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Here we are, friends — the middle of September and everything is back in full swing! School, work, extra-curricular activities, and on, and on and on. If you’re a Canadian as well, you’re also gearing up for Thanksgiving and all the holiday craziness that comes with it (right through until the New Year!).

Honestly though — I love this time of year. I always have. I’m a sucker for routines and all of that boring stuff that summer has none of!

With our oldest girl in Kindergarten this year we’ve been forced into a routine more than ever before. Now it’s all about packing lunches, getting to bed early, agendas and school functions. I can’t say I hate that either though

Because I’m still home with my almost-3-year-old and baby is coming in November (what?!?!), I’m always on the lookout for easy, healthy meals that are filling enough to keep everyone going — including me! I love using turkey and lentils to take a meal the kids already love and making it even more of a nutritional powerhouse. (Fact: if there is macaroni and cheese in a meal, my kids will get excited no matter what!)

I love turkey because it packs a ton of protein and gives me enough energy to deal with all the chaos that comes with 2.75 kids 5 and under. That and my morning coffee, of course

Lentils are such a great add in for any meal the family already loves — they’re high in protein and fibre as well as iron and folate, both of which are so important when you’re pregnant and things I never seem to get enough of. This chili mac has a whopping 29% of your daily iron needs in 1 serving! Lentils have a mild flavour so they’re perfect for adding to any meal.

Tips and Tricks for Making this One Pot Turkey Chili Mac:

• Feel free to mix up the veggies to suit your family’s tastes — mushrooms, shredded carrots or zucchini, corn, peas, really anything can be added in.
• This recipe can easily be frozen for a quick lunch later on, keeping in mind that the pasta will be softer after thawing.
• If you want to jazz it up even more, feel free to use a variety of cheeses or spices. Maybe some jalapenos or Monterey Jack cheese?

*This post is sponsored by Canadian Turkey and Lentils.org — thank you for supporting the brands that put healthy dinners on our table!

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One Pot Turkey Chili Mac Recipe + VIDEO

This One Pot Turkey Chili Mac is an easy, healthy weeknight dinner recipe that’s made in just one pan! Loaded with vegetables and lentils for extra protein and fibre! Includes step by step recipe video.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 491cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 medium onion diced
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 1/3 cup frozen spinach thawed and squeeze dry
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 798ml can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup split red lentils rinsed
• 2 cups whole wheat macaroni dry
• 2 cups low fat shredded cheese

Instructions

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook and stir turkey until starting to brown, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add onion, pepper, spinach, garlic, salt, pepper and chili powder and stir. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add diced tomatoes, broth, lentils and macaroni. Stir well and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until lentils and macaroni are cooked to desired tenderness.
• Stir in cheese until melted and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 491cal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1347mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g

The post One Pot Turkey Chili Mac Recipe + VIDEO appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

I don’t know if I’ve ever thrown a bunch of random ingredients into the slow cooker, set the timer, and had it turn out as well as these did.

I was so thrilled that these worked!

These sloppy joes are packed with protein and vegetables! I have to admit, sometimes I sneak veggies in my own food just to ensure I get enough. It’s hard sometimes! Something we all love is sloppy joes, and the lentils and vegetables give such an awesome boost in nutritional value to your typical sloppy joes!

The lentils add no extra work but a ton of nutritional value — and I’m all about packing a big punch into the meals I eat so I feel less guilty about the dessert I know I’m going to eat later.

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{Slow Cooker} Beef & Lentil BBQ Sloppy Joes

Sweet and smoky sloppy joes with extra fiber and protein from lentils! Super easy – just throw everything in the slow cooker and come back at dinner time.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8 main dish servings

Calories 365cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 small-medium onion finely chopped
• 1 small zucchini shredded (could substitute a carrot, other veg, or just leave out)
• 3/4 cup split red lentils dry
• 1 1/2 cup water or broth beef, chicken or veg
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes

Instructions

• In a large pan, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat until browned.
• While ground beef is cooking, add remaining ingredients to slow cooker (I used a 6qt, and it was about half full).
• Add ground beef to slow cooker and give everything a good stir.
• Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Notes

My slow cooker is on the cool side, as far as temperature goes. I got a new slow cooker at Christmas and I noticed a huge difference in cooking times, having to add hours more when I made the switch. You should know your slow cooker and adjust cooking time as necessary. You might find it’s cooked in 5-6 hours on low, though letting it sit on Warm for a couple hours likely won’t hurt anything.
**NOTE: Nutrition information is estimated and will vary depending on exact serving size, types and brands of products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 365cal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 6g | Fiber: 2g

The post {Slow Cooker} Beef & Lentil BBQ Sloppy Joes appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.