What a flashback! Right when I started this blog, I picked a healthy recipe off of Pinterest and gave it a try. I consider this to be the first delicious meal I ever made. Yes, I forgot an important ingredient, but I cooked this all on my own. My first triumph: this Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet.
I forgot to buy peppers at the grocery store. I scrambled to defrost the meat. I remember struggling to chop vegetables. My very first attempt was a complete mess, disorganized from the start. Remaking this dish really gave me the chance to measure my progress.
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lbs. extra lean ground turkey
- 1 tsp garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup onions, diced
- 1/2 cup yellow pepper, diced
- 1 1/2 cups sweet potato, diced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- a pinch of red chili flakes (I left this out because I’m a wimp)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- parsley for garnish
Something to note about the ingredients. Be sure to defrost your meat before you get started. If it’s been in the freezer for a while, place the whole package in a bowl or bag and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. It should be thawed by dinner time.
Instructions:
1) In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
2) Add the ground turkey and garlic. Use a spatula to break up the turkey while it cooks. Stir occasionally, cooking for about 5 minutes.
3) Add the onions and yellow peppers. Cook until the onions are soft.
Both vegetables will look translucent (see-through) as they soften.
4) Add the sweet potato, chili pepper, salt, and pepper.
5) Cover the skillet and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
At this point I drained much of the fat off. I used more meat than the recipe required, so there was quite a bit of leftover fat. I didn’t drain it before hand to let the fat flavor the dish as it cooked.
Here the recipe offers 2 options. Either:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the cheese to the skillet and place the pan in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese. OR
Add the cheese to the hot skillet. Place the lid back on the pan for 5 minutes.
Personally, I am terrified of the broiler so I sprinkled cheese on top and covered the pan.
I was actually disappointed by this. The food was plain despite multiple attempts to season. I think it would have packed a better punch if I hadn’t accidentally minced my onions. I still love the sweet potatoes, but the turkey seemed like it would be better if it had been marinaded prior to being cooked, or if it was served with a sauce. Still, this is a healthier dish and, provided there isn’t extra salt in your turkey, a low sodium option as well.