If you have been directed by your health care provider to limit your beef intake, substituting turkey meat for the beef could be a healthy alternative.  I have used ground turkey in recipes for chili, meatloaf, and spaghetti.  Not only is ground turkey a good substitute for ground beef, with the price of meat going up by the minute, using turkey as a substitute can be a nutritious money saver making it an economical meat.

Turkey Chili

              Brown one package of ground turkey in a skillet with one tablespoon of olive or other vegetable oil.  Cook over a medium heat.     Season to taste with  a teaspoon of garlic powder or two cloves of chopped garlic,    1/4 cup chili powder and one teaspoon of salt.  Using a  metal spatula, break the meat apart,  It tends to be “stringy”, so use the spatula to make the meat look more like hamburger by cutting across the strings so that the meat is in bite size pieces or the size you like.  Turn off the burner and chop 1/2 onion or a whole onion if you like…..open a can of green chilis and a can of tomato sauce.  Add the cooked meat to your  crockpot or a larger soup pot and mix the tomato sauce, green chilis, and onions with the meat.  Add a half cup of water if thinner chili is desired.  A can of your favorite beans (black, or pintos work best) and a can of corn if desired.  Simmer in the crockpot or soup pot at least an hour so that the flavors can blend.  Enjoy!

Turkey Meatloaf

    In a large bowl, mix a package of ground turkey with 1 cup of cracker crumbs, a cup of chopped onions, a teaspoon of garlic powder, a teaspoon of salt, one egg, and 1/2 cup catsup.   Mix well and press into a loaf pan.  I always line my loaf pan with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray.  Turkey meat is very lean and will stick easily to the pan, so oil the pan well if foil isn’t used.  Cook at 350 degrees in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes depending on your oven.  The meatloaf will be firm when done.   Good Gobbling!

Turkey Spaghetti

Brown a package of ground turkey in an oiled skillet on medium heat.  Add Italian seasonings to taste along with a clove of garlic that has been sliced and a teaspoon of salt  Add chopped onion if desired.  Mix the seasonings with the meat with a metal spatula breaking the meat up so that it resembles ground beef.  When the turkey is cooked through it will be a brownish grey in color.   At this point add your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce.  If your skillet is small, you may have to transfer the meat mixture to a larger pot before you add the sauce.  If desired add  a small jar of mushrooms and or olives.   Simmer on low heat while you are cooking the spaghetti.  Stir the sauce mixture ocasionally to avoid sticking.  Pour the sauce over your spaghetti and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired. 

    The only problem I have encountered with ground turkey has been that there are tiny pieces of what seems to be wafer thin bone in some brands of ground turkey.  This doesn’t cause a problem as far as eating the meat….but can be annoying.  It might be well to ask the meat market associate at the store you get the meat from, if it is “bone free”.