I haven’t eaten red meat in almost 8 years. Not because of an animal rights stance or even because it’s generally unhealthy, mostly just because I never really cared for it. I do, however, often get cravings for meaty dishes like sloppy joes or burgers and since I always have my freezer stocked with lean ground turkey, I can whip together my favorites in no time. Ground turkey is a great substitute for beef in both flavor and nutritional value. Turkey is leaner than most ground beef and still tastes great (I have made numerous turkey recipes for meat-eating friends and received no complaints). Here are a few tips and ideas for working with ground turkey:

• Because turkey is lean, it can be dry. Try mixing up a homemade condiment for your turkey burgers or topping them with marinated and grilled onions.
• Turkey needs to be cooked thoroughly. Make sure your turkey is browned all the way through. No pink spots!
• In the grocery store you will find packages of lean ground turkey (usually 93% lean) and packages of ground turkey breast. Ground turkey breast is almost entirely fat-free and therefore very dry. It imparts a much richer turkey flavor, but can come out too dry. Try using a combo of both turkeys if you want an extra lean version. If you’re going to use turkey breast, be sure and add some kind of moisture. (One of my favorite uses of ground turkey breast is for turkey burgers stuffed with goat cheese, Japanese panko breadcrumbs and spinach. The goat cheese keeps the meat surprisingly moist.)

All this turkey talk making you hungry? Try a healthy recipe from FaveDiets like our unique spinach and cheese stuffed turkey meatloaf that is sure to please the whole family.