Turkey? But it's not Thanksgiving...

As some of you already know, recently I am trying to be a little more health conscious. Don't panic - I'll never give up my steak and potatoes or my macaroni and cheese... I am just cutting back a little. It's not that I just want to drop a pound or two (although that's a nice perk)... it is just that I am aware that I need to form some healthy habits that will make life down the road even sweeter! So I drink a little more water and not as much sweet tea (I'll never give up my wine!!!!) and I try to eat a little more salad and a few more vegis and not quite as many fried chicken fingers and fries!

Many of you also know that I love-love-love to cook! So, on my new quest for healthy living, I decided to experiment a little. Generally speaking I am no fan of Turkey except the giant kind that you get on Thanksgiving (be it baked, smoked, or deep fried) served with dressing (my grandmother's cornbread dressing, that is) and gravy. I don't care for turkey sandwiches (lunch meat) and really don't eat turkey any other time of the year. This is why tonight is surprising to me.

Last night I went to the new Publix down the road (super nice, but a shade more expensive than my little K-rogers that I LOVE) to find some spinach pasta. That is, perhaps, the only thing I have ever not been able to find at Kroger. Anyhow, I decided to go ahead and get all my shopping done while I was there. In the meat department while lusting after beautiful steaks, but buying chicken to grill (yum yum - and healthy) I spied some ground turkey. I thought, what the heck, I'll give it a try... it's supposed to be a little more good to you than the beef I do so love! So here is my experience with my ground turkey...

I got home today and decided pasta was calling my name (7 grain pasta, of course, and it's REALLY good by the way). I thought, what goes better with 7 grain pasta than marinara sauce and meatballs! YUM! So out came the ground turkey and away we went. I had no recipe, but I put what I figured you might put in any meatball: one egg, (wheat) bread crumbs, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, a little soy sauce, and a package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix - don't ask me about this one... it goes in meatloaf, so I figured why not in meatballs! I put my happy little turkey balls (okay, that sounds kind of gross) my "meat" balls into a pan to saute in a little bit of vegi-oil here they are browning up:

After they were cooked through I drained them and gave them a marinara hot tub to bathe in while I cooked up the pasta... here they are getting a little saucy!

Finally I plated my turkey meatballs on a bed of 7 grain fusilli and topped with a little parmesan cheese:

And the news is..... drum roll please.... I LOVED IT!!!!!!! It was very filling, very good, and it didn't taste like turkey at all! Yay! I can't wait until lunch tomorrow... I am not a leftover person either, but tomorrow I will make an exception for my turkey meatball marinara and fusilli!

Just wanted to share my turkey-lurkey experience! You might try it sometime... you could be surprised - I sure was!