Turkey Meatloaf

Finally! I can do it! Reading the instructions helps a ton. Meatloaf is always hard. And it's especially hard to make Turkey Meatloaf taste good. But seriously, this meatloaf is great. I'm going to make it again this week or next.

Here's the deal - Ground Turkey is best found at Sam's Club in a 2-40 ounce pack by Jennie-O. Good stuff, great package. I use it for meatballs and chili.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Butter
Small White Onion, Diced
3 Garlic Cloves or 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
20 ounces ground turkey
Packet Italian Seasoning Dressing (Dry Salad Dressing Mix)
8-ounces tomato sauce
1 egg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Preheat Oven to 350.
Melt butter in sauce pan, saute diced onion & garlic until onion is clear. Remove from heat & let cool
In large bowl mix together the ground turkey, Italian Seasoning, egg, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt & paper. Mix in bread crumbs & onion/garlic mixture.
Divide into 4 small loaves ~ 13 ounces each.
Bake on parchment paper lined cookie sheet for 50 minutes.

Note: You can make one large loaf, but the 4 smaller loaves will cook equally and more thoroughly then one large loaf.

Breakfast Quinoa

Who knew you could eat quinoa for breakfast? This BeachBody recipe (modified) is really great! Healthy and low calorie and low fat. 

Ingredients
1/2 cup milk. Can substitute almond, soy, or rice milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup organic quinoa, rinsed
3/4 cups fresh berries
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp honey

Directions

Serving Size: Makes 3 Servings
1. Combine milk, water, cinnamon, and (rinsed) quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
3. Put 1/4 cup berries in 3 serving dishes. Place 1/3 of quinoa over berries. 
4. Drizzle preferred sweetener over each serving.


It actually was really good. I keep forgetting to rinse my quinoa when I cook it. I wrote on the front of the box with a Sharpe "RINSE" to remind me the next time. The texture is different, but it does remind me of eating oatmeal for breakfast. 

I used Trader Joe's Organic Quinoa (cost effective if you're shopping around) and have frozen blueberries. I heated my first dish 30-seconds to defrost the blueberries. 

The next morning I heated the dish a 90 seconds to heat it up. Tasted just like the day before. 

Comfort Food - Chicken & Rice

One of my mom's favorite dishes when I was growing up was a very simple Baked Chicken & Rice casserole. It's really easy. Anyone can make this. Even my friends who can't cook!

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 can Cream of Whatever Soup (I prefer mushroom)
2 Cups of rice
Parmesan Cheese (about 1/4 cup)
4 chicken breasts, split open & pounded slightly thin
Salt & Pepper

In a large bowl or measuring glass, mix together the Milk, Water, Soup, and Rice.

Pour the mixture into a 9x13 glass casserole dish. Make sure you spray the dish with non-stick spray or else the rice will stick. Even then, the rice will stick. Be prepared, the rice will stick.

Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top of the soupy mixture. (You can omit this or substitute another grated cheese and/or bread crumbs.)

Layer the chicken breasts on top of the mixture. They might sink into the soupy mixture - that's ok, it gives it more flavor!

Sprinkle with Salt & Pepper, and other spices if you choose. I like adding a little garlic and oregano.
Bake at 350-degrees F for 40 minutes. Check the chicken... it should be done.. if you flattened the breasts. Otherwise keep cooking. Or throw the chicken in the microwave.

Best served with steamed broccoli.

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

 Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken from SkinnyTaste
Servings: 8 servings Calories: 190 • Fat: 1.5 g • Fiber: 5.6 g • Carbs: 23.1 g • Protein: 21 g

Ingredients:

24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast, diced

14.4 oz can diced tomatoes (recommend fire roasted, not drained)

4-oz can diced mild green chilies, drained 

15 oz can black beans, rinsed & drained

8 oz can corn, rinsed & drained

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth

3 scallions, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1tsp salt

Or other spices to taste

 

Directions:

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in your crock pot. Lay chicken on top and season with salt & pepper. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving,  adjust salt and seasoning.

Serve with rice, and/or in a tortilla with sour cream, guacamole, cheese. Think "Chipolte Burrito Bowl" Nutrional info above stolen from SkinnyTaste and doesn't incude the extras. The crock pot conconoction tastes great by itself.

The rice above was a recipe from skinny taste, but I added too much cilantro. Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice