Grocery shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging. I’ve been doing my best to follow the CDC’s guidelines for minimizing travel by shopping for my family of four plus my mother as infrequently as possible. With two young kids at home who like what they like, it has been a challenge to make meals everyone will eat while being flexible with whatever is available on the shelves. My last trip to the store ended with 5 pounds of ground turkey in my cart. Here’s how I went with the flow and turned it all into 5 different meals:

Note: Turkey is cooked through when no visible pink remains and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 

1. Low carb turkey meatballs

Great in the slow cooker!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• ¼ cup almond flour
• 1 egg 
• ⅛ cup grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
• Fresh or dried Italian herbs
• 1 clove finely chopped garlic or garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil if using ground turkey breast

(I prefer to cook with dark meat as it stays moist during cooking and has more flavor.)

Instructions:

Mix ingredients together until just combined, don’t overmix. Form into about 12 meatballs of equal size. If cooking right away, place in a slow cooker on low for 4-5 hours with 1 jar of low sugar marinara sauce. Serve with zoodles or spaghetti squash for a complete, low carb meal. To save for later, freeze in a single layer in an airtight container lined with a sheet of wax or parchment paper.

2. Turkey taco meat

This is a family favorite and on constant rotation in my house.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• Taco seasoning (homemade or store bought)
• ½ cup water
• 2-3 tablespoons salsa

Instructions:

Brown your turkey meat in a skillet with a little olive oil. When almost cooked through, add taco seasoning and stir to combine. I like to add a few tablespoons of salsa to the meat and then ½ cup water per every pound of meat. Simmer over low heat until most of the water is absorbed. Serve as traditional tacos or over salad with your favorite toppings. 

3. BBQ Turkey Burgers 

Another great option to cook or freeze, these turkey burgers are one of my daughter’s favorites. 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of turkey with 
• Salt + pepper, to taste 
• Dried herbs like oregano and basil
• 2 tablespoons of low sugar bbq sauce. 

Instructions:

Form into 4 equal sized patties and grill or freeze. These can be topped with cheese and served in a lettuce wrap or deli flat to keep it lower carb. 

4. Turkey Bacon Turkey Meatloaf 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• ¼ cup almond flour
• 1 egg 
• 1-2 tsp worcestershire sauce, bbq sauce or ketchup
• Fresh or dried Italian herbs
• 1 clove finely chopped garlic or garlic powder
• Onion powder
• 1-2 tsp low sugar Ketchup
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Turkey bacon

Instructions:

Mix ingredients together and form into a loaf-like shape. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover the meatloaf with a thin layer of ketchup or bbq sauce, then strips of turkey bacon. (Regular bacon works, too.) Cook at 350 degrees for about 50-55 minutes until bacon is cooked through and internal temp reaches 165 degrees.

5. Low-Carb Turkey Shepherd’s Pie 

You can follow any recipe for shepherd’s pie that looks good, subbing ground turkey for beef which is more traditional. To keep this low carb, I use mashed frozen cauliflower from Trader Joe’s which I thaw and spread over the top in place of mashed potatoes. You won’t even taste the difference and it’s a complete meal all in one dish. 

For another great way to use ground turkey, try Karen’s turkey veggie skillet recipe.