Basic Turkey Sausage

Basic Turkey Sausage

I am kind of kicking myself for not trying to make my own turkey sausage at home sooner.  In the past, I have purchased Johnsonville brand pre-cooked turkey breakfast sausage (it comes in patties and links).  The packages are 9.6 ounces in size and cost a whopping $4.79 at my local grocery store when they are not on sale.  That's a lot of dough per pound when you do the math; I'll let you do the math because math is not my forte.  

In the recent past I've made four different kinds of turkey sausage and it is so simple.  I am enjoying the fact that my homemade turkey sausage is much less expensive (I can usually get ground turkey under $3.00 per pound) and I like that can control the ingredients in my sausage when making it at home.   

Here is the recipe for Banger Sausage with lemon and herbs (Click HERE).

Here is the recipe for Spicy Italian Sausage (Click HERE).

Here is the recipe for Turkey Blueberry Sausage (Click HERE).

Here is my latest turkey sausage:

BASIC BREAKFAST TURKEY SAUSAGE

1 pound ground meat (pork, turkey, or chicken... I use turkey)

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup finely minced onion (I opted to use about 1 teaspoon of dehydrated onion flakes)

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.  Form into 12 or 13 equal size patties. 

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat.  You will be cooking the patties in 2 batches so as to not crowd the pan.  I use a non-stick skillet and I find no need to add oil to skillet; however, if desired or necessary, drizzle in a scant amount of preferred cooking oil in the skillet (coconut, olive oil, avocado oil) and swirl it around.  Add 1/2 the patties to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes; turn patties and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until cooked through and no pink remains.  Repeat with remaining patties. 

In the photo at the top, you can see some of those yummy turkey sausages along side some fingerling potatoes, avocado, and some scrambled eggs with broccoli.  This is one of my favorite breakfasts! 

Enjoy!

Turkey Blueberry Sausage

Turkey Blueberry Sausage

Yes! You read that correctly!  Turkey Blueberry Sausage.  I tried another homemade turkey sausage this week and I liked this one too. This recipe comes from Ambitious Kitchen which is one of my favorite cooking blogs.  Since I am currently undertaking a Whole30 Challenge, I left out the maple syrup called for in the recipe and it was still delicious.  I used frozen berries in my sausage patties which I think made it easier to stir the berries in to the ground turkey.  I also did not use any cooking fat in the pan; I used a non-stick skillet.  I made my patties a little smaller than suggested in the original recipe.  Overall... a great recipe!  I will definitely make these sausages again.

Here is the recipe link:  Click 

https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/maple-blueberry-turkey-sausage-breakfast-patties/

Ingredients

• 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey (do not use extra lean)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (I omitted for Whole30)
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage (I used 1/2 teaspoon dried sage)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil or olive oil (for cooking; may omit if using a non-stick skillet)

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients besides the blueberries and oil in a large bowl and use your hands to mix until well combined. Add in blueberries and gently incorporate them into the meat. Form into 8 even sized patties, about 1/3 inch thick. Make sure the blueberries are tucked into the meat or they may pop out upon cooking.
2. Add 1 teaspoon coconut oil to a nonstick skillet and place over medium heat. Add turkey patties and cook for about 5 minutes then flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until fully cooked.

Notes

Leftover turkey patties can be frozen, just place in a freezer safe container and reheat when needed.

Spicy Italian Turkey Sausage

Spicy Italian Turkey sausage sautéed with spinach and served with eggs, sweet potatoes, avocado, and tomato.

Spicy Italian Turkey Sausage

I really enjoyed a turkey sausage I made last week (Banger Sausage: click HERE for the recipe).  I found another recipe that looked good as well so I made it yesterday. It's very flavorful and easy to make.

Spicy Italian Turkey Sausage

Adapted from www.realfoodwithjessica.com

1 pound ground turkey (93 percent lean)

1 to 2 teaspoons cooking oil (I used avocado oil)

1/2 tablespoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.  Form into 8 equal size patties.

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat.  You will be cooking the patties in 2 batches so as to not crowd the pan.  Drizzle a scant amount of preferred cooking oil in the skillet (coconut, olive oil, avocado oil) and swirl it around.  Add 4 patties to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes; turn patties and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until cooked through and no pink remains.  Repeat with remaining 4 patties.

Homemade Turkey Sausage with Lemon, Thyme, and Sage

Homemade Turkey Sausage

Whoa!  I've not posted any new recipes in quite awhile. Truth be told, I've gotten a little off track with healthy eating... some old bad habits have crept back in.  Being retired, going out for dinner... specifically pizza and beer... is a source of entertainment.  And we discovered a really good donut called a "Pinecone" at a local mom and pop donut shop. Such a nice treat after our early morning hikes!  Somedays I do really well, eating healthy and conscientiously all day long. But then around 8:00 pm, a glass of wine (or a beer or two) and a salty, crunch snack sounds great.  The pounds are creeping back.

I decided to challenge myself to take the plunge and am doing a Whole30 Challenge. Today is Day 2.  You can find more information about the Whole30 on the Internet, but in a nutshell, you eliminate many things from your diet for 30 days... dairy, gluten, legumes, alcohol, sugar, grains, and others.  Instead you focus on lots of vegetables, healthy proteins, healthy fats, and some fruit.  After the 30 days, you slowly start to reintroduce food groups to see how your body responds.  The process is said to help identify food sensitivities and can also help with a variety of ailments such as hormonal imbalance, inflammation, joint pain, skin problems, high blood pressure, heartburn, migraines, allergies, high cholesterol... the list goes on and on.

I don't have any problem I am trying to fix per se, but all of the foods I will eliminate for the 30 day challenge are the foods that I've been indulging in too much lately; I am looking at the Whole30 Challenge as a sort of "reset" to get myself back on track with healthier, more conscientious eating.

Last week I did a few "trial run" days and I was amazed how great I felt on the days where I focused on eating lean protein, veggies, fruits, and whole grains.  Then one day I had blueberry pancakes with peanut butter and maple syrup (ummmm…. delicious by the way), and I felt crummy (I was hungry all day long too).  I find it interesting that I seem to be so sensitive to processed white carbs and sugary things.

I have a cook book called "The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to TOTAL HEALTH and FOOD FREEDOM" by Melissa Hartwig and Dallas Hartwig.  This week I am enjoying making a variety of recipes from this book.  The first recipe I will share is called Banger Sausage.  In the cook book, they pair the sausage with sweet potato mash and caramelized onions.  So far, I am just enjoying the sausage. It's incredibly flavorful and it's great with eggs! The book version calls for ground pork; I used ground turkey. The book version recommends baking the sausage in the oven; I cooked my sausage patties in a skillet on the stove top.

Banger Sausage: Turkey Sausage with Lemon, Thyme, and Sage
Adapted from "Whole30 Cookbook"

1 pound ground turkey (I used 93% lean)
1/2 tsp. dried sage (or 1/4 tsp. ground sage)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (red pepper)
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
grated zest of 1 lemon

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.  Form into 8 equal size patties.

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat.  You will be cooking the patties in 2 batches so as to not crowd the pan.  Drizzle in a scant amount of preferred cooking oil in the skillet (coconut, olive oil, avocado oil) and swirl it around.  Add 4 patties to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes; turn patties and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until cooked through and no pink remains.  Repeat with remaining 4 patties.

This is a great recipe to make ahead and have at the ready in the refrigerator.  Yesterday I chopped up one of the patties and added it to eggs scrambled with steamed broccoli and topped with chopped fresh tomato (photo below).  Today I had one of the sausage patties along side two over-easy eggs with sautéed butternut squash on the side (photo above).  Delicious!

Spicy and Easy Black Bean Chili

Spicy & Easy Black Bean Chili

Mmmmm! Chili.

It's been so cold in Southern Colorado for a few weeks. We go for a walk every single morning because the dogs will drive us NUTS otherwise.  Some days it is down right miserable due to the cold temperatures.  Brrrrrr!

Sometimes we venture out in the afternoon for a second walk if it feels as if the temperature has warmed up a bit.  We went for a second walk the other day and we were WRONG. It was still so cool in the shade down by the river.  I got home from the walk and quickly defrosted a pound of ground turkey from the freezer so I could make chili.  The rest of the ingredients for this recipe were in my pantry.  This is similar to a chili I make all the time called "No Chop Chili (recipe link HERE)".  That recipe is supposed to be similar to chili from Wendy's restaurant but I've really tweaked the recipe over the years.  

The "No Chop Chili" calls for ground beef, pinto beans, and dark red kidney beans, and it is not very spicy. 

This new recipe calls for ground turkey and black beans, and it's SPICY.  The spice primarily comes from a can of El Pato brand "Hot Tomato Sauce". You can see it in the photo above.  It's a small yellow can with a duck on it.  "El Pato" is Spanish for "the duck".  I find this hot tomato sauce in the area with other canned tomatoes at the grocery store, but this is no ordinary "tomato sauce".  This can also contains chili, salt, onion, garlic, and other spices.  It really adds a lot to a pot of chili.  

Spicy and Easy Black Bean Chili

1 pound ground turkey (I used Jennie-O brand 93 percent lean) 

2 15−ounce cans black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can (7 3/4 ounce) El Pato brand "Hot Tomato Sauce"

1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes (include liquid)

1 4−ounce can of diced green chilies (with liquid)

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1  to 1 1/2 cups water (less if you desire thicker chili)

Optional garnishes: grated cheddar cheese, oyster or saltine crackers, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt. 

1. Brown the turkey over medium heat, breaking into small pieces with the spatula.  While the turkey browns, drain and rinse the beans; set aside.  Measure the spices into a small bowl; set aside.

2.  Once the ground turkey is completely cooked (no pink remains), add the spices to the turkey; stir to coat the turkey with the spices.

3. Add the beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, diced green chilies, and water. Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.  Top with optional garnishes as desired.

  

Enjoy!

Healthy and Easy Black Bean Turkey Chili

Healthy and Easy Black Bean Turkey Chili



This chili was inspired by the recipe you see below called "Beast Turkey Chili".

I modified this recipe a lot.  In fact, it's sort of a mash up of the recipe above and my recipe called "No Chop Chili".  I used less turkey and added more beans. I also used canned tomatoes and canned tomato sauce with added spices and chilies, plus I added in more dried herbs and spices.  My husband is loving this soup. He still has one or two more portions left, but he's already asked me to make this again.

HEALTHY AND EASY BLACK BEAN TURKEY CHILI

1 pound lean or extra lean ground turkey
1 large to medium sized sweet onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Rotel (10 ounces) [I used the "Hot" variety but you can use "Original" or "Mild" if you prefer]
1 can El Pato tomato sauce (7.75 ounces)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt (I used kosher salt)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
several grinds of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Optional garnish: sour cream or Greek yogurt

In a large soup pot or Dutch Oven, cook the turkey, onions, and bell pepper over medium high heat, stirring frequently to crumble the turkey. Cook until there is no longer any pink in the ground turkey.  The vegetables do not have to be completely cooked at this point; they will cook further while the chili simmers.

Add in the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  Increase the heat and bring the chili to a boil; cover and reduce to a low simmer.  Allow to simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes covered, or until vegetables are desired tenderness.

If desired, add a dollop of sour cream (or Greek yogurt) to each of bowl of chili when serving.

Turkey and Broccoli Skillet

Turkey and Broccoli Slaw Skillet

A gal I know mentioned a meal she made up; she basically cooked up a pound of ground meat (turkey/chicken/beef... whatever you prefer or have on hand) and added in a bag of broccoli slaw. If you are not familiar with broccoli slaw, it's a packaged salad which is made up of shredded broccoli stems/stalks and carrots.  The gal I know did not mention adding any seasoning to her dish; she just portioned out into four or five servings and then would eat it for a healthy meal.  It sounded great but I wanted to doctor it up a bit. I remembered a recipe I had tried a long while ago.  It was Teriyaki Chicken and Veggie Lettuce Wraps (see it HERE).  I remembered that the sauce was rather healthy, easy, and tasty, and I thought it would go good with ground turkey and broccoli.  I gave it a try last week and I loved it!  The only think I'll do differently next time is not cook the vegetables quite as long. I think it would have been better if the veggies were not as soft as I cooked them.  I added some additional vegetables (onion, red bell pepper, mushroom, and garlic) and they were great additions. I think you could add in other vegetables as well based upon what you may have. I think celery would be great, as would canned water chestnuts.  I opted to add in come crushed red pepper flakes but I also think fresh ginger would be really good.  I am sure I will continue to experiment with this recipe.

You will find broccoli slaw in the produce section of your grocery store in the refrigerated area with other packaged salads and greens.  At my Kroger store, I found broccoli slaw in bags and in clear plastic containers.  I opted for a 12 ounce package but you could add in more broccoli slaw if desired.

Turkey and Broccoli Slaw Skillet
Ingredients 1/4 cup tamari (or soy sauce)
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pound ground lean turkey (may also use chicken or beef)
12 ounce package of broccoli slaw
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced 
1 cup white button mushrooms, thinly sliced (more if desired)
2 to 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced

Crunchy Topping (optional):  
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a small bowl, combine the tamari (or soy sauce), water, honey, cornstarch, and pepper flakes (if using).  Stir with a fork or whisk to combine; set aside.

In a small dry skillet, over medium heat, combine the sliced almonds and the sesame seeds. Cook, stirring frequently, until the almonds begin to brown slightly. This should take just a few minutes; watch it carefully so that the almonds/sesame seeds do not burn.

In a large skillet, over medium to medium high heat, cook/brown/crumble the ground turkey until no pink remains.  Add in the vegetables all at once and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 to 5 minutes (you want the vegetables to still be slightly crunchy, not mushy).  Make a well in the center of the skillet, pushing the vegetables and turkey to the sides of the pan.  Add in the sauce all at once.  The sauce should thicken rather quickly. When it begins to thicken, toss all the vegetables and turkey around in the pan to coat them with the sauce.  

Serve turkey and vegetable mixture over hot cooked quinoa, brown rice, or white rice.  Top each serving with the crunchy topping and a few sprinkles of tamari (or soy sauce).

Makes 4 to 5 servings.

Turkey Tacos

Turkey Tacos



I could eat tacos several times each week and I would never grow tired of them.  For years, I have made tacos with ground beef.  Sometimes I've bought raw ground turkey which is already seasoned with taco spices (Jennie-O brand) and, to be perfectly honest, the flavor and texture is kind of weird.  This week I made tacos with ground turkey and made up a homemade taco seasoning blend and my husband and I both liked it.  In fact, we liked it so much we made tacos twice this week.

The homemade taco seasoning blend I found is just a mixture of dried herbs and spices that you likely have in your cupboard.  The recipe below is enough to season three pounds of ground beef, turkey, or chicken.  You just use 1 1/2 tablespoons of the spice mixture in one pound of ground protein.  Very easy.

Here is the recipe link:  https://therealfoodrds.com/homemade-taco-seasoning-whole30/


TACO SEASONING

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt (I used kosher salt)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients.  Use 1 1/2 tablespoons in one pound of ground turkey, chicken, or beef.  If desired, add in a few tablespoons of water to help incorporate/distribute the seasonings throughout the cooked meat.  Makes enough for 3 pounds of ground turkey, chicken, or beef.  Store leftover seasoning blend in an airtight container.


I also had a taco salad with some of the leftovers. I added some canned black beans and some jarred salsa to some left over turkey and it was a great meal.  I use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.  Delicious!

Ravioli Lasagna Mash Up

Ravioli Lasagna Mash Up

This recipe is basically a marriage of two rich and delicious classic Italian dishes; ravioli and lasagna.  How can you go wrong.  I like this dish because it's a bit less work than traditional homemade lasagna.  Another benefit we found is that we find this dish reheats better than lasagna.  There are a number of recipes out there for "Ravioli Lasagna"; I read several and did my own thing.  I decided to use a combination of lean ground turkey and rich Italian sausage.  Since ground turkey is not as flavorful, I added a lot of herbs and spices to the turkey.  I also added a lot of herbs and spices to the creamy ricotta mixture.  This is a flexible recipe. You can leave out the Italian sausage, you can leave out the onion, you can leave out the crushed red pepper flakes.  Of course, feel free to use your favorite jarred tomato sauce.  I would like this with a spinach and cheese ravioli.  You could leave out the ground turkey and Italian sausage and use a meat filled ravioli or leave out the meat all together for a vegetarian dish.  Make it your own and enjoy!

Here is how I made my version of Ravioli Lasagna.

RAVIOLI LASAGNA MASH UP

INGREDIENTS

Meat Sauce:

1 pound lean ground turkey (I use Jennie-O brand)
1/3 to 1/2 pound ground hot Italian sausage (I use Johnsonville brand which is made from pork)
1/2 of a medium sized sweet onion, small dice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
several grinds of black pepper
24 ounce jar marinara (I use Barilla brand "Tomato & Basil)

Ricotta Mixture:

15 ounce tub of part skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
pinch of salt
several grinds of black pepper

1 1/2 pounds mini-frozen cheese ravioli (I used Kroger brand); DO NOT THAW
3/4 to 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

In a large skillet, cook and crumble the ground Italian sausage, until no pink remains.  Drain well on paper towels to wick away grease. Set aside.

Carefully clean out the skillet with a paper towel to remove excess grease.  Return the skillet to the stove top and add in the ground turkey, diced onion, and the spices called for in the "Meat Sauce".  Cook and crumble the mixture, stirring and chopping, until no pink remains.  Add in the sauce.  Add about 2 tablespoons of water to the pasta jar, replace the lid, and shake to get the sauce off the inside of the jar.  Add the watery sauce mixture into the meat sauce.  Cook over medium heat for a few minutes to warm through.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the ingredients listed under "Ricotta Mixture". Stir well with a fork to combine.

Next, assemble the dish:  Spoon about 1/3 or less of the Meat Sauce into the bottom of the prepared pan; spread around.  Top with 1/2 of the frozen ravioli in a single layer, 1/2 of the Ricotta Mixture, and 1/3 of the sauce.  Repeat the layers (1/2 the frozen ravioli, 1/2 the Ricotta Mixture, 1/3 the Meat Sauce).  Spread the sauce around to cover the ravioli.  Sprinkle top with grated mozzarella cheese. 

Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven (350 degrees F) for 40 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and carefully remove the foil.  Continue to bake in the oven for 10 additional minutes. 

Enjoy!

Above: Before popping into the oven.
Below:  Most of the ingredients all assembled (onion and parmesan cheese not pictured... whoops!)

 

Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Pickled Jalapenos

Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Pickled Jalapenos

1 pound ground turkey (lean)
1 15−ounce can of dark red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 15−ounce can of pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
1 8−ounce can tomato sauce
1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 4−ounce can of diced green chilies, drained
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1  to 1 1/2 cups water (less if you desire thicker chili)
3 to 4 tablespoons sliced pickled jalapeno peppers, diced into smaller bits

1. In a medium sized skillet, brown/cook/crumble the ground turkey over medium heat, breaking into small pieces with the spatula.
2.  Drain any excess fat from the ground turkey; put the cooked turkey in the slow cooker (Crock Pot).  Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir well, cover, and cook on HIGH for about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours or on LOW for about 4 to 5 hours.
3.  Enjoy!

STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS:  Chili can also be made on the stove top.  After browning, cooking and crumbling the turkey, add in remaining ingredients.  Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Chipotle, Black Bean, and Red Pepper Soup

Chipotle, Black Bean, and Red Pepper Soup

We went to our favorite restaurant again the other day.  Jake and Telly's Greek Taverna is about an hour from us and is located in Old Colorado City, Colorado.  We like to get a Hummus Platter for an appetizer and our lunch entrees are often a Gyro Sandwich for my husband and a Spinach and Beet Salad for me.  Good stuff.  Ron's sandwich comes with a choice of sides and he got the Chipotle Vegetable Soup.  Ron is not a very adventurous eater; he's kind of picky.  He did not like that fact that the soup had mushrooms and zucchini in it but he was inspired by the soup. He asked that we try to make the soup at home using ingredients (veggies) he likes better. He was so anxious about it that he drove me to the little market near us to get a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce so I make the soup that afternoon.

The soup turned out great and I loved that Ron had the idea for it.  I had him hang out in the kitchen while I made it so he could have input.

Chipotle, Black Bean, and Red Pepper Soup

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 large sweet onion, diced

2 red bell peppers, diced

1 32 oz. carton chicken broth

1 can (14.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

2-4 chipotle peppers (*), seeds removed, chopped (from a can of chipotles in adobo)

2-4 tablespoons of the adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. ground coriander

3/4 tsp. dried oregano

salt, pepper, and granulated sugar to taste

In a large soup pot over medium to medium high heat, cook/brown/crumble the ground turkey until nearly no pink remains.  Add in the diced onion and peppers, and cook, stirring frequently for another 4 to 5 minutes (veggies will begin to soften and turkey will be cooked through).  Add in the chicken broth, black beans, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and spices.  Start with about 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar.  Cover pot; let soup come to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes (until veggies are desired tenderness). Taste for seasoning and add in more salt/pepper/sugar as desired.

(*) Chipotles are small peppers (often jalapenos), usually 2-3 inches long that have been dried by a smoking process that gives them a dark color and a distinct smoky flavor. The canned variety used in this recipe come in a red sauce that has a fantastic, smoky flavor as well.

Posole-Inspired Soup with Turkey

po·so·le

[pō sṓ lày]

NOUN

1. a thick Mexican soup made with hominy, chicken or pork, chilies, and cilantro
2. a large kernel of white corn

Last week, we went out to dinner with a couple we know.  The Mrs. just retired from her job and the Mr. will be retiring from his job in a few weeks, so we wanted to help them celebrate the transition!  We had gone out to dinner with them before to a local Mexican Restaurant called "El Alazan" and we decided to go there again.  Most the time I go there, I just get a guacamole tostada since I like to go crazy on the chips and pico de gallo before the entrees are served.  This time I decided to be adventurous and I ordered the Posole.  There were things I loved about their Posole and things I really disliked about their Posole.  The broth, you could tell, was basically water and they simmered very cheap cuts of pork in the water.  There was not a whole lot of seasoning in the broth and I also found bones, cartilage, and fat, attached to the pork that had been cooked in the broth.  But what I loved was that, when the brought me the soup, they also brought me a bottle of dried oregano, a bottle of dried crushed red pepper flakes, as well as a pile of fresh chopped green cabbage and pile of finely diced white onion.  I could add in these ingredients to my heart's desire.

When I left the restaurant, I kept thinking how I could make the soup at home, with my priorities being (1) make it healthier and (2) make it even tastier.  I went to the grocery store today to shop for ingredients. I considered a few different options for the protein: shred up a pre-roasted rotisserie chicken from the deli, poach some boneless skinless chicken breasts in the broth, or brown some lean ground turkey. I settled on the latter since I already had ground turkey at home.

This soup is super simple to make and has very few ingredients. I had it made up in just a short time.  My husband was really turned off by the idea of the soup since it contains HOMINY:  that funny looking BIG CORN.  He was about to warm up some other leftovers while I was enjoying a bowl of the soup and I told him, "Try the soup... it's good!  Just ONE bite!"  He had a bite and liked it and made up a big bowl of Posole for himself. 

This soup is spicy, healthy, and lean. I hope you give it a try. For spice, I added in a can of Rotel (diced green chilies and diced tomatoes).  The Rotel "Original" is surprisingly spicy.  Rotel also comes in "Mild" and "Hot" so choose your Rotel according to your liking.

Posole-Inspired Soup with Turkey

Soup Ingredients:

1 pound of ground turkey (lean Jennie-O brand)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 can (10 ounce) Rotel (I used "Original" and it is quite spicy)

1 can (15.5 ounce) hominy (I used white hominy from Kroger), drained and rinsed

4 cups chicken broth

Toppings:

finely diced sweet or white onion

finely diced/shredded green cabbage

fresh limes, cut into wedges

Directions:

In a soup pot, brown/cook/crumble the ground turkey.  Add in the spices right away so they spices get mixed in really well and adhere well to the ground turkey.  When the turkey is cooked (no pink remains), add in the Rotel, hominy, and chicken broth.  Cover pot with a lid, bring the soup to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and allow to simmer on low for about 10 to 15 minutes.

While the soup simmers, assemble the toppings. I used pre-packaged, pre-shredded green cabbage, but you could chop up cabbage from a head of green cabbage.  Finely dice a sweet or white onion and cut a lime into 6 to 8 wedges.  Set aside.

Taste the soup for seasoning.  If you used low sodium chicken broth, you may wish to add in additional salt.  Ladle cooked soup into a bowl. Top each bowl of soup with shredded cabbage and diced onion.  Squeeze a lime wedge into the soup. Enjoy!