the other ground meat: discover ground turkey

to most people ground turkey sounds foreign, scary and just plain wrong when compared to ground beef. i hope to change your mind about that. let me introduce you to a much more flavorful, healthy and delicious alternative that will make all of your favorite ground beef dishes even more delicious.

a few reasons why ground turkey is skinny-bovine worthy:

• unlike ground beef, it is a good source of lean protein with very little fat
• it has a yummy flavor all by itself
• you can use it in almost any recipe in which you would normally use ground beef. try the substitution in one of your favorites (see trick below!)
• it's cheaper than good, extra lean ground beef. macey's in provo grounds their own turkey and it is normally $1.59/lb (good lean ground beef on sale might be $1.99/lb). the jennie-o brand is expensive, so call grocers in your area and find one who grounds their own.
• no greasy after taste. is anyone else disgusted by that gross film in your mouth after you eat ground beef?

an important ground turkey trick:

• when using ground turkey as a substitute for ground beef you'll need to know that ground turkey seasons differently than does ground beef. use more seasonings (in many recipes almost double) when using ground turkey.

it's so good. i promise. just try it. you'll be glad you did. here's a fun recipe to start with!

taco soup (4 large servings)

1 lb ground turkey (still yummy with less meat if you like less or if you want to make it extra cheap!)
½ cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can corn, drained
1 cup water
½ packet western family taco seasoning - more if you like it with more spice! (same taste can be accomplished with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt to taste)

1. spray a skillet with cooking spray. combine onions, garlic, ground turkey, garlic salt and black pepper in skillet. cook until meat browed and onions soft.
2. in large pot cominbe crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, corn, water and taco seasoning. add meat mixture.
3. cook until hot throughout and until beans are hot in center.

fun toppings: cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado/guacamole, tortilla chips (not all of these are healthy or cheap, but if you have them laying around they are kind of fun!)

i like to eat mine with cheese quesadillas as shown in the picture! if you’re feeling extra healthy use whole wheat tortillas.

fun modifications:
kid-friendly – use 2 cans tomato soup instead of crushed tomatoes. makes it smooth and creamy!
vegetarian – grill onions and garlic without the meat and add a can of rinsed and drained black beans

this recipe would be easy to throw together and leave in the crockpot all day until you get home as well.

price breakdown:
1 lb ground turkey - $1.59
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes - $0.84
1 15 oz can kidney beans - $0.59
1 15 oz can corn - $0.59
1/2 packet taco seasoning - $0.17
onion, garlic, garlic salt, pepper - $0.25

total (4 large servings) - $4.03

so no more ground beef. your palate and waist line will thank you.

original cow picture from http://nikkislinks.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/eat-more-chicken.jpg modified by me

taco soup recipe inspired by my mother-in-law's taco soup, but recipe is the skinny bovine's