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This turkey cranberry sweet potato is Thanksgiving rolled into one highly portable meal. Perfect if you’re short on time and looking for satisfying weekday lunches.
Like most plants, sweet potatoes contain beneficial micronutrients – vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. The antioxidants are also responsible for the color diversity. Carotenoids are orange and yellow light emitters. Found in highest concentration in Beauregard sweet potatoes, beta-carotene is a precursor that our bodies use to produce Vitamin A. Lutein and zeaxanthin also belong to this family – both support eye health.
Notes about the recipe:
- In addition to high Vitamin A and antioxidant concentration, with the potato skin and celery you’re also getting 12 of fiber!
- Any variety of sweet potato works for this recipe. The quickest method is to cook the potatoes in the microwave, but if you do have the time, baking in the oven will provided a richer flavor.
- Nutrition for each potato is 363 kcal 26P | 13F | 37C with the assumption that the hollowed out potato weighs 100g.
- I used 93/7 lean ground turkey; chopped up leftover turkey breast would be perfect!
- If you want to adjust the carbs up or down, use a large potato or smaller potato.
Turkey Cranberry Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 lb. 93/7 lean ground turkey (473 g)
- 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 tbsp. onion powder
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. celery seed
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 tsp. black pepper
- 20 roasted unsalted almonds, chopped (cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or flax seeds are are great substitutions
- 50g (1/3 cup) no added sugar dried cranberries, minced
Instructions
- Thoroughly scrub the potatoes, making sure all dirt is removed.
- Pierce each potato with a knife to the center. Place two potatoes in the microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, flip over and cook and additional 2 minutes. If potatoes are still firm in the center keep cooking one additional minute at a time. Repeat the process for the other two potatoes.
- While potatoes are cooking, heat a pan on high and spray with cooking spray. Add the chopped celery and all spices. Cook for two minutes until the mixture is fragrant.
- Add the turkey to the pan and mix with the celery and spices, breaking the turkey apart as you cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Optionally, add a dash of salt as you cook. Transfer the turkey mixture to a large bowl and mix in the minced cranberries.
- When the potatoes are cooked, slice each one down the middle and gently scoop out the insides, transferring the scooped-out potato into a separate bowl. Leave a little bit of the inside behind; the remaining sweet potato skin should weigh about 100 grams.
- When ready to eat, fill each potato with 1/4 of the turkey mixture, and top with 5g of chopped almonds.
Notes
- 363 kcal 26P | 13F | 37C (per potato)
- If you have the time, instead of microwaving the potatoes, bake them in the oven for a richer flavor (425F for about 40 minutes)
- Store your potato skins and filling separately in the fridge for up to 4 days, assemble the day you are going to eat.
- Store the scooped-out potato in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled, enjoy this as your carb source for another meal.
- Substitute almonds for walnuts, sunflower seeds, or flax seeds
- Search for this as a food in MyFitnessPal: “Modus Energy Turkey Cranberry Sweet Potato Taco”
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