TURKEY (or Beef) TACO SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOATS

I'm not sure how I feel about these.  I never had spaghetti squash before this.  So D and I tried it.  While not bad, they aren't the end-all-be-all either.  They tasted like yellow squash in string form.  So I can't imagine putting spaghetti sauce and parm cheese on it and faking anyone out.  Actually, I'm kind of grossed out by that .

However, considering we have had zucchini with queso fresco, and squash and zucchini with jalapenos, adding a "Mexican" flair to spaghetti squash wasn't creepy.

The taste of the filling was very good.  However, it tasted like taco meat on top of squash.  If I want to save calories/points, I think I would just put the filling on a 1-pt tortilla and call it a day. The other thing is tacos in my mind are typically cheap.  The squash alone was over $9, so I was kind of stuck on that.

We had with black beans.  I don't think we'll have again. Not horrid, just the price point was off for me.

TURKEY (or Beef) TACO SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOATS

Photo by ALB

Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 1 boat (we had 4 servings)
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
Adapted from Skinny Taste

INGREDIENTS
3 small spaghetti squash (24 oz each) (we used 2 squashes)
olive oil spray
1 lb 93% ground turkey (used 96%/4% ground beef)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 small onion, minced
2 tbsp bell pepper, minced
1/2 cup water
4 oz can tomato sauce
3/4 cup part-skim shredded Mexican cheese blend

For the Pico De Gallo: (bought fresh from the store)
1 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped scallion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or two if they don’t fit). Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and soft yellow strands. Spray the inside of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the squash facedown on the baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes or until the flesh easily pierces with a fork.

Meanwhile, brown turkey in a large skillet breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. When no longer pink add dry seasoning and mix well. Add the onion, pepper, water and tomato sauce and cover. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

Combine the ingredients for the quick pico de gallo in a medium bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Once the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the inside so the strands appear. Spoon scant 1/2 cup meat inside each squash bowl. Top each with 2 tbsp cheese and transfer them to the oven and bake another 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, top with pico de gallo and serve immediately!

5 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Orecchiette with Turkey Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, and Walnuts

So I guess technically this should be called Fusilli with Spicy Italian Sausage, Broccoli Rabe. and Walnuts, because that's what D made.  Our Kroger, in a mind baffling move doesn't sell linguine or orecchiette.  So we make do with what we can get.

Overall, this was very good.  The tang from the cheese and the crunch from the walnuts made it a little different from your basic pasta, spinach and sausage dish.

We would have again. We had a with a Caesar Salad.

Orecchiette with Turkey Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, and Walnuts

Photo by ALB

Warming winter flavors unite to create this simple and elegant weeknight dish.

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients
6 ounces uncooked orecchiette pasta (we used 8 oz of fusili)
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided (used cooking spray)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
8 ounces sweet turkey Italian sausage, casings removed (used Spicy Pork Italian Sausage)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch broccoli rabe (about 12 ounces), trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Added 1 tsp of butter
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)

Preparation
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid; drain.

2. While pasta cooks, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat (didn't use oil). Add walnuts; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer walnuts to a plate.

3. Add remaining 4 teaspoons oil and sausage to pan (used cooking spray); cook 6 minutes, stirring to crumble sausage. Add garlic, broccoli rabe, and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

4. Add pasta, remaining 1/2 cup pasta water, walnuts, rind, juice, and red pepper and butter to pan; toss to combine. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information (with none of my changes)
Calories :424; Fat: 21 g; Sat fat: 5.9 g; Mono fat: 7.7 g; Poly fat: 5.8 g; Protein: 24 g; Carbohydrate: 37 g; Fiber: 2 g; Cholesterol: 57 mg; Iron: 3 mg;   Sodium: 507 mg; Calcium: 83 mg

Nutritional Information (with my changes)
Calories: 587; Fat: 15 g; Sat fat: 6 g; Mono fat: 3 g; Poly fat: 5 g; Protein: 19 g; Carbohydrate: 62 g; Fiber: 6 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 151 mg

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2015

Outside-In Turkey Tamale Pie

So awhile ago, I wrote a review for Chipotle Tamale Pie, and someone told me I should try this one.  I wrote it down, and when D was making a menu, he decided we should try it.

It was ok, but it was dry. He did use ground chicken because of my turkey allergy, and skipped the olives. The taste was good, but it had that over all dryness taste that I'm afraid to get when I order tamales in general.

D cooked it on low for 7 hours.

I think we'll stick to the Chipotle Tamale Pie.  It was just better.  We had with Refried Pinto Beans with Chipotle.

Outside-In Turkey Tamale Pie

From Hungry Girl website
Get ready for an amazingly comforting, scoopable, Mexican-inspired dish, because HERE... IT... IS!!! Just a warning: This stuff is hauntingly delicious!

Ingredients
1 1/4 lbs. raw lean ground turkey (used 1 lb of chicken)
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
One 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with chiles
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup canned sweet corn, drained
1/2 cup canned kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup sliced black olives, drained (didn't use)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
Optional toppings: fat-free shredded cheddar cheese, fat-free sour cream

Directions:
Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add turkey and spread it around to break it up a bit. Cook and crumble until meat is brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and add turkey to the crock pot.

In a bowl, combine cornmeal with broth and whisk thoroughly. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Add cornmeal mixture to the crock pot along with all other ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

Cover and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or on low for 7 - 8 hours.

Serve and, if you like, top each serving with cheese and/or sour cream. Mmmmmm!!!

MAKES 7 SERVINGS

Nutritional Information 
Per Serving (1 cup): 230 calories, 7.5g fat, 481mg sodium, 21g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g sugars, 19g protein

Southwestern Cobb Salad

So I made this. It was really easy to make and very flavorful. Of course I changed things.

Due to my turkey allergy, I used chicken. I added Penzey's Southwest Seasoning to the chicken. I forgot to add oil to the vinagrette. And I used Mexican Cheese in place of Queso Fresco, because I had Mexi Cheese and didn't feel like buying Queso Fresco.

I also made the pico de gallo...2 Roma Tomatoes chopped, 3 slices of red onion, chopped, 4 sprigs of cilantro chopped, 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped, and some lime juice, all thrown in a bowl.

Southwestern Cobb Salad


Other Time: 20 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings


Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil (forgot)

Salad:
3 slices center-cut bacon
Cooking spray
8 ounces skinless, boneless turkey breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (used chicken breast)
1/4 teaspoon salt (forgot, but used Penzey's Southwest Seasoning...didn't measure)
8 cups torn romaine lettuce
1/2 cup refrigerated fresh pico de gallo
1/2 cup diced avocado
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco (used Mexican Blend Cheese)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (forgot)
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

1. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk (missed this part of the recipe when I made it); set aside.

2. To prepare salad, cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Increase heat to medium-high. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle turkey with salt. Add turkey to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until done.

3. Arrange 2 cups lettuce on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with about 2 teaspoons bacon, 5 tablespoons turkey, 2 tablespoons pico de gallo, 2 tablespoons avocado, 2 tablespoons queso fresco, 1 tablespoon onions, and about 1/3 cup beans. Drizzle vinaigrette evenly over salads.

CALORIES 293 ; FAT 13.6g (sat 2.5g,mono 7.2g,poly 3g); CHOLESTEROL 44mg; CALCIUM 117mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.9g; SODIUM 455mg; PROTEIN 22.4g; FIBER 6.6g; IRON 3.1mg

Cooking Light, JULY 2010

Greek Lamb Burgers

These were really good. Of course we used gnd sirloin instead of turkey. The sauce needed some tweaking...we added McCormick's Greek seasoning, dill, garlic...all to taste.

Greek Lamb Burgers

Fresh rosemary, oregano, and lemon rind harmonize with the richness of lamb and feta cheese. If you don't want to make the sauce, serve with a drizzle of plain, fat-free yogurt. Tuck tomato slices and lettuce leaves into the pita pockets, if desired. Serve with fresh fruit and lemonade.

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 pound lean ground lamb
3/4 pound ground turkey breast
Cooking spray
3 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
6 tablespoons Easy Tzatziki Sauce

Prepare grill.

Combine first 8 ingredients. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 165°. Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes. Place 1 patty in each pita half; drizzle each serving with 1 tablespoon Easy Tzatziki Sauce.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed pita half)

CALORIES 275 (34% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 4.4g,mono 3.6g,poly 0.8g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 62mg; CALCIUM 78mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.1g; SODIUM 576mg; PROTEIN 25.9g; FIBER 0.8g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2007

Easy Tzatziki Sauce

Serve this tangy, creamy Greek sauce with lamb or beef, or any burger with Mediterranean or Middle Eastern spices. It's also a good dip for vegetable sticks or soft pita wedges. For a pretty embellishment, float a rosemary sprig on top of the dip.

This recipe goes with Greek Lamb Burgers

3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons grated peeled seeded cucumber
1 1/2 teaspoons minced onion
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Yield: About 3/4 cup (serving size: 1 tablespoon)

CALORIES 10 (18% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.0g); IRON 0.0mg; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 28mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.2g; SODIUM 35mg; PROTEIN 0.8g; FIBER 0.0g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2007

Tex-Mex Calzones

I made these. It took me less than an hour. I got all the way to the calzone part before I had issues. The dough was a PITA, and I kept rolling it out but it would shrink back. So they were a bit messy. Nonetheless, D and I ate them.

Substitutions: I used 12 oz ground chicken. The package said it was a pound, but when I measured it was 12 oz, and what am I going to do with 4 oz. To stay economical I used 1 green pepper instead of 1/2 green and 1/2 red. I used a 7 oz can of salsa verde. Again, what am I going to do with 2 TBSP left of salsa. I used low-fat Mexi cheese because that's what Kroger sells. I used 6 garlic cloves.

They were really good. We had with Black Bean Salad.

Tex-Mex Calzones

Toss together a black bean salad to go with these family-friendly turnovers. Combine 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed and drained black beans, 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup chopped red onion, 1/4 cup chopped celery, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium bowl; toss well to coat.

8 ounces ground turkey breast (12 oz ground chicken)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (used 1/2 green pepper)
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin (heaping)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (heaping)
2 garlic cloves, minced (6)
1/2 cup fat-free fire-roasted salsa verde (7 oz can of Embaza salsa verde)
1 (11-ounce) can refrigerated thin-crust pizza dough (used regular Pillsbury dough)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) preshredded Mexican blend cheese (Sargento Reduced Fat cheese)
Cooking spray
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring mixture occasionally. Remove turkey mixture from heat; stir in salsa.

3. Unroll dough; divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 6 x 4–inch rectangle. Working with one rectangle at a time, spoon about 1/2 cup turkey mixture on one side of dough. Top with 3 tablespoons cheese; fold dough over turkey mixture, and press edges together with a fork to seal. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining dough and turkey mixture. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until browned. Serve with sour cream.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 calzone and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

CALORIES 416 ; FAT 14.1g (sat 6.1g,mono 4.9g,poly 1.6g); CHOLESTEROL 44mg; CALCIUM 195mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.2g; SODIUM 771mg; PROTEIN 25.7g; FIBER 2.5g; IRON 2.5mg

Cooking Light, MARCH 2009

Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage

D made this and said it was easy. We both thought it was a little bland. He said it needed some wine in it. Still we would have again. We used regular Italian sausage.

Update: We made with wine...much more flavor.

Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage

Pierce sausage casings with the tip of a knife before combining them with the cauliflower to ensure they retain their uniform shape as they cook. Garnish with chopped parsley. Total time: 42 minutes.

2 (4-ounce) links mild Italian turkey sausage
3 cups small cauliflower florets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
5 garlic cloves, sliced
4 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Pierce sausage several times with a knife. Combine sausage, cauliflower, and 1 tablespoon oil in a small roasting pan; toss. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Add garlic to pan; toss. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until sausage is done. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut sausage crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons pasta cooking water. Combine pasta, reserved cooking water, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl; toss. Add cauliflower mixture, sausage, and cheese; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with black pepper.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 436 (35% from fat); FAT 16.8g (sat 5.2g,mono 7.5g,poly 1.8g); IRON 2.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 62mg; CALCIUM 185mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48.2g; SODIUM 830mg; PROTEIN 24.1g; FIBER 3.8g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2008

Santa Fe Meat Loaf

So I had to make this. It worried me a little, as I have never made a meatloaf. But it was pretty easy. Time wise, it took awhile. We had with Simply Potatoes tossed with Southwest Seasoning.

Santa Fe Meat Loaf


Slicing the loaf reveals a hidden layer of cheese. Leftovers are especially good on a sandwich. Serve with tossed green salad and corn bread.

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper (I used 3/4 of a green pepper)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, minced (I used 6)
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce (I used 2 chipotles...didn't seed...didn't measure)
1/2 pound 7% fat ground turkey (I used 93-7 ground beef)
1 pound ground turkey breast ( I used 93-7 ground beef)
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
2/3 cup mild chunky salsa, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 slices 30%-less-fat center-cut bacon (such as Oscar Mayer), cooked and crumbled
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup (3 ounces) reduced-fat finely shredded Mexican-style four cheese blend (such as Kraft 2% milk)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, and garlic to pan; sauté 1 1/2 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in chipotle chile; sauté 30 seconds. Remove from pan; cool. Combine onion mixture, turkey, turkey breast, breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup salsa, oregano, bacon, and egg whites in a large bowl.

Place half of turkey mixture in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange cheese over top, leaving a 1/2-inch border around outside edges. Arrange remaining turkey mixture over cheese, pressing edges to pack. Spread the remaining 1/3 cup salsa over top of meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 25 minutes (more like 40 minutes...since I used beef) or until a thermometer registers 165°. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cut into 12 slices.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 slices)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 288 (33% from fat); FAT 10.5g (sat 4g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.6g); IRON 2.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 88mg; CALCIUM 256mg; CARBOHYDRATE 14.8g; SODIUM 876mg; PROTEIN 31.5g; FIBER 1.4g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2006

Turkey Cutlets with Pancetta-Sage Sauce

Of course with me having an allergy to turkey means D didn't use turkey in this recipe. He used chicken.
It seemed pretty easy. It was very good. D added garlic because don't you think it needs garlic...herbs and white wine screams it!
Kroger had no fresh sage so he used dried.

We had with Egg Noodles and Asparagus with Balsamic Butter.

Turkey Cutlets with Pancetta-Sage Sauce

Enjoy a turkey dinner on a weeknight or for a smaller Thanksgiving party with this simple dish. Serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

1 1/2 pounds turkey breast cutlets (about 8 cutlets) (D used chicken)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1/3 cup thinly sliced pancetta (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh sage (D used dried...I'd have to look up the conversion)
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
D added 3 cloves of garlic
1. Sprinkle turkey evenly with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of turkey to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until browned and done. Repeat procedure with remaining turkey; keep warm.
2. Add pancetta and sage to pan; cook 3 minutes or until pancetta is browned, stirring occasionally. Add wine; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 3 minutes). Add broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to about 2/3 cup (about 2 minutes). Remove pan from heat; stir in butter. Serve with turkey.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 4 ounces turkey and about 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

CALORIES 269 (31% from fat); FAT 9.1g (sat 5g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.8g); IRON 2.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 126mg; CALCIUM 28mg; CARBOHYDRATE 0.8g; SODIUM 595mg; PROTEIN 43.1g; FIBER 0.0g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2008