With spring sports starting back up, our weeknight family schedule is quickly getting out of hand. Yours, too? One of the hardest parts of that reality, for me, is that dinner becomes problematic. We don’t have the money or desire to eat out every night of the week, though that seems like the most obvious answer to a jam-packed schedule. I prefer homemade meals for two reasons: taste and quality. Still, I admit that I do find inspiration in perusing takeout menus. That is exactly the case with the Asian-Inspired Ground Turkey and Broccoli I’m sharing today. Chinese food fans might recognize certain characteristics of this meal. That’s because I developed it as a healthy beef and broccoli alternative. Don’t let the word ‘healthy’ scare you; this is a really yummy dinner.
When I can serve a dinner that is healthy, quick and delicious, I feel a little bit like I’m thumbing my nose at the calendar. I’m all like, take that, you big soccer practice bully. Indeed we will eat well tonight thank you very much. This meal can go from your fridge to the table in under thirty minutes. For real. See what I mean about thumbing your nose in the general direction of kid sports/music lessons/dance class? When you make this for dinner, you’re winning. On all counts.
My healthy beef and broccoli alternative starts with the subbing in of a more lean protein: ground turkey. I also lighten things up with carrots and lightly-toasted almond slices. My go-to sauce for this recipe imparts all the flavors you’d expect in an Asian-inspired meal, though mine is neither heavy or laden with excess salt.
The brown Basmati rice I used as the hearty base for this recipe is quick-cooking and steams or cooks while you prepare the remainder of the meal stove top. The veggies are steamed in the same skillet you use to brown the ground turkey so score you for not having to follow dinner with a huge pile of dishes!
I hope you’ll enjoy this lightened up healthy beef and broccoli alternative. It’s a family favorite stir fry in our house and I hope your family will enjoy it, too!
ASIAN-INSPIRED GROUND TURKEY + BROCCOLI
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups brown Basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 lbs. ground turkey dark meat (not breast)
- 3 carrots, cut on the diagonal
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 small broccoli crowns, chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup toasted almond slices
Instructions
- Cook the brown Basmati rice according to package directions.
- While the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add ground turkey, breaking it up and stirring to cook until it is no longer pink and cooked completely through. Drain any excess fat.
- Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat. Add carrots to the ground turkey and stir occasionally, cooking for five minutes until carrots are slightly tender.
- Meanwhile, combine cornstarch, brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar and chicken stock in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Clear space in the center of the skillet, pushing the turkey and carrots towards the outer edge of the pan. Add ground ginger and garlic to the center of the skillet and cook for one minute, or just until fragrant.
- Gently pour the soy sauce mixture into the skillet and stir well to combine.
- Add the chopped broccoli and 1/4 cup water to the skillet. Immediately cover and allow the broccoli to steam for about five minutes, or until it is bite-tender.
- Serve the turkey broccoli mixture over the Basmati rice and sprinkle toasted almond slices on top. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 430Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 559mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 33g
You might also enjoy:
Sausage Pepper and Pierogi Skillet
Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli Quinoa
This is one of those meals that surprises you. I thought I’d give it a try because I had everything on hand. I expected it to be okay, but it was really, really good. Thanks for sharing it!