It’s that time of year! We’ve indulged through the holidays, our clothes are feeling a bit tighter, and it’s time to shed some POUNDS!
I’ve already been hitting the treadmill and weights and watching more carefully what I eat. What are you tips for purging those extra holiday pounds?
It can be discouraging to try to lose weight if you’re trying to tackle everything all at once. But tiny steps are doable for all of us and those tiny steps all add up to make a difference.
One super easy way to cut down on calories is to do the Turkey Swap. No it’s not a dance. That means that anything you normally make that uses ground beef or pork you can directly substitute ground turkey. It’s nutritious and a great source of lean protein.
I’m always for supporting local businesses and have teamed up with Foster Farms for this post. They just introduced their line of organic ground turkey this year, is based here in my home state of Washington. Their organic ground turkey is 100% natural with no added hormones, steroids, salt, chemicals, antibiotics, or artificial enhancers and their turkeys are raised free-range on organic land and are organic vegetarian fed.
Here’s a cool breakdown of how many calories and fat this will save you by doing the swaperoo just twice a week:
Below are just a few Daring Gourmet favorites that you can easily substitute with ground turkey for fewer calories.
Some of them are low-carb to begin with and others that you would normally eat with pasta or rice you can either eat whole grain versions (complex carbs) and just eat less of them per serving, or eat them with veggies instead.
Have you tried spiralizing your veggies? It’s super fun way to serve up vegetables in creative ways to swap out the carbs!
Mexican Meatballs with Roasted Garlic, Chipotle and Tomatillo Sauce
Curried Pumpkin Coconut Meatballs
And check out our latest recipe: Spicy Chipotle Chili with Hominy
Bon Appétit and Happy Slimming!
Thank you to Foster Farms for sponsoring this post! As always, all opinions are entirely my own.
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Stephanie says
Turkey is so tasty and what a difference it makes calorie wise! Love these recipe ideas, thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Stephanie, and it sure does!
Martha @ A Family Feast says
Wow – I’ve never seen the numbers side by side like this! Definitely eye-opening and I’m adding turkey to my next grocery list!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m planning on using it more too, Martha, simply because I love the flavor and it’s a nice change!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
I LOVE LOVE LOVE turkey! it’s actually my favorite meat. Love this!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I agree, Ashley, turkey has such a great flavor!
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says
That’s quite a round up of flavor! I like swapping turkey to save a few calories and change it up a bit.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It really does make for a nice change, Kirsten!
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
Turkey is such a great substitution! Love this post!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Lauren, I’ve always loved the flavor of turkey!
Chandra@The Plaid & Paisley Kitchen says
I love using ground turkey as a beef substitute. Your informational graphic really hits home just how bad beef can be for us! Thanks for sharing
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Chandra, my intention wasn’t to imply that beef is somehow bad. It’s not. Beef can be a very healthy part of our diet when eaten in moderation. I love beef but we do eat red meat far less than poultry and fish. My intention is simply to say that for the purpose of losing weight and adding a nice variety to our recipes, ground turkey is a great way to go.
Megan Keno says
I use ground turkey in most of my meals I prepare as a substitute also! I love this graphic explaining the differences though!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It’s a great graphic, Megan, glad you found it helpful!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Just bought some yesterday to use in a meatloaf – love this information!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Trish, I’d love to join you for dinner! :)
Andi @ The Weary Chef says
Thanks for sharing this! Very helpful and eye opening! I need to include turkey to my grocery list more often now!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
So do I, Andi!
Justine | Cooking and Beer says
I’m obsessed with that graphic! Thank you sharing this with us!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
So glad it was helpful, Justine, thanks!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
I actually love swapping out and using turkey in place of beef in some of our favorites. Oh my gosh and YES! I love spiralizing our veggies!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I agree, Angie, turkey has such a great flavor. I know, isn’t spiralizing fun??
Stephanie says
Such an easy swap to make meals healthier! Love this!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It really is super easy, Stephanie!
Kim Beaulieu says
We love swapping turkey into recipes to make them a bit healthier. It’s such a great idea and the flavour is fabulous. I love the Chili, it looks like a big bowl of comfort.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Kim, the chili was a huge hit in our home!
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist says
I am with you. I love beef, don’t get me wrong, but swapping out turkey more frequently is better all the way around.