The best part? All of the components can be made ahead of time and warmed up right before serving! You could even package them up like meal prep situation for a week of delicious lunches.

Despite what the recipe title says, you can make these as spicy or as mild as you prefer. You can also swap out the cucumber salad for some roasted vegetables if you like.

Turkey Rice Bowl Ingredients

• One Batch Coconut Rice or steamed jasmine rice
• English cucumbers
• Red onion
• Rice vinegar
• Granulated sugar or your choice of sweetener
• Salt
• Chili crunch or sambal oelek
• Coconut oil
• Shallots
• Ground turkey or chicken
• Garlic cloves
• Soy sauce or tamari
• Sesame oil
• Sesame seeds
• Garnishes: roasted peanuts, additional spicy condiment of choice, thinly sliced green onions, and/or chopped fresh cilantro

How to make ground turkey bowls

Step 1: Make the Spicy Ground Turkey

I used the same technique of crisping up the ground turkey in a little extra olive oil or avocado to create those crusty edges and deeper flavors. Use whatever kind of skillet you prefer.

For this particular recipe, I used lots of garlic, sesame oil & seeds, and soy sauce/tamari.

Spicy Condiment Options

You can adjust the spice level to be as spicy or as mild as you like and use whatever spicy condiment you prefer!

I love chili crunch, which is a mixture of dried onion, dried garlic, and chili flakes mixed with oil. Trader Joe's has a great version, but you can also find it online.

I recommend a neutral or an Asian-style spicy condiment (I wouldn't use a Mexican hot sauce). You can also use any of these to add heat to your ground meat:

• crushed red pepper flakes
• cayenne pepper
• sambal oelek (a chili-based condiment found in the Asian aisle of the grocery store)
• sriracha

Step 2: Make Marinated Cucumbers

These are similar to my Simple Marinated Cucumbers. If you haven't had those, they're delicious and super versatile. They're probably the most often made veggie side dish we have around here.

For these bowls I wanted to give these cucumbers a little more spunk. I diced them instead of slicing them thinly, added some thinly sliced red onion, and some heat to the vinegar dressing.

Which ever spicy condiment you added to the turkey works for these too!

Step 3: How to Assemble the Turkey Rice Bowl

When your coconut rice is finished, spoon some into a bowl, add some of that tasty ground turkey, a big heap of marinated cucumbers, and whatever other garnishes you like!

Garnish ideas:

• Roasted Peanuts (Trader Joe's has some Chili Onion Peanuts that are super good!)
• More spicy condiment (mmm. yes.)
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Sliced green onions

Ingredient substitutions

WHITE RICE: Make coconut brown rice instead (and add more water/coconut milk to make the ratio appropriate for brown rice). If you're avoiding rice completely, try making quinoa. Or Roasted Cauliflower Rice.

SOY SAUCE: Try using tamari -- it's a wheat-free fermented version of soy sauce that's super delicious. If you're avoiding all soy products completely, I'd recommend using coconut aminos.

CUCUMBERS: Not a cucumber fan? Add some quick-cooking vegetables to the turkey during the last 5 minutes of cooking to make a stir fry. Ground turkey stir fry would be good with green beans, small broccoli florets, trimmed asparagus, or thinly sliced zucchini or summer squash.

Ground Turkey Bowl Recipe Tips

• Get the coconut rice started first, followed by the marinated cucumbers. That way your rice will finished and your cucumbers will be flavorful when your turkey is finished.
• Cook your turkey longer than you think you need to. Get it really toasty and brown -- the crispier the better!
• When adding your spicy condiment, start slow and taste as you go along. You can always add more, but if there's too much in there….
• Use the turkey meat in lettuce wraps if you don't want to make bowls! Or serve it with some Asian-style salad or slaw.
• This is a great option for meal prep! Divide the rice and seasoned ground turkey and condiments in small microwave-safe containers. Store the cucumbers separately (it will keep for up to a week!) and add them to the bowl after you've reheated the rest.

More Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes:

If you like this recipe, try one of my other recipes featuring ground turkey!

Mediterranean Ground Turkey Bowls
Green Chile Turkey Burgers with Guac-Ranch
Moroccan Paleo Turkey Chili
Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Italian Paleo Stuffed Zucchini with Turkey Sausage

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Spicy Ground Turkey and Rice

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

These Asian-inspired spicy ground turkey bowls come together quickly and are a tasty weeknight dinner served alongside dreamy coconut rice and some marinated cucumbers. Don't stress -- it can be as spicy or mild as you prefer.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 Batch of Coconut Rice

For the Cucumbers

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 ½ English Cucumbers, diced
• ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup rice vinegar
• 1 Tablespoons sweetener
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 1-3 teaspoons chili crunch or sambal oelek, to taste

For the Turkey Bowls

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ pounds ground turkey or chicken
• 3 garlic cloves, Microplaned or grated
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 3 Tablespoons sesame oil
• 1-3 Tablespoons chili crunch or sambal oelek, to taste
• sesame seeds
• Garnishes: roasted peanuts, additional spicy condiment of choice, thinly sliced green onions, and/or chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Get your coconut rice started.
2. Make the marinated cucumbers by putting the cucumbers and sliced red onions in a medium sized bowl. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the ingredients for the dressing (rice vinegar, sweetener, salt, spicy condiment) and add ⅓ cup of water. Pour over the cucumbers and onion and toss well. Set aside while you prep the turkey.
3. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes until they're soft.
4. Add the ground turkey, turn up the heat to high, and cook, stirring often, until the turkey is cooked through and starting to form golden brown bits. Reduce the heat if it starts to scorch. Usually it won't since the turkey releases quite a bit of liquid.
5. Add the garlic, soy sauce/tamari, sesame oil, and chili crunch (or whatever spicy condiment you like). Continue to cook, stirring often, until the turkey is mostly covered in deep golden brown spots and has lots of crispy edges. There shouldn't be much, if any liquid in the pan either.
6. Remove from heat and assemble bowls by adding some coconut rice to each bowl along with as much spicy ground turkey and marinated cucumbers as you like. Top with your choice of garnishes.

Notes

1. I like to use coconut sugar when I make marinated cucumbers, but you can use any granulated sweetener you like. If you use a liquid sweetener it doesn't always distribute evenly in the dressing unless you pop in in the microwave and warm it up.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Maker, and Warmer, 6 Quart
• 
  Microplane 45000 Gourmet Series Coarse Cheese Grater, 18/8, Silver

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 651Total Fat 46gSaturated Fat 16gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 24gCholesterol 151mgSodium 1535mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 3gSugar 9gProtein 41g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Ground Turkey Bowls with Coconut Rice appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Did you know it’s possible to make an amazing (and easy!) beet soup without turning your kitchen into a murder scene? Keep all of that gorgeous fuchsia color contained by using a slow cooker or an Instant Pot.

My recipe pairs sweet beets with tart citrus and a cool & crisp apple slaw for a unique flavor combination! The soup is great on its own as a light meal or in along with a salad.

Why you will love this recipe for Beet Soup

Have I ever told you that my favorite color is beet? I love the deep, purple-y fuchsia of a freshly cut beet and the way they turn everything bright pink.

I have mixed feelings about beets, despite adoring their color. I only a have a handful of beet recipes on my site (linked below!) because deep down I think they taste a little like dirt.

Despite (because of?) their "earthy" flavor, (Which, if we're being honest, is a euphemism for "tastes like dirt") I do think they're delicious under certain circumstances.

Like this beautiful pureed soup!

This recipe is one from my Crock Pot cookbook (The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking) which is in the process of being out of print. (sob)

I didn't want it to be gone forever so I wrote up some adaptations for Instant Pot and stovetop and gave it a home here on my site.

Instant Pot Beet Soup Ingredients

This soup is a fun mixture of root vegetables, fruity orange and apple flavor, and a licorice bite from fennel.

(PS. I don't really like fennel normally, but it's REALLY good in this soup. Trust me.)

(P.P.S. And no, I don't make a habit of creating recipes with foods I don't like.)

This pureed beet soup is also paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free! Also meatless and if you use vegetable stock it's even vegan. For this Beet Puree Soup you will need:

• Beets
• Fennel bulbs
• Shallots
• Carrots
• Dried tarragon
• Apple juice
• Red wine vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• Chicken stock
• Sea salt
• Oranges
• Full-fat coconut milk
• Apple
• Lemon

Beet Soup Recipe Steps

1. Place the beets, half the fennel bulb, shallots, carrots, tarragon, apple juice, vinegar, mustard, stock, sea salt and zest and juice from one of the oranges into your instant pot.
2. Put the lid on your cooker and set it to high pressure for 10 minutes. Let it release steam naturally for at least 5 minutes before releasing pressure manually.
3. Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender. Stir in the coconut milk.

Apple and fennel slaw:

1. Thinly slice the apple and the other half of the funnel bulb.
2. Place the apple, fennel, orange juice, lemon juice, and a generous pinch of salt in the bowl. Toss to coat.Serve soup with a couple forkfuls of slaw in each bowl.
   Enjoy the soup with a couple forkfuls of slaw in each bowl!

Instant Pot Beet Soup Tips

• If you can’t get the soup smooth enough with an immersion blender, blend in batches using a countertop blender.
• Use all purple beets if you want to create that beautiful fuchsia color. If you use a mix of purple and golden beets the color might look a little muddy, but it would still taste great.
• Make sure you don’t flip the steam release button as soon as the pressure cycle is over. You might end up with scalding soup sputtering out of the valve. Wait at least 5 minutes.
• If you aren’t avoiding dairy, replacing the coconut milk with heavy cream is a delicious option.

Storing this recipe for Beet Soup

Store your beet soup for up to 5 days in the fridge in an aitight container.

You can also freeze your soup! Just let the soup cool to room temperature, then transfer it to a freezer safe container. I like to use these freezer-safe deli containers for soups.

To reheat your soup, place it on the stovetop for 5-10 minutes or until it’s heated throughout.

More Healthy Beet Recipes on Perry's Plate

The Best Borscht Recipe -- it really is. It's the recipe that helped me give beets a chance. I even made it for a native Russian and he said it was better than his mother's.

Sauteed Beets with Balsamic Orange Glaze is a bomb Thanksgiving side. Or any time of the year side.

Superfood Beet Brownie Bowl is a tasty breakfast or healthier option for a dessert! Turns out beets make great brownies. I love these beet brownies over some chia pudding topped with berries, nuts, and chocolate.

Candy-Striped Beet & Carrot Slaw makes a nice, cool side dish alongside just about any beef or chicken dish. If you can find candy-striped beets, you'll love their pink and white striped insides!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Beet Puree Soup FAQs

Recipe for Beet Soup

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Beet soup is such an impressive looking soup with its vibrant color! It's so easy, though -- just toss everything into your Instant Pot and blend it up when it's all cooked! The apple-fennel slaw is the perfect topping, too.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 fennel bulbs
• 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 2 cups unsweetened apple juice
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 cups chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 medium oranges
• 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 large apple
• 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Place beets into the insert pot of your Instant Pot.
2. Trim the long stems off of the fennel bulbs and set them aside. Cut the bulbs in half, and slice thinly. Place half of the slices into the Instant Pot. Place the other half in a medium bowl and set it aside.
3. Place the shallots, carrots, tarragon, apple juice, vinegar, mustard, stock, and sea salt into the cooker. Add the zest and juice from one of the oranges to the cooker as well.
4. Put the lid on your cooker and set it to high pressure for 10 minutes. Let it release steam naturally for at least 5 minutes before releasing pressure manually.
5. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Stir in the coconut milk. Taste, and add more salt, if necessary. Cover and let it stay warm while you get the slaw ready.
6. Slice the apple thinly (peeling not necessary) and add it to the bowl with the reserved sliced fennel. Add ½ of the juice from the other orange, ½ of the juice from the lemon, and a generous pinch of salt to the bowl. Toss to coat.
7. Serve soup with a couple forkfuls of slaw in each bowl.
   

Notes

Slow Cooker instructions: Follow the recipe the same way, but increase the chicken stock to 4 cups. Add the ingredients to a 4 or 6 quart slow cooker. Cook for 6-7 hours on low (or 4-5 hours on high). Blend and stir in coconut milk as directed.

Stovetop instructions: Bring all of the soup ingredients (except coconut milk) to a boil in a large soup pot and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the beets are cooked through and soft. Blend, add the coconut milk, then serve with slaw.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Maker, and Warmer, 6 Quart
• 
  Microplane 45000 Gourmet Series Coarse Cheese Grater, 18/8, Silver

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 266Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 3mgSodium 415mgCarbohydrates 37gFiber 6gSugar 25gProtein 7g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Beet Puree Soup with Fennel & Citrus (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker) appeared first on Perry's Plate.

I engineered the timing so the rice has time to absorb all the savory juices without turning mushy. You’re welcome.

Serve it hot right from the skillet and you’ll love the fact that you don’t have a mountain of dishes waiting.

Skillet Chicken and Rice Ingredients

Another reason why I love this hearty meal is because it doesn't have cream of mushroom soup. Nothing against canned soups -- I just prefer using more whole, unprocessed ingredients. All you need for this rice recipe are a few easy-to-find ingredients:

• Chicken
• Mushrooms
• Shallots
• Worcestershire
• thyme
• uncooked rice (I like long-grain white rice for this -- more on that later)
• chicken broth or chicken stock

Just make sure you have a large skillet that has a lid.

The recipe is pretty straightforward, but I'm anticipating some questions on this so I'll answer them here as well as give you a few tips I wanted to share.

What kind of mushrooms are best for this recipe?

Whichever ones you like! White or brown button mushrooms, cremini, portabellos, or shiitake mushrooms would work beautifully.

How to Make Chicken and Rice Skillet

1. Sprinkle the chicken with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper and squeeze the juice from half the lemon over the top. Let it sit while you prepare the pan.
2. Put the avocado oil in a large, deep skillet (that has a lid that fits) and heat it to high heat.
3. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken breasts for 1-2 minutes on each side until they are slightly browned, but not cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a large plate.
4. Add the mushrooms and shallots to the pan with a little more oil if the pan is dry. Saute them for about 10 minutes until they soften and cook down a little.
5. Stir in the worcestershire, thyme, salt, and rice. Cook and stir often for another 5 minutes until the rice is slightly toasted.
6. Add the chicken to the pan and pour in the chicken broth. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet and let it cook for 15 minutes.
7. When it's finished cooking there should be no more liquid in the bottom of the skillet, the rice should be tender, and the chicken should be cooked through. Squeeze the remaining half lemon over the whole dish.
8. Serve the chicken and mushroom rice with a dusting of grated parmesan if you like.

Chicken Mushroom Skillet Substitutions

Can I use skin-on, bone-in chicken?

Sure! Just make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly. The chicken skin won't be crispy -- in case you like that sort of thing. That type of chicken is more forgiving than boneless skinless chicken breasts, so you might like them better, actually.

Can I use olive oil?

If you like using olive oil to saute, make sure you're using light olive oil and not extra-virgin olive oil. The heat will cause the extra-virgin oil to oxidize (not a good thing). I prefer using avocado oil or coconut oil for medium-high heat cooking.

Can I use brown rice or wild rice?

Brown rice and wild rice take significantly longer to cook which would dry out the chicken. You could try to cook the rice halfway, remove the chicken from the pan, and continue to cook the rice until it's done.

I like to use jasmine rice.

What can I use instead of mushrooms?

Ah, you're a mushroom hater. I see you. Honestly, I'm not sure if there's a good substitute. You can leave them out if you like and make a separate veggie side.

How to Make Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet

Those canned soups do make things nice and creamy, don't they? If you're wanting a more creamy chicken dish, stir in a dollop of sour cream or drizzle some heavy cream in at the end. I think I'll do that next time because it sounds so delicious.

If you have any other questions, leave a comment on this post!

If you like this hearty comfort food recipe, here are a few other one pot meals you might like

More like this Chicken Rice Skillet Recipe

Easy Cajun Sausage & Rice Skillet is a family favorite! Andouille sausage is the star here and flavors all of the rice and veggies!

Paleo Thai Vegetable & Shrimp Skillet is a grain-free meal that's light, yet filling.

Egg Roll in a Bowl with Sriracha Mayo is another family favorite -- serve it alone or throw some rice in your Instant Pot. (Does that mean it's not a one-pot meal? Ha)

Thai Green Curry Zoodes with Shrimp and Broccoli is a copycat version of an old recipe from Noodles & Co. Another great paleo-friendly meal for summer that's nice and light

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Chicken Mushroom Rice Recipe FAQs

Chicken and Rice Skillet

Yield: Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

This one-skillet meal has everything you need -- tender chicken, sauteed mushrooms, and flavorful rice pilaf. And only one pan to wash!

Print

Ingredients

• 4 large chicken breasts
• 1 lemon
• 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms, any kind
• 1 large shallot, sliced thinly
• 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white rice
• 2 ¼ cups chicken broth
• Grated Parmesan, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Sprinkle the chicken with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper and squeeze the juice from half the lemon over the top. Let it sit while you prepare the pan.
2. Put the avocado oil in a large, deep skillet (that has a lid that fits) and heat it to high heat.
3. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken breasts for 1-2 minutes on each side until they are slightly browned, but not cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a large plate.
4. Add the mushrooms and shallots to the pan with a little more oil if the pan is dry. Saute them for about 10 minutes until they soften and cook down a little.
5. Stir in the worcestershire, thyme, salt, and rice. Cook and stir often for another 5 minutes until the rice is slightly toasted.
6. Add the chicken to the pan and pour in the chicken broth. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet and let it cook for 15 minutes.
7. When it's finished cooking there should be no more liquid in the bottom of the skillet, the rice should be tender, and the chicken should be cooked through. Squeeze the remaining half lemon over the whole dish.
8. Serve the chicken and mushroom rice with a dusting of grated parmesan if you like.

Notes

You can substitute ¼ cup finely chopped onion for the shallot if you like.

The post Chicken Mushroom Rice Skillet appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Beet recipes aren't something you see often around here. I've grown to like beets more in the past few years -- it was just a matter of finding the right way to cook them!

I linked to other beet recipes on my site at the end of this post, but I wanted to talk about these sauteed beets for a minute.

This beet recipe is a perfect Thanksgiving side dish and here's why:

(Yes, I made a list. lol)

• You don't need your oven. It's all done on the stovetop, and it's and easy dump and forget situation.
• The sweetness counters a lot of the salty dishes that are typically served at Thanksgiving.
• These beets are delicious warm, room temperature, or even chilled right out of the fridge. That's the beauty of beets -- they're not high maintenance. You can make these ahead of time!
• They're dairy free! In case you need a vegetable side for a dairy-free guest.

The downside of making beets is that it takes FOREVER for beets to cook. WHY IS THAT?

Luckily, all you do is toss everything into a skillet, cover, and forget about it for 30-40 minutes while you work on other things.

And like I said -- they're great at any temperature so you can make them ahead of time.

My favorite part about these beets is the balsamic-orange sauce they're cooked in. Beets + orange + balsamic is a perfect combo. If you don't like beets, you might like these.

What you'll need for cooking fresh beets on the stove

• Butter or avocado oil
• Shallot
• Beets
• Navel oranges
• Fresh Garlic
• Balsamic vinegar
• Coconut sugar - You could use another type of sweetener here, if you like. Brown sugar, honey, or maple would also work well.
• Fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
• Sea salt

How to cook fresh beets on the stove

1. Heat the butter/oil in a large lidded skillet to medium high heat. Add the sliced shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the beets, the zest from ½ of an orange, the juice from both oranges, and the remaining ingredients.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes until the beets are about fork tender.
4. Remove the lid from the pan and cook for another 10-12 minutes until most of the liquid has cooked off and there's a thick, syrupy sauce in the bottom of the pan that coats the beets.
5. Taste, and add more salt if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature. Or even chilled right out of the fridge.

What to serve with Sauteed Beets

Grilled Balsamic Chicken

How to Smoke Chicken Breast (Easy!)

Baked Honey Mustard Salmon

Quinoa Bowl with Garlic Roasted Chickpeas

Rosemary Lamb Chops

If you like these sauteed beets, try these other beet recipes on my site!

More Beet Recipes on Perry's Plate

Russian Palace's Borscht -- Hands down, my favorite recipe using beets. It's also our family's favorite soup. I make a double batch every time I make it. (Yeah, that's a lot of soup, but none of it goes to waste!)

Superfood Beet Brownie Bowls -- I love it when breakfast and dessert overlap! These tasty beet brownies are served in a bowl of chia pudding with fresh berries and nuts making it chock full of superfoods.

Candy Striped Beet & Carrot Slaw -- Have you ever tried candy-striped beets? They might be hard to find but they're super delicious and adorable with their striped interior! This slaw recipe is sweet and citrusy and fresh for summer. You can use regular or golden beets instead of candy striped if you can't find them.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Sauteed Beets with Balsamic Orange Glaze

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

I love easy vegetable side dishes where you toss everything into a pan and forget about it for a while. That's the case with this beet recipe! They're cooked in a sweet balsamic orange glaze that's rich and delicious.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons butter or avocado oil
• 1 large shallot, sliced thinly
• 2 ½ - 3 pounds beets (about 5 large), peeled and cubed
• 2 large navel oranges
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Heat the butter/oil in a large lidded skillet to medium high heat. Add the sliced shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes until it begins to soften.
2. Add the beets, the zest from ½ of an orange, the juice from both oranges, and the remaining ingredients.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes until the beets are about fork tender, but not quite soft enough to eat.
4. Remove the lid from the pan and cook for another 10-12 minutes until most of the liquid has cooked off and there's a thick, syrupy sauce in the bottom of the pan that coats the beets.
5. Taste, and add more salt if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature. Or even chilled right out of the fridge.

Notes

1. Feel free to swap out the shallot for ¼ of a small onion or about ½ cup of thinly sliced onion.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Microplane 45000 Gourmet Series Coarse Cheese Grater, 18/8, Silver

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 242Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 10mgSodium 390mgCarbohydrates 44gFiber 6gSugar 35gProtein 5g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Sauteed Beets with Balsamic Orange Glaze appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Being in charge of the Thanksgiving turkey is a lot of pressure! Let me help! I’ve spent the last 15 years failing in every way possible (even dropping the turkey on the floor – no joke) and I’ve figured out 4 fool-proof tips to make a juicy, flavorful, crowd-pleasing turkey. Just a heads up — you might be in charge of the turkey forever after this.

What is Dry Brine?

Dry brining is like wet brining without the water. It's more like a seasoning rub that you leave on the bird for a few days before cooking -- at least 3 days and up to 4-5 days.

I used Kosher salt, black pepper, and coconut sugar, keeping it simple since I was planning to use an herb butter under the skin later.

Dry Brine vs Wet Brine Turkey

Dry brining and wet brining serve the same purpose - keeping the meat moist and seasoning it. Dry brining is a dry rub, which means there will be less to clean up!
The difference between these two methods lies in how salt interacts with the turkey. In a wet brine, the salty water saturates the meat, allowing it to absorb and retain water. Dry brining initially extracts moisture which then combines with the salt before being reabsorbed. The high salt concentration in a dry brine breaks down muscle proteins and prevents them from releasing liquid during cooking.

Dry Brine Turkey Recipe Ingredients

• Pasture-Raised Turkey
• Kosher salt
• Coconut sugar (optional)
• Black pepper

Turkey Dry Brine Recipe Herb Butter Ingredients

• Butter
• Naval oranges
• Lemon
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Shallot
• Garlic

How to Dry Brine a Turkey

• Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey. Wipe any moisture from the turkey with a paper towel.
• Place the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet or something for it to sit on while brining in the fridge.
• In a small bowl, combine the Kosher salt, coconut sugar, and black pepper.
• Rub the mixture all over the skin of the bird. Wrap the bird in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 days. At the beginning of the 3rd day, remove the plastic wrap and let the bird dry, uncovered, in the fridge for the last day of brining.
• About an hour before you plan on roasting the turkey, remove it from the fridge. Wipe some of the excess brine from the skin with a paper towel. Do not rinse.

How long to Dry Brine Turkey

In total the turkey will brine for at least 3 days. Once you’ve rubbed the bird with the brine, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 days in the fridge. At the beginning of the 3rd day, remove the plastic wrap and let the bird dry, uncovered, in the fridge for the last day of brining. This will make the skin crisp up!

How to make the Herb Butter for this Dry Brine Turkey Recipe

Once you get the butter and herbs/seasonings all mixed together, dump it out onto a piece of parchment paper.

Then roll it up like a giant piece of candy. (That's what my 5-year-old called it.)

Put it in the fridge until it hardens. You can do this several days ahead of time if you need to.

I've got more detail about my Garlic and Herb Butter over on this other post! It works well for roast chickens, too.

Turkey Dry Brine Recipe Tips for success

• Use Kosher salt instead of fine sea salt or other finely ground salt. Using fine salt may make the turkey overly salty.
• You can make the herb butter several days in advance.
• You can also smoke this turkey! Prep it exactly the same and then insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the breast meat. You can either smoke the turkey at 220°F (105°C) to cook it entirely or smoke it at that temp for 2-3 hours and then finish it off at 350°F (180°C) to get it done more quickly. Cook until the temperature probe reaches 160°F (70°C).

Do you rinse the turkey after dry brine?

Do not rinse your turkey! All you need to do is wipe off the excess brine from the skin with a paper towel.

Prepping your Dry Brine Turkey for the oven

When the turkey is brined and you're ready to prep it from the oven, you'll need to gather a few things

• Sharp knife
• Kitchen twine
• Scissors
• Roasting pan
• Heavy pair of tongs to help move the turkey around
• The stuff you plan on putting inside the turkey.

I've learned it's  much easier to assemble everything you need ahead of time so you don't end up washing your hands 37426 times because you forgot to grab something out of a cabinet or a drawer.

(You also end up washing your hands that many times when you're trying to photograph turkey prep. There's not really any way around that, unfortunately.)

Prepping a turkey is like prepping a really big chicken. There's not that much difference, really.

I wiped off the extra brine because I didn't want the skin too peppery. Don't wash it off completely though, because you'll need that extra flavor.

I also loosened the skin from the flesh using my fingers and the end of a plastic mixing spoon to get into hard-to-reach areas.

After I cut the herb butter into coins, I inserted them under the skin. (See how much easier this is!?)

I also made small incisions in the skin between the leg and thigh so I could get butter coins in those places, too.

Don't worry if the skin rips a little. Try to be careful, but sometime it happens. Like that leg on the left up there. Oops.

Stuff some citrus and herbs into the body cavity, tuck the wings behind the body and tie the legs together. And drizzle the whole thing with avocado oil.

I put some celery, carrots, onion, fresh herbs, and orange halves in the bottom of the roasting pan with about 2 cups of water, too.

Roast the turkey breast side down at first

Now.... flip the whole thing over.

WHAT?

Yep. Do it.

Starting off the cooking process upside down lets the juices flow to the breast meat, which is where it needs to be. It's the area of the bird that usually dries out the most.

After an hour or so, flip it back over to finish cooking and make sure to baste it occasionally.

Ta-da! Check out that beautiful bird!

Making a dry brine turkey is so much easier than a wet brine. The recipe may look long and daunting, but it's really not hard! There's just a lot of explaining.

The gravy turned out FANTASTIC. Herb butters make the best gravy, I swear.

Smoking a Dry Brine Turkey using this Turkey Dry Brine Recipe

If you're into smoking, you can use the dry brining and herb butter techniques from this recipe and smoke your turkey instead of roasting it!

Follow the instructions in the recipe exactly up until you're ready to cook it, then preheat your smoker to 220F at high smoke.

If you have room in your smoker and two different grates, you can put the turkey directly on the top grate and a roasting pan on the bottom to catch any drippings. I recommend putting a quart of chicken broth in there, too, so the drippings don't burn.

Add a meat probe into the thickest part of the breast and let it roast until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Plan on roughly 30-40 minutes per pound.

Making Homemade Turkey Broth with this Turkey Dry Brine Recipe

Also, SAVE YOUR BONES!!

I got 2 gallons of turkey stock out of this lovely lady. You can use my Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth recipe and make 2 batches of bones in a 6 qt Instant Pot.

Thanksgiving Side Dishes

We ate our turkey with some Instant Pot Cauliflower Puree with Garlic & Rosemary (But Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes would be delightful, too!), Roasted Shredded Brussels Sprouts, and Wassailed Cranberry Sauce. Gluten Free Cornbread Dressing is a fun one, too, and a staple in our family's Thanksgiving.

Here is a collection of our Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes!

All right my friends. Go forth and make your dry brine turkey.

More Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

I have a post with TWO Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Menus if you're looking for an entire dinner option! Or just want some ideas.

This post has my Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes

This post has my Low-Carb/Keto Thanksgiving Recipes

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Turkey Dry Brine Recipe

Yield: 1 12-15 pound turkey

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 5 hours

Here's how to make a dry brine turkey along with a flavorful orange-rosemary herb butter for good measure! It's so much easier than using an immersion brine -- no need to fill your stock pot and then hunt for a place to put it in your fridge.

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Ingredients

For the Turkey & Dry Brine:

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• 1 12-14 pound Diestel Pasture-Raised Turkey
• 3 Tablespoons Kosher salt
• 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper

For the Herb Butter:

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• 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened salted butter (grass-fed, if possible)
• 2 medium naval oranges
• 1 large lemon
• ¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary, plus an extra sprig for the turkey cavity
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, plus an extra sprig for the turkey cavity
• 1 large shallot, peeled and chopped finely
• 4 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

For the Roasting Pan & Gravy:

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• 1 small onion, quartered
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into large pieces
• 4 medium carrots, cut into large pieces
• Additional sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme, plus more for garnish, if desired.
• 1 quart of chicken or turkey broth
• 2 Tablespoons tapioca or arrowroot starch
• 3 Tablespoons of butter or ghee
• Sea salt, if needed

Instructions

1. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey. Wipe any moisture from the turkey with a paper towel. Place the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet or something for it to sit on while brining in the fridge.
2. In a small bowl, combine the Kosher salt, coconut sugar, and black pepper. Rub the mixture all over the skin of the bird. Wrap the bird in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 days. At the beginning of the 3rd day, remove the plastic wrap and let the bird dry, uncovered, in the fridge for the last day of brining. This will make the skin crisp up nicely.
3. Make the herb butter by placing the soft butter in a bowl. Add the zest from both oranges and the lemon to the butter. Add the rest of the herb butter ingredients. Reserve the zested oranges and lemon for later use in the recipe. (You may want to cover them in plastic wrap, too, if it'll be more than a day before you cook the turkey.)
4. Mix the herb butter well, then transfer it to one side of a large piece of parchment paper. Fold the edge of the paper over the butter, an using your hands, form it into a log shape, rolling it up in the parchment and twisting the ends to seal. Chill until ready to use.
5. About an hour before you plan on roasting the turkey, remove it from the fridge. Wipe some of the excess brine from the skin with a paper towel. Do not rinse.
6. Use your fingers to loosen the skin from the meat around the breast area. You may need to use the end of a mixing spoon to detach the skin around the top of the breast if it's hard to reach with your fingers. Be careful not to pull too hard and tear the skin too badly. Do the same with the leg and thigh areas, making a small incision between the leg and the thigh to access both areas.
7. Insert the herb butter under the skin in the breast, leg, and thigh areas.
8. Pull out the reserved oranges and lemon. Slice them in half and put two halves along with two lemon halves and a couple of herb sprigs in the cavity of the chicken.  Put one orange half (reserve the last orange half for the gravy) in the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the onion, celery, carrots, herbs, and 2 cups of water. Place the roasting rack on top.
9. Tuck the wings behind the body and tie the legs together. Place the turkey, BREAST-SIDE DOWN (yes, upside down) on the roasting rack.
10. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and let the turkey sit at room temperature until the oven heats up. Roast on the bottom rack for 1 hour.
11. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Flip the turkey over using heavy tongs and an oven mitt, so it is breast-side up. Baste, and continue to roast, basting every 20-30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast is 155-160 degrees. My 12.5 pound turkey was finished in about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
12. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before slicing so the juices don't run out all over.
13. To make the gravy, use a slotted spoon to fish out the vegetables and the orange half. Place the roasting pan (if it is stove-top safe) over medium heat. Whisk 2 cups of the broth with the tapioca starch and pour it into the gravy, whisking constantly. Cook until the gravy is bubbly and thickened slightly. Add the butter or ghee and stir until smooth. Taste, and add salt, if needed. Strain and keep warm until ready to serve.

Notes

1. Use Kosher salt instead of fine sea salt or other finely ground salt. Using fine salt may make the turkey overly salty.
2. You can make the herb butter several days in advance.
3. You can also smoke this turkey! Prep it exactly the same and then insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the breast meat. You can either smoke the turkey at 220 deg F to cook it entirely or smoke it at that temp for 2-3 hours and then finish it off at 350 to get it done more quickly. Cook until the temperature probe reaches 160 deg F.

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This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Orange-Rosemary Herb Butter Turkey Dry Brine appeared first on Perry's Plate.

I only have a few short weeks before I can no longer justify eating what I want, whenever I want. (Usually that doesn't include quinoa salad.)

Bummer. *Sigh*

Given the choice, I may choose this particular quinoa salad over most of the indulging things I've been eating lately. This little one has wanted to nurse every waking moment of her days, and consequently my appetite is rather beast-like. I told Steve yesterday that I'd keep the baby fed if he'd keep me fed. Our grocery bill may just go up a smidgen.

That doesn't mean I need to give in to every 9PM Nutella-on-ice-cream craving. I need to reign in my cravings and get ready for my July paleo cleanse (Which, by the way, means I'll simply be eating strictly paleo. Not restricting calories or fat because I'll be nursing.), so I'm gathering some healthier options, like this refreshing summer quinoa salad!

This one is similar to this Lemon Quinoa Salad, but has a sweet-ish dressing and a few other ingredients that turn it into a completely different salad.

And it's totally sun-safe. No nasty, warm mayo to fear!

If you like this, salad, try one of my other sun-safe salads!

More Potluck Salad Recipes on Perry's Plate

Grilled Vegetable & Rotisserie Chicken Salad -- A mixture of grilled and fresh vegetables mixed with easy rotisserie chicken & tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette.

Grilled Vegetable Potluck Salad with Avocado Ranch -- Similar to the one above, this one has grilled vegetables, but includes some tasty grilled chicken sausage and a creamy avocado ranch dressing!

Mango Cucumber Rice Salad -- A rice-based salad with cool, refreshing bits of cucumber and mango!

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If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Sweet Lemon-Herb Quinoa Salad

Yield: Serves 6-8

My favorite part about this hearty, vegetarian quinoa salad is the sweet dressing made from lemon-infused oil! The whole thing is so light and fresh.

Print

Ingredients

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• 2 lemons
• ¼ cup avocado or other neutral-tasting oil
• 1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa
• 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• salt & freshly ground pepper
• 1 whole shallot, thinly sliced (or ¼ of a medium red onion)
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 cup diced jicama
• ½ cup raw cashews (or peanuts, if you prefer)
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup fresh mint, chopped
• ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed, leaves torn (or a couple handfuls of baby spinach)

Instructions

1. Remove 2 wide strips of the zest of 1 lemon with a vegetable peeler. Combine 1 strip of zest with oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the edges of the zest turn slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Let the lemon oil cool. (That's what you have now -- lemon oil. Cool, huh?)
2. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa as directed on the package, adding the remaining lemon zest strip to the water.
3. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl, discarding the zest, and fluff with a fork. Let cool to room temperature.
4. Meanwhile, make the dressing by juicing both lemons into a medium bowl. Whisk in the vinegar, brown sugar, 1 ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Keep whisking until sugar dissolves.
5. Discard the zest from the cooled lemon oil, then whisk the oil into the dressing. Add the shallots and let it marinate for 15 minutes.
6. Add the carrot, cucumber, jicama, nuts, cilantro, mint, basil and watercress/spinach to the bowl with the rice. Add the dressing and gently toss.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

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