Rowena Recommends

September is a word that is synonymous with getting back into routine. I don’t know how everyone is managing; however, September has been very chaotic for me.

It’s nice that the children are back at school but I am still getting used to the morning rush (of getting them to school) and the after school rush (of picking them up). I’m also happy that extracurriculars have started up in full swing; however, meal prep is tough.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner; it’s a time when turkey is top of mind. Have you thought of grinding up turkey or buying ground turkey to add another lean protein option on the menu even when it’s not Thanksgiving and/or any special holiday?

With two young children at home, I’m always on the hunt for easy, simple, delicious and versatile recipes to be added as part of the weekly meal plan rotation. Here is my latest find:

Turkey Glass Noodles (4-6 portions)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1/4 package of the glass noodles (AKA bean thread noodles or vermicelli made with mung beans & potato starch)

2 tablespoons of oil of choice

3 large cloves of garlic (minced)

1 carrot, julienned (~1 cup)

1 zucchini, julienned (~1 cup)

snow peas, julienned (`1 cup)

mushrooms, sliced (~1 cup)

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

2 tablespoons of oyster sauce

3 stalks of green onion, finely sliced

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

2 tablespoon of sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water almost to a boil. Turn it off and add glass noodles to soak until just translucent (~5 minutes). Strain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. In a large pan on medium-high heat, add the oil, the minced garlic and the ground turkey. Break up the ground turkey as it cooks with your spatula. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce to the pan.
3. Once the turkey is cooked, add the carrots, zucchini, mushroom & snow peas. Give it a quick stir to mix and add the glass noodles.
4. Add the remainder of the oyster sauce and soy sauce to the pan. Mix well (tongs will help). Once the sauces have been incorporated, add the sesame oil. Sesame oil is best added at the end for more aroma.
5. Set aside a tablespoon of green onion for garnish. Add remainder of the green onion to the pan. Set aside a teaspoon of sesame seeds for garnish. Add the remainder to the pan. Mix well.
6. Serve the noodles warm and top with the reserved green onion and sesame seeds for garnish for more of a beautiful presentation.

Final Thoughts: This recipe is very versatile and can be your next “Clean out your refrigerator recipe” as other vegetables can be incorporated into this dish as well. I’ve known of other individuals who add celery, ginger and onion to this recipe as well. I really like how this dish can be layered with alot of vegetable options. You’re going to increase your fibre intake without really realizing it because this dish really does taste yummy. It’s kid approved!