Healthy Highlight: Turkey

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Thanksgiving is not the only reason you should be eating turkey. There are great ways and even better reasons to enjoy turkey before turkey day without even going through the hassle of cooking the whole bird. Try some of these great recipes below to get more poultry in your daily diet with a meat that is even leaner than chicken.

  • Turkey is a great source of selenium which can prevent certain cancers like bladder, breast, lung, and stomach cancers.
  • Turkey is a low glycemic index food which means that it won't cause the blood sugar spike that you make get from more sugar- and carb-rich foods.
  • Turkey is heart healthy and provides HDL cholesterol (the good stuff). This removes bad LDL cholesterol, preventing damage to the walls of your arteries and risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Recipes:

Best-Ever Turkey Burger (delish.com)

  • 1 large Egg
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped Parsley
  • Kosher Salt
  • Fresh Black Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • Hamburger Buns
  • Lettuce
  • Sliced Tomatoes
  • Mayonnaise
  1. In a large bowl, mix together turkey, egg, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley, then season with salt and pepper. Form mixture into four flat patties. 
  2. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add patties and cook until golden and cooked through, 5 minutes per side. Serve on a bun with desired toppings.

Ground Turkey Skillet with Zucchini, Corn, Black Beans, and Tomato (Skinnytaste.com)

  • 14 ounces from 2 medium or 1 large Zucchini, quartered and sliced
  • 1 pound 93% lean ground Turkey
  • 1/4 cup chopped Onion
  • 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
  • 3/4 cups canned Black Beans rinsed and drained
  • 3/4 cups Corn Kernels, fresh or frozen
  • 1 large Diced Tomato
  • 1 Jalapeno, diced
  • 1 clove Garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped Cilantro
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon Cumin
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • Lime wedges
  1. Spray a large skillet over high heat with oil and brown the turkey, season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon cumin.
  2. Cook breaking the meat up until the turkey is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  3. Push the meat to the side, add the onion and tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
  4. Add the black beans, corn, tomato, jalapeño pepper, garlic, cilantro and stir with 1/4 cup water.

Turkey Pumpkin Chili (Themodernproper.com)

  • 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 1 large Onion
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
  • 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, diced
  • 2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds Ground Turkey
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
  • 4 cups Sugar Pie Pumpkin, cubed
  • 2.5 cups Chicken Stock
  • 2 tablespoon Adobo Sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 14.5 ounce can Black Beans, Drained and Rinsed
  • 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • Cilantro
  • Avocado
  1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and bell peppers until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 3 minutes longer.
  2. Add in the turkey, and cook until evenly brown. Mix in tomatoes, pumpkin, and chicken stock. Season with adobo sauce, cumin, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.
  3. Add black beans and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Serve topped with cheese, sour cream, cilantro & avocado.
  4. If desired, gently smash pumpkin chunks against the side of the pot before adding the black beans. This gives the chili a creamier texture.