Welcome to another monthly post from YBC's food writer Allison of Seek Satiation. She's a dear friend of mine who is super passionate about delicious food, and I'm psyched for you to check out this recipe! Show her some love here in the comments and be sure to follow her on instagram! -xo Candace
At the risk of coming across as some stereotypical Millennial recipe developer, I'll proudly state my love of THE BOWL. Whether it's full of grains, vegetables, fruits, meats, or smoothie ingredients, throwing everything into a bowl and letting my fork or spoon navigate around it provides me with a much more pleasurable eating experience. Plates? Eh. So plain. So...flat. Pass me that bowl!
This particular bowl has a nice holiday feel to it, melding that quintessential Thanksgiving vibe with the wonderful vegetables that are so abundant during the autumn. Even past Thanksgiving, this is a recipe that will keep you satisfied for these next few chilly months. Admittedly, I'm not the hugest turkey fan; when it comes to poultry, pass me the chicken. Still, I've been experimenting with ground turkey as of late, and I've been digging' it! It absorbs additional flavors and seasonings very well. In addition, it's extremely lean; while I admittedly love nice fatty ground pork in some of my meals, my arteries always thank me for bypassing that.
Delicata Squash; how gorgeous is this?
Delicata is an amazing squash. Dare I say it's my favorite squash? I just may say it! It roasts wonderfully, has a fantastic natural sweetness, and you can eat its skin, which pops and crackles a bit when you bite into it.
As with any recipe, this is easily customizable. Is turkey not your thing? Is your diet strictly plant-based? No problem! Substitute in another protein or vegetable! Can't find delicata squash? Substitute in another more readily-available squash. Quinoa hater? Go for rice or another grain of choice. Make this bowl yours!
Turkey, Kale, & Delicata Squash Bowl, in all of its glory.
Whether you make this recipe as is or customize it to your preferences, follow along, and soon, you'll stomach will be quite thankful you made it.
Turkey, Kale, & Delicata Squash Bowl
(Makes 2 servings)
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces ground turkey (I recommend 93% lean meat)
- 2 cups of quinoa, cooked (You can substitute preferred grain of choice)
- 4 large kale leaves, washed, de-ribbed, and roughly torn
- 1 small delicata squash, sliced to 1/4" - 1/2" thick rounds, seeds removed
- 1 small yellow or white onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt, to taste
Notes:
- Feel free to roast the delicata squash seeds if you don't want them to go to waste! However, I learned through trial and error that these babies will roast fast! Roast them along with the squash, if you please, but for no more than five minutes!
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large rimmed baking pan or line with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, slice the delicata squash into rounds, removing the seeds when done. Place on baking pan and drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil. Add salt to taste. Roast for 10 minutes, flip slices, and roast for 10 - 15 more minutes. (Keep an eye on the slices, as they can roast quickly! They should have brown spots, but should not be burned.) Remove from oven to slightly cool.
2.) If you do not have pre-cooked quinoa (or grain of choice), this is the time to make it! Cook according to the directions on its packaging, then set aside. Note: One cup of quinoa cooked in two cups of liquid will yield at least two cups of quinoa.
3.) While roasting the squash, place a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and onions and cook for two to three minutes before adding garlic powder, oregano, and salt to taste; add a small bit of oil to pan if turkey starts to stick. Continue to cook until meat is thoroughly browned and cooked through.
4.) Remove turkey from pan and place in a separate bowl. Drain excess fat and return pan to stove. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and turn heat to medium. Add kale and cook for 3 - 4 minutes or until kale has wilted and reduced in size.
5.) To assemble bowl, add cooked quinoa to bowl, topped with turkey, kale, and squash. Add any additional seasonings to taste.