt at making a healthified version of the sloptastic treat:

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Looks pretty good, eh?  To start things off, I sprayed a skillet with cooking spray and tossed in:

  • 1/3 cup chopped white onion

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Once the onions started to soften, I added:

  • 8 ounces 99% lean ground turkey
  • S&P

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I cooked the turkey til it was no longer pink.  I don’t know about you, but I’m not exactly a fan of rare poultry… bleck!

Nice and brown:

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Next I added:

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup Reduced Sugar Ketchup
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder

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Once everything was combined, I popped a lid on and let the joes simmer for about 25 minutes on very low heat.  Then I spooned half the mix on to a Pepperidge Farm 7 grain deli flat and topped with some chopped raw onion.

 A thing of beauty:

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Ohhhhh yesssss…. 

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That is one happy joe.

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These sloppy joes were super easy to throw together and pretty tasty — I think the only change I’ll make for next time is to use the ORGANIC Heinz Ketchup instead of the reduced sugar version (which oddly has this crazy sweet taste that I am NOT a fan of). 

I’m still craving a good old-fashioned Manwich sloppy joe… so I’m sure those will be making an appearance on an upcoming Sunday game day menu 🙂

Stats on the sloppy joseph:  256 calories, 27g carbs, 3g fat, 35g protein, 6g fiber

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Sausage & Caramelized Onion Pita Pizza

Last weekend, I caught 5 minutes or so of Giada’s cooking show on the Food Network on which she made a sausage and caramelized onion calzone.  Are you drooling yet?  Ever since then, I’ve had this image of sausage and caramelized onions floating around in my head, beckoning to me.  I just so happened to have a leftover sausage from last Sunday’s cookfest, so I decided to put it to use today:

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YUMMMMM…..  I haven’t made a pita pizza in AGES!  Jennie O’s mom and pop would be so darn proud! 😀 

First up, I cranked the heat on the oven to 350 degrees, sprayed a small skillet with cooking spray, and placed it over medium high heat.  Once the skillet was hot, I added:

  • 1/4 cup sliced white onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

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Onions & garlic.  Anytime you start a recipe off with these two ingredients, there’s an unwritten guarantee it’s going to be delicious.  Didn’t you know??

I reduced the heat slightly at this point just to make sure I didn’t burn the garlic or onion.  Then I just let the onions do their thing, stirring them occasionally. 

Meanwhile, I topped a Joseph’s low-carb pita with 1/4 cup Classico Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic Sauce and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes. 

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Once the onions were soft and a nice light brown color, I added them on top of the pita along with 1/2 a link of pre-cooked & chopped up Jennie O’ Hot Turkey Sausage.

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I cut up a light Sargento Mozzarella string cheese into small sticks and tossed those on top then seasoned with a sprinkle of dried oregano and some black pepper:

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Then I popped this beauty into the oven for 10 minutes, until everything was heated through and the cheese was melty:

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I also fixed up a small side salad, which consisted of romaine lettuce, 1/2 a roma tomato, some chopped red onion, and 2 tbsp Ken’s Steakhouse lite Caesar dressing: DSCF3454

I REALLY like Ken’s Lite Caeser by the way.

Nom nom nom!

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Sometimes the simplest of ingredients combine to make the most amazing meals.  It is the best of both worlds! 

Ingredients List:  Sausage & Caramelized Onion Pita Pizza 

  • 1/4 cup sliced white onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 Joseph’s low-carb pita with flax
  • 1/4 cup Classico Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic Sauce
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1/2 link Jennie O’ Hot Turkey Sausage
  • 1 light Sargento Mozzarella string cheese
  • Dried Oregano
  • Black Pepper

 

Stats on my pita pizza:  236 calories, 17g carbs, 11g fat, 22g protein, 6g fiber

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