Some Great Uses for Ground Turkey

I try to substitute ground turkey for ground beef whenever I can. Turkey is lower in fat and cholesterol. In the flavorful recipes below, you will notice very little difference.
I should note that the chili recipe calls for dried pinto beans cooked in advance. You could substitute canned, but I use the dried because they are more economical and they are not full of added sodium. For the meatloaf and stroganoff, I also recommend using homemade stock with no salt (or very little salt) added and the fat skimmed off. If you are not concerned about sodium, canned stock will work just fine. I understand that "from scratch" cooking takes more time, but it is the only way I know to control what you are eating. Read the label on canned foods and prepare yourself for a shock.

Turkey Meatloaf

1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup fine chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup low-sodium, low-fat chicken or turkey stock
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup ketchup*
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon sugar-free syrup

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the turkey, oatmeal, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic powder, egg substitute, stock, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Pack the meat loaf into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Mix the ketchup, mustard and syrup in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the top of the meatloaf. Bake for another 15-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees. Let stand twenty minutes before slicing.

*If you are on a low-sodium diet, you can make your own salt-free, sugar free ketchup:

Homemade Ketchup
10.75-ounce can no-salt added tomato puree
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon (measures-like-sugar) sugar substitute
Mix all the ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a low boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Put in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

Turkey Stroganoff

Cooking spray
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon heart healthy margarine
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 pound ground turkey
1 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken or turkey stock
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon tomato paste
pinch of salt, optional
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream
8 ounces whole-grain noodles, cooked according to package directions

Spray a skillet with cooking spray and gently saute the mushrooms until cooked. Set aside. While the mushrooms are cooking, melt the margarine in a large skillet. Add the onion and turkey and cook until done through. Add the chicken or turkey stock, paprika, dill, tomato paste, salt, if using, and black pepper. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and sour cream and heat through. Serve over the hot noodles.

Turkey Chili with Cornbread Griddle Cakes
(This makes a lot of chili; freeze leftovers to have on a busy day.)

1 pound dried pinto beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 28-ounce can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Pinch of salt, optional
1 teaspoon black pepper

Sort through the beans and pick out any rocks. Put the beans in a colander and rinse under a strong stream of water stirring with your hand to make sure they are thoroughly clean. Put the beans in a large pan and cover with water to 3 inches above the beans. Cover, bring to a low boil and simmer 15 minutes. Let them sit for 1 hour with the lid on. Drain the beans, and add clean water to 1 inch above the beans. Bring the beans to a boil and simmer 3-4 hours or until the beans are soft and done. (Check occasionally to make sure there is plenty of water.)

Add the olive oil to a heavy Dutch oven and begin sauteing the peppers, onion and garlic. When they are translucent, add the ground turkey and cook until browned and done. Add the beans and remaining ingredients to the pan. Bring to slow boil. Simmer over low heat for 1/2 an hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with cornbread griddle cakes.

Cornbread Griddle Cakes
My husband likes cornbread with his chili. I once made fried cornbread, his favorite. Since I no longer serve fried foods, I modified the recipe to make griddle cakes.

1 cup stone ground corn meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
(Or 2 teaspoons sodium and potassium free baking powder)
Pinch of salt, optional
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup egg substitute
Cooking spray

Whisk together the corn meal, baking powder and salt, if using, in a large bowl. Mix in the buttermilk, vegetable oil and egg substitute to make a thick batter.

Spray a griddle with cooking spray and heat to medium. Pour the batter onto the griddle about 1/3 a cup at a time. When bubbles form and the bottom is brown flip and cook until the other side is brown and the batter is cooked through.