What? This sausage will help you lose fat? Well, that’s not entirely true, but eating plenty of lean protein and limiting your fat intake is one of the ways to lose fat . . . remember, healthy foods aren’t necessarily fat-loss foods. Not that you’d think sausage is a health food. You wouldn’t think that, right? But if you know me off-blog, you know I love sausage. Even from those vendors outside sporting events, or on the streets of NYC. Yup, I’d go there. Spicy, juicy, greasy . . . all the way up to homemade, couture sausage in little restaurants where everything is locally sourced. Yes, I’ve dined along the whole sausage spectrum and enjoyed every lip-smackin’ minute.

But right now I’m trying to keep my physical gains and take them further, and sausage is not on the list of foods that’ll get me there. Until now.

Enter this recipe. I’m amazed at how sausagey and delicious it is. You can dial the red pepper up or down, depending on your spice preferences. You can brown the turkey & spices for a sausage crumble (how amazing would this be with refried beans & cheese, rolled up in a tortilla??), make it into little breakfast-sausage-sized patties, form it into burger-sized disks (this is what I did), make it into meatballs. Whatever. It’s damn good and is sure to satisfy a hankering for sausage, without blowing your plan. Enjoy!

© 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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When you’re eating a lot of lean protein, keeping things interesting is a challenge. Since becoming the chicken breast whisperer, I’ve been on a quest to liven things up, without salt. Sometimes, it’s hard to stay inspired and interested.

Enter this spice blend – you can sprinkle a bit on your chicken breasts before searing, sprinkle a little over your ground turkey breast and onions . . . it’s great with ground lamb, beef, or even a new-to-me fav, buffalo (try making meatballs, or kofta). Think garlic, olive oil, onions and this . . . serve over rice with veg on the side and you have a quick and easy Middle Eastern meal.

I browned up a pound of ground turkey breast, added chopped onion and about a tablespoon of this blend . . . voila! A tasty lean protein source to have on hand for easy meals and snacks. 3-4 oz. of this and a non-starchy vegetable side will keep you full and satisfied for a few hours. Try this ground turkey mix atop mixed lettuces, add a chopped orange and a drizzle of pomegranate vinegar for a super-healthy, protein-packed meal (salads, not just for lunch or dinner anymore!).

Who said eating like a bodybuilder has to be boring?

© 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Whether you’re low-carbing, dieting, or just trying to incorporate more healthy, home-cooked food into your diet, ground turkey breast can be a super-versatile addition to your repertoire. It’s unglamorous and pretty tasteless on its own, but it’s a blank slate for lots of flavor options and a great way to get a lean protein hit. Here are three ways I’ve been enjoying it lately.

This next one might strike you as odd, but it’s really pretty darn tasty! Great breakfast option.

This last one is so easy, and so flavorful – serve it up in romaine lettuce cups or over noodles or rice – your call.

© 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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I’m on a never-ending quest for good turkey burger recipes. There’s our “Favorite Turkey Burger” recipe that I love, but while I’ve tried things like mixing in a log of herbed goat cheese, or Mexican spices, I’m usually underwhelmed. Let’s face it. Turkey breast is very low in fat & high in protein, which is good from a dietary perspective . . . but it’s pretty flavorless. So you’ve really gotta do some work to zazzle it up.

Well friends, this recipe’s got zazzle. It’s a little more work because you’re making a relish to go on top (but lookie here, I made it really easy for you, so no whining), and yes, you have to cook the onions before you incorporate them – but you’re going to flip over these (get it? they’re burgers). There’s lots of flavor and the fact that there *is* home-made relish adds pizazz that your ordinary Tuesday Turkey Burger just ain’t got. Trust me! The family will be impressed.

Garam Masala Turkey Burgers (inspired by The Washington Post)

Serve each burger topped with approximately 3 tablespoons of the tomato relish.

Serves 4.

I can’t wait to try these grilled on the charcoal grill. There’ll be even more flavor!

There are lots of options for serving these – if you’re into starch, you could make some rice and serve a burger with relish atop a bed of rice. Make sure you have some good steamed veg and a salad on the side. These would also be great folded within a warm piece of naan – Trader Joe’s has a good frozen version, or many supermarkets often sell fresh naan in the bread aisle. Pita/Syrian bread would work too – and then you could add lettuce, sprouts, cucumber, bell pepper . . . a little turkey & salad party in a pocket! Or, if you’re eschewing most starch like me (right now, can’t last for long, I am a carb-lovah), you could eat this atop a big green salad drizzled with a little EVOO and vinegar. These are also great left over – pack one in your lunch as a break from the default turkey sandwich.

© 2012 – 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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When I first saw this recipe, I didn’t believe the total time could be 30 minutes, and I was right – it’s more like 45 by the time you do a bit of chopping.  But once this hits the oven (after about 15 min. of prep), you’re pretty much free to do as you please.  And when it comes out, you’ve got a complete meal that just screams “fall!”

Roasted Veg with Turkey Keilbasa & Mustard Sauce (adapted from Women’s Day)

Position racks to divide oven in thirds. Heat oven to 500ºF. Line 2 large rimmed baking pans with foil.

Toss leeks and onion with 2 t. oil on one baking pan. Toss carrots and potatoes on other pan with remaining 2 t. oil. Sprinkle all with salt and pepper.

Place onions and leeks on the top rack, carrots and potatoes on the bottom. Roast 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the mustard sauce by combining the sauce ingredients; chill.

Remove pans from oven; toss. Add kielbasa to carrots and potatoes. Return both pans to the oven if the onions are not done, if onions are tender, set them aside and return just the kielbasa pan to the oven; roast 15 minutes more until vegetables are tender.  Combine the kielbasa and all vegetables together and serve, passing the sauce.

Serves 4.

© 2011 – 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Cabbage is humble food, no? It stands in stark contrast to all the fancy, fussy food we just finished eating for the holidays.  It’s cheap, it’s filling, but it’s also remarkably healthy.  I had two giant heads in the fridge, courtesy of my Shared Harvest CSA share – one green, one purple.  Because I’m not using the Crock-Pot ’til I get the whole lead issue sorted, I needed a quick meal that I could whip up after getting home late from L.’s dance lesson.  This one fit the bill, and it was a success.

Stovetop Braised Cabbage With Turkey Kielbasa (adapted from the America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook)

1/4 c. whole milk or half-and-half (I used whole milk)

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add the shallots, thyme and cumin seed and cook until the shallots are softened, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the cabbage, broth, wine and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and bring to a simmer.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is wilted and tender, 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the kielbasa into several pieces, then halve each piece.  Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium heat.  Add the sausage to the pan and cook a few minutes on each side, until heated through and nicely browned.

Once cabbage is tender, stir in the milk or half-and-half and cook, uncovered, until it’s slightly thickened, 2-4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, place a large mound of cabbage on a plate or in a large bowl and top with kielbasa.

Serves 4.

© 2011, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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What? North African cuisine in the Crock-Pot? Yeah baby!  When I saw this recipe, I immediately tagged it and made a note: “MUST MAKE THIS RECIPE!”  I love love love food from this region – influenced by the cuisines of many different cultures including Bedouin, Berber, Arab, Jewish, Persian, Turkish and Moorish as well as those of European countries such as France, Spain and Italy.  Seriously, how can you go wrong with a pedigree like this?  And although certainly not in a Crock-Pot, North African cuisines also make extensive use of slow cooking – think of the classic Moroccan tagine.  Combine yummy flavors with dump-n-go ease and you have a keeper of a recipe.

Slow Cooker North African Meatballs (adapted from this recipe by Deborah Bier)

To a slow cooker, add the above ingredients in the order above. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for approximately 6 hours until the meatballs are tender and the flavors are well blended. Stir once half-way through the cooking time, if possible.  Before serving, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.

Couscous is a staple in this region . . . it slurps up sauces like nobody’s business.  So serve this over cooked couscous – why not try the whole wheat variety for added nutrition?  And to give your couscous a flavor boost, try making it with low-sodium chicken broth instead of water.  Either way, in 5 minutes, your starch is ready!

Serves 4-6.

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Ahhh, the weather was SO beautiful in Boston on Friday night.  Breezy, not too hot, low humidity – it screamed out for another dinner on the patio.  D. came home early and fired up the charcoal grill, and L. and I got to work in the kitchen. 

That’s where the breakthrough comes in.  Those of you who know me off-blog know that I’ve cooked with L. since she was 2.  It was mostly a labor of love for me – often frustrating, but I kept at it.  She loved “helping” me out in the kitchen, and I was hopeful that someday, it’d start to pay off and we could work together and enjoy each other’s company while cooking at the same time.  After years of waiting (my baby turns 7 in a week) I’m pleased to report that L’s turned a corner in the kitchen – she is now a bona fide sous chef.  Yes, that’s right; she’s now not only willing, but actually helpful in the kitchen! That’s her up there, chopping scallions. 

The other night she suggested we make fettuccine carbonara – and she actually separated eggs all by herself. 

I did other stuff while she prepped, stirred, measured and combined . . . amazing and fun for both of us.  And the results were delicious.

Anyway, back to the Friday night burgers.  These were a snap to throw together and very tasty, unlike some turkey burgers.  Fire up the grill or fry ‘em up in a pan – either way they’ll take you under 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

California Turkey Burgers (adapted from Fitness Magazine)

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix with hands, being careful not to overwork the mixture.  Shape into 6 patties and cook until cooked through the middle, about 5 min. each side.

Serve with:

Serves 6.

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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This is a great little recipe.  It may be quite different from what you’re cranking out on a typical weeknight, but it won’t be much more difficult.  Don’t be afraid of the chopping – that’s almost the entire time-cost of preparing this dish – so really, in just 30 minutes, you can serve your family a healthful meal that is high protein, low calorie, tasty and fun.  Keep a fork handy – because although you’re supposed to eat these with your hands, they can get a little messy.  And put a bottle of sriracha on the table, so those who like heat can spice things up!

Thai Turkey Cabbage Rollups (adapted from Cooking Light)

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the ginger and turkey to the skillet and cook, breaking up the turkey, until the meat is no longer pink.  Place the turkey in a large bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.  Spoon turkey mixture into cabbage leaves, roll up, and enjoy!

Serves 4.  I served this with Chinese noodles dressed with some sesame oil and soy sauce (one of L’s favorite comfort foods) and some Asian Slaw on the side.

To make this vegetarian/vegan, sub in vegetarian fish sauce (although Cooking Light says you can omit the sauce, I think it’s essential to the flavor of the dish) and crumbled tofu instead of turkey. 

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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