Spicy Turkey and Veggie Rice Bowl

spice 2

By: Nazima Qureshi, RD, MPH

As the days get colder, you may be looking for easy meals that are warm and comforting. Comforting foods don’t always have to be unhealthy for you! In fact, you can make winter-friendly comforting foods that are also nutritious.

This Spicy Turkey and Veggie Rice Bowl is not only comforting but also family-friendly and nutritious. Turkey is a great addition as it is packed with a high-quality protein to help build and maintain your muscles. It is also packed with nutrients such as iron, zinc, and B vitamins.

The addition of roasted veggies seasoned with South Asian flavours makes it appealing to family members looking for a traditional taste. Instead of depending on carbs like white rice and potatoes, incorporating roasted veggies is a great way to get a variety of nutrients and feel energized rather than sluggish after a meal.

These months are also commonly known as cold and flu season, so it is even more important to incorporate healthy and immune-boosting foods. High protein foods like turkey and a variety of veggies is the perfect way to do so. Turkey plays well with other flavours.  It’s hearty taste and texture marry well with bold profiles, making it a perfect partner for spices and rubs.  

You can make recipes like this one your own by using your family’s favourite flavours/masalas and change up your everyday cooking using rubs, marinades and sauces.  

Tips:

This Spicy Turkey and Veggie Rice Bowl is also a great make-ahead meal, meaning not only can you prep this and save time but you can also pack this for lunch or even have it for dinner.
You can always swap the rice base for salad greens or a tortilla wrap for lunch time. To make it kid-friendly, allow your kids to make their own bowls and choose which veggies they want to add to the turkey and rice.  You can find more great recipes like the one below at https://www.canadianturkey.ca/recipe-category/featured-recipes/!

 

Spicy Turkey and Veggie Rice Bowl

Makes: 4-6 servings

For the Turkey:

2 lb turkey breast, cut into cubes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
Lemon juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp salt
Fresh cilantro for garnish

For the veggies:

1 eggplant, chopped
½ head cauliflower, chopped
1 head broccoli, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp dried parsley

To assemble rice bowl:

1 cup cooked basmati rice per bowl (total 4-6 cups of rice)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350oF. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together garam masala, salt, red chili powder, and dried parsley.
2. Sprinkle spice mix and drizzle olive oil over veggies and mix with hand. You can keep veggies separate or bake them together. I like to keep them separate so family members can choose their favourite veggies.
3. Spread veggies in an even layer on two baking sheets. Bake for 40 minutes, until browned.
4. In the meantime, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion, spices, lemon juice,  and chopped turkey breast. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until turkey is fully cooked through and browned. Garnish with cilantro.
5. When ready to assemble rice bowl, in a bowl add 1 cup cooked rice, ½ cup turkey, and 1 cup of veggies.
Watch more tips here

This post is sponsored by CanadianTurkey.


©masalamommas and masalamommas.com, 2016-2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to masalamommas.com and Masalamommas online magazine with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

(Visited 219 times, 1 visits today)



There are no comments

Add yours

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.