Recipe: Turkey Chili & Arugula

Winter = slow cooker; at least for us. There is nothing better than loading up up the ceramic bowl with a variety of greens, protein, and vegetables, and letting the ‘kitchen servant’ work its magic while we perform ours in the nutrition world. Coming home to a cooked dinner is a relief and a joy – even better when shared with loved ones!

We are huge fans of cooking once and eating twice. You’ll notice that the caramelized parsnips and turkey, made in advance, provide the benefit of 1. using leftovers wisely and 2. making preparation so much easier.

Prep time: 15 minutes (we made the caramelized parsnips and turkey sausage patties earlier; otherwise this recipe extends to about 40 minutes)
Cook time: 6-8 hours in the slow cooker

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground turkey (or use 3 leftover turkey sausage patties from this recipe!)
1 lb parsnips, caramelized
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch dandelion greens, chopped
1 jar (25oz) tomato sauce
1 jar salsa
1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup arugula, rinsed

Instructions:
If you haven’t already caramelized the parsnips or made the turkey patties, start them. Once turkey is cooked, add to bottom of slow cooker, layer with chopped green bell pepper and red pepper flakes. Saute onion and set aside. Pour jar of tomato sauce and salsa on top of turkey mixture in slow cooker and greens. Then add caramelized parsnips and the sauteed onion. Set crockpot timer for 4-6 hours.
Serve turkey chili over fresh arugula. Enjoy!

Recipe: Caramelized Parsnips

A parsnip is a fantastic root vegetable which is rich in vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants and fiber.

Before sweetness in the form of sugarcane and beet were an option, Europeans used parsnips as a source of sugar. Next time the craving for a sweet arises, try some caramelized parsnips and find how sweet and grounding this root vegetable can be!

Ingredients
1 lb parsnips
2 tbsp coconut oil (or butter, if preferred)
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Peel parsnips and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Melt coconut oil in skillet then add parsnips and cinnamon. Cover with lid and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until they become more golden. Add water and cover. After water evaporates you’ll be left with tender and caramelized parsnips. Add salt and pepper to taste.