turkey

Turkey Slow Cooker Chili (5pts on Weight Watchers)

Trying to eat healthy but also make a meal the whole family can enjoy is a difficult task sometimes.  Add to that a recipe that is quick as well as a family favourite and it gets even harder!

 

Chili is the type of meal that can be adjusted easier to accomodate different tastes as well as modified to be lower in calories and fat.  If you are on Weight Watchers or a similar plan, this is the perfect recipe for you! 

 

slow cooker turkey chili- weight watchers

 

 

Ingredients:

 

2 packs of 20oz (1.25lbs) ground lean turkey

1 red pepper

1 zucchini

1 can of corn

cut up mini carrots

garlic puree or fresh garlic

1 onion

2 cans 28oz Crushed Tomatoes with garlic

1 can 15oz of tomato sauce

1 pack of taco seasoning or Club House chili seasoning

2 cans 15oz Kidney Beans (or combination of beans)- you can leave these out if you aren't fans of beans, like me!

low fat Tex Mex shredded cheddar cheese (for garnish)

sour cream (for garnish)

torilla chips crushed (for garnish)

 

 

-Dice the onion and saute in the frying pan on medium heat.

- Add turkey and garlic.  Saute until golden brown.  Transfer into slow cooker.

- Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, uncooked veggies, and seasoning pouch into the slow cooker and mix well.

- Drain and rince the beans (if you are adding them).  Mix into the slow cooker.

- Set the slow cooker on low for 8 hours or more. 

- Serve in bowls with low fat cheese, low fat sour cream or even crushed torilla chips.

- Makes several meals and is PERFECT to freeze!

 

Weight Watchers Points:

5pts with beans and no toppings

4pts with no beans and no toppings

Add 2 pts for 1/4 cup of shredded tex mex cheese

Add 1 pts for 4 torilla chips crushed on top

 

photo credit: Vanessa Lachey

Posted by momstown team on 01/28/2013 - 10:41
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Perfect Turkey Tips and Side Dishes for Christmas and Thanksgiving

Nothing makes a great Christmas or Thanksgiving than a PERFECT turkey dinner surrounded by family and friends! 

 

how to cook the perfect turkey

 

We have searched the web looking for the BEST tips to help you impress your loved ones and become the turkey goddess in your family!

 

1.  To prepare the turkey for roasting in the oven, first remove the giblets (and save for gravy or stuffing). Next, rinse the bird inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.

2. If you are stuffing the bird, stuff it loosely, allowing about ½ to ¾ cup stuffing per pound of turkey.

3. Brush the skin with melted butter or oil. Tie drumsticks together with string (for stuffed birds only).

4. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The thermometer should point towards the body, and should not touch the bone.

5. Bake until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely with a foil tent. During the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Basting is not necessary, but helps promote even browning.

6. The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (75 degrees C) at the thigh.

7.  For carving tips, try allrecipes.com

8.  Have you every tried to brine your turkey?  Here is a fabulous recipe.

 

Here is an awesome video from allrecipes.com that shows you step by step how to make this the best turkey ever!

 

 

Don't forget the supporting cast of dishes...we have some of the best recipes to help complete your turkey feast!

 

Best Gravy Recipes

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

10 Ways to use leftover cranberry

 

Left over turkey?  Here are some great ways to use them in other turkey recipes.

 

Posted by momstown team on 12/12/2012 - 17:15
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10 Yummy Ways to Use up Leftover Cranberry Sauce

One of the best things about cooking a tranditional Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner is the leftovers. It's easy to know what to do with the big stuff like leftover turkey, but it can be harder to use up the bits of special ingredients that we may not always eat. Here are 10 great ways to use up your leftover cranberry sauce:


1. Bake cranberry thumbprint cookies

 

2. Make baked brie with cranberry sauce: Preheat oven to 350.  Top a small round of brie round with approximately 1/2 cup cranberry sauce and chopped nuts.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, or a small baking dish. Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes, until brie begins to soften.  Serve warm with crackers or baguette slices.  This makes a great appetizer.

 

3. Turn it into cranberry syrup. Add a splash of orange juice to thin it out, and then heat the mixture over low heat in saucepan, stirring frequently. Serve drizzled over with french toast or pancakes.

 

4. Make cranberry muffins.  Swirl a few tablespoons of cranberry sauce into the batter of your favourite apple or pumpkin muffin recipe (you may want to reduce the sugar in your recipe a bit) or make "jam in the centre" muffins by filling muffin cups half full with regular batter, adding a teaspoon or two of cranberry sauce, and then pouring remaining muffin batter on top. 

 

5. Stir left over cranberry sauce into softened cream cheese.  This cranberry cream cheese spread is a  delicious topping for toasted bagels at breakfast, or a yummy filling for tortilla roll-ups.  

 

6. Turn an ordinary grilled cheese sandwich into something fancy, and make a cranberry grilled cheese sandwich.  Spread cranberry sauce onto one side of a slice of bread.  Top with sliced, good quality cheddar, fontina, gouda, or other cheese of your choice.  Top with another slice of bread, butter the outsides of the sandwich, and heat in a fry pan over medium heat until both sides of the sandwich are golden brown.

 

7. Cranberry apple oatmeal: Top a bowl of cooked plain oatmeal with a spoonful or two of cranberry sauce, and some finely diced apple.  If desired, add a sprinkling of cinnamon, chopped nuts, or a drizzle of maple syrup too. 

 

8. Peanut butter and cranberry sandwiches: Make peanut butter (or almond butter, sunbutteretc.)and cranberry sandwiches.  This is a great twist on the typical peanut butter and jelly.  Think of it like a peanut butter sandwich on raisin bread, only better.

 

9. Stir cranberry sauce into plain yogurt. If you'd like, add granola and make it a cranberry yogurt parfait.  If you like things a bit sweeter, feel free to use vanilla yogurt as your base, or add a touch of honey or maple syrup.

 

10. Cranberry glazed chicken: Mix leftover cranberry sauce with a few tablespoons of maple syrup, and use as a glaze for baked chicken breasts or other meats. Baked tofu is great topped with a maple cranberry glaze too.

 

Happy Thanksgiving! What is your favourite leftover from the big meal?

Posted by momstown team on 10/07/2012 - 14:17
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Turkey Kale Meatloaf

kale truket meatloaf

This Turkey and Kale Meatloaf sounds like a healthier version of Grammie's Meatloaf but just as delicious and family friendly! Have a kid who likes to help? This is a good project to help with mixing and pressing into the pan (wash hand well though!)

 

You need:
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 small bunch kale
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1/2 onion
1 small container of feta
2 eggs
2 cups bread crumbs
olive oil to moisten
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Dice veggies (I used my food processor) and mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.

Bake in a 9x9 baking dish for 1 hr or until it is 165 degrees

This recipe was submitted by a momstown member, Jennifer, for a recipe contest. Thanks for the submission!

Image credit

Posted by momstown mama on 04/11/2012 - 10:14
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momstown Turkey Meatballs

Thanks to Lindsay from momstown Hamilton for sharing this blog about cooking with her daughter.

turkey meatballs

My daughter loves to help mommy in the kitchen, and I have to say at the young age of not quite 2 1/2 she is a pretty good helper. The other night we decided to make Turkey Meatballs. We love to make anything around our house that means we have a reason to get our hands dirty so meatballs were the perfect outlet!

Other than the momstown meals blog who do I turn to when I need a trusty recipe? Well Martha Stewart of course and my monthly copies of Everyday Food! Here is the recipe I found in an old copy of Everyday Food Magazine.


Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

Serves 4
Prep time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

To make meatballs that are moist and tender, avoid using very lean ground turkey.

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
1 white onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound spaghetti

1. Make the sauce: In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and cook about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, oregano, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with a fork. Stir in onion, breadcrumbs, cheese, and parsley. Add turkey, and mix until combined. Form mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls.

3. Add meatballs to skillet, and spoon sauce over to coat. Place over medium heat until meatballs are just cooked through, about 8 minutes.

4. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions, about 12 minutes. Drain pasta, transfer to skillet, and toss gently with the sauce. Serve with more Parmesan.

Note: Keeping your hands wet when forming meatballs will prevent the meat from sticking, making the task much easier.

 

The results were so yummy! We even had enough leftover meatballs to use the next day for a smashed meatball sandwiches which tasted amazing and made mommy happy because I got two meals out of one prep session!

Posted by momstown team on 05/03/2011 - 16:49
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Greek Style Turkey Burgers

turkey burgers

 

Don't these sound like flavourful burgers? momstown tested them and found them easy to make, full of flavour and a great alternative to beef burgers. A suggestion would be to add some feta into the patty itself for variety.

 

Burgers:
1 lb ground turkey (chicken works too!)
1 pkg Greek marinade mix (club house or similar)
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs (or enough to get right consistency)

Mix above ingredients together and then divide into 4 balls, flatten into patties. Grill until cooked through.

Toppings: 4 thin style buns (or you can use pitas), sliced tomato, sliced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, tzatziki sauce, sliced black olives. Serve burgers with any combination of the above ingredients.

Try this Greek inspired Quinoa Tabouli salad on the side with these burgers – great kid-friendly and healthy BBQ dinner!

 

recipe was submitted by a momstown member for our Spring recipe contest.

Posted by momstown mama on 04/12/2011 - 14:59
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Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Perfect Comfort Food for a Rainy Spring Day - submitted by a momstown member for our spring recipe contest. Having turkey for Easter? This is a great way to use up leftovers!

2 cups Turkey (fully cooked) leftovers (or chicken, beef, or pork leftovers ) cut into bite sized pieces, with fat trimmed off
2-3 cups Mashed potatoes -whatever recipe you usually use
1 can Creamed Corn
1 cup Sliced Mushrooms (canned or fresh)
1/2 cup grated cheese (any kind, I use cheddar)

Preheat oven to 400F. In the bottom of a casserole dish, mix together turkey, corn, and mushrooms. Press down so that the mixture is even across the whole bottom.

Smooth the mashed potatoes over top of the whole, covering all of the turkey mixture. Sprinkle grated cheese over the potatoes. Bake in the oven for 30-40mins until heated through. Serve with seasoning salt.

Posted by momstown mama on 04/11/2011 - 16:58
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Turkey Meatloaf

This recipe was shared by a momstown Milton mom on a thread about favourite dinner recipes. Sounds delicious!

"Tonight we are having a recipe I make every so often from one of my Eat Clean Cookbooks....turkey meatloaf.  It has brown rice and yogurt in it.  It's really yummy :)  I make a ton of recipes from these cookbooks.  Last night we had chicken fajitas using cabbage leaves as the wraps. 

Anyone else use these cookbooks by Tosca Reno?  I highly recommend!!"


Here's the recipe for the clean eating turkey meatloaf....

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 egg

3/4 plain low fat yogurt

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 finely chopped red, green or yellow bell pepper

1/2 finely chopped celery

1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari (tamari is gluten free - so this is what I use)

1 tsp sea salt

black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Place in a loaf pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for about an hour.  Let stand 10 minutes before eating.

Enjoy!!

 

Posted by momstown mama on 03/06/2011 - 21:37
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