Easy Turkey Burgers

I won't lie, I am the queen of bargain hunting. Zach, my dear husband, can definitely attest to this. And one area that my bargain hunting goes into overdrive is during meal planning and grocery shopping. I love a good deal, and I love seeing our money be able to stretch while still providing good, nutritious meals for us.

One fantastic recipe that I experimented with and loved that meets the standard of being nutritious and budget saavy are turkey burgers! I have absolutely nothing against beef, and I will admit I love a good hamburger. But sometimes, beef, especially the beef you want to eat (farm raised and extra lean) is pricier. So most of the time, we stick to options like chicken, turkey and fish. At our local Sam's, we can get a great deal on ground turkey, which is where this recipe starts!

Feel free to use this recipe as a base and build on with what you and your family love, and of course experiment with all those yummy toppings, too!

Easy Turkey Burgers

Ingredients
- 1lb ground turkey
- 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
-2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt

Directions
1. Heat a griddle to 350 degrees, or use a heavy bottomed skillet heated over medium high heat
2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Mix gently with hands (don't overwork it), make sure everything is incorporated.
4. Form into 4 to 6 patties, depending on your size preference.
5. Flatten out with your hand into a patty shape, place on griddle or skillet.
6. Cook through, about 6 minutes per side, until juices are clear and it is no longer oink in the middle.
7. Place on a toasted whole wheat bun and top with things like sliced tomato, onion, avocado, crispy bacon, etc!
8. Enjoy!

What is your favorite thing to top a burger with? Do you love something on the inside of your burger too? 

Meal Plan For YOU

Meal planning can seem overwhelming and daunting when you start on a journey towards health or if you aren't used to it. So many options, so many opinions, so little time. My biggest piece of advice? Find something that works for you in your life! 

You want to make sure that your meal plan follows these rules:

1. Allows you to get good, dense nutrition into your body. 

2. Do something that you can make a lifestyle! Avoid crash diets like the plauge.

3. Consider your schedule. Allow for something that will give you options while also keeping you healthy. 

4. Evaluate and reevaluate! Try different ways and see if it works for you or not.

5. Save time, money and food by PLANNING! Even if it doesn't go 100% according to plan, creating any type of plan will help you save in these area. 

There are many ways to meal plan! You can plan out all your big meals, snacks, etc. You can write down all your dinner options but leave the day you have them open. You can rotate through a few choices for the whole week. You can have the same lunch or breakfast all week. The options are limitless. And I have tried a fair few different ways to meal plan! I have found that different types of meal plans work better for different seasons.

A season that I'm trying to be more totally focused in nutrition, I will plan out all meals and snacks. Sometimes I make a list of different options to rotate through if we have a busy week! Find what works for you, reevaluate and if its working, keep it. If not, try another approach!

This model is more loose and leaves you room to choose what you want for the specific day, but gives you structure so you save money and stay on track with your health!

BREAKFAST OPTIONS

-Shakeology (with PB and a serving of fruit)

-Sauteed kale and scrambled eggs

-Egg "muffins"

LUNCH OPTIONS

-Dinner leftovers

-Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with sliced tomato, avocado and mustard with fresh veggies

-Spinach salad with grilled chicken, feta cheese, cranberries, nuts and vinaigrette

DINNER

-One unplanned or cheat meal (because sometimes you need to work that in!)

-Chicken sausage with sweet peppers and onions over hot brown rice, with steamed broccoli

-Turkey burgers on whole wheat bread with avocado, tomato, and sweet potato fries with steamed broccoli

-Zucchini noodle pasta with ground turkey spaghetti sauce, whole wheat garlic bread

-BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potatoes with spinach salad

-Stuffed bell peppers with veggies, ground turkey, and pepper jack cheese, with hot brown rice

-Leftovers night

SNACK OPTIONS

-Shakeology

-Cheese and apples

-Fresh fruit serving

-Fresh veggies with ricotta cheese

-Greek yogurt with fruit

DESSERT

-DIY Strawberry Ice cream

-Revamped "cookie dough"

-Shakeology chocolate bars

"Healthy Stuff" Bowl

Even after traveling all over the world, and having my fair share of rice and beans in Africa and Asia, I'm not sick of it. In fact, I love to dress it up!Last night I was running low on time to cook, and needed to use up some bell peppers we had left over in the fridge. So I decided to improvise and experiment.

Enter in the "healthy stuff" bowl. Like several of my other recipes, this can be very early customized to your personal tastes, as well as what you have on hand.

Healthy Stuff Bowl

Ingredients
(Makes 4-6 servings)
1 lb ground turkey
1 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cups rough chopped kale (just depends on how much green you want!)
2 tsp cooking oil
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

Directions
1. Heat up your cooking oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add in your onions and chopped bell peppers, cook until tender.
3. Add in the ground turkey, and brown through, mixing with the vegetables.
4. Season with the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, red pepper, cumin and chili powder.
5. Add in kale and 1/3 cup of water, cook and mix until it begins to wilt.
6. Add in the cooked rice and tomato sauce, stir and mix together until incorporated.
7. Cover and cook on medium low for 10 minutes, stir occasionally.
8. Enjoy!

If you wanted, you could add in black or red beans. Or substitute the brown rice for quinoa! The possibilities are truly endless. Experiment and find out what you like, too! But if you are short on time, this is an easy one to throw together and have a balanced meal.

What about you, do you like rice and beans or do you have to spice it up a bit to eat them?

Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowl

Typically, when I make spaghetti squash, I tend to stick to italian style recipes. Spaghetti squash with pasta sauce, spaghetti squash lasagna boats, and the like. Well, I came across an interesting looking recipe on Pinterest for a burrito bowl in spaghetti squash, so I thought that I would recreate my own burrito bowl.

I must say, they turned out super delicious! And these could absolutely be done with various ingredients, based on your own personal tastes.

Ingredients
(makes 4 servings)
2 spaghetti squash
1 can of white beans
1 can of tomato sauce
2 tsp cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 lb ground turkey
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 packet low sodium taco seasoning

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut spaghetti squash in half, and clean out the seeds. Place cut side down onto a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the inside is tender. Remove and let cool.
3. While spaghetti squash is baking, heat 2 tsp cooking oil in a large skillet, and sautee onion.
4. Add in minced garlic, sautee for one minute, or until fragrant, and then add in the chopped bell peppers. Cook until tender.
5. Add in the ground turkey, and brown.
6. Mix in taco seasoning until full incorporated, cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add in the can of drained white beans, and can of tomato sauce, let simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Divide the filling between the four spaghetti squash boats, cover each with 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is browning and bubbly.
10. Enjoy!

There you have it, super delicious spaghetti squash burrito bowls! If you wanted to, you could substitute out the white beans for black beans, and even mix in fresh salsa or fresh chopped tomatoes if you wanted to!

Who is ready to try some spaghetti squash burrito bowls?

Ground Turkey Enchiladas

Living in southwest Arizona for over ten years absolutely made me partial to Mexican food, and real , authentic Mexican food at that. The rest of the country just doesn't know what it's missing! No, Taco Bell and On the Border don't count. Georgia just doesn't have the same Mexican food as Arizona. 

While there's a mix of different dishes panning across the Mexican food genre, some can be healthy, and others not so healthy.This week I definitely had a hankering for enchiladas, so I thought I would try my hand at making a healthier version of enchiladas, and they turned out great! I will be making these again.

Ground Turkey Enchiladas

Ingredients
16 corn tortillas
Red or green enchilada sauce
1 onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp cooking oil
1lb lean ground turkey
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
Seasoning to taste

Directions
1. Preheat a large skillet with cooking oil over medium high heat
2. Sautee onions and bell peppers until tender (about 5 minutes)
3. Add in your ground turkey, mix and brown through.
4. Add your cumin, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper. Mix to combine, cook over medium for a few more minutes.
5. Grease a large baking dish (enough to fit your enchiladas, or you can use two dishes)
6. Heat up your tortillas for a few seconds so they are easier to work with. Fill each with about 2 heaping Tbsp of filling, then roll and place with the seam on the bottom.
7. Fill all tortillas, then cover with enchiladas sauce, cheese and cilantro.
8. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes
9. Enjoy!!

What is your favorite Mexican dish? Anyone else love their food nice and spicy besides me? 

Crock-Pot Southwest Chicken

When I saw a recipe for "southwest chicken" my mouth started watering. What sweetened the deal even more was that it was only a few ingredients, minimal preparation, and maximum deliciousness! Honestly, this recipe could not get any simpler, and you can adjust it to your own tastes.

This chicken is delicious, simple, full of nutrients, protein, and you can put it in or on whatever suites your fancy. We used this southwest chicken in some romaine heart lettuce cups, and I (of course) drizzled it with some hot sauce, and BAM. Dinner is made.

Here's how to make your own crock-pot southwest chicken! Note that this meal can also be made, put into two gallon zip bloc bags and frozen for later use.

Ingredients

1 16oz jar of salsa of your choice

1 can of corn, drained

1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed

3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 package of cream cheese (could substitute for Greek yogurt as well) ** optional **

Lettuce wraps, brown rice, corn tortillas, or whatever you want to put your chicken in or on

Cheese, hot sauce, Greek yogurt, whatever toppings you want to use

Directions

Put salsa, corn, beans and chicken in the crock-pot on low. Cook for 6 to 7 hours. During the last 30 minutes, if you are adding cream cheese or Greek yogurt, mix in now. Serve over your lettuce wraps, tortillas or brown rice, and top with your favorite toppings! 

If you are looking to add in more veggies, chop up some onion and a bell pepper and add it to the mix! If you want to add some extra heat, try chopping up and mixing in a fresh jalepeno. The possibilities are endless. 

Who is ready to try this super simple crock-pot recipe?? 

Leftover Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Thanksgiving has come and gone another year! It was a blessed day for us, filled with delicious food, amazing company, and laughter and joy. Even with so many hard things going on in our country and the world, there is much to be thankful for!

One superficial thing that I am thankful for is...leftovers! You heard right, Thanksgiving leftovers are some of my favorite. I don't know why, but there's something just so delicious about it. I almost like turkey more as leftovers more than on Thanksgiving day.

The key is to get creative with it! This year I decided to experiment and make a new recipe especially for turkey leftovers, and I'm pretty sure these turkey lettuce wraps hit the nail on the head for me.

They are super simple, and you can do SO MUCH with them! You can mix them with what you want, top them like a taco and enjoy!

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients 
- 1 head of butter lettuce (or romaine leaves, or any sturdy lettuce leaf of your choice)
- 2 cups of chopped leftover turkey
- 2 tsp cooking oil or butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper powder (more if you can handle the heat)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
-Optional: plain greek yogurt, cheese, small diced onions

Directions
1. Wash and dry the lettuce leaves. Keep the leaves in tact and set aside.
2. In a medium skillet, heat your preferred cooking oil or butter over medium high. Once hot, add your diced onion, and sautee until translucent.
3. Add garlic and cook for one minute, or until fragrant.
4. Add your diced bell pepper and cucumber, cook until tender.
5. Add the chopped turkey, and mix until incorporated.
6. Season with paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper.
7. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.
8. You can individually divide the turkey on the lettuce cups, or serve it in a bowl and let people fix their own like a taco!
9. You can top the tacos with plain greek yogurt, cheese, onions, tomatoes, hot sauce...whatever you want!
10. ENJOY!

Eating leftovers do not have to be boring. I love Mexican food, so this inspired dish was cleaned up a bit and uses those yummy turkey leftovers! Try this one out and use up all that delicious meat!

What's your favorite taco topping? Share below!

Michelle's Vegetarian Chili

A few weeks ago, I had a contest in my August challenge group! I challenged my participants to give me their favorite healthy recipe that they love, and that of those that were submitted, I would draw a winner, post about it, and try it!

I had a few great entries, and wish I could have chosen them all, but only one winner could be picked. (However, I must say I will most likely be making all of the recipes, they looked so good!) I am happy to announce that my lovely challenger, Michelle has won! She submitted her recipe for her favorite Vegetarian Chili, which is absolutely perfect for the crisp, fall weather headed our way!

Check out this easy, healthy and delicious recipe for Vegetarian Chili! The original post is from The Picky Eater Blog  . And props to her for coming up with such a fantastic vegetarian chili! This is a great classic to try this fall. This chili is on our menu this week, and I will be posting my thoughts about it over the weekend!

(Image from Google)

Michelle's Favorite Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients
1 15oz can Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can Black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can Pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp Ghirardelli cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp (or a bit less) cayenne pepper
A couple splashes of soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp regular paprika
Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, o% Greek Yogurt (or Low Fat/Fat Free Sour Cream), tortilla chips

Directions (per The Picky Eater Blog)

1.  Chop the garlic, onion, and bell peppers. Saute lightly over medium high heat in 1-2 tsp olive oil. Meanwhile, wash the beans until all of the canning liquid is gone. 

2. Once the veggies have sauteed for about 5 minutes, add everything else into the pot (tomatoes, beans, spices, etc.). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 min or longer as needed.

3.  Once the chili is done cooking, you can top it with anything you like!

And there you have it! I can't wait to try out this hearty vegetarian chili this week, and interested to see how the addition of cocoa powder works out! It is supposed to give it a great smoky flavor. What's your favorite chili recipe variation? Share below! 

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Fall is in full motion here in Georgia. The trees are starting to turn slight hues of yellow and branches of red are shooting out. The air is staying cooler, and drizzly, rainy days just make you want to curl up in front of the fire with a cup of tea. And, the grocery stores and markets are filling up with some delicious food…squash!

Honestly I have never had much experience with squash until the beginning of this year. I wasn’t sure how to prepare it, what you do with it once it was cooked, or what it really tasted like. Well I have since broken that streak and absolutely love squash, and am trying all kinds of varieties now!

My most recent squash experiment…stuffed acorn squash! And boy, was it good! It’s a super simple recipe, so give it a whirl and see what you think for yourself!

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

2 medium acorn squashes

½ cup of water

1 lb ground turkey

2 tsp cooking oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp basil

1 tsp sage

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp whole wheat flour

¾ cup of milk

1 cup of shredded cheese (we used cheddar)

Garlic powder, black pepper to taste

Directions

1.     Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

2.     Cut your acorn squashes in half, scoop out all of the seeds and place face down in a baking dish. Pour water into the dish, and cook for 40-50 minutes until the squash is tender.

3.     While the squash is cooking, heat your cooking oil over medium high heat. Add your chopped onions and sautee until they become translucent.

4.     Add your minced garlic and sautee for one minute or until fragrant.

5.     Cook your ground turkey until browned and cooking all the way through, adding your pepper, garlic powder, sage, paprika and basil.

6.     When your turkey has finished cooking, lower heat to medium low, and add your flour. Stir until incorporated on the turkey, then add your milk.

7.     Stir mixture until it is all combined and thickened.

8.     Remove your squash and turn upright. Fill each cavity with the turkey mixture, then top with ¼ cup of cheese each.

9.     Bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is beginning to brown.

10. Remove and enjoy this yummy fall entrée!

This is a recipe that you can absolutely make your own. You could use ground buffalo instead of turkey, or stuff it with vegetables and quinoa. Try your own favorites in there and give it a go!

What’s your favorite thing to stuff squash with?

Revamped "Creamed" Spinach

Who loves a good serving of creamed spinach? I know that I do! But I also know that all of that cream and butter pretty much negates the nutrition I'm getting from said spinach. The other day while I was cooking, I needed to cook up a whole bunch of spinach that was on the verge of going bad, so I had the idea of creating a healthier version of creamed spinach.

My secret ingredient...cauliflower!

If you have been reading my blog lately, you'll know I've been loving cauliflower lately. I've used it for pizza crust, mac and cheese, pasta sauce, and all kinds of things. I seriously love it. I thought that if I had created a "cream" sauce for pasta, why not use it to make "creamed" spinach, and get even more veggie servings in!

So that is what I did, and I must say, I really liked the outcome!

Revamped "Creamed" Spinach

Ingredients (for about 4 servings)
-6 cups of raw spinach (you can add more if you want)
-1 cauliflower head, cut into chunks
-2 garlic cloves
-2 tsp cooking oil
-1/2 an onion
-1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt
-salt, lemon pepper, and garlic powder to taste
(Optional, if you have some parmesan cheese you can also sprinkle it in towards the end!)

Directions
1. Bring a medium pot to a rolling boil, and add your cauliflower. Cook until tender, drain and set aside.
2. In a medium to large skillet, heat up your cooking oil over medium high heat.
3. Mince your cloves of garlic and sautee for one minute, then reduce heat to medium.
4. Add in your spinach. It will pile high at start, but it will really cook down. Stir around so all the leaves get some heat and they start to wilt.
5. In a food processor, add your cauliflower, greek yogurt, and season with a small amount of salt, lemon pepper, and garlic powder. Process for a minute or two, until it starts to turn smooth.
6. Once the cauliflower mix has smoothed out, add your desired amount to the spinach, and mix together. If you're adding parmesan, add it in now!
7. Let the mixture heat through for a minute or so.
8. Dish out and enjoy! We had this with some chicken and it was delightful!


What's your favorite cauliflower recipe? I'm always on the lookout for a good one!

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Who has ever just had a hankering for macaroni and cheese that just wouldn't quit? I must admit, that I am guilty! I LOVE mac and cheese. There's just something familiar, warm, and comforting about it. But, while I do enjoy an indulgence every once in a while on my journey towards health, mac and cheese just isn't all that healthy as is.

So I wanted to find a way to make it healthier so we could still enjoy this treat from time to time. Oh boy, did I find a delicious revamp of this tasty classic! And it uses one of my new favorite ingredients- cauliflower!

Did you know that cauliflower packs a powerful nutrition punch? Check out just a few of it's benefits!

(photo courtesy of Pinterest)

And what if you don't really like cauliflower? Well, good news, you can't really tell that it's in this recipe of mac and cheese! So you can also use this to sneak in some extra servings of veggies for your kids or husbands, or yourself!

Alright, so here's the digs on our Revamped Cauliflower Mac and Cheese! It's super easy, and insanely delicious!

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (makes 2 larger servings or 4 smaller servings)

Ingredients 
1 head of cauliflower
3/4 cup of plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 an onion
Salt, lemon pepper, and garlic powder to taste
Your choice of pasta (whole wheat is best!)

Instructions
1. Boil two pots of water, one for the cauliflower, one for the pasta. 

2. Cut cauliflower into floret pieces. 

3. Cook both in a rolling boil until tender. Note that the cauliflower may take a few minutes longer than the pasta, so adjust your timing accordingly.

4. Drain and set aside.
5. Place cauliflower, yogurt and onion (you don't need to cut very small) into the food processor. Blend for about a minute, until it starts becoming smooth.

6. Add the shredded cheddar cheese and seasoning into the food processor, blend another minute until it is all smooth and incorporated.
7. Put over your pasta, and enjoy! 

Now, for some variations, if you want to get your protein in, blacken, grill, or bake some chicken seasoned with paprika, salt and pepper, cut into strips and have it on top of your pasta!

If you want to get even more extra servings of veggies in, switch your pasta out for cooked spaghetti squash! It's one of my favorite new veggies as well. It looks like pasta and tastes amazing. 

You can also roast some cauliflower separately seasoned with paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil, and serve it over your pasta! Mix all the seasoning and oil with cauliflower in a bowl, roast in a 350 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes or until it is cooked through and looking nice and tasty! 

Let me know what you think of this recipe! I am going to be doing a series of recipes this week and sharing them with you all, so comment below with any kind of recipe you are curious about making a healthier version of! 

What recipe would you love to make healthier? Comment below! It could be my next feature!