Ingredients
1 lb. extra lean ground turkey
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion
1 large bell pepper (red or orange)
2 stalks celery, sliced or diced
2 carrots, chopped
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomato
2 teaspoons Italian herbs
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 lb. pasta, rotini or elbow
2 to 6 cups water, as needed
Directions
Brown first four ingredients in a large stockpot. Drain excess fat and add remaining ingredients except pasta and water. Cook on medium heat until vegetables are tender. Add pasta and water until desired consistency is reached. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed.
Simple & Healthy Recipe Substitutions
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Choose turkey with the lowest percentage of fat available. (Don’t assume “lean” means low in fat.) Fat savings: 10 g per 3 ounces of turkey using 99 percent fat-free white meat.
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Rinse canned beans in water (soaking helps pack in the nutritional content and reduces the salt content) or use low-sodium kidney beans to reduce sodium intake by 120 mg or more.
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Instead of regular pasta, choose a wholegrain or multi-grain pasta to increase your fiber intake.
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Use only 2 cups of water to make a casserole instead of a soup.
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Add a cruciferous vegetable like frozen broccoli. Crucifers reduce cancer risk.
Nutrition Facts
Yield: 12 servings
Per serving: 195 Calories (35 Calories from Fat), 3 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 20 mg Cholesterol, 334 mg Sodium, 30 g Total Carbohydrates, 8 g Dietary Fiber, 11 g Protein