Spring Vegetable & Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

Recipe by Karen Rankin via Cooking Light

6 Servings (1 ¾ cup each)

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This is a delish comfort food dish that you can easily make on a week night and will please the whole family. It’s a bit healthier than the usual shepherd’s pie because instead of a mashed potato topping, this pie has a cauliflower topping. Cauliflower has twice the fiber and half the carbs of potatoes. (It turned out that I only had one package of frozen riced cauliflower and so I just halved the cheese as well, so my topping didn’t quite cover the whole “pie” like it should have, but it was perfectly delicious anyway.)

2 (12 oz.) packages frozen riced cauliflower

1 (6.5 oz.) package light garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese (such as Boursin)

1½ Tablespoon canola or olive oil

1 lb. ground turkey (white and dark meat)

2 cups chopped carrots (about 2 medium)

1¾ cups chopped zucchini (about 1 medium)

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup frozen or fresh peas

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour or whole-wheat flour (For gluten-free, use 2 Tablespoons cornstarch instead of the flour.)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1½ cups unsalted chicken broth or vegetable broth

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Microwave the cauliflower according to the package directions until tender.  Place the cauliflower and cheese in a food processor; process until smooth.  Set aside. 

Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high.  Add the turkey, and cook, breaking up with a spatula or spoon until turkey begins to brown.  Add the carrots, zucchini, onion, and peas; stir to combine.  Add salt, and cook, stirring often, about 4 minutes.  Sprinkle on the flour and thyme.  Stir to combine.  Increase heat to high, and add the broth.  Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.  Spoon cauliflower mixture over the turkey/veggie mixture.  Smooth the top with a spoon and sprinkle with pepper.

Turn on the broiler.  Broil the shepherd’s pie until the cauliflower is golden brown in spots, about 3-4 minutes and serve.

Nutritional Info:  (For 1 ¾ cup serving) 295 calories; 14 grams fat (5 grams sat. & 9 grams unsat.); 24 grams protein; 21 grams carb.; 6 grams fiber; 8 grams sugars (0 grams added sugars); 540 mg sodium; calcium 7% DV; potassium 20% DV

Spring Vegetable & Turkey Shepherd's Pie
makes a great leftover lunch!

Chicken, Pineapple, and Bulgur Lunch Box Salad

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 4

Spend just a little time on the weekend and make this refreshing, tasty lunchbox salad.  Scoop out portions and add some crunchy crackers and a little treat for completely satisfying workday lunches.

½ cup raw bulgur wheat

1 small red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), finely chopped

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 (8 oz.) can pineapple chunks packed in juice, cut into smaller pieces, juice reserved

8 oz. boneless, skinless cooked chicken* or turkey breast, shredded

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup boiling water

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a medium heat proof bowl, combine bulgur, bell pepper, pineapple with juice, chicken, and oil.  Stir in the boiling water.  Cover with a plate and refrigerate overnight.  Remove from the refrigerator, add the lime juice and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer to an airtight container.  Chill until ready to eat.

By my calculations, each serving is 229 calories and 4.3 grams of fiber.

*Make a few batches of Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and store in the freezer.  Then, all you’ll need to do is thaw what you need for any salad or soup recipe calling for cooked chicken.

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

Makes 18 ounces/Serves 6

Recipe from The Skinny Taste Cookbook

Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Have you ever skipped over making a chicken salad or soup because you didn’t wish to take the time to cook the chicken?  Well, whip out your slow cooker because this recipe will save you loads of time and effort.  Once you have cooked the chicken breasts in the slow cooker, shred the meat and then pack it for the freezer to pull out later for salad or soup recipes*.  You’ll even have a simple chicken broth to use for soups or for cooking grains. 

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1½ lbs.)

(I remove the tenders and freeze those separately for other recipes like stir-fries or chicken nuggets.)

2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (canned, boxed, or Homemade)

1 cup water

1 onion, unpeeled and quartered

1 celery stalk

*(Totally optional:  sprig of fresh herbs like parsley or thyme or a bay leaf; a few peppercorns; a few dried mushrooms; a couple of whole cloves)

Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Make sure that the chicken breasts are just covered with broth/water. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.  Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks.  Strain the broth, discarding the solids.  When the broth comes to room temperature, store the broth it the fridge for a few days or freeze the broth for later.  Use the shredded chicken right away or freeze for another time.

Nutritional Information:  (3 ounce serving) 66 calories; 1.5 g fat; 0.5 g saturated fat; 31 mg. cholesterol; 2 g. carbohydrates; 0 g. fiber; 11 g. protein; 1 g. sugars; 300 mg. sodium (If using Homemade Broth, the sodium will be greatly reduced.)

*Here are just a few Husband-Tested Recipes for using Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken:

·       Apricot-BasilChicken Salad

·       ChutneyChicken Salad

·       ColdPeanut Sesame Chicken & Cucumber Salad

·       CreamyChicken & Wild Rice Soup