Re-Discovering Turkey
Turkey often gets relegated to the status of holiday (and leftover) fare only, but it’s a highly versatile, flavorful and easy-to-work-with ingredient that can help you land great meals on your table with ease. Turkey filets, cutlets and ground turkey are all excellent lean proteins for quick weeknight meals. Containing only half a gram of fat per 4 oz. serving, turkey breast filets are actually an even better option for the calorie conscious than chicken breast. Ground turkey, especially ground dark meat, is more flavorful than ground chicken, and less apt to dry out; use it in chilis, stews, sauteed for tacos, etc.
Pinwheel sources our turkey products from Koch’s Family Farm in Tamaqua, PA. Koch's was one of the first farms that committed to raising antibiotic-free turkeys with an all-vegetarian diet, consisting only of corn, soybeans, vitamins, and minerals. Koch’s also pioneered a humane animal raising program and became the first turkey producer to be Certified Humane®. Their high standards in raising their birds and humane practices result in a stress-free life for their turkeys, which in turn results in a tender, great tasting products.
Since we began carrying Koch’s Organic Turkey Fillets and All Natural Dark Ground Turkey Meat, we have heard repeatedly from our customers that they had always found turkey dry and lacking in flavor before discovering Koch’s. If you’ve had the same experience, we encourage you to give the Koch’s turkey products a try- we’re sure they’ll become a household favorite. Below are some recipes to help you rediscover turkey (or expand your existing repertoire!)
Koch’s humanely raised turkeys
Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl
With a mix of textures, flavors and colors, this is as appealing to the eye as to the palate!
Serves 4; 35 min prep
Instructions
Mix soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, red wine vinegar, sugars, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a whisk until sugar is dissolved.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons warm water and cornstarch until cornstarch is completely dissolved.
Heat sauce over medium high heat. Slowly whisk in cornstarch mixture and simmer until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and cook until soft.
Crumble ground turkey and garlic into the pan and cook until turkey is about half cooked. Add grated carrots and chopped broccoli and continue to cook until turkey is no longer pink.
Pour teriyaki sauce over cooked turkey and vegetable mixture and stir. Simmer for about five minutes to combine the flavors.
Spoon meat over rice or noodles. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately.
Ingredients
TERIYAKI SAUCE
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons warm water
TURKEY
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 pound Koch’s Dark Ground Turkey
1 cup finely chopped Pinwheel Broccoli Florets (thaw before chopping)
2 large carrots peeled and grated
2 green onions diced, for garnish
4 cups cooked white or brown rice divided
Turkey Burrito Meal
A lean, healthy and complete dish full of bright southwestern flavors; only mildly spicy. Serves 2 (using 1 lb. of turkey filets) or 4 (using 2 lbs. of turkey filets).
Serves 4; 30 min prep
Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 tspn ground cumin
1/2 tspn chili powder
one 10 oz packet Your Organics Ready-to- Eat Black Beans
Koch’s All Natural Turkey Fillets (thawed), cut into chunks
1 jar Serious Foodie Hatch Chile Cooking Sauce (tangy, but not hot!)
Burrito-sized Tortillas
Optional:
Sour Cream
Hot sauce of choice
1 tomato or handful of cherry tomatoes, diced
Pinwheel Southwestern Style Sweet Potatoes (as a side)
Instructions
Saute the onion & garlic in 1 Tbsp vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a sauté pan until softened; add the cumin and chili powder and sauté until spices become fragrant. Add the drained black beans, 2-3 Tbsp of water and cook until the beans soften somewhat. Salt & pepper to taste and remove from pan.
Heat the remaining oil in the same pan on med-high. Salt & pepper the the turkey pieces and add to the pan; saute until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 jar of the Hatch Chile Cooking Sauce, the beans and veggie mix, and .5 cup of water; sauté 5-8 min. at high heat (depending on the quantity of turkey used) until cooked through (turkey is no longer pink inside); cook a further 2 min. if needed to evaporate any excess liquid.
Wrap the turkey & beans topped with sour cream in hot sauce and tomatoes (if desired) in tortillas, accompanied by the Southwestern Sweet Potatoes. Enjoy!
Smoky Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili
Equally enjoyable on a chilly day or in the heat of summer, this is a chili with a punch of flavor & nutrients!
Serves 4-6; 45 min. cooking time
Instructions
Grab a large pot and bring to medium-high heat with 2 Tbsp oil. Brown turkey until medium rare, then add the onion and bell pepper. Cook until veggies soften, approx. 2-3 min.
Add tomato paste, ground Chipotle pepper and the other spices. Mix well and cook for an additional minute. Then stir in sweet potato, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, sugar, 1 tsp salt, and a couple of grindings of black pepper and the broth.
Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover & cook at a low simmer until sweet potato is fork-tender and the chili has thickened, approx. 25 minutes; add water if the chili becomes too thick. Check salt & pepper & adjust, if needed.
Pile on your favorite chili toppings and dig in!
Ingredients
olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced into approx. 1/2 in. pieces
1 TBSP tomato paste
1 tsp ground chipotle pepper
1 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
1 sweet potato, diced into approx. 1 in. chunks
1 cup crushed tomatoes (fire roasted, if possible)
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1 10oz, pouch Your Organics Ready-to-Eat Kidney Beans, drained & rinsed
2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Optional Toppings: fresh jalapeño slices, fresh cilantro, sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, minced red onion, corn chips, diced avocado
Rosemary, Thyme & Lemon Turkey Filets
Only about 15 min. from start to finish, this is a satisfying and delicious French-inspired dish with a classic combo of flavors. Roasted green beans make a perfect accompaniment!
Serves 4; 15 min. prep.
Ingredients
1 lb. Koch’s turkey filets, thinly sliced
Salt & Pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 tbsp butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 rosemary, sprigs fresh
3 thyme, sprigs fresh
2 Tbsps lemon juice
1 Tbsp capers (optional)
Instructions
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.
Season the turkey filets with salt and pepper on both sides. Once the pan is nice and hot, add the turkey and sear for about 1 minute on each side, then remove from skillet to a plate to keep warm. You might have to do this in batches if your skillet is not large enough to fit them all in at once.
Once all the turkey is cooked, pour in the white wine and use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all the browned bits. Once the liquid has reduced, lower the temperature to medium-low and add in the butter, stirring till the butter melts. Add in the chicken broth, rosemary and thyme and simmer for a couple minutes. Stir in the lemon juice.
Add the turkey breast cutlets back to the pan, including any juices that may have collected at the bottom of the plate. Coat the turkey with the sauce and let simmer a couple more minutes, until the turkey is heated through again. Check salt & pepper and adjust to taste. Top with capers, if using. Enjoy!
Turkey Cutlets with a Crispy Parmesan Crust
A crowd pleaser! Crispy breaded, tender turkey with notes of parmesan & lemon. Simple steamed peas make a nice side dish.
Serves 4; 25 min. prep
Instructions
Season fillets with salt and pepper.
Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl; in another bowl beat egg whites.
Dip turkey cutlets in egg whites, then breadcrumb mixture, shaking off excess.
Heat a large nonstick frying pan on medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil.
When butter and oil mixture is very hot (a breadcrumb dropped in the pan should sizzle), add the filets and cook about 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with lemon wedges.
Ingredients
1 pound of Koch’s Organic Turkey fillets (approx.4 fillets)
2 egg whites, beaten
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
kosher salt and fresh pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
lemon wedges for serving