This easy one-pot meal prep ground turkey veggie quinoa rice bowl is amazing! It’s high in protein, and fibre and great for people who don’t want to wash dishes (me included).
It’s crazy how many dishes you have to wash after just one meal, let alone a dinner for 4 or more people. Luckily, this recipe will save you time and your fingers from getting wrinkly from all the washing. Think about it, the meat and quinoa all at once. How great is that?
But why is this called “magic meal prep ground turkey rice bowl”?
Well, because all you have to do is throw in a bunch of ingredients, close the lid and turn on the heat. Then boom! The quinoa is fluffed, the veggies are cooked, and the flavour is fantastic.
Enough talking, let’s get into the recipe.
Why you should make this recipe
- Super easy to make
- Healthy and nutritious
- It’s a Warm and hearty meal
- Full of Whole Foods
- Flavourful and delicious
- Low in sodium
- Meal prep friendly
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Extra-lean ground meat – extra lean is just my preference, and it’s also healthier in general. As for the ground meat, I’m using ground turkey. But other meats like ground beef and chicken will work fine as well
- Quinoa – an awesome whole grain with lots of nutrition and fibre. You can substitute it with other grains like barley and rice, but if so, remember to adjust the cooking time and the amount of water according to the package.
- Onions and garlic – these two ingredients combined create the most alluring fragrance and base of this recipe
- Celery, carrots and tomatoes – the three vegetables that make up a huge amount of flavour and vitamins. The carrots and celery also add a slight crunch and texture to the ground turkey rice bowl.
- Zucchini – another component to this recipe, and also one of my favorites.
- Other vegetables to add: mushrooms, ginger, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.
- Seasonings – at the end of the day, it’s your choice. I like to use Italian seasonings, nutritional yeast, onion and garlic powder as well as some black pepper.
All about quinoa
Quinoa is a highly nutritious grain-like seed often referred to as a “superfood.” It’s rich in essential nutrients, making it a popular choice for health-conscious individuals. Here’s a brief summary of quinoa, its nutrition facts, and quinoa-to-water ratio:
Nutrition Facts (per 1 cup, of cooked quinoa):
- Calories: Approximately 222 calories
- Protein: About 8 grams
- Carbohydrates: Around 39 grams
- Dietary Fiber: Approximately 5 grams
- Fat: Roughly 4 grams
- Vitamins: Contains essential B vitamins, including folate, B6, and thiamine.
- Minerals: Rich in minerals like magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and iron.
- Antioxidants: Contains quercetin and kaempferol, known for their antioxidant properties.
- Amino Acids: Quinoa is a complete protein, providing all nine essential amino acids.
Quinoa to Water Ratio
A common quinoa-to-water ratio is 1:2. This means for every cup of quinoa, use 2 cups of water.
Tips and variations for One Pot Meal Prep Ground turkey rice bowl recipe
Here are some things to keep in mind while making this recipe and also some creative variations to spice up the dish.
- Wash and rinse the quinoa well!
- If you have leftover meat (for example, chopped chicken, canned salmon, etc), you can omit the meat-coking process altogether and just throw them in during the cooking process to reheat.
- Using a nonstick pot and pan will drastically improve your cooking experience and prevent the pot from sticking.
- Feel free to add some cream of corn, vegetable stock, or tomato sauce into the pot when cooking. Just make sure to dial back some of the liquid.
- Keep in mind that different vegetables absorb or release different amounts of water
- For a one-pan version of this recipe, check out this quick one-pan salmon fried rice.
- For a vegan meat substitute, low-sodium and low-fat seitan will work just fine. Check out this beginner-friendly seitan recipe that only requires 2 main ingredients!
How to store Magic Meal prep Ground turkey rice bowl
This dish is incredibly easy to store. All you need to do is let the rice cook down and transfer either indivisible portions into meal prep containers or the entire batch to an airtight food container.
Once cooled down completely, you can refrigerate it for up to 1 week.
To reheat, simply take out the portion you need and reheat it in a pan at medium heat for about 5 minutes or until it’s fully heated.
Magic Meal prep Ground turkey rice bowl Recipe
Magic Meal Prep Ground Turkey One Pot Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cuos chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 medium zuchinni, chopped
- 2/3 cup quinoa, washed
- 454 g ground turkey or other ground meat. Scroll up for details
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast optional
- 2 tsp seasonings of choice onion powder, italian seasoning, cayenne pepper
- 1 1/3 cup water or vegetable stock
Instructions
- wash and rinse the quinoa throughly and put it in a large cooking pot. Pour in the water and cover it with a lid. Bring to a boil
- Add all the vegetables into the pot and sprinkle the seasonings. Mix and cover with lid and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, until the quinoa is fully cooked. Try not to open the lid.
- In the meantime, if your ground meat is not cooked, Cook the ground meat in a pan over high heat, spinkled with seasoning of choice (I like to add nutritional yeast, garlic and onion powder, italitan seasoning and pepper). Cook until they are just fully cooked. DON"T OVERCOOK THE MEAT
- Once the quinoa and vegetables are done cooking, give it a stir then add the meat. Stir consistantly over medium heat for 2-5 minutes until the meat is fully cooked and all the ingredients are evenly mixed. Enjoy!