Cobb salads are a perfect lunch. They are packed with protein and give you the energy to get through the afternoon without any ‘3 o’clock sleepies’.

Turkey Cobb

8 servings
200 calories per serving

12 c mixed salad greens
6 oz. thin deli sliced roasted turkey breast, cut into strips
1 chopped avocado
1 ½ c grape tomatoes, halved
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 hard boiled eggs cut into wedges
1 c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. light balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Place greens on a platter and then lay other ingredients in strips across the top. Place dressing on top of individual portions.

What a great appetizer or lunch. The sausage, beans and garlic make a perfect stew. Served with cheese toast, this makes a great dish to serve to guests. Even with the bread, this dish comes in under 400 calories !!

Sausage and Bean Stew (Crock Pot)

6 servings
350 calories per serving

2 t oil
3 t garlic, minced
4 2 oz. turkey sausages (any flavor you like, I used Italian hot) cut into chunks
1 c water
1 c chicken broth
2 19 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 c baby spinach
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/8 t salt
½ t garlic powder
2 T lemon juice
6 T shredded provolone cheese
6 1 oz. slices French bread

Heat oil and cook sausage until almost done. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add water, broth to crock pot then add spinach. Add salt and pepper and garlic powder. Add beans and then add sausage and garlic and any pan drippings to the top. Cook on low 3 hours. Add the splash of lemon during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve with Cheese Toasts. To make toasts, sprinkle bread slices with cheese and broil 2 minutes to melt cheese.

If you don’t have a crock pot, you can do this stove top is a soup pot – after cooking the sausage and combining all the ingredients, simmer on very low for 1 hour.

Another super quick soup that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours, but it’s just a ½ hour meal. Try using Perdue Shortcuts turkey strips if you don’t have any leftover turkey on hand.

Turkey Noodle Soup

2 servings
156 calories per serving

2 c water
¾ c cooked cubed turkey breast
1 rib celery, sliced
Leaves from top of celery
2 cloves garlic minced
Salt to taste
1/8 t marjoram flakes
1/8 t pepper
1 bay leaf
½ t onion powder
½ c canned diced potatoes
¼ c frozen peas and carrots mix
¼ c yolk free egg noodles
Dash Kitchen Bouquet

Mix water, turkey, celery, onion, garlic, salt, onion powder, marjoram, pepper and bay leaf and bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Then mix in the potatoes, peas and noodles. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

This was sooooo good – it’s like Thanksgiving dinner without all the work. I use the scallopini cut of turkey cutlets so they are nice and thin and you can cook them up quickly so they don’t get dried out. Add a small green salad on the side and you have a great balanced meal that makes the day feel like a holiday

Turkey and Stuffing

4 servings
390 calories per serving

4 slices fresh turkey breast (3/4 lb.)
½ c chopped green pepper
2 T water
2 c fat free chicken broth
12 oz. fat free turkey gravy
3 c dry cubed seasoned stuffing
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Spray a skillet with Pam and on medium high heat cook turkey breasts sprinkled with salt and pepper; cook 4 minutes each side or until turkey is golden then remove from skillet and keep warm. Combine pepper and water in pan. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Add gravy, reserving ¼ cup for later use, Add broth to skillet and bring to a boil and then remove skillet from heat. Stir in stuffing and mix well then return turkey to the pan. Cover and let stand 5 minutes and then our extra gravy over the top and serve.

What a great grilled dish – the onions get so nice and caramelized and that gives everything tons of flavor.

Grilled Sausage, Onions and Mushrooms

4 servings
350 calories per serving

1/3 c finely chopped onion
3 T buttery spread
¾ c apple juice
1/3 c red vinegar
2 T honey
1 T steak sauce
1 t salt
½ t pepper
1 lb Italian turkey sausage
2 small onions, quartered
8 medium large fresh mushroom caps
Pam

Grilled Sausage, Onions and Mushrooms

Cook onion in butter until tender then mix in apple juice, vinegar, honey, steak sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Boil enough water to cover sausages and add sausage to pot and cover. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until cooked through. During the last 5 minutes throw in the onion wedges. Cool for a bit then slice into 2 inch pieces. Heat grill and spray a grill pan with Pam.

Place all sausage, onions and mushrooms in a bowl and put in half the sauce and toss to coat. Place this mix in a hot grill basket and grill 10 minutes stirring frequently. Baste with the other ½ of the sauce and continue cooking 2 minutes longer.

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Grilled Portobello mushrooms make any sandwich a winner in my book. The turkey and cheddar are just the supporting cast here – the mushrooms are really the stars

Turkey Sandwich Deluxe

1 serving
365 calories per serving

1 T low fat mayo mixed with ¼ t minced horseradish
1 small club roll
1 slice cheddar cheese
6 slices lean and thin deli turkey breast (Oscar Mayer has great lean deli meats pre-packaged and ready to go)
1/2 c sliced grilled portobello mushrooms

Spread mayo mix on buns. Fill up the sandwich and enjoy !

Authentic, delicious, Greek pasta dish – easy to make and a great meal for entertaining or for every day !

Greek Pastitsio

8 servings
370 calories per serving

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
24 oz. marinara sauce
2 T red wine vinegar
2 T butter
1 1/2 c skim milk
1 c strained plain Greek yogurt
1/4 t nutmeg
2 c FiberGourmet elbow macaroni, cooked
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown onions in a skillet sprayed with Pam. Add turkey and brown. Drain. Add sauce and vinegar and cook for 15 minutes. Melt butter and add milk. Bring to a boil on medium heat stirring constantly then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt and nutmeg. Add macaroni, salt and pepper and stir. Spread meat sauce into a 13×9 baking dish and top with macaroni. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 50 minutes.

Genius ! Lunch on garlic bread. Tastes pretty yummy !

Garlic Bread Turkey Sandwich

1 serving
220 calories per serving

1 Arnold Select Multi-Grain 100 calorie roll
1 T buttery spread
½ t garlic powder
1 t oregano flakes
4 slices lean thin turkey breast
1 slice fat free American cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees or heat toaster oven. Spread buttery spread on inside of top and bottom of roll. Sprinkle with garlic powder and oregano. Toast a couple of minutes until golden brown. Place turkey and cheese on roll and make a sandwich and continue heating a few moments longer.

This is so creamy and full of nutty flavor from the wild rice. It’s a great dish and a perfect way to use up left over turkey.

Turkey Wild Rice Casserole

5 servings
370 calories per serving

4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
1 lb. cooked turkey breast cut into bite sized pieces
1 c carrots, julienned
1/2 c onion, chopped finely
1/2 c celery, sliced
1 c raw wild rice
1 can low fat cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 c water
2 T soy sauce
1/2 t marjoram flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a skillet with Pam and cook bacon until almost crisp then add turkey, carrots, onion and celery and cook 3 minutes or until turkey is heated. Cook rice according to package instructions. Mix rice and turkey then add soup, water, soy and spices and place in a baking dish sprayed with Pam. Cover and bake half hour.

A Waldorf salad has apples and nuts and celery and is mixed with mayo. Here I recreate it but in sandwich form and serve it atop lean turkey slices. So good !!

Waldorf Sandwich

1 serving
396 calories per serving

100 calorie English muffin, toasted
1/2 small apple sliced
¼ c chopped walnuts
¼ c thin celery slices
1 T non fat mayonnaise
4 slices thin deli sliced lean turkey (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
2 lettuce leaves

Spread bread with mayo. Make sandwich with turkey and apples. Sprinkle with walnuts and celery slices. Top with lettuce.