Healthy Turkey with Vegetables (Printer-friendly)
Lean turkey, roasted peppers, zucchini, spinach, and brown rice combine for a wholesome meal.
# What you'll need:
→ Protein
01 - 1.1 lb lean ground turkey
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 zucchini, diced
05 - 1 red onion, diced
06 - 3.5 oz baby spinach
→ Grains
07 - 1 cup uncooked brown rice
→ Sauce & Seasoning
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1 tsp dried oregano
12 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
13 - 1 tsp salt
14 - 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
15 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
# Method:
01 - Cook the brown rice according to package instructions. Set aside and keep warm.
02 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss diced bell peppers, zucchini, and red onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and smoked paprika. Spread evenly on a lined baking sheet and roast for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring once halfway.
03 - While vegetables roast, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add ground turkey, dried oregano, and remaining salt to the skillet. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, breaking up the meat and stirring until browned and cooked through.
05 - Stir in soy sauce and lemon juice. Add baby spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted.
06 - Divide cooked rice, roasted vegetables, and turkey-spinach mixture evenly among four containers.
07 - Allow to cool slightly before sealing containers and refrigerating. Consume within 4 days.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes so good that you won't feel like you're eating the same meal four times over.
- Your body actually feels energized instead of sluggish after lunch, which changes everything about your afternoon.
- You save so much time during the week that you get those quiet mornings back.
02 -
- Don't oversalt the roasting vegetables and then oversalt the turkey separately, because that soy sauce adds more sodium than you think and it all adds up.
- The vegetables will keep their texture best if you don't stir them more than once on the baking sheet, which feels wrong but works.
- Brown rice can taste mushy or dried out by day four depending on your container and fridge, so slightly undercook it by a minute or two for insurance.
03 -
- Parchment paper on your baking sheet makes cleanup instant and lets your vegetables roast without sticking, which protects those caramelized edges.
- Taste your turkey sauce before you add the spinach so you can adjust seasoning without worrying about wilted greens in the way.